Empathy in Nature Project Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
EMPATHY IN NATURE PROJECT, INC. WAS ESTABLISHED (I) TO EDUCATE PRE-SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN FOR THE PURPOSE OF IMPROVING AND DEVELOPING THEIR CAPABILITIES USING INCLUSIVE AND ACCESSIBLE METHODS INVOLVING SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL AND OUTDOOR-BASED EDUCATION; (II) TO DEVELOP NEW MODELS OF PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION INVOLVING SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL AND OUTDOOR-BASED EDUCATION; (III) TO OPERATE A PRE-SCHOOL WITH A REGULAR FACULTY AND CURRICULUM WITH REGULARLY ENROLLED STUDENTS OPEN TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
- Income
- $376,076
- Spending
- $635,125
- Spent on programs
- 94%
- Reserves
- 2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 3
- Volunteers
- 9
- Highest pay
- $150,000, president
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: 60 out of 100. Higher than 26% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 69% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 10645% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1594% 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: 77 out of 100. Higher than 64% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
18 of 253 of 3 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
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.
Independent check of accounts
6 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 (2)
- $457,126 spent. IN 2022 EMPATHY IN NATURE CREATED THE GROW OUTSIDE PROGRAM, WHICH WORKS WITH LOCAL UNDER-RESOURCED SCHOOLS TO TRANSFORM THEIR LEARNING ENVIRONMENT INTO A NATURAL PLAYGROUND. CHILDREN GO FROM PLAYING ON HOT ASPHALT LOTS WITH NO SHADE, TO LIVING BREATHING LEARNING SPACES, IDEAL FOR SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL GROWTH, STEAM LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, AND DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH. THIS PROGRAM INCLUDES A PROCESS THAT STARTS WITH INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY PLANNING, BRINGING TOGETHER STAKEHOLDERS IN THE SCHOOL AND SURROUNDING AREA TO ENVISION THE SPACE, TO SHARE THEIR CHALLENGES, EXPERIENCES, AND VISIONS OF WHAT WOULD SERVE THE CHILDREN, TEACHERS, AND FAMILIES BEST. FOLLOWING THIS PROCESS, EMPATHY IN NATURE HOLDS DIFFERENT EVENTS INCLUDING A COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER DAY, A CHILDREN'S ART DAY, AND A FIRST DAY OF PLAY EVENT TO ENSURE THAT IT IS COMMUNITY-EMBEDDED THROUGHOUT. EIN HAS DEVELOPED A CURRICULUM THAT INCLUDES A 6-PART STORYBOOK SERIES, ACCOMPANYING FIELD GUIDES, AND INDIVIDUALIZED FIELD GUIDES THAT SUPPORT NATURE-BASED, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING. TEACHER WORKSHOPS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE GROW OUTSIDE PROCESS, AND ARE HELD IN A VERY DIFFERENT WAY THAN MOST TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAMS. WORKSHOPS ARE INTERACTIVE, ENGAGING, AND INVOLVE MOVING AWAY FROM THE TRADITIONAL, CONFERENCE OR CLASSROOM SETTING, WITH CREATIVE AND WELCOMING INVITATIONS TO PLAY (PROVOCATIONS) THAT PROVIDE HANDS ON INSPIRATION FOR EDUCATORS, INSTIGATING A PARADIGM SHIFT TOWARDS A MORE CHILD-CENTERED, PLAY-BASED APPROACH TO LEARNING, WHERE THE ENVIRONMENT SERVES AS A TEACHER AND TEACHERS SERVE AS GUIDES. OVER THE PAST YEAR WE HAVE DEVELOPED A RELATIONSHIP WITH A MAJOR UNIVERSITY WHO IS HELPING TO FUND TRANSFORMATIONS OF HEAD START PROGRAMS IN SAN DIEGO. WE HAVE TRANSFORMED 3 SCHOOLS INTO NATURE PLAY LEARNING CENTERS, TRAINED OVER 200 EDUCATORS WITHIN THE HEAD START PROGRAM ON NATURE-PLAY AND SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL TEACHING PRACTICES, AFFECTING HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN TODAY AND THOUSANDS OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS WHO WILL COME THROUGH THESE SCHOOLS. THROUGH THE UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP, WE ARE COLLECTING AND STUDYING THE DATA ON THESE SCHOOLS TO ADD TO THE BODY OF RESEARCH AND KNOWLEDGE PERTAINING TO NATURE PLAY AND SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL BEST PRACTICES FOR YOUNG CHILDREN. IN ADDITION, WE HAVE TRANSFORMED AN OUTDOOR SPACE FOR AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, INCREASING THEIR OUTSIDE, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING TIME BY 90%. THE SCHOOL IS REPORTING MORE CREATIVITY, ART, FREE PLAY, AND POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SINCE THE OUTDOOR LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WENT IN. IN 2022 EMPATHY IN NATURE CREATED THE GROW OUTSIDE PROGRAM, WHICH WORKS WITH LOCAL UNDER-RESOURCED SCHOOLS TO TRANSFORM THEIR LEARNING ENVIRONMENT INTO A NATURAL PLAYGROUND. CHILDREN GO FROM PLAYING ON HOT ASPHALT LOTS WITH NO SHADE, TO LIVING BREATHING LEARNING SPACES, IDEAL FOR SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL GROWTH, STEAM LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, AND DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH. THIS PROGRAM INCLUDES A PROCESS THAT STARTS WITH INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY PLANNING, BRINGING TOGETHER STAKEHOLDERS IN THE SCHOOL AND SURROUNDING AREA TO ENVISION THE SPACE, TO SHARE THEIR CHALLENGES, EXPERIENCES, AND VISIONS OF WHAT WOULD SERVE THE CHILDREN, TEACHERS, AND FAMILIES BEST. FOLLOWING THIS PROCESS, EMPATHY IN NATURE HOLDS DIFFERENT EVENTS INCLUDING A COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER DAY, A CHILDREN'S ART DAY, AND A FIRST DAY OF PLAY EVENT TO ENSURE THAT IT IS COMMUNITY-EMBEDDED THROUGHOUT. EIN HAS DEVELOPED A CURRICULUM THAT INCLUDES A 6-PART STORYBOOK SERIES, ACCOMPANYING FIELD GUIDES, AND INDIVIDUALIZED FIELD GUIDES THAT SUPPORT NATURE-BASED, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING. TEACHER WORKSHOPS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE GROW OUTSIDE PROCESS, AND ARE HELD IN A VERY DIFFERENT WAY THAN MOST TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAMS. WORKSHOPS ARE INTERACTIVE, ENGAGING, AND INVOLVE MOVING AWAY FROM THE TRADITIONAL, CONFERENCE OR CLASSROOM SETTING, WITH CREATIVE AND WELCOMING INVITATIONS TO PLAY (PROVOCATIONS) THAT PROVIDE HANDS ON INSPIRATION FOR EDUCATORS, INSTIGATING A PARADIGM SHIFT TOWARDS A MORE CHILD-CENTERED, PLAY-BASED APPROACH TO LEARNING, WHERE THE ENVIRONMENT SERVES AS A TEACHER AND TEACHERS SERVE AS GUIDES. OVER THE PAST YEAR WE HAVE DEVELOPED A RELATIONSHIP WITH A MAJOR UNIVERSITY WHO IS HELPING TO FUND TRANSFORMATIONS OF HEAD START PROGRAMS IN SAN DIEGO. WE HAVE TRANSFORMED 3 SCHOOLS INTO NATURE PLAY LEARNING CENTERS, TRAINED OVER 200 EDUCATORS WITHIN THE HEAD START PROGRAM ON NATURE-PLAY AND SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL TEACHING PRACTICES, AFFECTING HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN TODAY AND THOUSANDS OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS WHO WILL COME THROUGH THESE SCHOOLS. THROUGH THE UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP, WE ARE COLLECTING AND STUDYING THE DATA ON THESE SCHOOLS TO ADD TO THE BODY OF RESEARCH AND KNOWLEDGE PERTAINING TO NATURE PLAY AND SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL BEST PRACTICES FOR YOUNG CHILDREN. IN ADDITION, WE HAVE TRANSFORMED AN OUTDOOR SPACE FOR AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, INCREASING THEIR OUTSIDE, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING TIME BY 90%. THE SCHOOL IS REPORTING MORE CREATIVITY, ART, FREE PLAY, AND POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SINCE THE OUTDOOR LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WENT IN.
- $140,557 spent. EMPATHETIC EDUCATORS ALWAYS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE EMPATHY IN NATURE MISSION, EMPATHETIC EDUCATORS HAS DEVELOPED INTO A PROGRAM THAT BRINGS TOGETHER LEADING-EDGE EDUCATORS AND RESEARCHERS IN SERVICE OF THE UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN UNDERREPRESENTED IN THESE SPACES. THE BARRIERS TO THIS LEVEL OF TEACHER TRAINING ARE HIGH, BETWEEN COSTS, SCHEDULES, AND LOCATIONS. EMPATHY IN NATURE IS BRIDGING THAT GAP AND PROVIDING ACCESS TO EDUCATORS AND CAREGIVERS BY PROVIDING LOW OR NO-COST WORKSHOPS AND COURSES, PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION AND/OR BRINGING THE WORKSHOPS TO AREAS THAT REPRESENT THESE COMMUNITIES, AND MAKING WORKSHOPS AND COURSES AVAILABLE AT TIMES THAT WORK FOR THEM. IN 2023 EMPATHY IN NATURE PARTNERED WITH UC SAN DIEGO EXTENSION TO RUN AN A SYNCHRONOUS COURSE THAT WAS FREE FOR PARTNERS OF EIN AND PROVIDED UNIVERSITY CREDIT FOR THEIR NATURE PLAY COURSE. IN 2024 EIN EMBARKED ON AN INNOVATIVE PROGRAM WITH A LOCAL NON-PROFIT TO BRING NATURE-PLAY AND SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL TRAINING TO CHILDCARE PROVIDERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. TRADITIONALLY, CHILD CARE PROVIDERS, ESPECIALLY FAMILY-RUN BUSINESSES, DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE SAME KINDS OF QUALITY TRAINING AND RESOURCES THAT OTHER CHIDCARE ORGANIZATIONS ARE. AS INDIVIDUALLY RUN BUSINESSES, THEY LACK COMMUNITY AND PEER-DRIVEN SUPPORT. EIN CREATED A PROGRAM THAT INCLUDED A 4-WORKSHOP IN-PERSON SERIES, CUSTOMIZED FIELD GUIDES, AND QUARTERLY OFFICE HOURS, ALL PROVIDED FOR FREE TO THE LOCAL CHILDCARE COMMUNITY. THE PROGRAM WAS EXTRAORDINARILY POPULAR AND SUCCESSFUL. TO EXPAND REACH, THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN TRANSLATED INTO AN ONLINE PLATFORM, GIVING FREE ACCESS TO THOUSANDS OF PROVIDERS. THE PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE TO RUN, EXPANDING INTO TOPICS THAT PROVIDERS HAVE EXPRESSED THE MOST INTEREST IN, WHILE REPEATING THE ORIGINAL WORKSHOPS TO ENSURE THAT MORE PROVIDERS ARE GIVEN THE CHANCE TO ATTEND. EMPATHETIC EDUCATORS ALWAYS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE EMPATHY IN NATURE MISSION, EMPATHETIC EDUCATORS HAS DEVELOPED INTO A PROGRAM THAT BRINGS TOGETHER LEADING-EDGE EDUCATORS AND RESEARCHERS IN SERVICE OF THE UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN UNDERREPRESENTED IN THESE SPACES. THE BARRIERS TO THIS LEVEL OF TEACHER TRAINING ARE HIGH, BETWEEN COSTS, SCHEDULES, AND LOCATIONS. EMPATHY IN NATURE IS BRIDGING THAT GAP AND PROVIDING ACCESS TO EDUCATORS AND CAREGIVERS BY PROVIDING LOW OR NO-COST WORKSHOPS AND COURSES, PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION AND/OR BRINGING THE WORKSHOPS TO AREAS THAT REPRESENT THESE COMMUNITIES, AND MAKING WORKSHOPS AND COURSES AVAILABLE AT TIMES THAT WORK FOR THEM. IN 2023 EMPATHY IN NATURE PARTNERED WITH UC SAN DIEGO EXTENSION TO RUN AN A SYNCHRONOUS COURSE THAT WAS FREE FOR PARTNERS OF EIN AND PROVIDED UNIVERSITY CREDIT FOR THEIR NATURE PLAY COURSE. IN 2024 EIN EMBARKED ON AN INNOVATIVE PROGRAM WITH A LOCAL NON-PROFIT TO BRING NATURE-PLAY AND SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL TRAINING TO CHILDCARE PROVIDERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. TRADITIONALLY, CHILD CARE PROVIDERS, ESPECIALLY FAMILY-RUN BUSINESSES, DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE SAME KINDS OF QUALITY TRAINING AND RESOURCES THAT OTHER CHIDCARE ORGANIZATIONS ARE. AS INDIVIDUALLY RUN BUSINESSES, THEY LACK COMMUNITY AND PEER-DRIVEN SUPPORT. EIN CREATED A PROGRAM THAT INCLUDED A 4-WORKSHOP IN-PERSON SERIES, CUSTOMIZED FIELD GUIDES, AND QUARTERLY OFFICE HOURS, ALL PROVIDED FOR FREE TO THE LOCAL CHILDCARE COMMUNITY. THE PROGRAM WAS EXTRAORDINARILY POPULAR AND SUCCESSFUL. TO EXPAND REACH, THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN TRANSLATED INTO AN ONLINE PLATFORM, GIVING FREE ACCESS TO THOUSANDS OF PROVIDERS. THE PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE TO RUN, EXPANDING INTO TOPICS THAT PROVIDERS HAVE EXPRESSED THE MOST INTEREST IN, WHILE REPEATING THE ORIGINAL WORKSHOPS TO ENSURE THAT MORE PROVIDERS ARE GIVEN THE CHANCE TO ATTEND.
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since November 2021.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 2026.
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