Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Merritt Island Wildlife Association

EIN 59-3289841 · Titusville, FL

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood74 out of 100GovernanceFair69 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Only 49% of its spending went to programs.
  • Raising each dollar of donations cost 64 cents.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

TO PROMOTE CONSERVATION AWARENESS AND APPRECIATION OF THE MERRITT ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE COMPLEX AND TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO REFUGE PROGRAMS

Income
$216,892
Spending
$234,801
Spent on programs
49%
Reserves
24.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 52%
Employees
2
Volunteers
8

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 74 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (animals, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 24.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 8% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 1% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    49% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 64 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Fair: 69 out of 100. Higher than 72% of charities in its peer group (animals, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    17 of 17 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

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

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 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 (5)
  1. $26,018 spent. REFURBISHMENT WORK COMPLETED AT THE SENDLER EDUCATION PAVILION IMPROVED THE OVERALL SAFETY, DURABILITY, AND USABILITY OF THIS HEAVILY UTILIZED COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACE THROUGH ROOF REPLACEMENT, DECKING REPAIRS, STRUCTURAL STEEL REPAIRS, SURFACE RESTORATION, AND PRESSURE WASHING OF WALKWAYS AND CONCRETE AREAS. THESE UPGRADES ADDRESSED AGING AND IMPROPERLY INSTALLED MATERIALS WHILE CREATING A SAFER ENVIRONMENT FOR THE MANY SCOUTING GROUPS, HOMESCHOOL FAMILIES, VOLUNTEERS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO UTILIZE THE PAVILION FOR CONSERVATION EDUCATION PROGRAMS, VOLUNTEER TRAINING, AND APPRECIATION EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
  2. $24,000 spent. THE SPACE COAST OFFICE OF TOURISM GRANT MAKES A LARGE IMPACT IN OUR MARKETING AND AWARENESS OF OUR CONSERVATION WORK. IT IS A WAY TO WIDEN OUR NET TO ENGAGE MORE PEOPLE IN REFUGE ACTIVITIES AND, HOPEFULLY, CONSERVATION ADVOCACY. THIS GRANT HAS FUNDED ITEMS SUCH AS PRINTING OUR QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER (HABI-CHAT), RADIO ADS TO ADVERTISE EVENTS, VIDEOS AND PHOTOGRAPHY THAT ARE USED IN MANY OUTREACH AND EDUCATIONAL EVENTS.
  3. $9,700 spent. TICKET SALES FROM GUIDED SEA TURTLE WALKS WERE RAISED TO FUND THREE SEA TURTLE BIOLOGY INTERNSHIPS. THE SEA TURTLE PROGRAMS PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PARTICIPANTS TO LEARN ABOUT THE NESTING HABITS, HABITATS, AND CONSERVATION OF LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLES THAT RETURN TO OUR LOCAL BEACHES EACH SUMMER. THE SEA TURTLE BIOLOGY INTERNSHIP PROVIDED STUDENTS WITH VALUABLE FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE IN ENVIRONMENTAL INTERPRETATION, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, AND WILDLIFE STEWARDSHIP THROUGH LEADING SEA TURTLE WALK PROGRAMS AT THE REFUGE. BY GUIDING PARTICIPANTS THROUGH THIS PROTECTED NESTING HABITAT AND SHARING CONSERVATION-FOCUSED EDUCATION, INTERNS STRENGTHENED BOTH THEIR PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF SEA TURTLE BIOLOGY AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT.
  4. $55,061 spent. PROMOTED CONSERVATION AWARENESS AND APPRECIATION OF THE MERRITT ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE COMPLEX AND PROVIDED ASSISTANCE TO REFUGE PROGRAMS
  5. PROMOTED CONSERVATION AWARENESS AND APPRECIATION OF THE MERRITT ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE COMPLEX AND PROVIDED ASSISTANCE TO REFUGE PROGRAMS

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 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 October 13, 2026.

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

    Status was revoked on February 15, 2022 for not filing returns for three years, and reinstated on February 15, 2022.

    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 September 2025.

    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 July 2023.

    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.