National Deer Association Group Return
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE OWITH MEMBERS IN ALL 50 STATES AND CANADA, THE NATIONAL DEER ASSOCIATION(NDA) WORKS CLOSELY WITH HUNTERS, LANDOWNERS, WILDLIFE AGENCIES AND OTHER CONSERVATIONISTS TO IMPROVE DEER HERDS AND HUNTER SATISFACTION ON MILLIONS OF ACRES OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LAND. THE GOALS AND ACTIVITIES OF NDA ARE ACCOMPLISHED WITH ITS STAFF AND EXTENSIVE VOLUNTEER NETWORK. GIVEN NDA'S HISTORY OF USING SCIENCE AND HUNTER ETHICS TO GUIDE SOUND DEER MANAGEMENT DECISIONS, IT IS WIDELY CONSIDERED THE MOST RESPECTED AND INFLUENTIAL DEER CONSERVATION AGENCY IN NORTH AMERICA.
- Income
- $461,866
- Spending
- $275,335
- Spent on programs
- 99%
- Reserves
- 53.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 61%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 675
- Highest pay
- $277,179, president & ceo
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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 83% of charities in its peer group (animals, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 53.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 40% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 3% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1599% 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: 86 out of 100. Higher than 84% of charities in its peer group (animals, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2517 of 17 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.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
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 (1)
- $272,651 spent. SEE SCHEDULE OIN 2024, NDA HAD A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON POLICY THAT IMPACTS DEER, HUNTING, AND CONSERVATION BY SENDING 27 ACTION ALERTS, AUTHORING, OR SIGNING 50 LETTERS OF SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION, AND ENCOURAGING MORE THAN 1,800 LETTERS FROM OUR CONSTITUENTS. NDA ADDRESSED LANDSCAPE-LEVEL ACCESS AND FOREST HEALTH ISSUES THROUGH THE PUBLIC LANDS INITIATIVE BY HELPING TO IMPROVE 226,128 ACRES OF PUBLIC LAND IN 20 STATES AT A TOTAL VALUE OF $6,382,021. NDA CONTINUED TO PROVIDE SOME OF THE BEST DEER AND HABITAT EDUCATIONAL CONTENT IN THE WORLD BY PUBLISHING MORE THAN 150 COMBINED ARTICLES AND VIDEOS ACROSS OUR VARIOUS PLATFORMS. MORE THAN 10 MILLION PEOPLE WERE REACHED THROUGH NDA'S SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS ALONE. NDA HELD 54 FIELD TO FORK EVENTS ACROSS 13 STATES TO INTRODUCE 481 NEW PEOPLE TO HUNTING AS PART OF OUR R3 INITIATIVES WHILE ALSO GRADUATING 376 NEW DEER STEWARD PARTICIPANTS AT VARIOUS LEVELS. NDA FINISHED ANOTHER STRONG FINANCIAL YEAR HELPED BY SECURING A RECORD NUMBER OF CORPORATE SPONSORS AND CONDUCTING THE ORGANIZATION'S ANNUAL GIVING DAY.
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? Worth knowing.
Not individually listed by the IRS as eligible, which is usual for local chapters covered by a parent organization's exemption. The master file records contributions to it as deductible.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 December 2002.
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.
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.