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Sononia Savanna Youth Foundation

EIN 91-1837240 · Santa Rosa, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceWeak48 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Only 43% of its spending went to programs.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

Inspiring wildlife advocacy through education, research and conservancy

Income
$715,368
Spending
$269,968
Spent on programs
43%
Reserves
29 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 92%
Employees
11
Volunteers
50

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

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 56% of charities in its peer group (animals, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 29.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 62% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 265% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    43% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 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

Weak: 48 out of 100. Higher than 24% of charities in its peer group (animals, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    13 of 13 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

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • 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, 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)
  1. $81,134 spent. Safari West Live Stream and WebcastA fully interactive live-stream experience, Safari West LIVE engages the imagination and inspires the curiosity of young explorers as they virtually ride along with a naturalist through the rolling hills of Safari West, spotting giraffes, cheetahs, wildebeest, zebras, and many more wondrous African animals.In 2024, 116 Shows were produced reaching 61787 hspital beds. Programming partners include Lucille Packard Stanford Childrens Hospital, Seacrest Studios, Lollipop Theatre Network, and UCSF Benioff Childrens Hospital, plus broadcasts and outreach to 64 childrens hospitals across the US partnership with Lollipop Theater Network, resulting in 3 broadcasts and reaching 3,036 hospital beds.
  2. $22,651 spent. Junior Keepers - This program is open to qualified young people between the ages of 12 and 16 years old. Its an opportunity for young people to learn about careers in animal, conservation, and science fields. In addition to working directly with the animals, Junior Keepers are involved with keeper duties such as enrichment, learning curriculum related to biology and fire science, and working on public speaking skills when presenting at special conservation day events like Earth Day, World Oceans Day, and fundraisers.In 2024, 20 teens participated in special projects such as Amateur radio animal tracking, field and tracking, collaboration project with Conservation Fusion in Madagascar, and California State Government recycling outreach
  3. $12,681 spent. The Safari West Wildlife Foundation provides hands-on experiential learning for youth and children, including thousands from underserved communities. The two main programs are Discover Africa and Junior Keepers: Discover Africa - is a scholarship program that is offered to Title 1 Schools. Students in Grades 3-12 encounter giraffes, primates, cheetahs, and birds from around the world. This experience provides a conservation-focused exploration of wildlife biology, ecology, and conservation sure to spark an interest in students of all ages. The curriculum undergoes constant refinement to ensure it adheres to California State Science Content Standards. In 2024, 1090 students from 23 Title 1 schools participated.

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

  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 November 6, 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 2024.

    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 January 1998.

    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 November 4, 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.