Sonoma Land Trust

Tax-deductible

Santa Rosa, CA501(c)(3)Since 1976EnvironmentEIN 51-0197006Revenue $1.8M in FY2026

On file with the IRSsonomalandtrust.org822 5th St, 95404-4517 · Santa Rosa, CATax-exempt since Aug 1976Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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Protect the scenic, natural, cultural, agricultural and open landscapes of Sonoma county for the benefit of the community and future generations by developing long-term Land protection strategies; (continued on schedule o) promoting private and public funding for Land conservation; acquiring Land and conservation easements; practicing stewardship, including the restoration of conservation properties; promoting a sense of place and a Land ethic through activities, education and outreach.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
82¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 21 volunteers.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2026 · 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
FY2026
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2026, this tax year; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
6 of 7
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $4.2M a year · 29% of revenue · last 7 filings
Fine: a surplus in 6 of the last 7 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 7 filings
Spent on programs
82%
of spending
Looks good: 82% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Cash reserves
28 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 28.3 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
44
named funders · $3.2M
Looks good: 44 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$2.0M
3% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 3% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
18
of 18 voting members
Looks good: 18 of 18 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.8M
-93% vs prior year
Spent
$6.3M
To programs
82%
Net assets
$68.3M
By yearFY2020–FY2026
Revenue
$1.8M
FY2026▼ -93%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$7.7M
FY2021$10.8M
FY2022$13.8M
FY2023$16.5M
FY2024$25.8M
FY2025$26.9M
FY2026$1.8M
Expenses
$6.3M
FY2026▼ -48%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$7.3M
FY2021$8.0M
FY2022$11.5M
FY2023$7.4M
FY2024$20.8M
FY2025$12.3M
FY2026$6.3M
Net assets
$68.3M
FY2026▼ -5%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$34.9M
FY2021$39.4M
FY2022$41.4M
FY2023$49.8M
FY2024$58.5M
FY2025$72.3M
FY2026$68.3M

From the FY2026 Form 990 (year ending March 2026) · 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: FY2026. IRS ruling in Aug 1976.

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

Where the money goes

82 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 82% · $5.2M Management & general 9% · $581K Fundraising 8% · $536K

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

20 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2025); the FY2026 filing did not itemize Part VII
$0Pt VII · Sec A
1st Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
2nd Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Eamon O'Byrne’s $289K as Executive Director is at the 96th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1852 $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 · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Eamon O'Byrne$289,408$252,276$212,933$225,668$197,455$93,283
Michael J Rizzo$208,727$173,423$163,140$155,059$147,285$152,044
Shannon Nichols$206,124$160,175$150,084$137,638$124,562$127,327
John McCaull$176,646$145,337$132,047$127,850$112,494—
Neal Ramus$165,768$133,291$120,841———
Kyle Pinjuv$162,078—————
Julian Meisler$156,951$125,027————
David Koehler—————$154,361

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 Sonoma County's landscapes through land acquisition, stewardship, and education for future generations.

Questions for Sonoma Land Trust

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $5.2M · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

Land Acquisitions

We work with landowners to assess and understand goals for their properties, which can lead to an acquisition of property or conservation easement, or a transfer of property to the public. Transactions are negotiated to provide the best outcome for the landowner with the ultimate goal of permanently preserving land whether the final…

$5.2Mprogram 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 · FY2024
See all 44 funders →
Grants paid · 46 grants · $6.0M · 2019–2025
Save the Redwoods LeagueCA · FY2025$2,000,000
Unitemized GrantFY2025$18,750
City of Santa RosaFY2025$15,000
City of Santa RosaFY2024$831,357
Audubon Canyon Ranch INCCA · FY2024$269,440
California State ParksFY2024$170,400
Sonoma County Regional ParksFY2024$138,641
Unitemized GrantFY2024$33,000
Graton Community Services DistrictFY2024$25,000
Sonoma County Regional ParksFY2023$89,351
Audubon Canyon Ranch INCCA · FY2023$55,551
Unitemized GrantFY2023$26,000
Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space DistrictFY2022$166,523
Audubon Canyon Ranch INCCA · FY2022$128,800
Unitemized GrantFY2022$38,327
See all 46 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2026 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.8M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.6M
Investment incomeLn 3$215K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$25K
Money outPt IX
$6.3M
Ln 25
Programscol B$5.2M
Managementcol C$581K
Fundraisingcol D$536K
Owns and owesPt X
$68.3M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$14.9M
Total assetsLn 16$70.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.0M
PeoplePt VI, VII
20
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a18
IndependentVI 1b18
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.6M
Government grantsLn 1e$1.2M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$15K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$25K
Investment incomeLn 3$215K
Gains on assetsLn 7$31K
Total revenueLn 12$1.8M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
SavingsLn 2$14.9M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$14.9M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$9.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$237K
Other assetsLn 15$43.1M
Total assetsLn 16$70.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.0M
Net assetsLn 32$68.3M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 621
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 FY26End FY26
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$15.7M$14.9M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$8.7M$9.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$334K$237K
Total assetsLn 16$74.8M$70.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.5M$2.0M
Net assetsLn 32$72.3M$68.3M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$3.8M$3.8M
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$19K$19K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$136K$4K$98K$34K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$979K$557K$200K$222K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$43K$26K$7K$10K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$125K$70K$29K$26K
Payroll taxesLn 10$85K$43K$22K$20K
Legal feesLn 11b$74K$72K$3K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$16K$16K
Investment management feesLn 11f$17K$17K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$228K$36K$79K$113K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$10K$3K$5K$2K
Office expensesLn 13$83K$32K$14K$38K
Information technologyLn 14$154K$76K$51K$27K
OccupancyLn 16$56K$29K$14K$13K
TravelLn 17$10K$8K$2K$544
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$68K$18K$31K$19K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$39K$27K$4K$8K
InsuranceLn 23$26K$16K$5K$4K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$319K$319K
All other expensesLn 24e$9K$9K$234$475
Total functional expensesLn 25$6.3M$5.2M$581K$536K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2026 Latest Viewing $1.8M$6.3M−$4.5M$68.3M 990 PDF
FY2025 $26.9M$12.3M$14.6M$72.3M 990 PDF
FY2024 $25.8M$20.8M$5.0M$58.5M 990 PDF
FY2023 $16.5M$7.4M$9.1M$49.8M 990 PDF
FY2022 $13.8M$11.5M$2.2M$41.4M 990 PDF
FY2021 $10.8M$8.0M$2.8M$39.4M 990 PDF
FY2020 $7.7M$7.3M$406K$34.9M 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 FY2026 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,800,680 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $24,282,568$1,612,400
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $600,755$24,828
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $1,211,910$215,237
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $776,159−$51,785
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $26,871,392$1,800,680
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $1,924,696$3,838,490
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $5,323,247$1,368,321
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $5,007,418$1,110,455
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $12,255,361$6,317,266
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $14,616,031−$4,516,586
Part VI · Governance 18 of 18 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body18
VI-1b Independent voting members18
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 $1,800,680 across 10 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$1,237,596
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$374,804
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$14,962
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,612,400
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $24,828$24,828
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $183,933$183,933
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $55,087$55,087
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $31,304$31,304
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $19,899 · Excluded from tax −$126,771−$106,872
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $44,727 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $143,553$1,800,680
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $6,317,266 across 21 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $3,819,740$3,819,740
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $18,750$18,750
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $3,769 · Management $98,160 · Fundraising $33,923$135,852
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $557,427 · Management $199,908 · Fundraising $221,783$979,118
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $26,402 · Management $6,602 · Fundraising $10,241$43,245
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $70,220 · Management $29,205 · Fundraising $25,744$125,169
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $42,601 · Management $22,283 · Fundraising $20,053$84,937
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $71,926 · Management $2,508$74,434
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $16,500$16,500
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $17,153$17,153
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $35,749 · Management $79,282 · Fundraising $113,249$228,280
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $3,262 · Management $4,647 · Fundraising $2,345$10,254
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $31,875 · Management $13,584 · Fundraising $37,504$82,963
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $76,339 · Management $51,004 · Fundraising $27,074$154,417
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $29,071 · Management $14,341 · Fundraising $12,553$55,965
IX-17 TravelPrograms $7,561 · Management $1,516 · Fundraising $544$9,621
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $18,052 · Management $31,410 · Fundraising $18,765$68,227
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $27,158 · Management $4,057 · Fundraising $7,570$38,785
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $16,104 · Management $5,024 · Fundraising $4,397$25,525
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $318,902$318,902
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $8,720 · Management $234 · Fundraising $475$9,429
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $5,200,128 · Management $580,918 · Fundraising $536,220$6,317,266
Part X · Balance sheet $70,294,382 assets, 17 lines filed
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $15,746,244$14,873,869
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $4,617,789$2,453,309
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $569,935$111,964
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $197,935$237,430
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $333,781$237,409
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $7,326,657$7,885,506
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $1,347,921$1,379,540
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $44,682,689$43,115,355
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $74,822,951$70,294,382
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,315,038$776,104
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $642,196$628,920
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $580,062$577,858
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $2,537,296$1,982,882
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $62,094,212$60,155,920
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $10,191,443$8,155,580
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $72,285,655$68,311,500
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $74,822,951$70,294,382
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $68,311,500 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,800,680
XI-2 Total expenses$6,317,266
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$4,516,586
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$72,285,655
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$542,431
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$68,311,500

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2026 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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