Save the Yellowstone Grizzly
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE O
- Income
- $84,638
- Spending
- $69,552
- Spent on programs
- 58%
- Reserves
- 6.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 99%
- Employees
- 0
- Highest pay
- $11,500, board treasu
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 86 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (environment, under $250k).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 6.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 18% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 212% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1558% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 82 out of 100. Higher than 75% of charities in its peer group (environment, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 6 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
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
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, 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)
- $40,128 spent. PRESENTATIONS ARE HELD AT OUTDOOR STORES AND OTHER EVENTS TO SHOWCASE FILMS THAT HAVE BEEN PRODUCED ABOUT THE ISSUES FACING GRIZZLY BEAR HABITAT AND PROTECTION. TO DATE, THE ORGANIZATION HAS PRODUCED EIGHT FILMS FEATURING PROMINENT WILDLIFE SUPPORTERS, INCLUDING JANE GOODALL AND YVON CHOUINARD, CARL HIAASEN, JEFF BRIDGES, MICHAEL KEATON AND DOUG PEACOCK. THESE "ROAD SHOWS" ALSO INCLUDE PRESENTATIONS BY SCIENTISTS, RESEARCHERS, AND OTHER PROMINENT MEMBERS OF THE WILDLIFE SUPPORT COMMUNITY. DONATIONS ARE ACCEPTED AT THESE EVENTS AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA (FACEBOOK AND PAYPAL), AND PROMOTIONAL MERCHANDISE IS SOLD. THE GOAL IS TO INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS AND SUPPORT OF THESE TIME-SENSITIVE ISSUES. THE ORGANIZATION SUCCESSFULLY BLOCKED AN EFFORT BY THE US FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE, AND THE STATES OF MONTANA, WYOMING AND IDAHO TO DELIST THE GRIZZLY BEAR FROM ITS STATUS AS "THREATENED" UNDER THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT IN 2018. THE ORGANIZATION WAS JOINED IN THIS EFFORT BY MAJOR WILDLIFE ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE SIERRA CLUB, AND MORE THAN FIFTY INDIAN TRIBES. AN IMPORTANT STUDY IS NOW BEING CONDUCTED ON WILDLIFE MIGRATION CORRIDORS IN THE NORTHERN UNITED STATES. THESE CORRIDORS ARE NECESSARY TO CONNECT ISOLATED SMALLER POPULATIONS TO ENSURE GENETIC DIVERSITY NECESSARY FOR THE HEALTH AND SURVIVAL OF THE BEARS. AREAS SUITABLE FOR THIS DISPERSAL OF THE BEAR POPULATION ARE BEING IDENTIFIED. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO SPONSORS "BEAR SAFETY AND AWARENESS" PROGRAMS TO FURTHER INVOLVE THE PUBLIC IN PROTECTION OF THIS IMPORTANT SPECIES. THE ORGANIZATION CONCENTRATED EFFORTS IN 2019 ON THE MIGRATION (OR "UNDERPASS") CORRIDOR PROJECT AND A FILM PROJECT. "THE BEAST OF OUR TIME: CLIMATE CHANGE AND GRIZZLY BEARS" FILM FOCUSES ON THE IMPACT AND EFFECT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE GRIZZLY POPULATION, WHICH IS SEPARATED BY HABITAT FRAGMENTATION AND POSES A THREAT TO THIS ENDANGERED SPECIES. POINTS OF VIEW FROM RANCHERS, CLIMATOLOGISTS, BEAR BIOLOGISTS, WRITERS, AND NATIVE ACTIVISTS PROVIDE PROOF OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WILD AREAS NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE SPECIES' SURVIVAL AND GENETIC DIVERSITY.THE FILM WAS COMPLETED IN 2021.THE UNDERPASS PROJECT, WHICH SEEKS TO CREATE AND ENHANCE EXISTING WILDLIFE CROSSING STRUCTURES AND DESIGNS TO CREATE THE NECESSARY INFRASTRUCTURE AND PROVIDE A FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR AREA LANDOWNERS AND THE MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. THE COST OF THE FEASIBILITY REPORT ARE ESTIMATED AT 25-30,000, WHILE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE UNDERPASS ITSELF IS ANTICIPATED TO BE 150-200,000. THIS PROJECT IS NOW GOING INTO THE ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION DESIGN PHASE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION CALL FOR PROJECTS TO PROTECT ENDANGERED WILDLIFE FROM HIGHWAY COLLISIONS WHILE ENSURING GENETIC CONNECTIVITY. AS PLANS FOR THIS PROJECT PROGESS, WE EXPECT THERE TO BE MORE OPPORTUNITES FOR GRANTS. PRESENTATIONS ARE HELD AT OUTDOOR STORES AND OTHER EVENTS TO SHOWCASE FILMS THAT HAVE BEEN PRODUCED ABOUT THE ISSUES FACING GRIZZLY BEAR HABITAT AND PROTECTION. TO DATE, THE ORGANIZATION HAS PRODUCED EIGHT FILMS FEATURING PROMINENT WILDLIFE SUPPORTERS, INCLUDING JANE GOODALL AND YVON CHOUINARD, CARL HIAASEN, JEFF BRIDGES, MICHAEL KEATON AND DOUG PEACOCK. THESE "ROAD SHOWS" ALSO INCLUDE PRESENTATIONS BY SCIENTISTS, RESEARCHERS, AND OTHER PROMINENT MEMBERS OF THE WILDLIFE SUPPORT COMMUNITY. DONATIONS ARE ACCEPTED AT THESE EVENTS AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA (FACEBOOK AND PAYPAL), AND PROMOTIONAL MERCHANDISE IS SOLD. THE GOAL IS TO INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS AND SUPPORT OF THESE TIME-SENSITIVE ISSUES. THE ORGANIZATION SUCCESSFULLY BLOCKED AN EFFORT BY THE US FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE, AND THE STATES OF MONTANA, WYOMING AND IDAHO TO DELIST THE GRIZZLY BEAR FROM ITS STATUS AS "THREATENED" UNDER THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT IN 2018. THE ORGANIZATION WAS JOINED IN THIS EFFORT BY MAJOR WILDLIFE ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE SIERRA CLUB, AND MORE THAN FIFTY INDIAN TRIBES. AN IMPORTANT STUDY IS NOW BEING CONDUCTED ON WILDLIFE MIGRATION CORRIDORS IN THE NORTHERN UNITED STATES. THESE CORRIDORS ARE NECESSARY TO CONNECT ISOLATED SMALLER POPULATIONS TO ENSURE GENETIC DIVERSITY NECESSARY FOR THE HEALTH AND SURVIVAL OF THE BEARS. AREAS SUITABLE FOR THIS DISPERSAL OF THE BEAR POPULATION ARE BEING IDENTIFIED. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO SPONSORS "BEAR SAFETY AND AWARENESS" PROGRAMS TO FURTHER INVOLVE THE PUBLIC IN PROTECTION OF THIS IMPORTANT SPECIES. THE ORGANIZATION CONCENTRATED EFFORTS IN 2019 ON THE MIGRATION (OR "UNDERPASS") CORRIDOR PROJECT AND A FILM PROJECT. "THE BEAST OF OUR TIME: CLIMATE CHANGE AND GRIZZLY BEARS" FILM FOCUSES ON THE IMPACT AND EFFECT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE GRIZZLY POPULATION, WHICH IS SEPARATED BY HABITAT FRAGMENTATION AND POSES A THREAT TO THIS ENDANGERED SPECIES. POINTS OF VIEW FROM RANCHERS, CLIMATOLOGISTS, BEAR BIOLOGISTS, WRITERS, AND NATIVE ACTIVISTS PROVIDE PROOF OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WILD AREAS NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE SPECIES' SURVIVAL AND GENETIC DIVERSITY.THE FILM WAS COMPLETED IN 2021.THE UNDERPASS PROJECT, WHICH SEEKS TO CREATE AND ENHANCE EXISTING WILDLIFE CROSSING STRUCTURES AND DESIGNS TO CREATE THE NECESSARY INFRASTRUCTURE AND PROVIDE A FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR AREA LANDOWNERS AND THE MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. THE COST OF THE FEASIBILITY REPORT ARE ESTIMATED AT 25-30,000, WHILE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE UNDERPASS ITSELF IS ANTICIPATED TO BE 150-200,000. THIS PROJECT IS NOW GOING INTO THE ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION DESIGN PHASE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION CALL FOR PROJECTS TO PROTECT ENDANGERED WILDLIFE FROM HIGHWAY COLLISIONS WHILE ENSURING GENETIC CONNECTIVITY. AS PLANS FOR THIS PROJECT PROGESS, WE EXPECT THERE TO BE MORE OPPORTUNITES FOR GRANTS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 October 13, 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 November 6, 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 2025.
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 July 2018.
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 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.