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Marine Mammal Care Center Los Angeles

EIN 47-5249182 · San Pedro, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood75 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO INSPIRE OCEAN CONSERVATION THROUGH MARINE MAMMAL RESCUE, REHABILITATION, EDUCATION, AND RESEARCH.

Income
$3.5 million
Spending
$3.4 million
Spent on programs
80%
Reserves
2.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 84%
Employees
26
Volunteers
385
Highest pay
$258,969, ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 9% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 32% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    80% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 9 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $2.6 million spent. REHABILITATION: THE CENTER REHABILITATES SICK AND INJURED MARINE MAMMALS AT OUR HOSPITAL UNTIL THEY CAN BE RELEASED BACK TO THE WILD. ANNUALLY, WE CARE FOR 250 TO 500 SEA LIONS, ELEPHANT SEALS, FUR SEALS, AND HARBOR SEALS. SINCE 1992, WE'VE TREATED MORE THAN 11,000 MARINE MAMMALS. AS A PARTNER IN NOAA'S MARINE MAMMAL HEALTH AND STRANDING RESPONSE PROGRAM, MMCC HAS THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF STRANDED MARINE WILDLIFE WHILE LEARNING MORE ABOUT SPECIES THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE INACCESSIBLE. OUR EXPERTS DEVELOP TREATMENT AND HUSBANDRY PROTOCOLS TO DELIVER ADVANCED CARE TO ANIMALS IN NEED AND COLLABORATES WITH SCIENTISTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY TO CONDUCT RESEARCH THAT ADVANCES MARINE MAMMAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.
  2. $97,035 spent. RESCUE AND RESPONSE: MMCC RESCUES AND RESPONDS TO MARINE MAMMALS ALONG THE COAST OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY, INCLUDING CATALINA ISLAND, AND HAS WITNESSED AN INCREASE IN THE FREQUENCY AND SEVERITY OF RECENT STRANDING EVENTS. CAUSES OF STRANDINGS INCLUDE MALNUTRITION, INFECTIOUS DISEASE, HUMAN INTERACTION SUCH AS ENTANGLEMENT AND GUNSHOT WOUNDS, ALGAL TOXINS AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS. ON AVERAGE, OUR EXPERTS RESPOND TO 750 TO 1,000 REPORTS OF MARINE MAMMALS IN DISTRESS EACH YEAR. MMCC IS ALSO A MEMBER OF NOAA'S NATIONAL LARGE WHALE ENTANGLEMENT RESPONSE NETWORK TO HELP SAVE THE GROWING NUMBER OF WHALES ENTANGLED IN FISHING GEAR THAT TRAVERSE OUR COASTLINE.
  3. $77,809 spent. EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: MMCC'S EDUCATION PROGRAMS PROVIDE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR K-12 STUDENTS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, CONSERVATION PARTNERS, AND THE PUBLIC. OUR PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO BE INQUIRY-DRIVEN AND LEARNER-CENTRIC, EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANT ROLE THAT WE ALL PLAY IN ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP. WE CREATE EXPERIENCES THAT MOTIVATE, INSPIRE AND EQUIP PEOPLE TO TAKE CONCRETE ACTIONS TO PROTECT THE OCEAN AND MARINE MAMMALS. MMCC'S REHABILITATION HOSPITAL IS A UNIQUE TRAINING GROUND FOR VETERINARY AND ANIMAL CARE PROFESSIONALS. OUR PROGRAMS COMBINE HANDS-ON PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE, INNOVATIVE MEDICINE, AND MEANINGFUL PROFESSIONAL COLLABORATION.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since February 2016.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.