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Earth Sangha Inc

EIN 54-1868546 · Annandale, VA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceGood76 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Conservation, ecological restoration, and helping people develop healthier connections to the lands and waters around them.

Income
$827,151
Spending
$703,509
Spent on programs
82%
Reserves
14.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 58%
Employees
14
Volunteers
1,500
Highest pay
$67,400, director emerit

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 89% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 14.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 15% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 36% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    82% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 76 out of 100. Higher than 56% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 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

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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, 2024, 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 (5)
  1. $277,578 spent. Wild Plant Nursery: Our local-ecotype, native plant propagation efforts distributed 54,896 plants to over 150 public lands. Our plants are used on restoration projects to restore wild areas by ourselves, government agencies, and other conservation non-profits. They are also distributed to create wildlife gardens at schools, places of worship, HOAs, and home gardens. In 2024, we grew three state-rare and one globally-rare species in partnership with the Fairfax County Park Authority and the DC Department of Energy and Environment.
  2. $192,262 spent. Tree Bank: The Tree Bank program in the Dominican Republic operates a community tree nursery and associated forest-conservation and tree-planting programs on the Dominican side of a portion of the Dominican Republic - Haiti Border, to slow deforestation and help small-holder farmers increase their incomes. During 2024, about 67 farms participated. Program activities produced and planted about 22,206 orchard, timber, and local-ecotype native tree seedlings; 8 native species were represented, all of them probably in decline in the wild, our forest credit program, in which our local independent partner organization (the asociacion de productores de bosque, los cerezos) extends low-cost credit to small-holder farmers in exchange for pledges. To conserve forest - that credit program lent about $34,700 to 54 farms, in exchange for pledges covering about 353 acres of forest. (The pledges are held by our Dominican partner organization.)
  3. $66,473 spent. DC-area forest and meadow restoration: Earth Sangha staff and volunteers engaged in direct restoration activities at seven local forest, meadow, and riparian sites. These activities included: replanting 250 state-rare and globally-rare plants at Elklick Woodlands Natural Area Preserve; invasives removal and the replanting of 842 native plants at the Marie Butler Leven Preserve; invasives removal and the replanting of 242 native plants at Mason District Park; replanting 447 native plants at Laurel Hill Apple Orchard Recreation Area; replanting 50 state-rare and globally-rare plants at Poplar Ford Park; replanting 1,478 native plants at Riverbend Park; and, replanting 66 native plants at Little Hunting Creek.
  4. $21,420 spent. Stream Buffer Restoration
  5. $16,589 spent. School Greening

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

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

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2026.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since January 1998.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 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.