Passes our checks

Rotary Club of Bellingham Foundation

EIN 91-1896302 · Bellingham, WA

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

What it says it does

Provide grants to nonprofits in the local community and scholarships for local students.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 37% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).

Reserves
20 of 35
Spendable reserves would cover 3.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20
It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15
Spending exceeded income by 65% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15
Income rose 10% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 15
96% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 92% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).

Independent board
25 of 25
6 of 6 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15
Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8
Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7
Has a 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.
No reported misuse
10 of 10
Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (2)

$106,692 spent. The Rotary Club of Bellingham Foundation provides scholarships annually. Scholarship recipients include students of excellence attending local schools, the Rotary youth exchange program, and our youth adventures in leadership (YAIL) program.
$183,242 spent. The Rotary Club of Bellingham Foundation makes grant funds available to local nonprofit organizations. A grant from the Foundation is typically to a smaller nonprofit for some essential but otherwise unaffordable project, service, or purchase.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

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? 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 September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2026.
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 January 1999.
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.