Ecolife Conservation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
200147505
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Carlsbad, CA, USA
Phone
7607401346
Rating
70
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Natural Resources Conservation and Protection

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,594,155
Expenses
$1,539,992
Assets
$980,848
Liabilities
$215,617

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

10 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • WILLIAM TOONE (FOUNDER): $90,000 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Our mission is to protect wildlife, natural resources, and the people who depend on them. We work at the intersections of humans and wildlife in mexico, uganda, and the us. By providing communities with health-conscious, environmentally friendly methods of food production and cooking, we help people and nature prosper together. We have two programs: our fuel-efficient stove program, and our sustainable agriculture program.

What it reported doing in 2024

Sustainable agriculture: the organization provides aquaponic systems to communities for the purpose of reducing food insecurity, developing localized food distribution networks, and providing education on sustainable agriculture methods. Aquaponics systems combine aquaculture (raising aquatic animals) and hydroponics (cultivating plants in water), allowing users to grow produce with 90% less land and water while eliminating pollution from agricultural runoff, reducing habitat destruction, and eliminating chemical pollution and pesticides. The aquaponics innovation center serves as a facility for community engagement while simultaneously providing sustainable produce to local food pantries. The modular aquaponics response kit (m.a.r.k.) is constructed in underserved communities to increase food system autonomy.our aquaponics innovation center was used to grow sustainable produce for our local community. We partner with interfaith community services, salvation army escondido, and foundry food pantry to distribute our produce to those who need it most.- grew and donated 2,413 pounds of sustainably grown produce (>20,000lbs all time)- provided approximately 1,922 meals to food insecure community members (~15,930 all time)- served 640 food sinecure individuals (5,304 all time)- saved the equivalent of 39,090 square feet of land space compared to traditional ag. (324,000 all time)- saved 20,500 gallons of water compared to traditional ag. (170,000 all time)community based conservation: the program helps people and nature prosper by providing fuel efficient patsari stoves to replace traditional open-fire cookstoves in communities around the monarch butterfly biosphere reserve in mexico. The patsari stove channels toxic smoke out of the home so families can breathe clean air while reducing fuel use and carbon emissions. The program empowers communities by providing equitable access to clean energy technologies that positively impact community health and the conservation of local ecosystems. The verified emission reductions produced from the program are monetized on the voluntary carbon market to fund implementation.the following accomplishments were achieved in 2024:- 1,747 fuel-efficient stoves constructed for families living in and around the mbbr (14,800 all time)- 8,735 new individuals benefiting from patsari stoves (74,000 all time)- saved the biomass equivalent of 5,748 trees (48,692 all time)- reduced 9,084 metric tons of co2 emissions (128,210 all time)

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 84% 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.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and most voting board members are independent. The filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad and the filing does not identify recipients for some grant dollars.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 73
  • Transparency & Controls: 58
  • Accountability: 83
  • Sustainability: 40
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 74.4%; rating input score 74
  • Program expense ratio: 81.1%; rating input score 81
  • Fundraising efficiency: $12.34 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 45; 45th 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: Scored; rating input score 0
  • Grant itemization coverage: Scored; rating input score 0
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 88.9%; rating input score 89; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 6 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 75
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • 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: 3.4%; rating input score 46; 46th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.64; rating input score 29; 29th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.22; rating input score 30; 30th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 5.8%; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 9.7% per year; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 10.5% per year; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 12.6% per year; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 74.4% of revenue deployed · 81.1% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 8 of 9 board members independent · 6 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $1.2M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $90K · 10 people listed
  • Consistency: 35 of 35 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors and foreign activity
  • Filing history: 8 filing years from 2011 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
  • 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 — Transparency & Controls: Foreign activity oversight scored 0/100.
  • High — Transparency & Controls: Grant itemization coverage scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 45/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 46/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 29/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 30/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 51/100.