Groundswell Conservancy INC FY2023 filing

Tax-deductible

Madison, WI501(c)(3)Since 1983EnvironmentEIN 39-1452825Revenue $2.7M in FY2023

On file with the IRSgroundswellconservancy.org211 S Paterson St Ste 250, 53703-4537 · Madison, WITax-exempt since Dec 1983Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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We protect special places, forever.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
88¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$71K 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

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
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
88%
of spending
Looks good: 88% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$71K
to officers and key staff · 3% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 3% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
5 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.9 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
$358K
3% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 3% 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
$2.7M
-16% vs prior year
Spent
$2.4M
To programs
88%
Net assets
$10.3M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$2.7M
FY2023▼ -16%
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
$2.4M
FY2023▲ +45%
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
$10.3M
FY2023▲ +4%
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 FY2023 Form 990 (year ending June 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 Dec 1983.

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

Where the money goes

88 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 88% · $2.1M Management & general 4% · $100K Fundraising 8% · $184K

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

13 people listed on the 990; $71K 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
Executive Director
$71,398Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
President
$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.

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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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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $2.1M · in their own filed words · FY2022
01

Conservation, Outreach and Education

This year groundswell conservancy celebrated 40 years of helping conservation-minded communities and landowners protect special places in south-central WISCONSIN.GROUNDSWELL purchased 34 acres of wetland habitat within the lower mud lake natural resource area in the town of dunn.

$2.1Mprogram 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 FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$2.7M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.7M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$11K
Investment incomeLn 3$8K
Money outPt IX
$2.4M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.1M
Managementcol C$100K
Fundraisingcol D$184K
Owns and owesPt X
$10.3M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$991K
Total assetsLn 16$10.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$358K
PeoplePt VI, VII
13
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a12
IndependentVI 1b12
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.7M
Government grantsLn 1e$608K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$50K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$8K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$11K
Investment incomeLn 3$8K
Other incomeLn 4–11$2K
Gains on assetsLn 7−$25K
Total revenueLn 12$2.7M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$35K
SavingsLn 2$957K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$991K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$755K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$7.9M
Other assetsLn 15$917K
Total assetsLn 16$10.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$358K
Net assetsLn 32$10.3M
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 FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$182K$991K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$702K$755K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$7.6M$7.9M
Total assetsLn 16$10.0M$10.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$100K$358K
Net assetsLn 32$9.9M$10.3M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$1.0M$1.0M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$101K$65K$20K$15K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$387K$243K$19K$126K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$18K$11K$1K$5K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$9K$5K$679$2K
Payroll taxesLn 10$35K$22K$3K$10K
Legal feesLn 11b$32K$32K
Accounting feesLn 11c$31K$31K
Investment management feesLn 11f$5K$5K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$35K$35K$200
Advertising and promotionLn 12$2K$1K$162$588
Office expensesLn 13$53K$35K$7K$11K
Information technologyLn 14$4K$2K$300$1K
OccupancyLn 16$51K$41K$2K$8K
TravelLn 17$7K$4K$542$2K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$11K$9K$459$2K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$770$487$61$222
InsuranceLn 23$12K$6K$6K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$581K$581K
All other expensesLn 24e$4K$900$3K$512
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.4M$2.1M$100K$184K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $2.1M$2.8M−$640K$9.9M 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.4M$1.2M$191K$10.6M 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $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 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 $2,689,100 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $2,706,312$2,668,347
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $74,424$10,512
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $415,408$8,135
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $4,594$2,106
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $3,200,738$2,689,100
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $421,225$1,043,675
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $453,577$549,367
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $792,881$829,525
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,667,683$2,422,567
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $1,533,055$266,533
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 $2,689,100 across 10 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $662 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$7,500
VIII-1e Government grants$608,079
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$2,052,768
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$49,932
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$2,668,347
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $10,512$10,512
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $32,664$32,664
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax −$24,529−$24,529
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $1,444$1,444
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $10,512 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $10,241$2,689,100
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,422,567 across 20 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $1,043,675$1,043,675
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $65,330 · Management $20,102 · Fundraising $15,076$100,508
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $243,042 · Management $18,644 · Fundraising $125,575$387,261
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $11,163 · Management $1,403 · Fundraising $5,091$17,657
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $5,400 · Management $679 · Fundraising $2,463$8,542
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $22,380 · Management $2,812 · Fundraising $10,207$35,399
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $32,172$32,172
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $31,312$31,312
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $4,546$4,546
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $34,545 · Management $200$34,745
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $1,288 · Management $162 · Fundraising $588$2,038
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $34,857 · Management $7,261 · Fundraising $11,153$53,271
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $2,386 · Management $300 · Fundraising $1,089$3,775
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $40,977 · Management $2,259 · Fundraising $8,203$51,439
IX-17 TravelPrograms $4,318 · Management $542 · Fundraising $1,969$6,829
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $9,084 · Management $459 · Fundraising $1,670$11,213
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $487 · Management $61 · Fundraising $222$770
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $5,650 · Management $5,937$11,587
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $581,377$581,377
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $900 · Management $3,039 · Fundraising $512$4,451
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,139,031 · Management $99,718 · Fundraising $183,818$2,422,567
Part X · Balance sheet $10,661,241 assets, 18 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $862$34,816
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $181,473$956,610
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $297,267$114,245
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $550,000$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $9,479$15,058
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $7,590,305$7,868,529
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $670,437$744,890
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $31,694$9,780
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $707,196$917,313
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $10,038,713$10,661,241
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $54,293$93,513
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $45,430$70,495
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $0$194,402
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $99,723$358,410
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $9,410,827$9,696,960
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $528,163$605,871
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $9,938,990$10,302,831
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $10,038,713$10,661,241
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $10,302,831 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,689,100
XI-2 Total expenses$2,422,567
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$266,533
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$9,938,990
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$59,643
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$37,665
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$10,302,831

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

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