Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Nature School Inc

EIN 85-3210466 · Indianapolis, IN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood75 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE NATURE SCHOOL OF CENTRAL INDIANA BELIEVES IN ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF THE CHILD HOLISTICALLY AND INSTILLING IN THEM A LIFELONG LOVE OF LEARNING, AN AWARENESS OF THEIR ROLE IN AND CONNECTION TO BOTH THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY AND THE WORLD, AND A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR INDIVIDUAL ABILITIES AND POTENTIAL WITH THE IDEAL THAT NATURE IS THE BEST TEACHER. WE HOLD ALL OF THESE BELIEFS AND ELEMENTS AS THE FOUNDATION OF LEARNING AND AIM TO BUILD UPON THIS FOUNDATION WITH AN INDIVIDUALIZED APPROACH TO PRESENTING CURRICULUM AND SUPPORT THIS METHOD WITH BOTH LOCAL AND GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS WITH LIKE-MINDED ORGANIZATIONS.

Income
$2.3 million
Spending
$2.1 million
Spent on programs
73%
Reserves
1.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 83%
Employees
38
Volunteers
30
Highest pay
$96,990, head of school

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 11% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 31% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    73% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 47% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • 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

    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 June 30, 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 (3)
  1. $1.5 million spent. ACT IT OUTOBJECTIVE: TO BUILD CONFIDENCE, CREATIVITY, AND COLLABORATION THROUGH THE PERFORMING ARTS.DETAILS: OFFERED TO LEARNERS IN GRADES 18, THE DRAMA CLUB MET WEEKLY THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR AND PRODUCED TWO FULL PERFORMANCES OPEN TO FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITY.IMPACT: ENGAGED OVER 75 LEARNERS DIRECTLY, STRENGTHENED PUBLIC SPEAKING SKILLS, FOSTERED TEAMWORK, CHOREOGRAPHY, LIGHTING, PROP PRODUCTION, AND PROVIDED AN OUTLET FOR CREATIVE EXPRESSION.
  2. FREE COUNSELING SERVICESOBJECTIVE: TO ENSURE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR LEARNERS.DETAILS: PROVIDED NO-COST TO FAMILIES- 1:1, WHOLE CLASS SESSIONS, AND SMALL-GROUP COUNSELING SESSIONS FOR LEARNERS WHOSE FAMILIES EXPERIENCED SEPARATION, AS WELL AS STUDENTS STRUGGLING WITH ANXIETY, ANGER MANAGEMENT, SOMATIC SYMPTOMS, AND HIGH-ABILITY NEEDS. SESSIONS WERE AVAILABLE WEEKLY THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR, WITH REFERRALS MADE BY TEACHERS AND FAMILIES.IMPACT: IMPACTED ALL 175 LEARNERS IN CLASSROOM SESSIONS AND MORE THAN 40 LEARNERS WITH INDIVIDUALIZED CARE PLANS, REDUCING CLASSROOM DISRUPTIONS AND IMPROVING EMOTIONAL REGULATION, RESILIENCE, AND ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT.
  3. CONSCIOUS DISCIPLINE ROLLOUTOBJECTIVE: TO CREATE A SCHOOLWIDE CULTURE OF SAFETY, CONNECTION, AND PROBLEM-SOLVING THROUGH EVIDENCE-BASED SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING PRACTICES.DETAILS: AS PART OF A FIVE-YEAR PHASED PLAN, 5 SELECT TEACHERS COMPLETED PROFESSIONAL TRAINING IN CONSCIOUS DISCIPLINE AND BEGAN IMPLEMENTING CLASSROOM STRATEGIES THAT WERE SHARED SCHOOLWIDE THROUGH COACHING AND PEER COLLABORATION.IMPACT: INDIRECTLY REACHED ALL 175 LEARNERS THROUGH CLASSROOM INTEGRATION, IMPROVED TEACHER CONFIDENCE IN HANDLING BEHAVIORAL CHALLENGES, AND LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR SCHOOLWIDE CONSISTENCY IN SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 October 13, 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 June 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 February 2022.

    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 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.