Institute for Applied Ecology
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE INSTITUTE FOR APPLIED ECOLOGY CONSERVES NATIVE SPECIES AND HABITATS THROUGH RESTORATIONS, RESEARCH, AND EDUCATION
- Income
- $6.4 million
- Spending
- $6.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 79%
- Reserves
- 3.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 93%
- Employees
- 106
- Volunteers
- 200
- Highest pay
- $120,252, deputy 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
Fair: 69 out of 100. Higher than 37% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.1 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 29% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 5% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 5% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1579% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 60% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2511 of 11 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
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited 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 (4)
- $638,817 spent. CONSERVATION RESEARCH: OUR EFFORTS TO RESEARCH, MONITOR AND REINTRODUCE ENDANGERED SPECIES INTO RESTORED HABITATS IN WESTERN OREGON HAS MANY SUCCESSES. WE HAVE ESTABLISHED NEW POPULATIONS OF GOLDEN PAINTBRUSH, KINCAID'S LUPINE, NELSON'S CHECKERMALLOW, BRADSHAW'S LOMATIUM, COOK'S DESERT PARSLEY, COLUMBIA YELLOWCRESS AND WILLAMETTE DAISY. ALL OF THESE SPECIES WERE ON THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION, BUT DUE TO OUR EFFORTS AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, ARE NOW BECOMING MORE COMMON ON THE LANDSCAPE. THEY ALSO NOW GROW IN PLACES WHERE LOCAL PEOPLE IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES CAN SEE AND INTERACT WITH THEM REGULARLY, A SEA CHANGE FOR CONSERVATION! (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENT NUMBERS: FOR THE NINTH YEAR, COORDINATED RANGE-WIDE MONITORING FOR FENDER'S BLUE BUTTERFLY, WITH SURVEYS AT 71 SITES, TRACKING IMPORTANT TRENDS IN THIS ENDANGERED SPECIES POPULATION. THIRTY-FOUR RESEARCH PROJECTS AT OVER 123 SITES WITH 18 FEDERALLY AND STATE LISTED ENDANGERED/THREATENED/SPECIES OF CONCERN SPECIES IN THE NW. IN THE SW 12 RARE PLANT SPECIES WERE MONITORED IN 115 PLOTS AND POLLINATOR COMMUNTIES WERE MONITORED ACROSS 5 SITES PRE- AND POST-RESTORATION. SEEDS WERE COLLECTED FROM 4 RARE PLANT SPECIES IN NEW MEXICO FOR LONG-TERM SEED BANKING AND 246 CUTTINGS WERE COLLECTED FROM A RARE WILLOW SPECIES IN THE SW. CONTINUED ESTUARY MAPPING WORK AND PROVIDED TECHNICAL INPUTS ON BLUE CARBON PROJECTS, WITH ESTUARY RESEARCH PROJECTS UNDERWAY.
- $1.1 million spent. HABITAT RESTORATION: FOR OVER 20 YEARS, IAE'S MISSION HAS INCLUDED RESTORING RESILIENT ECOSYSTEMS. WE'VE LEARNED THAT TO INCREASE HABITAT RESTORATION IN THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY, NEW MEXICO AND ARIZONA, AN INCREASE IN THE AVAILABILITY OF NATIVE SEEDS AND PLANTS IS NEEDED. WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED MUCH BY SUPPORTING FOUR REGIONAL SEED PARTNERSHIPS AND DEVELOPING A NATIVE PLANT FARM. THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY NATIVE PLANT PARTNERSHIP (WVNPP), STAFFED BY IAE AND FUNDED IN PART BY THE OREGON WATERSHED ENHANCEMENT BOARD, HAS OVER 30 PUBLIC, PRIVATE, AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AS MEMBERS, INCLUDING WATERSHED COUNCILS, SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATIONS DISTRICTS, LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES, PRIVATE LAND TRUSTS, COMMERCIAL GROWERS, AND STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENT NUMBERS:73 SITES IN RESTORATION IN OREGON, 1481 ACRES IN RESTORED OR IN ACTIVE RESTORATION2.7 ACRES IN SEED PRODUCTION AT IAE FARM, WITH 46 SPECIES IN PRODUCTION AT THE IAE FARM; 33 FIELDS WITH 23 SPECIES YIELDING 4,259 POUNDS OF SEED IN THE SW365 POUNDS OF SEED PRODUCED AT IAE FARMWILD SEED COLLECTED FROM 53 SPECIES IN OREGON, 104 SPECIES AND 276 SEED COLLECTIONS IN ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO1913 POUNDS OF NATIVE SEED SOWN85000 NATIVE PLANT PLUGS AND BULBS OUT-PLANTED8 TYPES OF OREGON HABITATS WHERE RESTORATION ACTIONS OCCURRED: COASTAL PRAIRIE, DOUGLAS-FIR/WESTERN HEMLOCK/SITKA SPRUCE FOREST, COASTAL DUNES, OAK SAVANNAH/WOODLAND, RIPARIAN, UPLAND PRAIRIE, WET PRAIRIE, WETLAND. IN NM & AZ 3 HABITATS WITH RESTORATION, MONTANE WETLAND, SUBALPINE AND PONDEROSA PINE.9,471 VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY HOURS LOGGEDHOSTED VIRTUAL NATIONAL NATIVE SEED CONFERENCE ATTENDED BY OVER 900 NATIVE PLANT ENTHUSIASTS
- $657,282 spent. ECOLOGICAL EDUCATION: THE DECLINE IN HUMAN CONNECTION WITH NATURE IS FOUND ESPECIALLY IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES WITHIN OUR REGION, INCLUDING INCARCERATED PEOPLE WHO NUMBER OVER 15,000 IN OREGON AND 2.3 MILLION NATIONWIDE. THIS NATURE DEFICIT LEADS TO LOWER HUMAN HEALTH, HIGHER INCIDENTS OF VIOLENCE, AND REDUCED SENSE OF WELL-BEING. FURTHERMORE, THERE IS OFTEN A DISCONNECT BETWEEN ENVIRONMENTAL PROFESSIONALS AND THE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES THAT LIVE IN THE REGION WHERE RESTORATIONS TAKE PLACE. THIS ISOLATION EXCLUDES VALUABLE INSIGHTS FROM PROJECTS AND REDUCES OWNERSHIP OF HABITAT RESTORATIONS BY DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. INCARCERATED PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES OF DIVERSITY ARE PARTICULARLY DEPRIVED OF OPPORTUNITIES TO INTERACT WITH ECOSYSTEMS AS WELL AS IN ENVIRONMENTAL FIELDS. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)ONE PROJECT OF OUR ECOLOGICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM, SAGEBRUSH IN PRISONS, DEEPLY ENGAGES PRISON INMATES IN HABITAT CONSERVATION BY GIVING THEM VOCATIONAL TRAINING IN NATIVE PLANT NURSERY MANAGEMENT AND A LECTURE SERIES IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE. THESE INCARCERATED ADULTS ARE HEALING THEIR ENVIRONMENT, THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND THEMSELVES.PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENT NUMBERS:OVER 300,000 SAGEBRUSH AND OTHER NATIVE PLANTS GROWN BY ADULTS IN CUSTODY IN 11 PRISONS IN FIVE STATES TO RESTORE GREATER SAGE-GROUSE HABITAT IMPACTED BY FIRE OR OTHER NATIVE HABITATS. ADULTS IN CUSTODY CONTRIBUTED OVER 33,000 HOURS TOWARDS CONSERVATION OF SAGEBRUSH AND OTHER NATIVE HABITATS.PROVIDED PLACE-BASED SUMMER EDUCATION AND FOREST IMMERSION PROGRAMS FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN NORTH-CENTRAL NEW MEXICO.OVER 1000 ADULTS IN CUSTODY ENGAGED IN ECOLOGICAL EDUCATION WITH 117 LESSONS.405 YOUTH IN JUVENILE DETENTION ATTENDED 56 LESSONS PROVIDED IN 2 FACILITIES.
- $2.9 million spent. THE INSTITUTE FOR APPLIED ECOLOGY (IAE) IS A NON-PROFIT 501 (C) (3) ORGANIZATION WHOSE VISION IS A WORLD WHERE ALL PEOPLE AND WILDLANDS ARE HEALTHY AND INTERACT POSITIVELY, BIOLOGICALLY DIVERSITY FLOURISHES, AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES ARE MET WITH A SOCIAL COMMITMENT TO SOLVING PROBLEMS WITH SCIENCE. OUR MISSION IS CONSERVING NATIVE SPECIES AND HABITATS THROUGH RESTORATION, RESEARCH AND EDUCATION. WE PARTNER WITH AND SERVE A DIVERSITY OF GROUPS ACROSS OREGON AND THE WESTERN US, INCLUDING GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES, CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS AND NONPROFITS, PRISONS, JUVENILE DETENTION FACILITIES, K-12 SCHOOLS, ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS, TRIBES, AND PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS. OUR PROJECTS WORK ACROSS THE WESTERN UNITED STATES, WITH OUR MAIN OFFICE IN OREGON AND AN OFFICE IN NEW MEXICO. OUR STRATEGIC PLAN LAYS OUT THREE PROGRAMMING GOALS: RESTORING RESILIENT ECOSYSTEMS, CONSERVING SPECIES, AND CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH NATURE. WE PRESENT AN ACCOMPLISHMENT FROM EACH IN THE SECTIONS ABOVE.
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 November 6, 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 April 2001.
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 November 4, 2026.
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