Turpentine Creek Foundation Inc.
Turpentine Creek Foundation Inc.
https://www.turpentinecreek.org/
239 TURPENTINE CREEK LN
Eureka Spgs AR 72632-9185
Eureka Spgs AR | IRS ruling year: 1994 | EIN: 71-0721742
Mission not available
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https://www.turpentinecreek.org/
239 TURPENTINE CREEK LN
Eureka Spgs AR 72632-9185
Eureka Spgs AR | IRS ruling year: 1994 | EIN: 71-0721742
Mission not available
Great
This charity's score is 100%, earning it a Four-Star rating. If this organization aligns with your passions and values, you can give with confidence.
This overall score is calculated from multiple beacon scores: 80% Accountability & Finance, 10% Leadership & Adaptability, 10% Culture & Community. Learn more about our criteria and methodology.
We recognize that not all metrics and beacons equally predict a charity’s success. The percentage each beacon contributes to the organization’s overall rating depends on the number of beacons an organization has earned.
Use the tool below to select different beacons to see how the weighting shifts when only one, two, or three beacons are earned.
Rating histories are available for a growing number of rated organizations. Check back later to see if this organization has a rating history!
Turpentine Creek Foundation Inc. has earned a 100% for the Accountability & Finance beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of a charity's financial health (financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness) and its commitment to governance practices and policies.
This Accountability & Finance score represents IRS Form 990 data up until FY 2021, which is the most recent Form 990 currently available to us.
Learn more
Charity Navigator looks for at least 3 board members, with more than 50% of those members identified as independent (not salaried).
The presence of an independent governing body is strongly recommended by many industry professionals to allow for full deliberation and diversity of thinking on governance and other organizational matters.
Source: IRS Form 990
An Audit, Review, or Compilation provides important information about financial accountability and accuracy. Organizations are scored based on their Total Revenue Amount:
Total Revenue Amount | Expectation to Receive Credit |
---|---|
$1 million or higher | Expected to complete an audit |
$500,000 - $1 million | Expected to complete an audit, review, or compilation |
Less than $500,000 | No expectation (removed from scoring methodology) |
Source: IRS Form 990
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a conflict of interest policy on the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.
This policy protects the organization and by extension those it serves, when it is considering entering into a transaction that may benefit the private interest of an officer, director and/or key employee of the organization.
Source: IRS Form 990
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990 that the organization has this process in place as an accountability and transparency measure.
An official record of the events that take place during a board meeting ensures that a contemporaneous document exists for future reference.
Source: IRS Form 990
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a document retention and destruction policy per the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.
This policy establishes guidelines for the handling, backing up, archiving and destruction of documents. These guidelines foster good record keeping procedures that promote data integrity.
Source: IRS Form 990
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a whistleblower policy per the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.
This policy outlines procedures for handling employee complaints, as well as a confidential way for employees to report financial or other types of mismanagement.
Source: IRS Form 990
Charity Navigator looks for a website on the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency metric.
Nonprofits act in the public trust and reporting publicly on activities is an important component.
Source: IRS Form 990
The Liabilities to Assets Ratio is determined by Total Liabilities divided by Total Assets (most recent 990). This ratio is an indicator of an organization’s solvency and/or long-term sustainability.
Liabilities to Assets Ratio | Amount of Credit Received |
---|---|
Less than 50% | Full Credit |
50% - 59.9% | Partial Credit |
60% or more | No Credit |
Source: IRS Form 990
The Program Expense Ratio is determined by Program Expenses divided by Total Expense (average of most recent three 990s). This measure reflects the percent of its total expenses a charity spends on the programs and services it exists to deliver.
Program Expense Percentage | Amount of Credit Received |
---|---|
70% or higher | Full Credit |
60% - 69.9% | Partial Credit |
50% - 59.9% | Zero Points for Program Expense Score |
Below 50% | Zero Points for Both Program Expense AND Liabilities to Assets Scores |
Source: IRS Form 990
No Data Available
Revenue and expense data is not available for this organization. This data is only available if this charity has at least one year of electronically-filed Form 990 data filed within the last six years.
No Data Available
Key Persons data is currently unavailable for this organization. This data is only available if this charity has at least one year of electronically-filed Form 990 data filed within the last six years.
Below are some key data points from the Exempt Organization IRS Business Master File (BMF) for this organization. Learn more about the BMF on the IRS website
Activities:
Wildlife sanctuary or refuge (BMF activity code: 355)
Foundation Status:
Organization that normally receives no more than one-third of its support from gross investment income and unrelated business income and at the same time more than one-third of its support from contributions, fees, and gross receipts related to exempt purposes. 509(a)(2) (BMF foundation code: 16)
Affiliation:
Independent - the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations). (BMF affiliation code: 3)
The Form 990 is a document that nonprofit organizations file with the IRS annually. We leverage finance and accountability data from it to form Encompass ratings. Click here to search for this organization's Forms 990 on the IRS website (if any are available). Simply enter the organization's name (Turpentine Creek Foundation Inc.) or EIN (710721742) in the 'Search Term' field.
This organization was impacted by COVID-19 in a way that effected their financial health in 2020. This normally would have reduced their star rating. Due to the unprecedented nature of the pandemic, we give charities such as this one the opportunity to share the story of COVID's impact on them, and doing this pauses our revision of their rating. Charities may submit their own pandemic responses through their nonprofit portal.
Turpentine Creek Foundation Inc. reported being impacted by COVID-19 in the following ways:
Program Delivery
Fundraising Capacity
Revenue
Staffing
Administrative Capacity
Grants Received
Grants Sent
Balance Sheet
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's operations financially:
COVID-19 has negatively impacted our number of visitors, hence reducing this important revenue stream used for our overhead expenses. It has also impacted the health and finances of many of our donors, with medical bills and job loss, hence causing either a reduction in their ability to support us or ending their support financially.
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's delivery of programs:
Our Education Department, established in 2018, made major adjustments due to COVID-19. In 2020 the program innovated to offer classes and virtual tours online, however, staffing and intern shortages have caused us to cut back on classroom visits and the number of offerings we can generate virtually.
How this organization adapted to changing conditions caused by COVID-19:
We offer virtual tours and classes in addition to in-person educational classes and tours. Our staff all continue to wear masks and gloves to care for our animals, and all guests over three yrs. are still required to wear masks when in our gift shop in 2022. Our online reservation system to book visits allows us to collect contact information, and restrict the number of guests allowed at one time. All tours include an open-air tram with bench seating that allows us to socially distance each party. Overnight accommodations are deep cleaned and disinfected after each stay. We also offer virtual tours for those unable or unwilling to visit in person.
Innovations the organization intends to continue permanently after the pandemic:
We plan to keep the online reservation system to better track and segment potential supporters, and will also keep the tram included in our tour as a courtesy to our guests because of positive feedback we have received, along with how positively our animals have reacted to the tram. We paved the incline portions of our tour loop to reduce noise and dust for both our guests and our animal residents. We will also continue our virtual classes and tours as a way to reach classrooms and families around the world. Through public education we hope to create a new generation of wildlife advocates who will help to preserve these apex predators in the wild along with the ecosystems necessary for their survival and our own as a species. We plan to continue our virtual tours and classes, along with our Education Website and downloadable curriculums for educators.
Not Currently Scored
Turpentine Creek Foundation Inc. cannot currently be evaluated by our Impact & Results methodology because either (A) it is eligible, but we have not yet received data; (B) we have not yet developed an algorithm to estimate its programmatic impact; (C) its programs are not direct services; or (D) it is not heavily reliant on contributions from individual donors.
Note: The absence of a score does not indicate a positive or negative assessment, it only indicates that we have not yet evaluated the organization.
Learn More
No 990 Program Data Found
Turpentine Creek Foundation Inc. has earned a 100% for the Culture & Community beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of the organization's culture and connectedness to the community it serves.
Learn more
30% of beacon score
This organization reported that it is collecting feedback from the constituents and/or communities it serves. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations that engage in inclusive practices, such as collecting feedback from the people and communities they serve, may be more effective.
Who are the people you serve with your mission? Describe briefly.
We teach our S.T.E.M. centered curriculum in K-12 classrooms throughout Northwest Arkansas, and perform surveys to test how much students retain about the importance of apex predators and preserving ecosystems is to our own future on this planet. We also host field trips, adult workshops and conduct onsite educational tours, again conducting surveys through mail and the email addresses we collect to show that over 95% of people educated by our team will no longer visit or support organizations and facilities that exploit wildlife for profit.
How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
SMS text surveys, Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc.), Focus groups or interviews (by phone or in person), Paper surveys, Case management notes, Community meetings or town halls, Constituent (client or resident, etc.) advisory committees, Suggestion box/email
How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve
With whom does your organization share the feedback you got from the people you serve?
The people we serve, Our staff, Our board, Our funders, Our community partners
How has asking for feedback from the people you serve changed your relationship with them or shifted power - over decisions, resources, rules or in other ways - to them?
We have learned to listen more closely to how people wish to be communicated with. Many of our elderly supporters prefer that we check in on them by phone occasionally. Younger supporters prefer electronic communication over mailed paperwork and are very conscious of sustainability so we now offer our quarterly newsletter electronically, as well as our thank you letters.
What challenges does your organization face in collecting feedback from the people you serve?
It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection
Briefly describe a recent change that your organization made in response to feedback from the people you serve.
Due to feedback from our past interns, we have revised our Alumni Association, including the opportunity for them to become involved in our advocacy campaign and inclusion in virtual meetings where they can share new experiences and knowledge to further the welfare of big cats and other captive wildlife. Due to the enthusiastic feedback we have received from k-12 students and teachers and cessation of in person classes during the pandemic we began to conduct virtual classes and tours, now available in 102 countries. We have educated over 260,000 adults and children since the beginning of the pandemic in January 2020.
70% of beacon score
This organization's score of 100 is a passing score. The organization reported that it is implementing 14 Equity Practices. Charity Navigator believes nonprofit organizations implementing effective equity policies and practices can enhance a nonprofit's decision-making, staff motivation, innovation, and effectiveness.
Equity Practices (7/7) | |
---|---|
We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race. | |
We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and/or portfolios. | |
We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization/'s programs, portfolios, and the populations served. | |
We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support. | |
We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders. | |
We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured | |
We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization. |
Equity Policies and Procedures (7/7) | |
---|---|
We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity. | |
We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions. | |
We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization. | |
We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board. | |
We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability. | |
We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team. | |
We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization. |
Turpentine Creek Foundation Inc. has earned a 100% for the Leadership & Adaptability beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of the organization's leadership capacity, strategic thinking and planning, and ability to innovate or respond to changes in constituent demand/need or other relevant social and economic conditions to achieve the organization's mission.
Learn more
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization's mission
To provide lifetime refuge for abused and neglected “Big Cats” with emphasis on tigers, lions, leopards, and cougars.
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
Through public education we work to end the Big Cat Trade, making sanctuaries like Turpentine Creek no long necessary; together, we can preserve and protect these magnificent predators in the wild for our children’s future.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking and goal setting through sharing their most important strategic goals.
Goal One: To create a new generation of wildlife advocates by how we educate youth in classrooms, onsite & online about the big cat crisis & how wildlife, ecosystems, & humans are interdependent.
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Goal Two: TCWR gives people the tools to advocate for big cats, to end the Big Cat Trade within our lifetime. Once the Big Cat Public Safety Act is passed into law, cub-petting will be illegal in all 50 states.
Goal Type: This goal reflects our commitment to further our advocacy work for our organization and or cause area.
Goal Three: To lower stress & better animals' physical & mental wellbeing; wellness exams, dental work, & procedures to save an animal’s life, our mission demands that we provide the best lifetime care possible.
Goal Type: Invest in the capacity of our organization (financial, management, technical, etc.).
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
We encourage all our department heads to take advantage of webinars and online classes that can improve their capabilities through our Donor Perfect subscription, free online classes offered by Auburn University, and other non-profit webcasts such as those offered by Network for Good. We also invest each year in interpretive guide training for our Education Team, along with their certification by the National Association for Interpretation (N.A.I.) Another term for interpreters could be visitor experience specialists; our wildlife interpreters are critical to spreading awareness of our mission. Lastly, in order to help ensure a successful capital campaign for our future Visitor Education Center, which will house classroom and exhibit space as well as an improved gift shop with educational merchandise, we invested in an outside consultant to train our capital campaign staff. By investing in the leadership development of our team, we hope to ensure the future of our misson.
The nonprofit provides evidence of leadership through focusing externally and mobilizing resources for the mission.
Strategic Partnerships
Networks of Collective Impact Efforts
Thought Leadership
Raising Awareness
Community Building
Policy Advocacy
Since 1992 TCWR has aided law enforcement & the court system to rescue over 500 animals from neglect & abuse nationwide, providing lifelong care. Our accreditation by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) signifies we provide the highest level of care and safety possible. We work with the Big Cat Sanctuary Alliance, GFAS, and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to share information to improve public education & better the care of captive animals. We spread our mission via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & Tiktok, & offer online classes via Skype in the Classroom, Zoom & our Education Website. Since '97 our intern program annually attracts 100+ applicants for 18 six-month positions, & more than 350 interns from all over the globe have completed the program, many returning for multiple terms. Not only are we providing a quality background for individuals in the animal care industry but we also recruit team members from our own internship programs.
The nonprofit has an opportunity to tell the story of how the organization adapted to tremendous external changes in the last year.
This past year our communications, donor development, and gift shop teams have come up with new ways increase online revenue to compensate for less visitors and in-person donations. We expanded our online gift shop inventory and have begun a monthly merchandise membership. We have grown our following on Instagram and Facebook by 1,000x pre-pandemic, and also hosted successful virtual auctions to generate profits for animal care/feeding. We continue a more personalized communication with our supporters with phone calls and emails and blog posts to inform them of our latest rescue efforts and Refuge activities to show them their donations in action. Within our team we have made an effort to learn parts of each others job duties within departments so we can fill in for a sick co-worker when need be and not lose productivity..
Impact & Results
Accountability & Finance
Culture & Community
Leadership & Adaptability
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