Indian Cultural Organization
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Advance community resilience through traditional lifeways, and protect and restore the native species, waters, and homelands of the Winnemem Wintu.
- Income
- $3.0 million
- Spending
- $2.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 90%
- Reserves
- 4.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 89%
- Employees
- 21
- Volunteers
- 50
- Highest pay
- $109,600, ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 71% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 6% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 28% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 65% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1590% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Fair: 62 out of 100. Higher than 18% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 5 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 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 (4)
- $1.6 million spent. Salmon Restoration: ICO and its employees worked collaboratively with CDFW and NOAA to bring chinook salmon eggs to the McCloud river, monitor their development, and assist in trapping, transporting and relocating/releasing the salmon below the dam. We continue to work with volunteers and contractors toward the return of the descendants of our salmon from New Zealand.
- $203,588 spent. Community Support/Eco Village: The REAP/Eco-Village program is funding renovations of current tribal housing as well as the planning of the eco-village tribal housing project currently underway with an architect and engineers.
- $141,065 spent. Archaeological/cultural monitoring: ICO provided Winnemem Wintu tribal cultural monitors, changing the long practice of using other agencies or distant tribes to handle contracts with public agencies for projects in the Winnemem region of stewardship.
- $57,167 spent. Other program services include, but are not limited to, historical preservation, ceremony and cultural development, and a run4salmon event.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
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.
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.
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.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since April 2000.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
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.