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Borderland Research Foundation FY2021 filing

Tax-deductible

Alpine, TX501(c)(3)Animals EIN 84-2822610Revenue $5.7M in FY2021Latest return filed Nov 14, 2025

On file with the IRSborderlandsresearchfoundation.orgPo Box 794, 79831-0794 · Alpine, TXTax-exempt since Mar 2020Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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The mission of the borderlands Research Foundation is to support the borderlands Research institute by advancing our understanding, appreciation, and conservation of the chihuahuan desert borderlands through scientific investigations, student training, and sharing information with our stakeholders.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
100¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

Before you give

FY2021 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 4
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $1.6M a year · 72% of revenue · last 4 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 4 of the last 4 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 4 filings
Spent on programs
100%
of spending
Looks good: 100% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Cash reserves
80 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $5.4M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Looks good: 80.0 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
6
named funders · $77K
Looks good: 6 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$0
0% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 7 voting members
Looks good: 7 of 7 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$5.7M
Spent
$89K
To programs
100%
Net assets
$6.0M
By yearFY2021–FY2024
Revenue
$5.7M
FY2021
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$5.7M
FY2022$1.1M
FY2023$953K
FY2024$972K
Expenses
$89K
FY2021
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$89K
FY2022$607K
FY2023$875K
FY2024$901K
Net assets
$6.0M
FY2021
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$6.0M
FY2022$5.7M
FY2023$6.5M
FY2024$7.4M

From the FY2021 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim
You’re viewing the FY2021 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Mar 2020.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

100 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 100% · $89K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25. Every line is in By the numbers.

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

7 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Allen W Smith
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Charles Davidson
Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
James King
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Carl Ryan
Trustee
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
See Borderland Research Foundation executive salaries →

Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo

Programs and updates

Advance understanding, appreciation, and conservation of the Chihuahuan Desert through research and education.

Questions for Borderland Research Foundation

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1 program · $89K · in their own filed words · FY2021
01

The borderlands research foundation made grants and scholarships to support the mission. The borderlands research foundation's grants and scholarships help support our initiative and provide funds for student training.

$89Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
Quail Federation INC DBA Greater Houston Quail Coalition INCFY2024$20K
Vanguard Charitable Endowment ProgramFY2024$15K
Donor Advised Charitable Giving INCFY2024$11K
Dsc Foundation INCFY2024$10K
Texas Guaranteed Student Loan CorporationFY2024$10K
Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift FundFY2024$10K
Total grants receivedfrom 6 funders$77K
See all 6 funders →
Grants paid · 3 grants · $1.3M · 2021–2024
Sul Ross State UniversityFY2024$621,424
Sul Ross State UniversityFY2023$685,172
Sul Ross State UniversityFY2021$43,000

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$5.7M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$5.7M
Investment incomeLn 3$600
Money outPt IX
$89K
Ln 25
Programscol B$89K
Owns and owesPt X
$6.0M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$595K
Total assetsLn 16$6.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
7
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$5.7M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$5.4M
Investment incomeLn 3$600
Gains on assetsLn 7−$53K
Total revenueLn 12$5.7M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$595K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$595K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$5.4M
Total assetsLn 16$6.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$6.0M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 67
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aNo
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3More from this return
Abroad and in kindSch F, M
Noncash gifts receivedSch M Pt I$5.4M
EndowmentSch D · Pt V
LineFY21
End of yearLn 1g$3.9M
Given inLn 1b$3.8M
SpentLn 1d–1f$164K
4Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$595K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$5.4M
Total assetsLn 16$0$6.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$0
Net assetsLn 32$0$6.0M
5Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$43K$43K
Legal feesLn 11b$25K$25K
Investment management feesLn 11f$16K$16K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$3K$3K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$2K$2K
Total functional expensesLn 25$89K$89K$0$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 LatestFiled with the IRS Nov 14, 2025 $972K$901K$70K$7.4M 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Nov 8, 2024 $953K$875K$78K$6.5M 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Aug 4, 2023 $1.1M$607K$478K$5.7M 990 PDF
FY2021 ViewingFiled with the IRS May 20, 2022 $5.7M$89K$5.6M$6.0M 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support M · Noncash O · Explanations
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $5,713,149 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $0$5,712,549
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$600
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $0$5,713,149
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$43,000
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $0$0
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $0$46,357
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $0$89,357
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $0$5,623,792
Part VI · Governance 7 of 7 board members independent, 4 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members7
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyNo
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $5,713,149 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$5,712,549
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$5,425,178
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$5,712,549
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $53,107$53,107
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission −$52,507−$52,507
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $600 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$5,713,149
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $89,357 across 5 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $43,000$43,000
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $24,749$24,749
IX-11f Investment management feesPrograms $16,182$16,182
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $3,000$3,000
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $2,426$2,426
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $89,357 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$89,357
Part X · Balance sheet $5,988,486 assets, 6 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearing$595,449
X-11 Publicly traded securities$5,393,037
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $0$5,988,486
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $0$5,988,486
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $0$5,988,486
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $5,988,486 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$5,713,149
XI-2 Total expenses$89,357
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$5,623,792
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$0
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$364,694
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$5,988,486

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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