Friends of Ballona Wetlands
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
CHAMPIONING THE RESTORATION AND PROTECTION OF LOS ANGELES' LAST COASTAL WETLAND AND EDUCATING OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY AS STEWARDS OF NATURE.
- Income
- $794,097
- Spending
- $846,634
- Spent on programs
- 77%
- Reserves
- 14 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 56%
- Employees
- 12
- Volunteers
- 2,655
- Highest pay
- $115,499, 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
Good: 79 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 14.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 7% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 13% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1577% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 19 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: 97 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2519 of 19 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
12 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)
- $361,863 spent. EDUCATION: THE FRIENDS OF BALLONA WETLANDS' LOS ANGELESCOUNTY-BASED EDUCATION AND RESTORATION PROGRAMS, COLLECTIVELYCALLED "EXPLORE BALLONA", HAVE SINCE 1994 PROVIDED HANDS-ONEDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES TO AN ETHNICALLY, CULTURALLY, ANDECONOMICALLY DIVERSE POPULATION OF APPROXIMATELY 9,000 RESIDENTSEACH YEAR AT BALLONA'S SALT MARSH, DUNES AND FRESHWATER MARSH, ANDIN VARIOUS COMMUNITY SETTINGS. "EXPLORE BALLONA" OFFERS EDUCATIONAND SERVICE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES TO PRE-K-12, COLLEGE,COMMUNITY, AND CORPORATE GROUPS, CHANGING COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROMUNINFORMED RESIDENTS TO ACTIVE STEWARDS OF THE COUNTY'S LASTREMAINING VIABLE COASTAL WETLAND AND WATERSHED.
- $178,541 spent. RESTORATION: SINCE 1990 AS PART OF OUR RESTORATION PROJECTS, OVER100,000 SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS HAVE REMOVED OVER 600 TONSOF GARBAGE AND NON-NATIVE PLANTS FROM THE BALLONA WETLANDS, ASWELL AS RENOVATION OF SEVERAL OUTDOOR LEARNING AREAS SUCH AS THEFIELD OFFICE/RESTORATION CENTER, THE VIEWING PLATFORM, ALSO BUILTDURING THE 1990'S BY A PACK OF BOY SCOUTS ON THE BERM CREATED FORTHE OLD LOS ANGELES PACIFIC RAILWAY ELECTRIC TROLLEY "RED CARLINE" TRESTLE, AND THE REPRESENTATIONAL VILLAGE OF THE NATIVETONGVA PEOPLE.
- $109,280 spent. SCIENCE: FRIENDS OF BALLONA WETLANDS' SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM MONITORS THE AVIAN DIVERSITY OF THE WETLANDS, PERFORMS ANNUAL BUTTERFLY COUNTS, AND MONITORS OUR RESTORATION EFFORTS TO INFORM ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT AND TRACK SUCCESS. WE ALSO LEAD THE SWALLOW NEST BOX PROGRAM AT THE FRESHWATER MARSH, AND WE ENCOURAGE THE COMMUNITY TO CREATE BIO DIVERSITY IN THEIR OWN BACKYARDS THROUGH OUR "GROW NATIVE!" PROGRAM.
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 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 December 2024.
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 August 1984.
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.