Biotech Applied Research Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
933215847
IRS 990 coverage
2025–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Location
Zolfo Springs, FL, USA
Phone
8634437283
Rating
65
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Science and Technology N.E.C.

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$220,234
Expenses
$678,878
Assets
$1,673,163
Liabilities
$2,131,807

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

6 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • WALTER Z FARR (DIRECTOR PRESIDENT)
  • TODD ZIMMERMAN (DIRECTOR VICE PRESIDENT)

People named in this filing

  • WALTER Z FARR (DIRECTOR PRESIDENT)
  • JARED GOLD (DIRECTOR)
  • JEFF WILLIAMS (DIRECTOR SECRETARY)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Biotech applied research researches and applies living technologies and biological innovation to restore floridas landscapes, reduce carbon, and support thriving rural communities.

What it reported doing in 2025

Transitioned from pilot-stage work into active commercial-scale mobile biochar operations in Florida, centered on its Tigercat 6040 system and supporting field equipment platform. Completed an early citrus pilot at Crews Groves in Avon Park, FL from June through August 2025, helping prove field operations and validate citrus as a workable feedstock for carbonization. Completed work at Alico Citrus Groves from August 2025 through end of year acorss aproximately 500 acres, producing more than 100 dry metric tons of biochar and establishing one of BARs first large-scale operating proofs. Became the first biochar in Florida listed on the OMRI platform, marking an important validation milestone for agricultural and commercial applications. Became the first publicly advertised biochar company in Florida on the Climate Action Reserve using the Tigercat 6050 in collaboration with 3Degrees. Secured pre-purchase commitment for 500 carbon credits Established documented production in late 2026, logging 398.3 production hours across 47 days and produced 86.01 metric tons of dry biochar validated through the 3Degrees/Climate Action Reserve MRV process. Supported the Fort Lauderdale Socks on Docks effort in partnership with Nova Southeastern University and Resident 4 Resilience, using biochar in a lab setting for brackish-water testing and present before the City Manager of Fort Lauderdale in support of the initiative. Advanced a Univervity of Florida/IFAS citrus grove project in Highlands County by applying 22, 44, and 66 pounds of biochar onto citrus resets, with additional deployment in bamboo groves at Lake Alfred nad in a Lake Alfred citrus nursery. Pursued a Florida Atlantic University Lake Clinch project in Frostproof, Florida focused on a biochar filtration box and circular nutrient management model. Although grant was not awarded, the effort helped strengthen technical relationships. Internal operating records show a strong late 2025 production run, including 19,630 pounds of biochar produced in December 2025. Expanded beyong production in 2025 by building university, municipal, and community-based projects that positioned biochar for both agriculture and water-quality improvement

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 100% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. A relatively small share of voting board members are independent and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 81
  • Transparency & Controls: 85
  • Accountability: 30
  • Sustainability: 27
  • Growth: NotEnoughData

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 75.1%; rating input score 75
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 90.9%; rating input score 91; 15th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 0%; rating input score 0; 8th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 5 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 71
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -208.3%; rating input score 1; 1st percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.46; rating input score 64; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 1.27; rating input score 2; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: Limited
  • Revenue growth: Limited
  • Asset growth: Limited

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 75.1% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 0 of 6 board members independent · 5 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $510K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 6 people listed
  • Consistency: 24 of 25 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Accountability: Independent voting board scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 1/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
  • Moderate — Transparency & Controls: Schedule A contributions reconciliation did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 2/100.