Lindsay Wildlife Museum

What it reported doing in 2024

Education-lindsay's education department creates wildlife and environmental programs that are inquiry-based, hands-on, multi-sensory, and uniquely intimate. Opportunities exist for guests of all ages, educational levels, and abilities. By focusing on the diversity of guests' interests, lindsay promotes biological sciences, critical thinking, and conservation for thousands of lifelong learners. Descriptions of select educational programs and features are provided below: exhibit hall and daily programs-the major features enjoyed by nearly 60,000 museum guests annually include: twelve indoor exhibit spaces, two outdoor program areas, nine daily educational programs, and more than 40 animal ambassadors on public display. The programs are dynamic, engaging, guest-centered, and mission-driven while the animal ambassadors are out and connecting with guests.lindsay in the classroom-lindsay programs delivered at schools, known as "lindsay in the classroom", are designed for 30 students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, last one hour, and always include the presence of two animal ambassadors. The five classroom programs are: pond protectors, wild homes, learning from wildlife, have to have a habitat, and ecosystem energy flow. Many of the animals are touchable, and those that are not have touchable replicas to provide sensory experiences. Each "lindsay in the classroom" program utilizes grade-specific next generation science standards (ngss) that satisfy specific learning objectives. During the year-ended june 30, 2025, lindsay hosted 94 "lindsay in the classrooms" to 2,820 students.classes-homeschool, preschool and workshops-during the year-ended june 30, 2025, instructors delivered 3 homeschool semesters (26 classes) to 65 students, 15 weeks of educational camp programing to 253 students, 27 preschool classes to 164 students, and 7 workshops to 46 students. Outstanding wildlife leaders (owls) and keepers in training (kits)-these are the two youth development programs of the education department. The owls program invites approximately 55 participants between the ages of 13 and 18 to develop skills in wildlife education, basic animal husbandry tasks, and teamwork. As individuals leave the program, mostly through graduation or "aging out," new recruits are welcomed into the year-round schedule. Lindsay benefits from the energy and enthusiasm of the owls, and the youths receive knowledge and skills useful in science, education, and citizenship. The owls are a steady presence at lindsay through 2.5 hour-long shifts six days per week. Kits is a similar program, but the focus is exclusively animal husbandry. Kits complete animal care shifts on mondays. A limited number of scholarships are available to prospective naturalists.special programs-special programs include hikes; tiny tuesdays; scout programs; wild@night evening events, natural history rentals, and lindsay in the community events such as hikes at mt. Diablo, east bay mud land, and in east bay regional parks. During the year ended june 30, 2025, lindsay delivered 41 hikes to 641 participants, 10 tiny tuesday events, 22 scout program to 425 scouts, 13 natural history rentals, and 32 lindsay in the community events to 12,315 attendees.school field trips-based on the next generation science standards (ngss) for pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, adopted in 1978, lindsay provides regional schools with multi-sensory, observation, and critical thinking-based programs that help equip young minds to consider future science and conservation careers. Field trips include four interactive stations, two animal ambassadors, and natural history specimens. During the year-ended june 30, 2025, lindsay hosted 155 onsite field trips to 7,320 students.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 88.4%; rating input score 88
• Program expense ratio: 71.8%; rating input score 72
• Fundraising efficiency: $8.38 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 32; 32nd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 94.4%; rating input score 94; 24th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 1 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 17
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Pass
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Missing
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • 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: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -11.2%; rating input score 12; 12th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.86; rating input score 72; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 79; 79th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 7.2%; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 3.1% per year; rating input score 100; 28th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 3.5% per year; rating input score 100; 30th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 9.6% per year; rating input score 100; 57th percentile among comparable filings