The Creature Conservancy

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
263581780
IRS 990 coverage
2015–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-EZ 2014
Location
Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Phone
7349299324
Rating
76
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Other Services - Specialty Animals

Reported finances

Revenue
$906,769
Expenses
$844,589
Assets
$752,925
Liabilities
$366,631

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

Leadership & pay

7 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • STEVEN T MARSH (PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • ELLA MARSH (SECRETARY): $10,650 total reported compensation
  • KATE WILSON (SECRETARY): $5,510 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Conservation through education: to work within our community to create personal connections between people, animals and their shared environment. By bringing humans and animals together in educational settings, we hope to cultivate a greater appreciation for the animals with which we share this planet. We also help specific animals in need through rescue activities. Our work is guided by the belief that we are a better species when we connect with other species on a personal level.

What it reported doing in 2024

Education & community relations - in 2024 we continued our community outreach over social media. We conducted hundreds of animal programs and/or tours for school groups, corporate groups, and private groups. Over 600 memberships were sold. Over 450 children enrolled in our summer camps. Over 1,800 people attended special animal events such as halloween spooky species, valentine's creature courtship, animal trivia, and art and animal events. Our outdoor animal exhibits are open to the public daily. Over 21,000 visitors came to our public open hours on saturdays and sundays enjoying our indoor and outdoor exhibits with special presentations on the featured animal ambassadors for the month.

Operating model

Revenue model
Other-operating. 69% of the money available for current operations came from other operating 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.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. A relatively small share of voting board members are independent and some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 84
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 36
  • Sustainability: 46
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 91.8%; rating input score 92
  • Program expense ratio: 98.6%; rating input score 99
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 42.9%; rating input score 43; 11th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 2 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 25
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 6.9%; rating input score 55; 55th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.89; rating input score 39; 39th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.49; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 1.9%; rating input score 59; 59th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 14.8% per year; rating input score 100; 75th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 15.6% per year; rating input score 100; 79th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 14.2% per year; rating input score 100; 71st percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 91.8% of revenue deployed · 98.6% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 3 of 7 board members independent · 2 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $832K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $11K · 7 people listed
  • Consistency: 27 of 27 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 10 filing years from 2015 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.

  • Moderate — Accountability: Independent voting board scored 43/100.
  • High — Accountability: Governance controls: 5 of 7 not reported.
  • Review — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 55/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 39/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 16/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 59/100.