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Tippedears

EIN 88-3942279 · Costa Mesa, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceFair51 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO COMBAT CAT OVERPOPULATION THROUGH HUMANE TNR (TRAP-NEUTER-RETURN). BY REDUCING THE OVERALL CAT POPULATION, FEWER CATS WILL NEED TO BE EUTHANIZED IN SHELTERS FOR SPACE, AND THERE WILL NOT BE AS MANY KITTENS DYING ON THE STREETS. THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH ADOPTIVE HOMES TO SUPPORT THE GROWING CAT POPULATION. IN ORDER TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM, TIPPEDEARS BELIEVES IT IS ESSENTIAL TO FIGHT THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM TO PREVENT THE EXCESS OF KITTENS BORN EACH YEAR. HUMANE TNR IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE SOLUTION TO SOLVING CAT OVERPOPULATION IN OUR SOCIETY AND IMPROVING EACH CAT'S QUALITY OF LIFE.

Income
$224,953
Spending
$215,924
Spent on programs
93%
Reserves
3.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 87%
Employees
1
Volunteers
90
Highest pay
$6,000, ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 69% of charities in its peer group (animals, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 5% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 42% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    93% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Fair: 51 out of 100. Higher than 46% of charities in its peer group (animals, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    3 of 3 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no 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

    0 of 5

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

  • 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, 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. $172,051 spent. FOSTER PROGRAM: ORPHANED/INJURED/SICK KITTENS FOUND AT COLONIES WHERE TIPPEDEARS IS ACTIVELY TRAPPING ARE ENROLLED IN THE FOSTER PROGRAM, SPACE ALLOWING. KITTENS ARE PLACED IN THE CARE OF FOSTER FAMILIES (VOLUNTEERS) UNTIL READY FOR ADOPTION (2 FVRCP VACCINES, MICROCHIP,SPAYED/NEUTERED). KITTENS ARE THEN ADOPTED OUT TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH AN ADOPTION PROCESS.
  2. $18,971 spent. TNR PROGRAM: CATS ARE HUMANELY TRAPPED, STERILIZED AND RELEASED BACK INTO THEIR OUTDOOR COLONIES. SICK OR INJURED CATS ARE TREATED AND HELD UNTIL RECOVERED, THEN RELEASED. THIS PREVENTS CAT OVERPOPULATION AND LOWERS THE AMOUNT OF UNSOCIALIZED CATS SURRENDERED TO THE SHELTERS AND SUBSEQUENTLY EUTHANIZED AS NON-ADOPTABLE.
  3. $9,784 spent. COMMUNITY WELLNESS PROGRAM: RESIDENTS OF COMPTON (CA) WERE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN SEVERAL WELLNESS EVENTS HELD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR BY TIPPEDEARS, SOMETIMES IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHER FUNDING PARTNERS. SERVICES SUCH AS VACCINE AND MICROCHIP CLINIC, AS WELL AS A PET PANTRY, WERE PROVIDED. ON OCCASION, SPAY/NEUTER APPOINTMENTS WERE MADE AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY FOR OWNED PETS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 December 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 September 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.