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San Diego Mineral & Gem Society Inc

EIN 95-6049910 · San Diego, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong97 out of 100GovernanceWeak25 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

DISSEMINATE KNOWLEDGE AND ENCOURAGE STUDY OF MINEROLOGY, LAPIDARY AND EARTH SCIENCES.

Income
$125,527
Spending
$124,132
Spent on programs
100%
Reserves
50.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 57%
Employees
0
Volunteers
87

Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 2026, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 97 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 50.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 53% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    100% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 2026, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Weak: 25 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    5 of 25

    0 of 21 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.

  • 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, 2026, 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 (1)
  1. $124,132 spent. LAPIDARY SCHOOL: During Summer 2025, a total of seventeen (17) volunteer instructors, and a like number of volunteer assistant instructors, held twenty-one (21) three-hour or longer classes per week, for approximately 115 students per week. During Fall 2025, Winter and Spring 2026, a total of twenty-two (22) volunteer instructors, and a like number of volunteer assistant instructors, held thirty (30) three-hour or longer classes per week, for approximately 180 student per week. Classes included: cabochon making; faceting of gemstones; beginning silver fabrication of jewelry; intermediate silver fabrication; advanced silver fabrication; chasing and repouss; metal casting; rock carving; sphere making; wire wrap and wire work jewelry; and a special class for Juniors ages 9-17. SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP MEETINGS: Nine General Meetings were held during the year, on a variety of topics related to gems, minerals, fossils, jewelry and other interests. One combined Mineral Division and Gemological Division meeting was held in Summer 2025. Four Mineral Division and four Gemological Division meetings were held, in alternate months. All meetings were open to the public, with an attendance ranging from 25 to 50 people per meeting.VISITS, LECTURES, SAMPLES: (1) Approximately 800 children and teachers from public and private schools toured the Society museum and Lapidary School. Brief lectures and rocks were provided for free upon request.(2) Boxed mineral specimen sets and buckets of other samples of minerals, rocks and gems were provided to elementary school teachers for free, upon request.The SDMG Museum was open for its normal hours: 11 am to 4 pm daily.TOURS & SPECIMEN I.D.: Several Society volunteers gave 2-4 tours weekly to members of the general public interested in touring the Lapidary Classrooms and seeing students working on projects. Mineral, gem, lapidary and meteorite specimens were identified, for free. DECEMBER NIGHTS OPEN HOUSE: Held at the SDMG Building, 1770 Village Place, Balboa Park, San Diego CA, for two days, Friday and Saturday, Dec. 5 and 6, 2025. The free SDMG museum was open for extended hours, from 9 am to 11 pm, with docents answering questions about museum exhibits and demonstrators in every classroom showing off lapidary, metalsmithing, sphere making, lost wax casting, and faceting techniques. Donated mineral, fossil and lapidary specimens, as well as books and magazines, were available for sale to the public at low cost. ANNUAL SAN DIEGO COUNTY FAIR GEMS, MINERALS, FOSSILS & JEWELRY DEPT: The annual San Diego County Fair was held from June 11 through July 6, 2025, at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar, CA. The Coordinator, Assistant Coordinator and one departmental lead exhibit worker were members of the San Diego Mineral and Gem Society. Six of the eight Division judges were members of SDMG. The Museum-quality display of exhibits featured over 300 competitive and special entries, as well as seven mineral and gem dealers. Staff handled all aspects of setup, intake of exhibits, judging, ongoing maintenance, docent tours, scheduling of demonstrators and Dig for Treasure volunteers, exhibit giveback, and takedown. Volunteer demonstrators from San Diego Mineral and Gem, as well as other local rock clubs, answered fairgoers questions while showing off the skills necessary to polish rocks, make silver chains, facet gemstones, make polished rock spheres, carve rock into miniature sculptures, identify gemstones and minerals, and similar activities. Approximately 375,000 fairgoers toured the Gems & Minerals Dept. exhibit hall for an outstanding educational experience available nowhere else in San Diego County.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 2026, 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 May 2026.

    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 April 1964.

    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.

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