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Snow Leopard Conservancy

EIN 61-1614981 · San Francisco, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Ensuring snow leopard survival and conserving mountain landscapes by expanding environmental awareness and sharing innovative practices through community stewardship and partnerships.

Income
$1.2 million
Spending
$1.0 million
Spent on programs
77%
Reserves
15 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 93%
Employees
3
Volunteers
8
Highest pay
$125,000, executive dir.

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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 78% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 15.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 12% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 25% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    77% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 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

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 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

    0 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, 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 (1)
  1. $805,287 spent. SNOW LEOPARD CONSERVANCY (SLC) HAS THREE OVERARCHING PROGRAM CATEGORIES: 1.) DIRECT FUNDING SUPPORT TO RANGE COUNTRY CONSERVATION PARTNERS AND ORGANIZATIONS; 2.) TECHNICAL AND FACILITATION SUPPORT TO PARTNERS AND CONSERVATION PROGRAMS; AND 3.) EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH AND PUBLIC EVENTS. IN 2025, SNOW LEOPARD CONSERVANCY CONTINUED ITS MISSION TO REDUCE HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICT AND STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY-DRIVEN CONSERVATION IMPACT THROUGH PARTNER-LED PROGRAMS AND FACILITATED COLLABORATIVE INITIATIVES. AT LEAST 13,000 INDIVIDUALS BENEFITED FROM TOOLS, RESOURCES, AND EDUCATION MATERIALS PROVIDED BY SLC, AND 80 INDIVIDUALS WERE COMPENSATED TO FACILITATE CONSERVATION INITIATIVES. HIGHLIGHTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF CONFLICT REDUCTION INCLUDED THE REPAIR OF TWO LARGE COMMUNAL PREDATOR-PROOF LIVESTOCK CORRALS, WHICH NOW PROTECT MORE THAN 42% OF ANIMALS ACROSS TWO VILLAGES AND SUPPORT THE LIVELIHOODS OF 45 HOUSEHOLDS, OVER HALF OF THE TWO VILLAGES. ADDITIONALLY, 7,660 LIVESTOCK WERE VACCINATED, SAFEGUARDING BOTH ANIMALS AND COMMUNITIES. NEARLY 450 HERDERS PARTICIPATED IN HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICT REDUCTION/MITIGATION EFFORTS AND 15 WORKSHOPS WERE HELD PROVIDING BEST PRACTICES RESOURCES AND TRAINING. SLCS EDUCATION PROGRAMS SUCCESSFULLY REACHED 26 SCHOOLS, ENGAGING 4,800 STUDENTS THROUGH CLASSROOM AND FIELD-BASED LEARNING, WITH THE INVOLVEMENT OF 138 TEACHERS. BEYOND SCHOOLS, 31 PUBLIC EVENTS ATTRACTED MORE THAN 6,000 PARTICIPANTS, WHILE 450 INDIVIDUALS TOOK PART IN DIRECT TRAINING SESSIONS SUPPORTING SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES. FINALLY, SLCS OUTREACH EXTENDED FURTHER THROUGH LOCAL IN-COUNTRY TRADITIONAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS, INFORMING OVER 14,000 PEOPLE OF KEY CONSERVATION ISSUES. SNOW LEOPARD CONSERVANCY SERVED AS A CONVENER AND TECHNICAL ALLY FOR ITS PARTNER NETWORK, PROVIDING RESOURCES, TRAINING AND FACILITATION FOR CONSERVATION PROGRAMS. TWO OF THE CONSERVANCYS FACILITATED COLLABORATIVE INITIATIVES MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS TOWARD LOCAL LEADERSHIP AND SUSTAINABILITY. FIRST, THE LAND OF SNOW LEOPARD (LOSL) NETWORK IN CENTRAL AND INNER ASIA, MORE THAN ONE DECADE IN EXISTENCE, BRIDGES INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE WITH CONTEMPORARY SCIENTIFIC APPROACHES TO ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP. IN 2025, SLC BROUGHT TOGETHER INDIGENOUS CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL PRACTITIONERS TO AN IN-PERSON GATHERING IN KYRGYZSTAN, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SIX YEARS DUE TO GLOBAL CHALLENGES. THE LOSL NETWORK DRAFTED A NOVEL SPIRITUAL-CULTURAL PROTOCOL FOR THE USE OF CAMERA TRAPS IN SNOW LEOPARD MONITORING AS WELL AS BEGAN A REORGANIZATION OF LEADERSHIP TO FURTHER THE NETWORKS INDIGENOUS-LED CULTURALLY GROUNDED STRATEGIES FOR PROTECTING SNOW LEOPARDS AND THEIR LANDSCAPES. SECOND, THE ONE HEALTH-ONE WELFARE INITIATIVE IN NEPAL STRENGTHENED THE COLLABORATION AND IMPACT OF LOCAL INSTITUTIONS BY IMPROVING ACCESS TO VETERINARY RESOURCES AND TRAINING IN THE REMOTE HIMALAYAS TO IMPROVE HEALTH AND CONSERVATION OUTCOMES. THE PROGRAM UNITES THE ANIMAL WELFARE, WILDLIFE CONSERVATION, AND PUBLIC HEALTH SECTORS ACROSS NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL GOVERNMENT AND NGO ORGANIZATIONS. PLEASE NOTE: THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT INCLUDED IN THE TECHNICAL SERVICES THAT SLC PROVIDES TO ITS CONSERVATION PARTNERS AND PROGRAMS IS NOT INCLUDED IN SCHEDULE F (SECTIONS II AND III).

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 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 November 6, 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 December 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 2011.

    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 November 4, 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.