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Gorilla Foundation

EIN 94-2386151 · Woodside, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood82 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

To bring interspecies communication to the public, in order to save gorillas from extinction, and inspire our children to create a sustainable future for all great apes.

Income
$-339,439
Spending
$1.0 million
Spent on programs
73%
Reserves
64.3 months of spending
Employees
6
Volunteers
4
Highest pay
$83,200, director & cso

Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 82 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 64.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 132% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    73% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 21 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    4 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.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 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)
  1. $232,429 spent. EDUCATION: (aka KokoConnects) a) We continued to create and post weekly videos from our 5-decade archive featuring Koko, Ndume, Michael, and their caregivers, thereby educating the public about the true cognitive and emotional capacities of gorillas.b) We created Koko Signs pre/post surveys to help increase and evaluate the conservation impact of the app in shifting knowledge and behaviors toward gorilla protection.
  2. $215,266 spent. RESEARCH: (aka KokoConnects)a) We continued to analyze our 2,000-hour research video collection for interspecies communication topics that make strong subjects for further analysis and public discussion.b) We added new signs, conversations, and interviews (KokoCasts) to the Koko Signs app, enhancing its value for conservation-education curriculum development.c) We created Koko Signs pre/post surveys to help measure the apps impact on changing attitudes toward, and actions on behalf of, gorillas.
  3. $212,322 spent. WELFARE: (aka KokoCares)In FYE2025 we began a partnership with The Aspinall Foundation to design a state-of-the-art gorilla sanctuary in the Republic of Congo. Borrowing design concepts from the earlier 71-acre Maui Gorilla Sanctuary, we began planning a 300-acre, scalable site capable of accommodating both zoo-born gorillas seeking a more natural life and wild-born orphaned gorillas preparing for rewilding. The Aspinall Foundation brings decades of rewilding experience, and the Congo site lies within a protected national reserve with over 40 years of zero gorilla poaching. A Memorandum of Understanding is nearing completion, enabling us to engage a world-class designer in 2026 to convert conceptual plans into construction plans.
  4. $99,314 spent. Conservation: (aka: KokoProtects)In FYE2025 we expanded our partnership with the Community-Based Biosynergy Management Foundation in Cameroon to focus on protecting the critically endangered Cross-River Gorilla subspecies along the CameroonNigeria border. This project integrates empathy-building via the Koko Signs app with a community-based monitoring program using camera traps to generate a more accurate population census. Earlier in the year, we concentrated on conservation education in Eastern Cameroon with communities living near Western Lowland Gorilla habitats. We also began introducing more accurate pre/post app surveys to measure the impact of our Koko-inspired educational materials.The overarching goal is to develop replicable, Koko-enriched conservation methods that can help protect all four gorilla subspecies from extinction.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 2025, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending May 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since March 1977.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.