Mahalo
San Francisco, CA

THE WILDERNESS ARTS AND LITERACY COLLABORATIVE

EIN 68-0619276
Education & Youth Development Youth Arts & Creative Learning Children & youth Communities of color Low-income
Mission

Integrating environmental education and ethnic studies to serve San Francisco youth, WALC provides interdisciplinary, field-based learning that centers the experiences of students of color and builds academic skills, environmental literacy, and stewardship.

IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) public charity Contributions are tax-deductible

About THE WILDERNESS ARTS AND LITERACY COLLABORATIVE

The Wilderness Arts and Literacy Collaborative (WALC) is a teacher-founded 501(c)(3) nonprofit and school pathway based in San Francisco that operates academically integrated environmental and ethnic-studies programs at Balboa High School and Downtown Continuation High School. The program uses extended field studies, habitat restoration, nature journaling, art, and outdoor immersion to support primarily low-income students of color and improve engagement and academic outcomes. Research confirmed that EIN 68-0619276 corresponds to The Wilderness Arts and Literacy Collaborative based on public tax filings and nonprofit registry records; WALC maintains an active web presence, solicits support publicly, and files annual Form 990-EZ returns. In recent years WALC has sustained program operations, celebrated multi-decade impact, and received competitive grants supporting redwood and forest field studies and expanded access to outdoor experiences for San Francisco youth.

Notable achievements

25 years of continuous programming

WALC has operated since 1999 and marked its 25th anniversary with community events and fundraising efforts, having served thousands of San Francisco high school students through sustained in-school courses and recurring multi-day field studies.

Competitive grant-funded redwood field programs

In the most recent funding cycle WALC was selected for support to bring students into redwood forests and other wild places, expanding access to multi-day field experiences that combine ecology, Indigenous stewardship perspectives, and hands-on habitat restoration.

Stable financial stewardship and annual filings

WALC consistently files Form 990-EZ returns and has shown increased fundraising in recent years (for example, recorded revenue of approximately $124,731 for fiscal year ending June 2024 and $108,907 for fiscal year ending June 2025), reflecting successful donor support and grant awards that sustain programming.

At a glance

Total assets
$109K
Annual revenue
$109K
Tax status
501(c)(3)Public charity
EIN
68-0619276
Location
San Francisco, CA
Website
walcsf.net
On Mahalo since
April 2026

Financial figures from the IRS Business Master File, the IRS’s registry of tax-exempt organizations.

Recognition

Designated pathway within San Francisco Unified School District—WALC is institutionalized in the master schedule at Balboa High School and serves as an approved in-district academic pathway.
Recipient of program grants and external awards that recognize its field-study model and forest access work, including recent grant support to run redwood immersion experiences for students.
Public nonprofit status and regular Form 990 filings under EIN 68-0619276; leadership and program staff have received external recognition for environmental education practice and teacher-led program design.

Is this your organization?

Claim this page to keep it current — add your logo, publish campaigns, and reach the donors and advisors discovering you on Mahalo.

Claim this page