Natureserve EIN 52-1884438 Form 990 (PDF) Claim this org

Natureserve FY2023 filing

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Conserves biodiversity using data, science, and technology globally. For fiscal year 2023 it reported $10.2M in revenue, $10.1M in expenses, and $3.8M in net assets.Pt I

Founded
1994
Type
Public charity (501(c)(3)) · Environment
Location
Arlington, VA
Website
www.natureserve.org
Filings
6 on file (2020–2023)
Revenue
$10.2MFY2023
Expenses
$10.1M
Net assets
$3.8M
People
24
Filings
6
Updates
0
More identity details & actions ⌄
EIN  52-1884438 Public charity (501(c)(3)) Arlington, VA Founded 1994
Form 990 (PDF)
You’re viewing the FY2023 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →
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Figures match the IRS filing checked 8/15/26 · see original: IRS
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Size
$1–10M
What they do
Conserves biodiversity using data, science, and technology globally.
Leadership
Sean O'Brien · President and CEO · $248K
Money in and out
$10.2M revenue, $10.1M expenses
Bottom line
71% program efficiency
Where the money goes · FY2023
Total revenue
$10.2M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$10.1M
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$3.8M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expenses (Pt I · Ln 19): $136K
Where spending went · Part IX cols B–D
Program services $0.71 Management & general $0.24 Fundraising $0.05
Program efficiency
71%
of spending reaches programs
Operating runway
4.9mo
months of highly liquid reserves at operating expense rate
Surplus margin
+1%
revenue over expenses, this year

Summary of the Filing

Part I · fiscal year 2023 · Form 990
Revenue
$10.2M
FY2023▲ +33%
Expenses
$10.1M
FY2023▲ +8%
Total assets
$8.9M
FY2023▲ +28%
Total liabilities
$5.1M
FY2023▲ +55%
Total revenue
$10.2M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$10.1M
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$3.8M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expensesPt I · Ln 19$136K
Total assetsPt X · Ln 16$8.9M
Program-expense ratioPt IX · col B71%
Voting members of governing bodyPt I · Ln 315
Independent voting membersPt I · Ln 414

Identity & Classification

Form 990 Header · IRS Business Master File
Legal nameHdr · item CNatureserve
EINHdr · item D52-1884438
Principal addressHdr · item CArlington, VA
WebsiteHdr · item Jwww.natureserve.org
Year of formationHdr · item L1994
State of legal domicileHdr · item MVA
Exempt statusHdr · item I501(c)(3) · active
NTEE classificationIRS BMFEnvironment (C030)
Ruling yearIRS BMFJul 1995

Governance & Policies

Part VI
Voting members of the governing bodyPt VI · Ln 1a15
Independent voting membersPt VI · Ln 1b14
Conflict-of-interest policyPt VI · Ln 12aYes
Whistleblower policyPt VI · Ln 13Yes
Document retention policyPt VI · Ln 14Yes
CEO/top-official compensation independently reviewedPt VI · Ln 15aYes
Family or business relationships among officers/directorsPt VI · Ln 2No

Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2022); the FY2023 filing did not itemize Part VII
President and CEO
$248,407Pt VII · Sec A
$195,694Pt VII · Sec A
VP for Technology and Partners
$162,592Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Scientist Until 12/22
$162,458Pt VII · Sec A
IT Manager
$144,125Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Advancement Officer
$142,836Pt VII · Sec A
VP for Data and Methods
$131,456Pt VII · Sec A
Principal Software Engineer
$127,741Pt VII · Sec A

Lori Scott’s $184K as Executive Director is at the 79th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1845 $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
Sean O'Brien$243,928$248,407
Sean T O'Brien$233,805$228,274$222,291
Stephen Sellers$198,520$195,694
Stephen Sellers$190,894$87,119
Lori Scott$183,582$164,597$162,592
Anne Bowser$178,800$135,655$112,926
Helen Hamilton$162,458
Lori Scott$158,685$128,714$145,670

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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Mission & Programs · Part III

Where the work happens

3 program services account for $7.1M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2022.
01

Scientific Data and Methods

NatureServe is North America's authoritative source for uniform methods of collecting, classifying, assessing, and mapping biodiversity data and information. We are recognized as the gold standard in biodiversity data management and users relying upon our scientific rigor and conservation value across geographical boundaries to make…

$3.3Mprogram expense
02

Conservation Products and Services

NatureServe and our network develop and manage the most comprehensive data for over 100,000 species and ecosystems, answering fundamental questions about what exists, where it is found, and how it is doing.

$2.1Mprogram expense
03

Technology Research and Development & Technology Data Management: NatureServe is nature's technology organization. We develop software and applications to guide conservation efforts and we host the most comprehensive free online resource of information on North America's biodiversity, NatureServe Explorer.

$1.7Mprogram expense

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Statement of Revenue

Part VIII
Contributions & grants$5.0M · 48%
Program service revenue$4.9M · 47%
Investment income$383K · 4%
Contributions & grants48%$5.0M
Program service revenue47%$4.9M
Investment income4%$383K
Other revenue$40K
— government grantsLn 1e$2.7M
Total revenueLn 12$10.2M

Statement of Functional Expenses

Part IX · allocated across program, management, and fundraising
Allocation · columns B–D
Program services $0.71 Management & general $0.24 Fundraising $0.05
Program services71%$7.1M
Management & general24%$2.4M
Fundraising5%$515K
Total functional expensesLn 25$10.1M

Balance Sheet

Part X · end of year
CashLn 1$1.4M
Total assetsLn 16$8.9M
Total liabilitiesLn 26$5.1M
Total net assetsLn 32$3.8M
Months of cash on handcomputed1.7

Financial Metrics

Form 990 · FY2023 · each ratio shown with the dollars behind it
Liquidity & Payout
Operating runway
Highly liquid reserves $4.1M · Operating expenses/yr $10.1M
4.9 months
Where the money goes
Program services
Program services $7.1M · Total expenses $10.1M
71%
Management & General
Management & general $2.4M · Total expenses $10.1M
24%
Fundraising
Fundraising $515K · Total expenses $10.1M
5%
Cost to raise $1
Fundraising expense (3-yr avg) $403K · Solicited contributions (3-yr avg) $2.1M
$0.19 to raise $1 (3-yr avg)
Where the money comes from
Contribution dependence
Contributions & grants $5.0M · Total revenue $10.2M
48%
Government reliance
Government grants $2.7M · Total revenue $10.2M
27%
Earned-income share
Program service revenue $4.9M · Total revenue $10.2M
47%
Investment reliance
Investment income $383K · Total revenue $10.2M
+4%
Program self-sufficiency
Program service revenue $4.9M · Total expenses $10.1M
48%
Growth & trend
Revenue growth (YoY)
This year $10.2M · Prior year $7.7M
+33%
Net-asset trend (YoY)
End of year $3.8M · Beginning of year —
Beginning net assets not meaningfully positive — showing dollar change
Balance sheet
Surplus Margin
Revenue $10.2M · Expenses $10.1M
+1%
Liabilities-to-Assets
Total liabilities — · Total assets $8.9M
Net-asset ratio
Net assets $3.8M · Total assets $8.9M
43%
Marketable Investment Share
Publicly traded securities (Pt X, ln 11) $2.7M · Other securities (Pt X, ln 12) — · Total assets (Pt X, ln 16) $8.9M
31%
People & payroll
Highest Reported Total Compensation
Individual Sean O'Brien · Reported title President and CEO · Highest reported compensation $248K · Total expenses $10.1M
2%
Personnel share
Salaries, benefits & payroll (Pt IX 5-10) $7.3M · Total expenses $10.1M
72%
Peer comparison

Same NTEE category, revenue band, and state where available. Descriptive — not a grade.

MetricThis orgPeer medianPercentile
Program ratio 71%
Overhead ratio 24%
Fundraising cost ratio 10%
Revenue growth 33%
Investment management fee ratio 0.3%
Legal fee ratio 0.2%
Accounting fee ratio 0.6%

Straight from the Form 990 — descriptive, not an evaluation. A ratio is hidden when its base is zero or too small to be meaningful; the dollars are always shown.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
See all 14 funders →

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Filings & Schedule Manifest

Part IV
III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
FY2025 (Latest)$8.5M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2024$9.7M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2023$10.2M revenue · viewing · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2022$7.7M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2021$7.1M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2020$7.7M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF

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Sources

Every figure above is drawn from these filings
Form 990 e-file (XML) · FY2023IRS
Classification, formation year, addressIRS Business Master File
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