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Bushlife Conservancy

EIN 81-4694167 · Davis, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong90 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Our mission is to conserve biodiversity in the Mana Pools UNESCO site and surrounding Zambezi Valley of Zimbabwe through anti-poaching, infrastructure development, community engagement, and research.

Income
$403,011
Spending
$332,076
Spent on programs
96%
Reserves
26 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 94%
Employees
0
Volunteers
15

Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 70% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 26.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 18% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 19% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    96% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 94% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    6 of 6 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.

  • 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 May 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. $319,571 spent. No elephants were poached in Mana Pools National Park during the year. All collared elephants were protected from legal hunters when they wandered into adjacent hunting concessions. Funding was provided for the following activities conducted with Zimbabwe Parks Authority in Mana Pools and the surrounding Zambezi Valley of Zimbabwe: (1) informer rewards paid upon the recovery of elephant tusks in a city not far from the Park; (2) clearing approximately 900 miles of roads and the establishment of a new remote base; (3) purchasing a vehicle for anti-poaching work; (4) successfully treating iconic bull elephant Tusker for puncture wounds caused by another elephant; (5) confiscating and releasing back to the wild a live pangolin; (6) purchasing and distributing eleven thousand bales of hay to feed cattle of impoverished villagers during a severe drought; (7) conducting sporting events and wildlife quizzes for more than 700 children in villages adjacent to Mana Pools; (8) funding tuition for a weeklong, hands-on conservation education camp for ninety impoverished children from park boundary communities; and (9) engaging in human-wildlife coexistence outreach including community awareness training and conflict mitigation tactics.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 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 May 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 May 2017.

    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.