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Legado Inc

EIN 82-2030366 · Jackson, NH

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

LEGADO IS A WOMAN-LED, GLOBAL NONPROFIT THAT WORKS ALONGSIDE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN PLACES OF ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE FOR BIODIVERSITY AS THEY DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT SOLUTIONS OF THEIR CHOOSING THAT BENEFIT BOTH THEIR (CONT'D SCHEDULE O) LANDSCAPES AND THEIR COMMUNITIES - AN OUTCOME WE CALL THRIVING FUTURES. WE DO THIS BY ACTIVATING THE POWER OF LEGACY AROUND THE WORLD.

Income
$2.1 million
Spending
$1.5 million
Spent on programs
86%
Reserves
7.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 97%
Employees
6
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$183,057, ceo

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: 93 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 7.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 6% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 31% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 48% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    86% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 32% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 10 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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 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 (6)
  1. $393,275 spent. LEGADO: NAMULI IS LEGADO'S FLAGSHIP PROGRAM WORKING WITH THE LOMWE COMMUNITIES ENCIRCLING MOUNT NAMULI, MOZAMBIQUE, A KEY BIODIVERSITY AREA. NAMULI IS WHERE, IN 2014, WE BEGAN WITH A HARD-EARNED $11,000 AND A PASSIONATE INTERNATIONAL TEAM OF SOCIAL SCIENTISTS, BIOLOGISTS AND MORE. SINCE THEN OUR LEGADO:NAMULI TEAM HAS WORKED WITH EIGHT COMMUNITIES AND 24,000 PEOPLE ON THE MOUNTAIN TO REALIZE THE LEGACIES THEY HAVE DEFINED. OUR WORK WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF THE REGION AND PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS HELPED CREATE OUR PHILOSOPHY OF LEGACY AND BELIEF THAT WHEN PEOPLE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT SOLUTIONS OF THEIR CHOOSING, THEY CREATE SUSTAINABLE OUTCOMES CALLED THRIVING FUTURES.
  2. $182,149 spent. LEGADO: NKISHON SUPAT E NGILAI, WHICH TRANSLATES FROM SAMBURU TO "NGILAI'S THRIVING FUTURE," IS A PROJECT CREATED IN COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE NGILAI COMMUNITY, LEGADO, THE NGILAI WILDLIFE COMMUNITY CONSERVANCY AND NORTHERN RANGELANDS TRUST. THE CONSERVANCY IS HOME TO MORE THAN 11,000 PRIMARILY SAMBURU PEOPLE AND CONTAINS THE CORE OF THE MATHEWS RANGEA SPIRITUAL HOME OF THE SAMBURU, A KEY SOURCE OF WATER FOR THE SURROUNDING VALLEYS AND THE CORE GRAZING AREA THAT SUPPORTS THE LIVELIHOODS OF ITS STEWARDS.
  3. $519,387 spent. FUTUROS VIVOS:MEGANTONI-MACHIGUENGA IS A COLLABORATION TO CO-CREATE THRIVING FUTURES WITH THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES STEWARDING PERU'S MEGANTONI NATIONAL SANCTUARY AND MACHIGUENGA COMMUNAL RESERVE. THE PROGRAM IS A MULTI-YEAR PARTNERSHIP TO SUPPORT THE CO-CREATION OF THRIVING FUTURES WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF THE ASHNINKAS, MATSIGENKAS, YINE YAMI, QUECHUA, AND KAKINTE, AS WELL AS SURROUNDING LOCAL COMMUNITIES KEY STEWARDS OF ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST CRITICAL REGIONS FOR BIOCULTURAL CONSERVATION AND BIODIVERSITY.
  4. $77,794 spent. IN 2024, LEGADO BEGAN A PARTNERSHIP TO INTEGRATE OUR THRIVING FUTURES METHODOLOGY INTO PLANET INDONESIA'S WORK SUPPORTING INDIGENOUS PEOPLES IN THE INDONESIAN PROVINCE OF WEST KALIMANTAN, LOCATED ON THE ISLAND OF BORNEO. LEGADO'S PARTNERSHIP WITH PLANET INDONESIA STARTS BY WORKING WITH INDIGENOUS DAYAK COMMUNITIES IN MELAWI DISTRICT, NESTED IN THE TWO MILLION-HECTARE ARABELLA SCHWANNER LANDSCAPE, HOME TO BORNEO'S LARGEST REMAINING ORANGUTAN POPULATION. PLANET INDONESIA AND LEGADO WILL WORK TOGETHER ALONGSIDE FOUR VILLAGES IN MELAWI TO SECURE LAND RIGHTS, REDUCE POVERTY, AND LEAD ACROSS THEIR HOLISTIC PRIORITIES TOWARDS THRIVING FUTURES. OUR PARTNERSHIP BUILDS ON PLANET INDONESIA'S DEEP EXPERIENCE AND COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY-LED GOVERNANCE AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT. WORKING TOGETHER, WE WILL CREATE AN UPDATED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PLANNING TOOL THAT EMBEDS 360 COMMUNITY-LED CHANGE INTO PLANET INDONESIA'S CORE MODEL APPROACH. THE TOOL WILL BE USED TO HELP LOCAL COMMUNITIES ARTICULATE THEIR LEGACIES AND THE PRIORITIES THEY WANT TO PURSUE FOR THEIR OWN THRIVING FUTURES. THE RESULTING LEGACY PLANS WILL BECOME THE BACKBONE FOR SUPPORTING LOCAL GOVERNANCE, GRANT PROPOSALS, AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT SUPPORT INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES TO TAKE ACTIONS THAT BENEFIT BOTH THEMSELVES AND THEIR LANDSCAPES.
  5. $69,842 spent. IN 2024, LEGADO LAUNCHED A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PANGOLIN PROJECT TO SUPPORT INDIGENOUS STEWARDSHIP OF THE LARGER NYEKWERI ECOSYSTEM IN NAROK COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST KENYA. LEGADO SUPPORTS THE PANGOLIN PROJECT TO USE A THRIVING FUTURES MODEL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MAASAI LANDOWNERS. THESE INDIGENOUS STEWARDS WILL CREATE A HOLISTIC LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT PRESERVES THE FOREST AND RANGELANDS AND FURTHERS COMMUNITY WELL-BEING. THROUGH THIS PARTNERSHIP, LEGADO IS SUPPORTING 20,000 PEOPLE TO CREATE LEGACY PLANS THAT REPRESENT THEIR COLLECTIVE VISION FOR THEIR THRIVING FUTURE. AFTER COMPLETING THEIR LEGACY PLANS, THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WILL WORK TOGETHER WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE PANGOLIN PROJECT TOWARD THEIR COMMUNITY-DESIGNED SOLUTIONS TO PRESERVE THEIR FORESTS AND RANGELANDS IN TANDEM WITH SUPPORTING THEIR HEALTH, EDUCATION, GOVERNANCE, AND CULTURE.
  6. $12,387 spent. FULL SPECTRUM IS A COALITION THAT WE ARE A FISCAL SPONSOR OF. THE FULL SPECTRUM COALITION (FSC) BRINGS TOGETHER LEADING ORGANIZATIONS WITH PROVEN COMMUNITY-LED APPROACHES TO SUPPORTING COMMUNITY WELLBEING. CURRENT MEMBERS OF THIS EMERGENT COALITION INCLUDE ONE VILLAGE PARTNERS, LEGADO, TOSTAN, PASTORAL WOMEN'S COUNCIL, HEALTH IN HARMONY AND PLANET INDONESIA. EACH OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS HAS, IN TURN, A RANGE OF LOCAL PLACES AND COMMUNITIES IT ENGAGES WITH IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTRIES: IN AFRICA: KENYA, TANZANIA, MOZAMBIQUE, SENEGAL, THE GAMBIA, GUINEA BISSAU, MALI; GUINEA; NIGERIA, SIERRA LEONE, LIBERIA, GHANA, AND MADAGASCAR; IN SOUTH AMERICA: BRAZIL AND PERU; IN ASIA: AND INDONESIA.

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

  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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since September 2017.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.