Ruffed Grouse Society

Tax-deductible

Pittsburgh, PA501(c)(3)Since 1961EnvironmentEIN 54-0846925

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Established in 1961, the Ruffed Grouse Society (rgs) is north america's foremost (cont'd - sch o)

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
89¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 1,800 volunteers and 47 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2024 · 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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $1.1M a year · 16% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
89%
of spending
Looks good: 89% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$454K
to officers and key staff · 6% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 90% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 6% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
6 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 6.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $18K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$2.3M
17% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 17% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
16
of 16 voting members
Looks good: 16 of 16 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$7.2M
+6% vs prior year
Spent
$7.4M
To programs
89%
Net assets
$11.1M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$7.2M
FY2024▲ +6%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$7.6M
FY2021$6.6M
FY2022$5.6M
FY2023$6.8M
FY2024$7.2M
Expenses
$7.4M
FY2024▲ +4%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$4.1M
FY2021$3.9M
FY2022$5.8M
FY2023$7.1M
FY2024$7.4M
Net assets
$11.1M
FY2024+0.1%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$9.6M
FY2021$12.5M
FY2022$11.0M
FY2023$11.1M
FY2024$11.1M

From the FY2024 Form 990 · 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: FY2024. IRS ruling in Dec 1989.

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

Where the money goes

89 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 89% · $6.6M Management & general 8% · $583K Fundraising 4% · $265K

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

19 people listed on the 990; $454K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
President and CEO
$235,324Pt VII · Sec A
Vp-Communications & Marketing
$121,574Pt VII · Sec A
Finance & Administration D
$97,327Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Benjamin C Jones’s $235K as President and CEO is at the 90th 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

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Benjamin C Jones$235,324$227,454$228,062$174,185$174,653
Katherine K McKalip$121,574————
Kimberly D Swisher$97,327$89,801$73,691$59,807$67,522

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

Conserves and restores forest habitats for grouse and other wildlife.

Provided by the organization

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3 program services account for $6.0M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2024.
01

Habitat Projects

RGS works with various landowners and government agencies to enhance forest habitat for ruffed grouse and all forest wildlife using science-supported management practices, and guided by forest conservation directors and other conservation delivery staff employed to carry out the organization's habitat mission.

$2.9Mprogram expense
02

Chapter Operations

RGS chapters understand and further the organization's mission to improve wildlife habitat, forest health and promote conservation ethics. With the help of RGS engagement staff, chapters organize various activities including educational seminars, habitat days, youth outings, social events, upland hunts, and membership meetings.

$2.1Mprogram expense
03

Membership Services

RGS communicates and educates members on habitat, forest management and upland hunting through the ruffed grouse society magazine, website (WWW.RUFFEDGROUSESOCIETY.ORG), email and social media communication.

$957Kprogram expense

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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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$18K

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$7.2M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$4.7M
Other incomeLn 4–11$2.0M
Investment incomeLn 3$560K
Money outPt IX
$7.4M
Ln 25
Programscol B$6.6M
Managementcol C$583K
Fundraisingcol D$265K
Owns and owesPt X
$11.1M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$3.9M
Total assetsLn 16$13.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.3M
PeoplePt VI, VII
19
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a16
IndependentVI 1b16
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$4.7M
Investment incomeLn 3$560K
Other incomeLn 4–11$2.0M
Gains on assetsLn 7$255K
Total revenueLn 12$7.2M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$3.9M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$3.9M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$5.8M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$744K
Other assetsLn 15$574K
Total assetsLn 16$13.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.3M
Net assetsLn 32$11.1M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 547
VolunteersI 61,800
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$4.1M$3.9M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$5.2M$5.8M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$594K$744K
Total assetsLn 16$13.4M$13.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.3M$2.3M
Net assetsLn 32$11.1M$11.1M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$333K$284K$34K$15K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$3.3M$2.8M$343K$147K
Legal feesLn 11b$929$929
Accounting feesLn 11c$28K$28K
Investment management feesLn 11f$37K$37K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$89K$89K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$19K$17K$2K$857
Office expensesLn 13$304K$259K$31K$13K
OccupancyLn 16$100K$85K$10K$4K
TravelLn 17$283K$242K$29K$13K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$12K$10K$1K$512
InterestLn 20$17K$17K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$39K$33K$4K$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$2.6M$2.5M$32K$65K
All other expensesLn 24e$261K$244K$12K$5K
Total functional expensesLn 25$7.4M$6.6M$583K$265K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $7.2M$7.4M−$197K$11.1M 990 PDF
FY2023 $6.8M$7.1M−$299K$11.1M 990 PDF
FY2022 $5.6M$5.8M−$260K$11.0M 990 PDF
FY2021 $6.6M$3.9M$2.6M$12.5M 990 PDF
FY2020 $7.6M$4.1M$3.4M$9.6M 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 FY2024 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $7,223,449 across 8 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $145,602 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1b Membership dues$850,560
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$3,845,462
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$4,696,022
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $305,468$305,468
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $254,709$254,709
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $1,794,010$1,794,010
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $5,028 · Unrelated business $22,610$27,638
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $150,630 · Unrelated business $22,610 · Excluded from tax $2,354,187$7,223,449
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $7,420,068 across 15 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $283,552 · Management $34,396 · Fundraising $14,703$332,651
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $2,829,420 · Management $343,222 · Fundraising $146,716$3,319,358
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $929$929
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $28,180$28,180
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $36,762$36,762
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $88,950$88,950
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $16,524 · Management $2,004 · Fundraising $857$19,385
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $259,490 · Management $31,477 · Fundraising $13,455$304,422
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $85,457 · Management $10,366 · Fundraising $4,431$100,254
IX-17 TravelPrograms $241,568 · Management $29,303 · Fundraising $12,526$283,397
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $9,871 · Management $1,197 · Fundraising $512$11,580
IX-20 InterestManagement $16,694$16,694
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $33,121 · Management $4,018 · Fundraising $1,717$38,856
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $2,480,111 · Management $32,499 · Fundraising $65,229$2,577,839
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $243,592 · Management $12,063 · Fundraising $5,156$260,811
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $6,571,656 · Management $583,110 · Fundraising $265,302$7,420,068
Part X · Balance sheet $13,405,299 assets, 17 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $4,106,705$3,940,180
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $2,197,244$1,623,511
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $363,310$441,344
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $233,368$248,097
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $83,089$79,297
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $593,536$744,047
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $5,193,955$5,754,907
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $634,354$573,916
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $13,405,561$13,405,299
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $410,289$215,937
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $397,016$185,888
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $425,614$289,701
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $2,291,164$2,275,032
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $8,599,737$8,551,243
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $2,514,660$2,579,024
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $11,114,397$11,130,267
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $13,405,561$13,405,299
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $11,130,267 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$7,223,449
XI-2 Total expenses$7,420,068
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$196,619
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$11,114,397
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$238,386
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$25,897
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$11,130,267

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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