Sacred Lands Conservancy
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The Sacred Lands Conservancy / Sacred Sea is dedicated to protecting and revitalizing the life, waters, sacred sites, and traditional culture of the Salish Sea. The way we do this is by storytelling, art, and community engagement and education.
- Income
- $258,606
- Spending
- $80,694
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 47 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 3
- Highest pay
- $33,600, secretary/treasurer
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 88% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 47.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 69% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 92% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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
Weak: 41 out of 100. Higher than 9% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
5 of 252 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
0 of 7Reports no 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
6 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 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 (1)
- $64,466 spent. In 2024, our efforts were focused on:EDUCATION1) Sa'le Q'ewet Netse-lh/Our Hearts Beat as One, a bilingual Xwlemi Chosen/English children's book about the Lummi people's special connection to the captive orca Lolita/Tokitae/Sk'aliCh'elh-tenaut. The story told in the book is the story lived by Lummi people and their supporters as they worked to bring their orca relation out of captivity at the Miami Seaquarium and back home to the Salish Sea. The book is written in English, with Lummi language translation. It is illustrated by Coast Salish artist Jason LaClair. The back pages are filled with educational materials and activities related to the story, to orcas, to the Lummi people, and to Coast Salish art. The book is being taught as part of the Since Time Immemorial curriculum in the Bellingham School district.2) The Mountaineers: we wrote a series of articles and blog posts for the Mountaineers magazine, educating the public on regional treaties, land acknowledgments, and Indigenous place names.3) Our Hearts Honoring Ceremony: we invited the public to witness the story of how Lummi tribal members worked to bring their relation Tokitae. We blanketed the Lummi tribal members, invited speakers to the floor, and shared a multi-media presentation of "Sa'le Q'ewet Netse'lh/Our Hearts Beat as One." This event was free and open to the public.4) ongoing readings and classroom visits pertaining to the bookMEDIA PRESENCE AND RELATIONS1) ongoing interviews, film festival screenings, panel discussions related to the documentary films "Scha'nexw Elhtal'nexw Salmon People: Preserving A Way of Life," "Resident Orca, and "The Last Reefnetter."2) ongoing monthly "Since Time Immemorial" interview/photo series in Bellingham Alive! magazineCULTURAL PROJECTSWe continued to develop "The Protector" idea, in which a statue of a traditional Lummi woman would serve both as protector of all Lummi people out on the water and as a memorial to those lost at sea.
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
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.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Worth knowing.
Status was revoked on May 15, 2022 for not filing returns for three years, and reinstated on May 15, 2022.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since October 2022.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 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.