International Crane Foundation Inc

What it reported doing in 2025

Asiasouth and southeast asia are home to the threatened sarus crane and support wintering populations of black-necked, demoiselle, and eurasian cranes. Strong cultural and spiritual ties to sarus cranes in the hindu and buddhist religions of this region provide unique opportunities to engage people in the conservation of these intensely settled landscapes using the revered sarus crane as a flagship species. The foundation leads two key conservation programs in the region. For more than thirty years, the foundation has engaged in conservation of the mekong delta region of vietnam and cambodia, including establishing tram chim national park (the largest wetland protected area in vietnam), training a network of wetland scientists and managers that spans the region, and creating a global model for community-based wetland conservation at phu my, vietnam. In the ayeyarwady delta of myanmar, our goal is to ensure long-term survival of sarus cranes and other biodiversity by demonstrating that natural floating rice can support sustainable livelihoods, rich biodiversity, and a healthier environment for cranes and people as an alternative to intensive, ecologically-damaging rice production. The foundation provides farmer training to improve floating rice production, help them generate new income streams by creating a brand of wildlife-friendly "sarus rice, and monitor biodiversity and livelihood benefits.east asia is home to eight crane species (the most of any region), including five threatened crane species - critically endangered siberian cranes, endangered red crowned cranes, and vulnerable hooded, white-naped and black-necked cranes. Intense land and water development pressures due to rapid economic growth threaten wetlands of vital importance to crane survival in this region. This conservation program builds on the strong cultural ties to cranes in east asia to engage people and policy makers in conservation of protected areas and their surrounding landscapes. The program also addresses the global impact china's development and resource use will have on crane areas around the world. Conservation programs in east asia include securing cranes and their key wetlands in the amur/heilong river basin; sustaining viable wintering grounds for cranes in southeastern china; conserving black-necked cranes and their key wetlands in western china; national outreach in china; crane conservation in the korean dmz; and crane flyway conservation across east asia.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 76.1%; rating input score 76
• Program expense ratio: 82.1%; rating input score 82
• Fundraising efficiency: $10.34 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 34; 34th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 94.4%; rating input score 94; 25th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: 1 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 12
  • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
  • Requires narrative reports: Fail
  • Conducts field audits: Fail
  • May suspend future funding: Fail
  • Requires financial reports: Fail
  • Conducts site visits: Fail
  • Requires grant agreements: Fail
  • May require repayment: Fail
• Grant itemization coverage: 85%; rating input score 85; 25th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 92.9%; rating input score 93; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 11.2%; rating input score 61; 61st percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 4.54; rating input score 76; 76th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 85; 85th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 7.8%; rating input score 37; 37th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 10.2% per year; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 6.2% per year; rating input score 100; 51st percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 8.6% per year; rating input score 100; 60th percentile among comparable filings