What we publish, and what we do not yet
A small nonprofit asking strangers for money owes them a way to check it. Most organisations at this stage publish nothing and hope nobody asks. We would rather publish the gaps than pretend they are not there.
This page lists what we intend to make public, what is already available, and what is still outstanding. Nothing here is a badge or a rating we have not earned.
What these documents actually tell you
If you have never had reason to check out a charity before, here is what each of these is and what it would tell you about us. This is the list a grant committee works through, and you are entitled to the same one.
EIN
The Employer Identification Number is the federal tax ID that identifies an organisation uniquely. With it you can look a nonprofit up in the IRS database yourself and confirm it exists and is in good standing, without taking anybody's word for it.
501(c)(3) determination letter
The letter the IRS issues confirming tax-exempt charitable status. It is the difference between an organisation that says it is a nonprofit and one that has been recognised as one.
Annual report and financials
Where the money came from and what it was spent on over a year. For an organisation this size the useful version is short and specific rather than designed, and it should show how much went to animal care.
Board of directors
Who is accountable for the organisation's decisions. A named board that meets is one of the clearest signals that a nonprofit is being run rather than improvised.
Nevada charitable solicitation registration
Nevada requires charitable organisations soliciting donations in the state to register with the Secretary of State. Our current registration status will be stated here plainly once we have confirmed it.
Donor privacy policy
What we do with your details when you give. Whether we sell, trade or share donor information, and how to be left off a public supporter list.
The honest position today
Check us yourself
EIN 33-2811809. Las Vegas Reptile Zoo is recognised by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organisation, registered in Nevada. You do not have to take our word for it: put that number into the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search or into ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer and you will find us.
It is printed in the footer of every page on this site for the same reason.
What we have not published yet
The EIN is up and the board is named, which between them let you verify most of the rest independently. These are what is still missing, in the order we think they matter:
- The 501(c)(3) determination letter itself, and its date confirmed against the letter
- Nevada charitable solicitation registration status
- Where donations are processed, and confirmation that nothing is deducted from them
- First annual report, covering income, spending and animal care costs
- A published mailing address and phone number
- A photograph and a role description for each person on the board
If you are considering a significant gift or a grant and need any of this before we have published it, write to us and we will get it to you directly rather than asking you to wait for a website update.
Why so many animal pages say "not recorded yet"
Every animal on this site has fields for its sex, hatch date, arrival date and enclosure. On most of them, several of those read "not recorded yet". That is not an unfinished website. It is the same policy as this page, applied to the collection.
Species facts, conservation status and range are published because they can be checked against sources. Facts about the individual animal in front of you can only come from the people who keep it, and until they are recorded properly the page says nothing rather than something plausible.
