Serve Our Dog Areas Soda
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Assist public park systems in managing, stewarding, and improving off-leash recreation areas. Educate citizens about responsible dog ownership. Promote the concept of off-leash dog recreation.
- Income
- $85,464
- Spending
- $102,219
- Spent on programs
- 96%
- Reserves
- 23.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 95%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 300
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
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 23.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 20% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 12% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1596% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 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: 50 out of 100. Higher than 36% of charities in its peer group (animals, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no 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
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
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, 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 (4)
- $17,195 spent. PARK OPERATIONAL EXPENSES: Marymoor Dog Park is a 40 acre off-leash dog area located within Marymoor Park of the King County Park System. An estimated 1,000,000 plus visitations from citizens throughout King County were made to Marymoor Dog Park in 2025. In Dec 2025, S.O.D.A. entered into a new 5 year Maintenance and Operations contract with King County that expires in 2030. Approximately 75,000 Marymoor Dog Park users benefited from these operational activities carried out by S.O.D.A. in 2025. Porta Potty Maintenance: S.O.D.A. paid for twice weekly service for two porta potties. Plastic Bags for "Poop Scoop": S.O.D.A. provided "Poop Scoop" bags for Marymoor Park users who are responsible for cleaning-up after their dogs.
- $66,587 spent. PARK MAINTENANCE: River Road Trail Resurfacing: The approximate 3/4 mile River Road Trail that was originally graveled as part of the 1998 River Restoration Project had not been resurfaced by Parks since Dec 2012 and was eroded and degraded with large puddle wash outs. In Feb 2025, S.O.D.A. partnered with Marymoor Park Maintenance to have the River Road Trail resurfaced. S.O.D.A. purchased the 652.9 tons of 5/8" minus gravel ($17, 823) and the King County Parks Road Crew did the grating, graveling and rolling to restore the River Road Trail back to good condition. Fix Eroded River Road Trail Culvert: The sides of the ditch containing the drainage culvert running under the River Road Trail had eroded drastically since the 1998 River Restoration Project. In conjunction with resurfacing the River Road Trail in Feb 2025, S.O.D.A. partnered with Marymoor Park Maintenance to repair the damage. S.O.D.A. paid for the 107.17 tons of 1-1//4" minus rock and 11.51 tons of 3 man rock ($4,054) and the King County Parks Crew filled-in and built up the sides of the ditch containing the culvert. Trail Resurfacing: S.O.D.A. resurfaced the Dog Park's over 25,000ft of trails with "hog fuel" (cedar bark/sawdust). Over 250 volunteers, to include 30 youth, participated by donating 787.5hrs of pitchforking, wheel-barrowing and raking labor to resurface & prepare the trails for the winter wet season. Field & Trail Closures & Repairs: In 2025, the Dog Park once again experienced flooding caused by heavy rain, ditches overflowing and the Sammamish River rising. Volunteers spent 93hrs installing, moving and removing temporary fencing to close the flooded areas, repairing damaged trails, sanding mud areas, and restoring flooded fields by seeding and spreading straw on the damaged areas. Invasive Weed Control: 1116.5hrs of volunteer labor was directed to digging, pulling & cutting invasive weeds. Beach Repairs: During the rainy season, the swift flow of the Sammamish River causes the wash-outs and damage the the Marymoor Dog Park beach accesses. In 2025, S.O.D.A. volunteers donated 28hrs of volunteer time to repair the river access beaches. Heron Protection Fencing: The Marymoor Park colony of Great Blue Heron returned to their nests in the cottonwood trees above our busy Dog Park in 2025. Volunteers donated 29.75hrs of labor to install temporary closure fencing around the area to separate bird & human/dog activity & then removed it when the baby heron fledged. General Maintenance: S.O.D.A. volunteers spent over 250hrs keeping Marymoor Dog Park clean by doing "poop" & litter pick-up. General maintenance of 713.25rs of volunteer labor went to cleaning up fallen trees, clipping vegetation, trimming trees, weed-whacking fence lines, benches & bridges, filling holes, repairing fences, maintaining sidewalks & bridges, blowing leaves/muck off the River Road, repairing River access steps, putting up "Fire Danger" signs, fixing wheelbarrows, organizing storage sheds, meeting with Park personnel etc.
- $11,564 spent. PARK IMPROVEMENTS: Split-Rail Fencing: In 2015 S.O.D.A. began replacing the Marymoor Dog Park split-rail fencing which was old and deteriorating. In 2025, S.O.D.A. finished this project by replacing the final 180ft of split-rail fencing stretching from Dog-On-It Bridge to and across Dog Leg Bridge with 53.75 hours of volunteer labor. New Trash Cans: S.O.D.A. replaced 30ea old, rusted-out Marymoor Dog Park trash cans with new 32 gallon heavy duty galvanized trash cans with dome lids.
- $2,853 spent. Responsible Dog Ownership Education including signage, flyers, computer, website & email. Off-Leash Dog Park Promotion.
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
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 2025.
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 February 1997.
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.