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← US FOR BELIZE FOUNDATION RESEARCH & ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

Form 990 for tax year 2024

Filed by US FOR BELIZE FOUNDATION RESEARCH & ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION.

Totals

Total revenue
$1,636,293
Total expenses
$798,023
Contributions and grants received
$1,424,346
Grants paid
$0
Program service revenue
$208,315
Investment income
$3,632
Other revenue
$0
Total assets, end of year
$948,866
Total liabilities, end of year
$47,877
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$900,989
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$607,744
Management and general expenses
$145,091
Fundraising expenses
$45,188
Program service expenses (Part III)
$607,744

Program services were 76.2% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $1,000,000

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $424,346

  • 2a · Program service revenue: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

    total $77,772 · related or exempt $77,772

  • 2b · Program service revenue: CACAO PROGRAM REVENUE

    total $56,319 · related or exempt $56,319

  • 2c · Program service revenue: RESEARCH HOSTING

    total $55,147 · related or exempt $55,147

  • 2d · Program service revenue: VISITOR FEES

    total $19,077 · related or exempt $19,077

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $132 · excluded $132

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    other assets $3,500

  • 7b · Less cost or other basis and sales expenses

    other assets $0

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    other assets $3,500

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total $3,500 · excluded $3,500

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $98,700 · program services $54,285 · management and general $19,740 · fundraising $24,675

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $347,482 · program services $281,198 · management and general $51,789 · fundraising $14,495

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $14,600 · program services $8,671 · management and general $4,560 · fundraising $1,369

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $51,194 · program services $37,379 · management and general $10,704 · fundraising $3,111

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $1,999 · program services $1,999

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $1,500 · management and general $1,500

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $507 · program services $507

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $7,123 · program services $4,373 · management and general $1,729 · fundraising $1,021

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $11,308 · program services $7,840 · management and general $3,468

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $3,605 · management and general $3,605

  • 17 · Travel

    total $52,391 · program services $49,569 · management and general $2,822

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $32,207 · program services $32,207

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $3,125 · management and general $3,125

  • 24a · Other expenses: SUPPLIES

    total $66,773 · program services $66,746 · fundraising $27

  • 24b · Other expenses: REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE

    total $33,294 · management and general $33,294

  • 24c · Other expenses: CONTRACT LABOR

    total $28,994 · program services $27,719 · management and general $1,275

  • 24d · Other expenses: SCHOLARSHIPS

    total $18,546 · program services $18,546

  • 24e · All other expenses

    total $24,675 · program services $16,705 · management and general $7,480 · fundraising $490

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $237,968 · end of year $363,096

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $346,990 · end of year $174,666

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $0

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $517,487

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $227,254

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $322,440 · end of year $290,233

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $125,525

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $120,871

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $12,003 · end of year $7,012

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    beginning of year $6,000 · end of year $40,865

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $1,014,920 · end of year $900,989

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $0

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

THE MISSION OF US FOR BFREE IS TO CONSERVE THE BIODIVERSITY AND CULTURAL HERITAGE OF BELIZE. AS THE ONLY FIELD STATION IN THE BIOLOGICALLY IMPORTANT AREA OF THE MAYA MOUNTAINS OF BELIZE, WE SEEK TO ACHIEVE OUR MISSION BY SUCCESSFULLY INTEGRATING SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, AND CONSERVATION INITIATIVES, WHILE ALSO ENHANCING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, PROVIDING ALTERNATIVE LIVELIHOODS AND ULTIMATELY IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR BELIZEANS AND VISITORS FROM ABROAD.

Activities or mission (Part I)

THE MISSION OF US FOR BELIZE FOUNDATION FOR RESEARCH AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION (BFREE) IS TO CONSERVE THE BIODIVERSITY AND CULTURAL HERITAGE OF BELIZE.

  • EDUCATION: US FOR BFREE IMPLEMENTS ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES FOR AMERICANS, BELIZEANS, AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS, TEACHERS, CONSERVATION WORKERS, PROTECTED AREAS MANGERS AND NATURAL RESOURCE STAKEHOLDERS. IN 2024, US FOR BFREE HOSTED NUMEROUS UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE COURSES FOR STUDENTS FROM THE UNITED STATES AND BELIZE. SCHOLARSHIPS WERE PROVIDED FOR SEVERAL YOUNG BELIZEAN SCHOLARS FOR STUDIES IN NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, AND MULTIPLE EDUCATIONAL, WORKSHOPS WERE PROVIDED FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS FROM THE UNITED STATES AND BELIZE.

    Expenses $159,526 · Revenue $77,772

  • RESEARCH: US FOR BFREE CONDUCTS AND SUPPORTS BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON VARIOUS ORGANISMS, INCLUDING REPTILES, MAMMALS, BIRDS, INVERTEBRATES, PLANTS AND OTHER TAXA. IN 2024 US FOR BFREE HOSTED DOZENS OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCHERS FROM THE UNITED STATES. RESEARCH RANGED FROM BIRD AND REPTILE SURVEYS TO MAMMAL, PLANT AND SOIL STUDIES. US FOR BFREE CONDUCTED SEVERAL LONG-TERM RESEARCH PROJECTS FOCUSING ON AVIAN MIGRATION, WILDCAT POPULATIONS, FRESHWATER TURTLES AND CACAO AGROFORESTRY. A SUCCESSFUL BREEDING AND REINTRODUCTION PROGRAM FOR THE CRITICALLY ENDANGERED CENTRAL AMERICAN RIVER TURTLE IS ONGOING.

    Expenses $109,299 · Revenue $55,147

  • FIELD STATION OPERATION: US FOR BFREE OPERATES A RESEARCH AND EDUCATION FACILITY ON A 1,153 ACRE PRIVATE RESERVE OF TROPICAL RAINFOREST IN THE FOOTHILLS OF THE MAYA MOUNTAINS IN SOUTHERN BELIZE. IN 2024 THIS PROPERTY WAS IN ACQUISITION BY THE NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION BFREE IN BELIZE. US FOR BFREE PROVIDED FUNDING FOR THIS ACQUISITION PROCESS AND IS GRANTED RIGHTS TO OPERATE THE FIELD STATION IN PERPETUITY. US FOR BFREE EMPLOYS FOUR AMERICANS AND 24 BELIZEANS FULL TIME DEPENDING ON THE SEASON AND MAINTAINS BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENT SUFFICIENT TO HOST A MAXIMUM OF 37 VISITING STUDENTS OR RESEARCHERS. AN EXPERIMENTAL CACAO AGROFORESTRY FARM IS SUPPORTED. REVENUE AND EXPENSES RELATED TO INFRASTRUCTURE ARE INCLUDED IN THIS FIELD STATION PROGRAM WHEREAS REVENUE AND EXPENSES RELATED TO HOSTING AND CONDUCTING RESEARCH ARE INCLUDED IN THE RESEARCH PROGRAM.

    Expenses $338,919 · Revenue $19,077

  • CACAO PROGRAM REVENUE

    Revenue $56,319

As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • Jacob Marlin

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $98,700
    From this org
    $98,700
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    50

  • Samuel Meacham

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    5

  • Tim Gregory

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    5

  • Gentry Mander

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    5

  • Jamie Rotenberg

    PRESIDENT

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    7

  • Pam Garvin

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    7

  • Peter Esselman

    SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    7

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Taxable family on this return

Schedule R Parts I, III and IV, as filed. These record ownership and control, not shared board members or money moved.

Related corporations and trusts

Part IV: related organizations taxable as a corporation or trust.

  • CRIOCO CACAO LLC

    S · CACAO FARMING AND CHOCOLATE PRODUCTION · FL · 100% owned · share of income $56,319

    Directly controlled by US FOR BELIZE FOUNDATION FOR RESEARCH & ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2024
Filed
17 November 2025
IRS schema version
2024v5.2
Source object
202503219349307400

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