We protect special places, forever.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
90¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 163 volunteers and 13 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · 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
5 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $354K a year · 17% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 5 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
90%
of spending
Looks good: 90% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$147K
to officers and key staff · 5% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 5% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
5 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.8 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $20K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$297K
3% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 3% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
14
of 14 voting members
Looks good: 14 of 14 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$2.1M
+50% vs prior year
Spent
$2.8M
To programs
90%
Net assets
$9.9M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$2.1M
FY2025▲ +50%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.7M
FY2021$1.1M
FY2022$3.2M
FY2023$2.7M
FY2024$1.4M
FY2025$2.1M
Expenses
$2.8M
FY2025▲ +127%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$1.1M
FY2021$945K
FY2022$1.7M
FY2023$2.4M
FY2024$1.2M
FY2025$2.8M
Net assets
$9.9M
FY2025▼ -7%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$8.5M
FY2021$9.0M
FY2022$9.9M
FY2023$10.3M
FY2024$10.6M
FY2025$9.9M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Dec 1983.

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

Where the money goes

90 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 90% · $2.5M Management & general 6% · $156K Fundraising 5% · $132K

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

16 people listed on the 990; $147K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director (from 09/24)
$87,959Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Director (thru 07/24)
$59,190Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Heidi Habeger’s $88K as Executive Director (from 09/24) is at the 18th 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 · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Angela West Blank$59,190$88,728$71,398———
Heidi Habeger$87,959—————
James Welsh———$87,537$85,694$85,694

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.

See Groundswell Conservancy INC executive salaries →

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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

Safeguarding unique natural and cultural sites for future generations.

Questions for Groundswell Conservancy INC

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Your first name shows with your question. Groundswell Conservancy INC answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

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1 program · $2.5M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Conservation, Outreach and Education

Founded in 1983, groundswell conservancy continues to help local communities and landowners protect special places forever in south-central wisconsin. Groundswell secured a conservation easement on 189 acres of prime farmland near the footville state wildlife area in rock county.

$2.5Mprogram 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 2 funders$20K
Grants paid · 13 grants · $1.3M · 2020–2024
Uw-ExtensionFY2024$75,234
Gathering Waters INCWI · FY2024$25,000
Fairshare Csa Coalition INCWI · FY2024$18,671
Uw-ExtensionFY2023$85,515
Operation Fresh StartNJ · FY2023$30,000
Fairshare Csa Coalition INCWI · FY2023$17,546
Town of WestportFY2022$1,000,000
Uw-ExtensionFY2022$20,831
Fairshare Csa Coalition INCWI · FY2022$10,680
Operation Fresh Start INCWI · FY2021$15,000
Individual RecipientFY2020$25,000
State of Wisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesFY2020$12,514

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$2.1M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.0M
Investment incomeLn 3$89K
Other incomeLn 4–11$16K
Money outPt IX
$2.8M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.5M
Managementcol C$156K
Fundraisingcol D$132K
Owns and owesPt X
$9.9M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.1M
Total assetsLn 16$10.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$297K
PeoplePt VI, VII
16
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a14
IndependentVI 1b14
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.0M
Government grantsLn 1e$868K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$108K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$600
Fees for servicesLn 2g$15K
Investment incomeLn 3$89K
Other incomeLn 4–11$16K
Total revenueLn 12$2.1M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$45K
SavingsLn 2$1.1M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$939K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$7.0M
Other assetsLn 15$927K
Total assetsLn 16$10.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$297K
Net assetsLn 32$9.9M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 513
VolunteersI 6163
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$935K$1.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$849K$939K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$7.9M$7.0M
Total assetsLn 16$10.9M$10.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$289K$297K
Net assetsLn 32$10.6M$9.9M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$122K$122K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$122K$39K$43K$39K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$522K$435K$29K$58K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$18K$13K$2K$3K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$18K$13K$2K$3K
Payroll taxesLn 10$50K$37K$6K$8K
Legal feesLn 11b$14K$14K
Accounting feesLn 11c$36K$36K
Investment management feesLn 11f$6K$6K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$88K$77K$10K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$2K$2K$526$195
Office expensesLn 13$42K$34K$4K$5K
Information technologyLn 14$6K$5K$695$441
OccupancyLn 16$63K$51K$5K$7K
TravelLn 17$14K$10K$2K$2K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$30K$26K$2K$2K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$10K$8K$1K$2K
InsuranceLn 23$19K$14K$2K$3K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$1.6M$1.6M
All other expensesLn 24e$6K$980$5K$202
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.8M$2.5M$156K$132K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $2.1M$2.8M−$640K$9.9M 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.4M$1.2M$191K$10.6M 990 PDF
FY2023 $2.7M$2.4M$267K$10.3M 990 PDF
FY2022 $3.2M$1.7M$1.5M$9.9M 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.1M$945K$140K$9.0M 990 PDF
FY2020 $1.7M$1.1M$634K$8.5M 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 M · Noncash O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $2,117,033 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,330,948$1,997,430
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $17,443$14,945
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $48,260$88,949
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $10,470$15,709
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,407,121$2,117,033
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $136,181$121,905
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $662,001$729,861
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $418,234$1,905,363
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,216,416$2,757,129
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $190,705−$640,096
Part VI · Governance 14 of 14 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body14
VI-1b Independent voting members14
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 $2,117,033 across 9 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $792 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$600
VIII-1e Government grants$867,912
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,128,918
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$108,495
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,997,430
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $14,945$14,945
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $88,949$88,949
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $14,917$14,917
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $14,945 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $104,658$2,117,033
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,757,129 across 20 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $121,905$121,905
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $39,438 · Management $43,402 · Fundraising $39,438$122,278
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $434,926 · Management $28,715 · Fundraising $58,001$521,642
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $13,178 · Management $2,003 · Fundraising $2,707$17,888
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $13,053 · Management $1,984 · Fundraising $2,681$17,718
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $37,081 · Management $5,637 · Fundraising $7,617$50,335
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $13,583$13,583
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $35,749$35,749
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $5,689$5,689
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $77,452 · Management $10,249$87,701
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $1,727 · Management $526 · Fundraising $195$2,448
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $33,802 · Management $4,025 · Fundraising $4,606$42,433
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $5,224 · Management $695 · Fundraising $441$6,360
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $50,513 · Management $5,258 · Fundraising $7,071$62,842
IX-17 TravelPrograms $10,105 · Management $1,544 · Fundraising $2,077$13,726
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $26,275 · Management $1,793 · Fundraising $2,411$30,479
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $7,596 · Management $1,161 · Fundraising $1,562$10,319
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $14,004 · Management $2,141 · Fundraising $2,879$19,024
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,568,589$1,568,589
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $980 · Management $5,239 · Fundraising $202$6,421
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,469,431 · Management $155,810 · Fundraising $131,888$2,757,129
Part X · Balance sheet $10,236,591 assets, 17 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $35,492$45,449
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $899,031$1,060,724
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $250,200$208,983
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $11,465$17,882
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $7,879,002$7,037,278
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $839,303$930,584
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $9,780$8,278
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $1,011,079$927,413
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $10,935,352$10,236,591
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $66,459$85,441
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $91,928$117,844
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $130,222$93,553
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $288,609$296,838
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $9,731,618$8,727,829
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $915,125$1,211,924
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $10,646,743$9,939,753
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $10,935,352$10,236,591
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $9,939,753 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,117,033
XI-2 Total expenses$2,757,129
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$640,096
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$10,646,743
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$50,498
XI-8 Prior period adjustments−$185,682
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$68,290
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$9,939,753

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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