Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Sarara Institute

EIN 82-2386824 · Denver, CO

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair54 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE SARARA FOUNDATION OPERATES ACROSS THREE KEY PILLARS: EDUCATION & HEALTH, WILDLIFE & CONSERVATION, AND ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT

Income
$2.4 million
Spending
$2.6 million
Spent on programs
89%
Reserves
1.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 95%
Employees
0
Highest pay
$120,000, board member

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

Fair: 54 out of 100. Higher than 17% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 9% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 6% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 19% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    89% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 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

    5 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.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (5)
  1. $195,527 spent. EDUCATION: - TSF'S NOMADIC EDUCATION PROGRAM PROVIDES EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION TO THE SAMBURU COMMUNITY VIA MOBILE MONTESSORI SCHOOL, ENSURING CULTURALLY RELEVANT PEDAGOGY THAT MEETS THE CONTEXTUAL NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY'S NOMADIC LIFESTYLE. - 15 YEAR VISION: PROVIDE A PATHWAY FOR EDUCATION THAT SETS GENERATIONS UP TO PROSPER AND STEWARD THEIR OWN LAND BY LAUNCHING NOMADIC MONTESSORI SCHOOLS AND SUPPORTING TRANSITION INTO HIGHER LEVELS OF EDUCATION.
  2. $107,075 spent. HEALTHCARE: - TSF NOMADIC AND LOCALIZED HEALTHCARE SUPPORT IS DESIGNED TO FOCUS ON DELIVERING HIGH-QUALITY PEDIATRIC AND MATERNAL CARE TO THE INDIGENOUS SAMBURU COMMUNITY IN NORTHERN KENYA. - 15 YEAR VISION: EXPAND RELIABLE AND FLEXIBLE PREVENTATIVE CARE ACROSS NAMUNYAK CONSERVANCY BY LAUNCHING MOBILE HEALTHCARE UNITS, PARTNERING WITH LOCAL HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, AND EXPANDING EDUCATION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY OF HOLISTIC HEALTH SOLUTIONS.
  3. $2.0 million spent. CONSERVATION: - TSF PROTECTS THE 850,000 ACRE NAMUNYAK CONSERVANCY VIA THE WORK OF THE RETETI ELEPHANT SANCTUARY TO PROTECT WILDLIFE AND PROVIDE A LOCAL ECONOMY AND BY ENSURING THE LAND HEALTH AND BIODIVERSITY IS THRIVING. - 15 YEAR VISION: ENSURE LAND AND BIODIVERSITY THRIVE IN HARMONY WITH HUMANS VIA CARE, RESTORATION AND PRESERVATION BY SUPPORTING THE REHABILITATION OF DEGRADED LAND, PROTECTING AND PROVIDING EMERGENCY CARE TO THE WILDLIFE.
  4. SARARA PROMOTES SELF GOVERNANCE, CAPACITY BUILDING, AND LEADERSHIP TRAINING AT A COMMUNITY LEVEL. SARARA SUPPORTS THE EMPLOYEMENT OF 56 WILDLIFE RANGERS, 7 ECO RANGERS, 12 ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, 24 GRAZING TEAM MEMBERS, AND 108 ELEPHANT KEEPERS. OUR 2024 ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: - 13 ELEPHANT ORPHANS SUCCESSFULLY RE-WILDED FROM RETETI ELEPHANT SANCTUARY - OVER 3,000 MOTHERS AND CHILDREN TREATED IN 2024 THROUGH THE MOBILE HEALTHCARE PROGRAM - 185 STUDENTS AGES 3-6 WERE ENROLLED IN THE NOMADIC EDUCATION PROGRAM, WITH ALMOST 50% BEING GIRLS - 55,000USD AWARDED IN BURSARIES FOR THE GRADUATING CHILDREN TO CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION. - 1,280 SAMBURU WOMEN GENERATED 398,000 IN INCOME THROUGH THE MILK-TO- MARKET PROGRAM WHERE SAMBURU WOMEN SELL THEIR GOATS MILK TO RETETI ELEPHANT SANCTUARY - AS OF 2024, RETETI ELEPHANT SANCTUARY HAS OVERSEEN THE RETURN OF THE FREE-RANGING POPULATION OF 6,000 ELEPHANTS
  5. SARARA PROMOTES SELF GOVERNANCE, CAPACITY BUILDING, AND LEADERSHIP TRAINING AT A COMMUNITY LEVEL. SARARA SUPPORTS THE EMPLOYEMENT OF 56 WILDLIFE RANGERS, 7 ECO RANGERS, 12 ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, 24 GRAZING TEAM MEMBERS, AND 108 ELEPHANT KEEPERS. OUR 2024 ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: - 13 ELEPHANT ORPHANS SUCCESSFULLY RE-WILDED FROM RETETI ELEPHANT SANCTUARY - OVER 3,000 MOTHERS AND CHILDREN TREATED IN 2024 THROUGH THE MOBILE HEALTHCARE PROGRAM - 185 STUDENTS AGES 3-6 WERE ENROLLED IN THE NOMADIC EDUCATION PROGRAM, WITH ALMOST 50% BEING GIRLS - 55,000USD AWARDED IN BURSARIES FOR THE GRADUATING CHILDREN TO CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION. - 1,280 SAMBURU WOMEN GENERATED 398,000 IN INCOME THROUGH THE MILK-TO- MARKET PROGRAM WHERE SAMBURU WOMEN SELL THEIR GOATS MILK TO RETETI ELEPHANT SANCTUARY - AS OF 2024, RETETI ELEPHANT SANCTUARY HAS OVERSEEN THE RETURN OF THE FREE-RANGING POPULATION OF 6,000 ELEPHANTS

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 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 December 2024.

    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 2018.

    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.