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The Fountain for the Natural Order of Our Existence

EIN 86-3577404 · Eugene, OR

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair69 out of 100GovernanceGood78 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE FOUNTAINS PURPOSE IS TO PROMOTE INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING OF ORIGINAL NATIONS PEOPLE AND THEIR TERRITORIES, WHICH ENABLE PEOPLE TO DEVELOP AN APPRECIATION FOR OTHER SOCIETIES, THEIR TRADITIONS AND CULTURE. WITH THE RECOGNITION THAT INDIGENOUS LANDS ARE AT THE GREATEST RISK OF EXPLOITATION AND DEVELOPMENT, THE FOUNTAIN IS DEDICATED TO HELPING TO PROTECT THESE LANDS WHICH CONTAIN APPROXIMATELY 80% OF THE WORLD'S BIOCULTURAL DIVERSITY THROUGH CONTRIBUTIONS TO INDIGENOUS LAND TRUSTS AND/OR OTHER STEWARDSHIP MODELS THAT ARE ACTIVATED TO PRESERVE THESE TERRITORIES.

Income
$585,933
Spending
$498,542
Spent on programs
71%
Reserves
0.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
0
Volunteers
8
Highest pay
$16,800, executive di

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: 69 out of 100. Higher than 36% of charities in its peer group (international, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 15% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 82% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    71% 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

Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 62% of charities in its peer group (international, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    4 of 7 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

    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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 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. $151,102 spent. SACRED TERRITORIES: WE WORK WITH ORIGINAL NATIONS AROUND THE PLANET TO HONOR, RESPECT, AND HELP PROTECT THEIR TRADITIONAL HOMELANDS THROUGH PROJECTS AND LAND TRUSTS THAT PUT THE LAND BACK INTO THE ORIGINAL PEOPLES STEWARDSHIP. CURRENTLY, WE ARE WORKING WITH THE MAMOS OF THE KGGABA NATION OF LA SIERRA NEVADA OF SANTA MARTHA AND HAVE SECURED FOUR OF NINE LAND TRUSTS IN THEIR NAME. WORKING WITH MEMBERS OF THE LAKOTA NATION, WE ARE RESEARCHING WAYS TO BEGIN A SIMILAR LANDBACK PROGRAM WITH THEM IN THE BLACK HILLS, SOUTH DAKOTA. THE BLACK HILLS IS THE SACRED TERRITORY OF THE LAKOTA PEOPLE AND HAS BEEN TAKEN AND COMMODIFIED AT THE EXPENSE OF THE HEALTH OF THE LAND AND THE ORIGINAL PEOPLES OF THAT LAND.
  2. $52,136 spent. SACRED CULTURES: IN WORKING WITH THESE ORIGINAL NATIONS, WE LEARN AND FOLLOW THE CULTURAL PROTOCOLS OF EACH CULTURE TO ENSURE THAT RESPECT AND UNDERSTANDING FOSTER HEALTHY RELATIONS. IN COLOMBIA, OUR ONGOING SUPPORT WITH THE KGGABA NATIONS PAGAMENTOS (SPECIFIC PRAYERS AND OFFERINGS TO THE GUARDIAN SPIRITS OF THE SACRED SITES DONE BY THE KGGABA TO HELP SUPPORT THE BALANCE OF MOTHER EARTH). ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE HELPED THE KGGABA INITIATE A RESEARCH CENTER, A TAPIR RESTORATION PROJECT, AND GUINEA PIG FARMING PROJECT, ALL WITH THE INTENTION TO HELP PRESERVE BIODIVERSITY ON THEIR SACRED LANDS. IN THE BLACK HILLS, USA, WE SUPPORT A GARDEN PROJECT THAT GROWS FOOD FOR THE LAKOTA COMMUNITY, A SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM, AND A YEARLY SUNDANCE CEREMONY.
  3. $125,328 spent. SACRED ECONOMICS: THE WISDOM EMBEDDED IN THE ORIGINAL NATIONS PEOPLE IS DEEPLY VALUABLE AND ESSENTIAL IN THE PRESERVATION AND REGENERATION OF THIS PLANET DURING THESE TIMES. OUR WORK FOCUSES ON SHIFTING ECONOMICS AWAY FROM THE COMMODITY DRIVEN PROFIT-AT-THE-EXPENSE-OF-THE-EARTH-AND-LIVING-BEINGS MODEL TO ONE WHERE OUR CHOICES AND ACTIONS ARE RATHER REGENERATIVE AND INLINE WITH THE HEALTH OF THE WHOLE.
  4. $23,012 spent. FISCAL SPONSORSHIP: THE FOUNTAIN REGARDS FISCAL SPONSORSHIP AS AN ACT OF PRACTICING THE ORIGINAL PRINCIPLES OF RELATIONS. THE FOUNTAIN, THROUGHOUT ITS HISTORY, HAS BEEN A PLACE OF INCUBATION, A PLACE WHERE GERMINATING ORGANIZATIONS AND MOVEMENTS CAN COME TO BE HELD AS THEY GROW AND DEVELOP SO THEY CAN FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS TO GIVE A FOUNDATION FOR THEIR WORK TO GROW IN A CONSISTENT AND STRONG WAY FOR MOTHER EARTH AND ALL HER CREATION. AGREEMENTS ARE SIGNED WITH THE SPONSORED ORGANIZATION SO AS THEY GROW AND DEVELOP WE ALL STAY CONSISTENT WITH OUR LEGAL AND ETHICAL OBLIGATIONS AND MEET THE CORE PRINCIPLES THAT ARE THE FOUNDATION OF THE FOUNTAIN. THE AGREEMENTS OUTLINE THE LEVEL OF SERVICES, RECIPROCITY, AND REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPLIANCE BETWEEN THE FOUNTAIN AND THE ORGANIZATION ENTERING INTO THE FISCAL SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT.
  5. FISCAL SPONSORSHIP: THE FOUNTAIN REGARDS FISCAL SPONSORSHIP AS AN ACT OF PRACTICING THE ORIGINAL PRINCIPLES OF RELATIONS. THE FOUNTAIN, THROUGHOUT ITS HISTORY, HAS BEEN A PLACE OF INCUBATION, A PLACE WHERE GERMINATING ORGANIZATIONS AND MOVEMENTS CAN COME TO BE HELD AS THEY GROW AND DEVELOP SO THEY CAN FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS TO GIVE A FOUNDATION FOR THEIR WORK TO GROW IN A CONSISTENT AND STRONG WAY FOR MOTHER EARTH AND ALL HER CREATION. AGREEMENTS ARE SIGNED WITH THE SPONSORED ORGANIZATION SO AS THEY GROW AND DEVELOP WE ALL STAY CONSISTENT WITH OUR LEGAL AND ETHICAL OBLIGATIONS AND MEET THE CORE PRINCIPLES THAT ARE THE FOUNDATION OF THE FOUNTAIN. THE AGREEMENTS OUTLINE THE LEVEL OF SERVICES, RECIPROCITY, AND REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPLIANCE BETWEEN THE FOUNTAIN AND THE ORGANIZATION ENTERING INTO THE FISCAL SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT.

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since December 2022.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.