Hidden Wonders

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
872703808
IRS 990-EZ coverage
2022–2025
Forms available
Form 990-EZ 2025, Form 990-N 2021
Location
Palo Alto, CA, USA
Phone
6303605840
Rating
76
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Wildlife Preservation, Protection

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$9,169
Expenses
$47,500
Assets
$34,004
Liabilities
$0

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

Leadership & pay

4 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • Isai Madriz (Executive Director, Lead Entomologist)

People named in this filing

  • Isai Madriz (Executive Director, Lead Entomologist)
  • Kristina Lindsay Madriz (Chief Operating Officer, Director of Development)
  • Susan Lindsay (Board Chair)

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

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

Overview

Mission

Our Mission: To discover, describe and protect key insect species and other hidden wonders of nature and inspire the next generation to care for these crucial components of a healthy planet for the betterment of all. Our Purpose: Hidden Wonders aims to contribute to our understanding of the crucial role that insects play within a variety of ecosystems by discovering and explaining the behavior and interactions of insect species before they become extinct. By sharing the discoveries of new insect species and explaining their role in maintaining a healthy planet, we aim to inspire the protection of those species and their ecosystems into the future. Through collaborations with local communities, schools, and media outlets, Hidden Wonders share stories and interactive experiences in nature to build the next stewards of our planet.

What it reported doing in 2025

Programs (80% of budget): (30%) Insect lab & photo studio, (30%) Fieldwork & Collecting, (20%) Outreach. Overhead (20% of budget) divided evenly between Fundraising & Office Administration. We have documented through photography and illustration dozens of insect species for the contribution to scientific literature, books and magazines that reach general populations, and educational materials that reach children and youth. In the Insect Lab & Photo Studio there are discoveries made under the microscope. Over 100 species new to science have been found and are being described by the lead scientist/entomologist of Hidden Wonders. Insects have been collected and studied from various parts of the world. These findings have resulted in broadening the understanding of insect biodiversity and after studying and observing the behaviors, revealed the importance that insects play in their environments. Video calls with over a dozen classrooms of students from around the world have taken place from the lab and also from collecting sites in nature via satellite phone. Additionally, classroom visits and field trips with students have taken place in-person in multiple locations. Hidden Wonders helped to start a program called "Semillero" which brings children/families/community members into nature for intentional learning and connection with nature. This program continues in Patagonia, Chile (Instagram: @SemilleroForestSchool). Hidden Wonders is represented through social media channels, Instagram and LinkedIn. Hidden Wonders also has a website for everyone to visit and all they need is internet (no accounts, unlike with social media). Fundraising is successful because of the personalized approach of meeting in-person with potential donors and giving presentations of the photography and work of Hidden Wonders. Follow up with donors includes through newsletters and emails, as well as postcards and in-person visits. Some donors also receive a framed photo of an insect taken by National Geographic Photographer and lead scientist of Hidden Wonders. These donor retention methods do not cost very much but have a huge impact on the maintenance of the relationships with donors. Small costs associated with admin/office include paying an accountant, website costs, social media manager, logo designer, and when necessary, legal aid. Other costs include covering basic office supplies

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 90% 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 - The filed numbers largely add up and a large share of available resources goes toward mission work. A relatively small share of total spending goes to programs and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 69
  • Transparency & Controls: 100
  • Sustainability: 21
  • Growth: 0

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 98.8%; rating input score 99
  • Program expense ratio: 19.1%; rating input score 19

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 51st percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -418%; rating input score 3; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.72; rating input score 39; 39th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 66; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 75.8%; rating input score 1; 1st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -12.9% per year; rating input score 0; 25th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -36.7% per year; rating input score 0; 9th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -13.1% per year; rating input score 0; 15th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 98.8% of revenue deployed · 19.1% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: Filed governance answers
  • Accomplishments: 1 filed program accomplishment · $9K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 4 people listed
  • Consistency: 9 of 9 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 3 filed schedules
  • Filing history: 4 filing years from 2022 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • 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 — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 19/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 3/100.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 39/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 1/100.