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Merrie Woode Foundation Inc

EIN 62-1055955 · Sapphire, NC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

MERRIE-WOODE IS A SANCTUARY OF RAREST BEAUTY WHICH INSPIRES A LASTING AWARENESS OF GOD'S PRESENCE. THE MISSION OF CAMP MERRIE-WOODE IS TO USE THAT SETTING TO NURTURE THE PHYSICAL, INTELLECTUAL AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH OF GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN THROUGH TRADITIONAL CAMP ACTIVITIES AND OUTDOOR ADVENTURES. IN THIS FRIENDLY, NON-COMPETITIVE COMMUNITY OF SIMPLIFIED LIVING, EACH INDIVIDUAL IS VALUED FOR WHO SHE IS AND WHO SHE WILL BECOME.

Income
$4.7 million
Spending
$3.6 million
Spent on programs
50%
Reserves
16.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 81%
Employees
160
Volunteers
19
Highest pay
$153,361, executive di

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

Strong: 93 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 16.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 23% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 11% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    50% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 30 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

Strong: 100 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    16 of 16 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 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 (1)
  1. $1.8 million spent. MERRIE-WOODE IS A TRADITIONAL WILDERNESS SUMMER CAMP DEVOTED TO NURTURING THE PHYSICAL, INTELLECTUAL, AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH OF GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN IN A BEAUTIFUL, NATURAL SETTING. THE VALUES OF SIMPLIFIED LIVING, WARM PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND A LOVE OF NATURE BIND OUR LARGE COMMUNITY OF CAMPERS, STAFF, AND ALUMNAE. LIVING IN RUSTIC QUARTERS, CAMPERS EXPLORE THEIR INTERESTS AND BUILD THEIR SKILLS IN AREAS OF THEIR CHOICE. OUR PROGRAMMING FOCUSES ON SELF-DISCOVERY, OFFERING AN ARRAY OF OUTDOOR AND INDOOR ACTIVITIES IN A NON-COMPETITIVE SETTING. CAMPERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SET GOALS AND MAY, OVER TIME, ACHIEVE A HIGH LEVEL OF COMPETENCE, GAINING SELF-CONFIDENCE IN THE PROCESS. WE STRIVE TO ATTRACT CAMPERS, STAFF AND CAMP FAMILIES FROM VARIED BACKGROUNDS WHO VALUE YOUTHFUL TIME SPENT IN NATURE. MERRIE-WOODE IS A PLACE WHERE EVERY GIRL IS SUPPORTED AS AN INDIVIDUAL WHILE ACQUIRING A DEEPENED AWARENESS OF GOD'S CREATION AND AN EXPANDED AWARENESS OF THE WORLD AROUND HER. MERRIE-WOODE'S CAMPERS HAVE GONE ON TO CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR COMMUNITIES IN MEANINGFUL WAYS THROUGHOUT THEIR LIFETIMES, IN PART BECAUSE OF THE RICH NETWORK OF FRIENDSHIPS AND CORE VALUES OF FAIR PLAY, SUSTAINED EFFORT AND RESPECT FOR OTHERS THAT THEY GAINED WHILE AT CAMP MERRIE-WOODE. WILDERNESS AND THE OUTDOORS - SPENDING TIME IN UNDISTURBED NATURAL SETTINGS HELPS GIRLS DEVELOP A SENSE OF AWE FOR GOD'S CREATION, OF DISCOVERY, AND OF THEIR OWN POTENTIAL. SIMPLIFIED LIVING - WE BELIEVE IN MAKING DO WITH LESS IN A RUSTIC AND LOW- TECH ENVIRONMENT. CHALLENGE - CAMP IS A PLACE WHERE GIRLS HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO REACH OUTSIDE OF THEIR COMFORT ZONE, BUILDING RESPONSIBILITY, CONFIDENCE, RESILIENCE, AND SKILLS. PLAY - JOY, LAUGHTER, AND FUN ARE EACH VALUABLE IN THEIR OWN RIGHT AND AS A BASIS OF POSITIVE LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT. SPIRITUALITY - CAMP MERRIE-WOODE IS A PLACE OF REVERENCE AND IS BASED IN THE CHRISTIAN FAITH. INTEGRITY - WE BELIEVE IN HONESTY AND FAIR PLAY. COMMUNITY - LIVING IN A FRIENDLY, INCLUSIVE, AND MUTUALLY SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN TO GROW INTO THEIR BEST SELVES. THE INDIVIDUAL - WE RESPECT AND VALUE EACH MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY FOR WHO SHE IS AND WHO SHE WILL BECOME. FRIENDSHIP - WE BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF LIFELONG RELATIONSHIPS FORMED AT CAMP. OUR HISTORY - WE BELIEVE IN CREATING A FUTURE BASED ON THE BEST OF THE PAST, INCLUDING HONORING THOSE WHO HAVE LOVED IT AND GIVEN IT THEIR BEST. SERVICE - WE BELIEVE IN SERVICE IN THE CAMP COMMUNITY AND SERVICE TO THE WORLD BEYOND. MERRIE-WOODE IS A TRADITIONAL WILDERNESS SUMMER CAMP DEVOTED TO NURTURING THE PHYSICAL, INTELLECTUAL, AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH OF GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN IN A BEAUTIFUL, NATURAL SETTING. THE VALUES OF SIMPLIFIED LIVING, WARM PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND A LOVE OF NATURE BIND OUR LARGE COMMUNITY OF CAMPERS, STAFF, AND ALUMNAE. LIVING IN RUSTIC QUARTERS, CAMPERS EXPLORE THEIR INTERESTS AND BUILD THEIR SKILLS IN AREAS OF THEIR CHOICE. OUR PROGRAMMING FOCUSES ON SELF-DISCOVERY, OFFERING AN ARRAY OF OUTDOOR AND INDOOR ACTIVITIES IN A NON-COMPETITIVE SETTING. CAMPERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SET GOALS AND MAY, OVER TIME, ACHIEVE A HIGH LEVEL OF COMPETENCE, GAINING SELF-CONFIDENCE IN THE PROCESS. WE STRIVE TO ATTRACT CAMPERS, STAFF AND CAMP FAMILIES FROM VARIED BACKGROUNDS WHO VALUE YOUTHFUL TIME SPENT IN NATURE. MERRIE-WOODE IS A PLACE WHERE EVERY GIRL IS SUPPORTED AS AN INDIVIDUAL WHILE ACQUIRING A DEEPENED AWARENESS OF GOD'S CREATION AND AN EXPANDED AWARENESS OF THE WORLD AROUND HER. MERRIE-WOODE'S CAMPERS HAVE GONE ON TO CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR COMMUNITIES IN MEANINGFUL WAYS THROUGHOUT THEIR LIFETIMES, IN PART BECAUSE OF THE RICH NETWORK OF FRIENDSHIPS AND CORE VALUES OF FAIR PLAY, SUSTAINED EFFORT AND RESPECT FOR OTHERS THAT THEY GAINED WHILE AT CAMP MERRIE-WOODE. WILDERNESS AND THE OUTDOORS - SPENDING TIME IN UNDISTURBED NATURAL SETTINGS HELPS GIRLS DEVELOP A SENSE OF AWE FOR GOD'S CREATION, OF DISCOVERY, AND OF THEIR OWN POTENTIAL. SIMPLIFIED LIVING - WE BELIEVE IN MAKING DO WITH LESS IN A RUSTIC AND LOW- TECH ENVIRONMENT. CHALLENGE - CAMP IS A PLACE WHERE GIRLS HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO REACH OUTSIDE OF THEIR COMFORT ZONE, BUILDING RESPONSIBILITY, CONFIDENCE, RESILIENCE, AND SKILLS. PLAY - JOY, LAUGHTER, AND FUN ARE EACH VALUABLE IN THEIR OWN RIGHT AND AS A BASIS OF POSITIVE LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT. SPIRITUALITY - CAMP MERRIE-WOODE IS A PLACE OF REVERENCE AND IS BASED IN THE CHRISTIAN FAITH. INTEGRITY - WE BELIEVE IN HONESTY AND FAIR PLAY. COMMUNITY - LIVING IN A FRIENDLY, INCLUSIVE, AND MUTUALLY SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN TO GROW INTO THEIR BEST SELVES. THE INDIVIDUAL - WE RESPECT AND VALUE EACH MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY FOR WHO SHE IS AND WHO SHE WILL BECOME. FRIENDSHIP - WE BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF LIFELONG RELATIONSHIPS FORMED AT CAMP. OUR HISTORY - WE BELIEVE IN CREATING A FUTURE BASED ON THE BEST OF THE PAST, INCLUDING HONORING THOSE WHO HAVE LOVED IT AND GIVEN IT THEIR BEST. SERVICE - WE BELIEVE IN SERVICE IN THE CAMP COMMUNITY AND SERVICE TO THE WORLD BEYOND.

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? 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 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 December 1978.

    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.