Darrowby Farm Sanctuary

What it reported doing in 2024

During the 2024/2025 fiscal year, Darrowby Farm Sanctuary continued to grow their ability to meet their goal of growing compassion in our world through rescue, rehabilitation, and education. Focusing on compassionate care for all Darrowby staff and community members brought more people, rescued residents, and community members into the sanctuary. The need for large animal rescue continued to grow in Maine. This year was no exception for Darrowby. In November an abused and scared horse named Fiona joined the sanctuary family. Two pigs abandoned after the sale of a residence joined Darrowby in May. Both Thumbelina and Huncamunca arrived with many health problems but quickly took to sanctuary life enjoying being able to go outside for the first time in years. Exploring their pasture and soaking up the sun. July brought to Darrowby another member of the goat herd. Silvius came to the sanctuary after an animal control officer reached out to sanctuary staff from a small island community on the coast of Maine. We discovered quickly that despite arriving with poor nutrition and health Silvius most needed a family to call his own. Darrowby is so honored to provide that to him. The Spring and Summer of 2025 meant renovations and expansion for Darrowby's ability to handle chickensspecifically roosters. Darrowby's executive director receives many calls a year about the need to rehome roosters and the new facilities created will soon be full of colorful, energetic boys. The story of the Comets, the only birth that has happened at Darrowby, has continued to bring people to the sanctuary and learn more about compassionate care for large animals in need. Darrowby continues to provide the highest quality of care and enriching lives to all of their animal residents. Our partnerships with local vetrinarians helps to make sure that every animal resident receives individualized care needed to thrive. Darrowby's new rescues all provided their own specific health challenges. From skin issues, to large open wounds, to the healing of scars from abuseboth mental and physical. Darrowby's helped to ensure that each member of our community gets the health care and facilities they need to live a full life at the sanctuary. The Sanctuary was able to continue to enhance the lives of their animal residents and staff through important facilities improvements. The expansion of chicken residences means more space to bring in birds in need, and allow for space to deal with individual needs of roosters who may not fit in with larger flocks. DFS expanded water availability to areas in the goat barn and pasture saving time and energy for staff and ensuring that through the cold winter every resident has quick and easy access to drinking water. Continued improvements to insulation and heating made sure that our quarintine areas and new goat barn were warm throughout Maine's cold winter months. The 24/25 year brought Darrowby's first consistent educational program with a single group of students. In the past the same teachers would come once or twice a year with students, but this year Darrowby's founders worked with a local high school's alternative education program to bring students to the sanctuary twice a month. This program meant building lasting relationships with those students and staff members and helping students to gain confidence and skills when it comes to caring for large animals and the facilities that house them. DFS is looking forward to continued expansion of this program with students coming in the 25/26 school year weekly. Bringing people together to learn about the work of farm-animal sanctuaries and bringing awareness to the issues associated with the care for these animals is a large part of creating a more compassionate world. Darrowby's grounds were opened to over 400 visitors throughout the year. Whether a private tour, a school service project, a photography class, or the sanctuary's annual open house or Summer Solstice at the Sanctuary eve

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 82.2%; rating input score 82
• Program expense ratio: 78.5%; rating input score 79
• Fundraising efficiency: $9.27 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 35; 35th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd 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: 85.7%; rating input score 86; 20th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 6 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 67
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -4.6%; rating input score 25; 25th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.8; rating input score 61; 61st percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 77; 77th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 29.7%; rating input score 7; 7th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 17% per year; rating input score 100; 78th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 8.7% per year; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 29% per year; rating input score 100; 90th percentile among comparable filings