Rivers & Lands Conservancy connects our community to natural, wild, and open spaces of southern california through land conservation, stewardship, and education.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
65¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$120K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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
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
6 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $7.6M a year · 84% of revenue · last 6 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 6 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
65%
of spending
Worth a look: 65% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$120K
to officers and key staff · 9% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 9% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
12 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $15.8M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Looks good: 12.2 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
3
named funders · $36K
Looks good: 3 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$2.0M
5% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 5% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
12
of 12 voting members
Looks good: 12 of 12 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$2.3M
-82% vs prior year
Spent
$1.3M
To programs
65%
Net assets
$35.4M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$2.3M
FY2021▼ -82%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$12.8M
FY2021$2.3M
FY2022$8.4M
FY2023$24.6M
FY2024$4.1M
FY2025$2.4M
Expenses
$1.3M
FY2021▲ +1%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$1.3M
FY2021$1.3M
FY2022$1.4M
FY2023$1.3M
FY2024$2.2M
FY2025$1.3M
Net assets
$35.4M
FY2021▲ +11%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$31.9M
FY2021$35.4M
FY2022$39.6M
FY2023$61.8M
FY2024$65.1M
FY2025$66.3M

From the FY2021 Form 990 (year ending March 2021) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2021 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 Feb 1989.

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

Where the money goes

65 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 65% · $867K Management & general 23% · $313K Fundraising 12% · $155K

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

17 people listed on the 990; $120K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2020); the FY2021 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director
$120,412Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Rebecca O'Connor’s $107K as Co-Exec Dir is at the 34th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1851 $1–10M 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 · 5 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
John R Easton————$120,412—
Jack Easton—————$114,644
Rebecca O'Connor$106,720$93,592$95,846$73,984——
Nicole Padron$94,339$68,655$64,289$58,794——
John Easton———$28,336——

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

Protects and educates about Southern California's natural lands and open spaces.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $867K · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Land Stewardship

Ongoing management of open space and habitat lands to ensure their conservation in perpetuity or holds conservation easements; includes both lands held in fee title and held under conservation easement.

$449Kprogram expense
02

Land Acquisition Projects

General program to acquire habitat and open space lands throughout southern california. During the fiscal year, the conservancy acquired habitat property using current and prior funding. The funds were expended, the acquired property was added to land held for conservation or was transferred to other conservation agencies for…

$343Kprogram expense
03

Outreach and Community Education

Development of programs to engage the public in stewardship and conservation of open space and associated resources. Building public awareness and appreciation for open space and nature in our community.

$75Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 3 funders$36K
See all 3 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$2.3M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$982K
Investment incomeLn 3$852K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$496K
Money outPt IX
$1.3M
Ln 25
Programscol B$867K
Managementcol C$313K
Fundraisingcol D$155K
Owns and owesPt X
$35.4M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.4M
Total assetsLn 16$37.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.0M
PeoplePt VI, VII
17
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a12
IndependentVI 1b12
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$982K
Government grantsLn 1e$108K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$11K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$40K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$496K
Investment incomeLn 3$852K
Other incomeLn 4–11$4K
Gains on assetsLn 7$551K
Total revenueLn 12$2.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.4M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$15.8M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$93K
Other assetsLn 15$20.1M
Total assetsLn 16$37.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.0M
Net assetsLn 32$35.4M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 59
VolunteersI 6100
Fiscal year endsHeaderMarch
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 FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$338K$1.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$11.7M$15.8M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$107K$93K
Total assetsLn 16$32.3M$37.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$409K$2.0M
Net assetsLn 32$31.9M$35.4M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$137K$89K$34K$14K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$486K$370K$49K$68K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$13K$10K$1K$2K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$63K$47K$7K$9K
Payroll taxesLn 10$44K$33K$6K$6K
Legal feesLn 11b$145K$130K$16K
Accounting feesLn 11c$39K$39K
Investment management feesLn 11f$88K$88K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$51K$12K$32K$7K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$14K$11K$1K$2K
InsuranceLn 23$27K$9K$18K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$222K$150K$23K$49K
All other expensesLn 24e$7K$7K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.3M$867K$313K$155K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $2.4M$1.3M$1.1M$66.3M 990 PDF
FY2024 $4.1M$2.2M$1.8M$65.1M 990 PDF
FY2023 $24.6M$1.3M$23.3M$61.8M 990 PDF
FY2022 $8.4M$1.4M$7.0M$39.6M 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $2.3M$1.3M$999K$35.4M 990 PDF
FY2020 $12.8M$1.3M$11.5M$31.9M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $2,334,013 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $11,640,668$982,318
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $539,145$495,523
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $637,985$851,892
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $4,215$4,280
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $12,822,013$2,334,013
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $670,942$742,780
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $649,028$592,410
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,319,970$1,335,190
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $11,502,043$998,823
Part VI · Governance 12 of 12 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body12
VI-1b Independent voting members12
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 $2,334,013 across 12 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$39,941
VIII-1e Government grants$108,097
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$834,280
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$11,000
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$982,318
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $495,523$495,523
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $300,857$300,857
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $12,004$12,004
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $551,035$551,035
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$2,566−$2,566
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Unrelated business −$5,158−$5,158
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $495,523 · Unrelated business −$5,158 · Excluded from tax $861,330$2,334,013
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,335,190 across 13 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $88,757 · Management $34,137 · Fundraising $13,654$136,548
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $370,291 · Management $48,526 · Fundraising $67,650$486,467
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $9,651 · Management $1,193 · Fundraising $1,772$12,616
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $47,472 · Management $6,782 · Fundraising $8,609$62,863
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $32,726 · Management $5,747 · Fundraising $5,813$44,286
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $129,838 · Management $15,586$145,424
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $38,854$38,854
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $87,530$87,530
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $11,867 · Management $31,531 · Fundraising $7,150$50,548
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $10,700 · Management $1,498 · Fundraising $1,901$14,099
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $8,628 · Management $18,061$26,689
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $150,200 · Management $23,172 · Fundraising $48,932$222,304
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $6,962$6,962
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $867,092 · Management $312,617 · Fundraising $155,481$1,335,190
Part X · Balance sheet $37,440,667 assets, 14 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $338,157$1,356,682
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $79,173$109,549
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $107,477$92,635
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $11,677,880$15,795,065
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $20,079,656$20,086,736
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $32,282,343$37,440,667
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $78,078$105,551
X-19 Deferred revenue$1,915,210
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $330,659$0
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $408,737$2,020,761
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $542,214$1,069,388
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $31,331,392$34,350,518
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $31,873,606$35,419,906
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $32,282,343$37,440,667
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $35,419,906 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,334,013
XI-2 Total expenses$1,335,190
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$998,823
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$31,873,606
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$3,121,710
XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$9,000
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$583,233
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$35,419,906

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

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