Chesapeake Conservancy INC FY2023 filing

Tax-deductible

Annapolis, MD501(c)(3)Since 2008EnvironmentEIN 26-2271377Revenue $24.5M in FY2023

On file with the IRSchesapeakeconservancy.org1212 West Street, 21401-4290 · Annapolis, MDTax-exempt since Jul 2008Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
87¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$791K paid to officers and key staff.
Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2023 · 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
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $3.4M a year · 24% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
87%
of spending
Looks good: 87% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$791K
to officers and key staff · 7% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 7% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
13 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 12.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $6K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$1.0M
4% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 4% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
19
of 19 voting members
Looks good: 19 of 19 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$24.5M
+75% vs prior year
Spent
$12.0M
To programs
87%
Net assets
$21.5M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$24.5M
FY2023▲ +75%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$7.9M
FY2021$14.0M
FY2023$24.5M
FY2024$10.4M
FY2025$14.0M
Expenses
$12.0M
FY2023▲ +76%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$8.2M
FY2021$6.8M
FY2023$12.0M
FY2024$14.1M
FY2025$12.6M
Net assets
$21.5M
FY2023▲ +77%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$4.9M
FY2021$12.2M
FY2023$21.5M
FY2024$18.4M
FY2025$19.8M

From the FY2023 Form 990 (year ending September 2023) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2023 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jul 2008.

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

Where the money goes

87 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 87% · $10.4M Management & general 8% · $975K Fundraising 5% · $642K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

25 people listed on the 990; $791K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2022); the FY2023 filing did not itemize Part VII
President and CEO
$185,445Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Financial Officer
$131,128Pt VII · Sec A
Data Science Lead/Senior Data Scientist
$120,668Pt VII · Sec A
SR VP of Development and Business Strategy
$119,512Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President of Technology
$118,228Pt VII · Sec A
Senior Policy Advisor
$115,654Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Joel Dunn’s $208K as Part-Year President and CEO is at the 35th percentile of top reported officer pay among 324 $10–100M environment nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2021FY2020
Joel Dunn$208,445$189,846$185,445——
Joel E Dunn———$173,539$167,841
Edward Amyot$140,097————
Matthew Provost$133,061$125,007$119,512$105,535—
Ellen Gardner$121,325$120,307$131,128$122,858—
Michael Evans$129,410$123,638———
Joanne Couser$129,184$119,238———
Kumar Mainali$127,620$123,476$120,668$114,062$109,722

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

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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 15aYes

Programs and updates

Leverages geospatial data and AI to provide actionable insights for restoring and sustaining the Chesapeake Bay's health.

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3 programs · $10.4M · in their own filed words · FY2022
01

Conserve

More than 18 million people call the chesapeake home. As a result of associated development, thousands of acres of open space disappear each year. We are in a race against time to conserve, protect, and restore what makes the chesapeake so special before it is too late.

$6.4Mprogram expense
02

Restore

Using the high-resolution gis mapping data, the chesapeake conservancy implements precision conservation putting the right landscape restoration practices in the right places at the right scale.

$2.0Mprogram expense
03

Innovate

As conservation entrepreneurs, chesapeake conservancy uses technology and innovation to practice precision conservation. We help partners with cutting-edge data, tools, knowledge and expertise to make better conservation decisions and protect and restore the places that matter, saving resources and improving results.

$2.0Mprogram 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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$6K
Grants paid · 4 grants · $291K · 2023–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$6,000
The Nature ConservancyVA · FY2023$250,000
Unitemized GrantFY2023$10,000

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$24.5M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$23.7M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$485K
Investment incomeLn 3$333K
Money outPt IX
$12.0M
Ln 25
Programscol B$10.4M
Managementcol C$975K
Fundraisingcol D$642K
Owns and owesPt X
$21.5M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$12.6M
Total assetsLn 16$22.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.0M
PeoplePt VI, VII
25
listed · VII A
PaidVII A6
Voting boardVI 1a19
IndependentVI 1b19
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$23.7M
Government grantsLn 1e$3.8M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$5.1M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$485K
Investment incomeLn 3$333K
Other incomeLn 4–11$32K
Gains on assetsLn 7$1K
Total revenueLn 12$24.5M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$10K
SavingsLn 2$12.6M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$12.6M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$4.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2.4M
Other assetsLn 15$129K
Total assetsLn 16$22.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.0M
Net assetsLn 32$21.5M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 540
VolunteersI 613
Fiscal year endsHeaderSeptember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$3.2M$12.6M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$3.9M$4.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$42K$2.4M
Total assetsLn 16$9.5M$22.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$660K$1.0M
Net assetsLn 32$8.9M$21.5M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$211K$159K$26K$25K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$3.0M$2.2M$391K$351K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$129K$97K$16K$15K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$285K$215K$36K$34K
Payroll taxesLn 10$242K$183K$30K$29K
Legal feesLn 11b$30K$0$30K$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$54K$0$54K$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$88K$88K
Investment management feesLn 11f$3K$0$3K$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$256K$100K$121K$35K
Office expensesLn 13$224K$63K$128K$33K
OccupancyLn 16$95K$0$95K$0
TravelLn 17$32K$23K$5K$4K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$74K$31K$20K$23K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$25K$21K$4K$0
InsuranceLn 23$29K$13K$16K$534
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$7.3M$7.3M$2K$4K
Total functional expensesLn 25$12.0M$10.4M$975K$642K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $14.0M$12.6M$1.4M$19.8M 990 PDF
FY2024 $10.4M$14.1M−$3.7M$18.4M 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $24.5M$12.0M$12.5M$21.5M 990 PDF
FY2022 Not on file
FY2021 $14.0M$6.8M$7.2M$12.2M 990 PDF
FY2020 $7.9M$8.2M−$370K$4.9M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $24,529,020 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $6,586,734$23,679,647
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $300,347$485,208
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $419,963$332,509
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $5,633$31,656
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $7,312,677$24,529,020
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $2,664,617$3,856,687
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$88,500
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $7,395,436$8,078,384
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $10,060,053$12,023,571
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$2,747,376$12,505,449
Part VI · Governance 19 of 19 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body19
VI-1b Independent voting members19
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $24,529,020 across 10 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $7,850 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1e Government grants$3,805,479
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$19,874,168
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$5,080,528
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$23,679,647
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$485,208
VIII-3 Investment incomeUnrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $331,373$331,373
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $4,416$4,416
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $1,136$1,136
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $19,390 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$19,390
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $504,598 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $344,775$24,529,020
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $12,023,571 across 17 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $159,146 · Management $26,473 · Fundraising $24,943$210,562
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $2,249,104 · Management $390,790 · Fundraising $351,129$2,991,023
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $97,130 · Management $16,157 · Fundraising $15,223$128,510
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $215,049 · Management $35,773 · Fundraising $33,704$284,526
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $182,957 · Management $30,434 · Fundraising $28,675$242,066
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $0 · Management $30,306 · Fundraising $0$30,306
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $0 · Management $53,671 · Fundraising $0$53,671
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $88,500$88,500
IX-11f Investment management feesPrograms $0 · Management $2,621 · Fundraising $0$2,621
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $100,064 · Management $120,715 · Fundraising $35,158$255,937
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $63,493 · Management $127,643 · Fundraising $32,548$223,684
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $0 · Management $94,952 · Fundraising $0$94,952
IX-17 TravelPrograms $23,090 · Management $4,600 · Fundraising $4,464$32,154
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $30,605 · Management $20,032 · Fundraising $23,128$73,765
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $21,163 · Management $3,985 · Fundraising $0$25,148
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $12,659 · Management $15,607 · Fundraising $534$28,800
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $7,251,700 · Management $1,523 · Fundraising $4,123$7,257,346
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $10,406,160 · Management $975,282 · Fundraising $642,129$12,023,571
Part X · Balance sheet $22,551,548 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $3,235,482$10,000
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investments$12,633,017
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $2,102,853$3,090,500
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $71,990$21,461
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $42,352$2,402,204
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $3,933,843$4,265,154
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $145,131$129,212
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $9,531,651$22,551,548
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $520,830$488,813
X-19 Deferred revenue$523,293
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $659,749$1,012,106
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $2,281,336$5,968,189
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $6,590,566$15,571,253
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $8,871,902$21,539,442
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $9,531,651$22,551,548
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $21,539,442 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$24,529,020
XI-2 Total expenses$12,023,571
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$12,505,449
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$8,871,902
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$162,091
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$21,539,442

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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