Institute for Tropical Ecology and Conservation Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
593434081
IRS 990 coverage
2018–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-EZ 2017
Location
Gainesville, FL, USA
Phone
3523679128
Rating
66
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
University or Technological Institute

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$191,174
Expenses
$152,257
Assets
$3,634,854
Liabilities
$7,118

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

Leadership & pay

7 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • PETER LAHANAS (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

People named in this filing

  • PETER LAHANAS (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
  • ALFRED BEULIG (MARINE PROGRAM COORDINATOR)
  • DAVID ZIMMERMAN (GENERAL ADVISOR)

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 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

To provide study abroad, tropical field educuational and research experience to undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate students, provide facilities for long-term biological research in terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems, operate programs for the conservation of terrestrial and marine resources and to serve the local community by establishing educational programs and workshops on environmental awareness and resource conservation.

What it reported doing in 2024

Tropical rainforest restoration - producing seedlings of disappearing species of rainforest trees with the goal of replanting land cleared by logging and farming. This will restore the canopy for the benefit of native wildlife and the planet in general.research - provide research facilities for long-term research done in association with programs in tropical biodiversity, coral reef ecology, forest restoration and social impact on the environment.

Operating model

Revenue model
Earned-program. 98% of the money available for current operations came from fees and other program revenue.
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 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: 72
  • Transparency & Controls: 50
  • Accountability: 64
  • Sustainability: 78
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 73.7%; rating input score 74
  • Program expense ratio: 92.5%; rating input score 92
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th 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: Limited
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 1 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 14
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 20.4%; rating input score 74; 74th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 23.87; rating input score 96; 96th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 54; 54th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 9.5% per year; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 13.3% per year; rating input score 100; 79th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 25.6% per year; rating input score 100; 89th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 73.7% of revenue deployed · 92.5% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 7 of 7 board members independent · 1 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $141K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 7 people listed
  • Consistency: 21 of 21 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes foreign activity
  • Filing history: 7 filing years from 2018 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 4 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.
  • High — Accountability: Governance controls: 5 of 6 not reported.
  • Review — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 54/100.