Texas State Aquarium Institute for Wildlife Conservation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
IN 2023, THE TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM INSTITUTE FOR WILDLIFE CONSERVATION TOOK OVER AND EXPANDED UPON THE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION EFFORTS OF THE TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM ASSOCIATION. THE INSTITUTE IS ENGAGED IN WILDLIFE RESCUE AND REHABILITATION, SPECIES RESTORATION WORK, WILDLIFE CONSERVATION EDUCATION, WILDLIFE CONSERVATION RESEARCH, AND WILDLIFE-RELATED EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WITHIN A NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART RESCUE FACILITY.
- Income
- $487,679
- Spending
- $1.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 72%
- Reserves
- -7.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 0
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
Weak: 15 out of 100. Higher than 0% of charities in its peer group (animals, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 140% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 168% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 50% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1572% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 98% of charities in its peer group (animals, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 5 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.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited 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)
- $600,550 spent. THE TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM INSTITUTE FOR WILDLIFE CONSERVATION IS PERMITTED TO TREAT MARINE MAMMALS, RAPTORS, SHOREBIRDS, AND SEA TURTLES AND THE NEW WILDLIFE RESCUE FACILITY CAN ACCOMMODATE THOUSANDS OF ANIMALS AT ANY GIVEN TIME. THE INSTITUTE STAFF TREATED 1 AQUATIC, 42 AVIAN, AND 344 SEA TURTLE PATIENTS DURING 2024. THESE NUMBERS INCLUDE 16 MISSISSIPPI KITE FLEDGLINGS DISPLACED FROM THEIR NESTS IN HOUSTON, TX FOLLOWING HURRICANE BERYL IN JULY AND 18 CRITICALLY ENDANGERED KEMP'S RIDLEY SEA TURTLES FLOWN IN FOLLOWING A COLD STUNNING EVENT ALONG THE BEACHES OF CAPE COD, MA. SINCE 2005, THERE HAVE BEEN 25 AQUATIC ANIMALS, MORE THAN 5,000 AVES, AND MORE THAN 4,500 SEA TURTLES RELEASED BACK INTO THE WILD DUE TO THE WORK OF THE EMPLOYEES OF THE TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM AND THE INSTITUTE FOR WILDLIFE CONSERVATION.
- $340,927 spent. THE TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM INSTITUTE FOR WILDLIFE CONSERVATION'S EDUCATION ACTIVITIES - FROM FIELD TRIPS TO SUMMER CAMPS TO DISTANCE LEARNING - PROMOTE INCLUSIVE AND COLLABORATIVE LEARNING, FOSTER STEM EXPLORATION AND DISCOVERY, AND EMPOWER LEARNERS OF ALL AGES TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. THE INSTITUTE'S WILDLIFE RESCUE ON THE ROAD PROGRAM, A TRAVELING EDUCATION PROGRAM IN WHICH AN ANIMAL RESCUE IS SIMULATED, REACHED MORE THAN 900 STUDENTS ACROSS THE STATE IN 2024. OUR SUMMER CAMP PROGRAM, SEACAMP, HOSTED 40 STUDENTS AND OUR STUDENT VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, AQUATEENS, HAD 38 PARTICIPANTS IN 2024.
- THE TEXAS STATE AQUARIUM INSTITUTE FOR WILDLIFE CONSERVATION'S OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT (OEM) IS DEDICATED TO RESPONDING TO WILDLIFE-RELATED EMERGENCIES AND REDUCING RISKS TO ENSURE CONTINUOUS PREPAREDNESS. THE OEM ALSO MANAGES THE WILDLIFE RESPONSE OPERATIONS CENTER, THE NATION'S FIRST EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER BUILT TO SUPPORT WILDLIFE RESPONSE EFFORTS IN TEXAS AND ALONG THE TEXAS GULF COAST. IN 2024, THE OEM HOSTED SEMINARS ON OIL SPILL RESPONSES AND HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS AND PARTICIPATED IN SEVERAL INCIDENT COMMAND EXERCISES IN COOPERATION WITH LOCAL INDUSTRY AND EMERGENCY RESPONDERS INCLUDING EXXONMOBIL, GULF COAST GROWTH VENTURES, THE PORT OF CORPUS CHRISTI, AND THE CORPUS CHRISTI FIRE DEPARTMENT.
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 April 2022.
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.