Understory Initiative
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Facilitate the Restoration and Conservation of Native Species Habitat Through Partnership & Community Engagement.
- Income
- $1.2 million
- Spending
- $1.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 93%
- Reserves
- 0.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 89%
- Employees
- 15
- Volunteers
- 400
- Highest pay
- $58,320, executive director
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: 51 out of 100. Higher than 15% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.9 months of spending.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 60% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 53% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1593% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 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 31% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2510 of 10 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a 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.
Independent check of accounts
0 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 (3)
- $251,973 spent. Vesper Meadow Education Program: In 2024, Vesper Meadow continued to blend human healing with land restoration through a variety of community-centered programs and conservation efforts. We expanded the Healing Landscapes program, engaging youth and families particularly from Indigenous communitiesand supported an internship for an SOU student and Siletz Tribal memberfocused on native plant restoration, creek restoration, leadership, and nonprofit coordination. Our beaver-based restoration efforts gained momentum, with over 60 restoration structures built in Latgawa and Spencer Creeks in partnership with the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, BLM, Project Beaver, and dedicated volunteers. Conservation of endangered species remained a priority, as we worked alongside Friends of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, KS Wild, BLM biologists, and independent scientists to monitor and protect Mardon skipper butterfly habitat. We also proudly hosted Camas Camp in partnership with the Indigenous Gardens Network, welcoming over 60 Siletz and Grand Ronde Tribal families to Vesper Meadow for workshops, walks, and cooking centered around the culturally significant Camas lily.
- $582,477 spent. Partnership Building and Applied Restoration: In 2024, RNPP (Rogue Native Plant Partnership) completed follow-up monitoring on 16 post-fire huckleberry plots in partnership with the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest and the Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe of Indians. We also hosted five farm tours highlighting local seed growers and their techniques, and partnered with seven local and regional organizations to host seed collecting and cleaning events that brought together partners, volunteers, and community members. UNPP (Umpqua Native Plant Partnership) made significant progress in strengthening native plant supply efforts across the region. To focus efforts and resources, we narrowed our species priorities from over 200 to fewer than 50, emphasizing plants with the highest ecological and cultural value. We also launched the native plant reservation system to streamline plant access for restoration practitioners. Community engagement remained a core part of our work, with hands-on restoration events alongside local producers, landowners, and volunteers, and participation in events like Earth Day, the Glide Wildflower Show, and a successful community seed swap. In collaboration with the Oregon Native Seed Collective, we published the Oregon Native Seed Strategy, a comprehensive guide to native seed procurement, preservation, and production for restoration and conservation efforts across the state. We also produced and distributed 30 pounds of Open Meadow Pollinator Mix and 28 pounds of Shade Tolerant Pollinator Mix to private landowners, supporting pollinator habitat on working lands. A new population of sand dune phacelia (Phacelia argentea), a federally threatened plant native to the southern Oregon coast, was successfully established. Lastly in partnership with Tualatin SWCD, seeds from 3 regions were collected in support of the Climate-Adapted Plant Materials (CAPM) project. This source seed will provide valuable insights on drought resilience and climate adaptation for native plants in the future.
- $256,114 spent. Ecological Research and Monitoring: In 2024, staff and volunteers with the Rare Plant Monitoring Network contributed a total of 566 hours monitoring 32 species of rare plants. We also completed monitoring of the native McFarlanes four oclock in Idaho and providing recommendations to improve monitoring efforts and recovery actions for the species. On Oregons south coast, staff mapped invasive species and evaluated their impact on pollinating insects in coastal prairies and dunes. Additionally, the team designed innovative monitoring protocols that will inform and guide restoration efforts on federal lands for years to come, including at the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge and South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve.
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? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
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 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 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.