Mercer Island-Eastside Orphans and Waifs
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Animal rescue and placement, animal welfare education, animal spaying and neutering.
- Income
- $1.5 million
- Spending
- $1.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 94%
- Reserves
- 47.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 78%
- Employees
- 16
- Volunteers
- 200
- Highest pay
- $64,000, executive director
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 78% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 47.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 31% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 45% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1594% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 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: 74 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
18 of 254 of 4 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no 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
9 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
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 (3)
- $918,226 spent. PET ADOPTION. Each year, MEOW rescues and places for adoption between 750 and 1000 animals. While in our care, animals receive any necessary veterinary care, as well as vaccines, deworming, microchipping, and spay/neuter surgery. Dedicated volunteers donate thousands of hours, either at the shelter (working as Adoption Counselors, Kennel Attendants, Buddies, and several other vital positions) or in their homes providing foster care for animals who are too young to be adopted, are recovering from an illness or injury, or need additional socialization. MEOW supports animals who may have little or no chance to be adopted (due to old age and/or medical conditions) with excellent care in Long-Term Foster homes.
- $7,079 spent. EDUCATION. MEOW provides animal welfare and responsible pet ownership information to prospective and new owners as well as to schools and community groups through our outreach events, quarterly newsletter, website, shelter tours, and volunteer contacts.
- $60,123 spent. SPAYING AND NEUTERING. All animals are altered prior to adoption. Additionally, we have two programs which provide spay/neuter services to the public. Our no-cost Public Voucher Program provides vouchers that can be redeemed at our partner clinics for spay/neuter surgery at no cost to the owner. Our Independent Rescuer Support provides affiliated individuals who are doing TNR (trap, neuter, return) with spay/neuter vouchers as well as funding for vaccinations and parasite treatment for owned pets which they encounter. We seek donations to fund the vouchers, but we feel that spay/neuter is such a vital part of our mission that we supplement these programs with funds from our general account as needed.
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 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 2024.
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 June 1998.
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.