The mission of the ecology learning center is to deeply root students in Maine's ecological & cultural landscapes, foster authentic real-world learning through mentorship & craft, and cultivate compassionate and resilient leaders prepared to engage in the challenges of today & tomorrow.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
95¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$59K 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

FY2022 · 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
4 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $260K a year · 17% of revenue · last 5 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
95%
of spending
Looks good: 95% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$59K
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
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Worth a look: 0.9 months of spending in cash; under 1.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
3
named funders · $32K
Looks good: 3 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$290K
39% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 39% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
6
of 6 voting members
Looks good: 6 of 6 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.1M
+16% vs prior year
Spent
$1.1M
To programs
95%
Net assets
$446K
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$1.1M
FY2022▲ +16%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$941K
FY2022$1.1M
FY2023$1.5M
FY2024$2.4M
FY2025$1.7M
Expenses
$1.1M
FY2022▲ +99%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$562K
FY2022$1.1M
FY2023$1.4M
FY2024$1.6M
FY2025$1.7M
Net assets
$446K
FY2022▼ -5%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$469K
FY2022$446K
FY2023$594K
FY2024$1.4M
FY2025$1.4M

From the FY2022 Form 990 (year ending June 2022) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2022 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 Sep 2019.

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

Where the money goes

95 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 95% · $1.1M Management & general 5% · $58K Fundraising 0% · $737

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

9 people listed on the 990; $59K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2021); the FY2022 filing did not itemize Part VII
Exec. Director/Head of Sch
$58,850Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Leza Packard$70,900$69,747$57,000$58,850$50,000

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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Connects students with Maine's nature and culture through hands-on learning and mentorship.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $1.1M · in their own filed words · FY2021
01

Charter school providing education to approximately 77 student for grades 9 -11. Several students completed dual enrollment courses at umaine and climate science courses through the belfast college course.

$1.1Mprogram expense

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 · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 3 funders$32K
See all 3 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2022 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.1M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.1M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$31K
Other incomeLn 4–11$6K
Money outPt IX
$1.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.1M
Managementcol C$58K
Fundraisingcol D$737
Owns and owesPt X
$446K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$87K
Total assetsLn 16$736K
LiabilitiesLn 26$290K
PeoplePt VI, VII
9
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a6
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.1M
Government grantsLn 1e$999K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$31K
Other incomeLn 4–11$6K
Total revenueLn 12$1.1M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$87K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$87K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$555K
Total assetsLn 16$736K
LiabilitiesLn 26$290K
Net assetsLn 32$446K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 553
VolunteersI 67
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY22End FY22
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$235K$87K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$445K$555K
Total assetsLn 16$724K$736K
LiabilitiesLn 26$255K$290K
Net assetsLn 32$469K$446K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$59K$55K$4K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$536K$511K$25K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$37K$34K$3K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$23K$23K$16
Payroll taxesLn 10$27K$26K$573
Legal feesLn 11b$8K$8K
Accounting feesLn 11c$30K$19K$11K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$62K$62K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$267$267
Office expensesLn 13$28K$26K$1K$737
OccupancyLn 16$22K$22K
TravelLn 17$63K$63K
InterestLn 20$8K$8K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$26K$26K
InsuranceLn 23$13K$11K$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$162K$162K
All other expensesLn 24e$14K$12K$3K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.1M$1.1M$58K$737

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $1.7M$1.7M$3K$1.4M 990 PDF
FY2024 $2.4M$1.6M$796K$1.4M 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.5M$1.4M$148K$594K 990 PDF
FY2022 Viewing $1.1M$1.1M−$23K$446K 990 PDF
FY2021 $941K$562K$379K$469K 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 O · Explanations
See the full FY2022 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,096,173 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $367,332$1,059,685
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $568,025$30,888
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $5,679$5,600
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $941,036$1,096,173
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $371,616$682,202
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $190,371$437,138
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $561,987$1,119,340
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $379,049−$23,167
Part VI · Governance 6 of 6 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body6
VI-1b Independent voting members6
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,096,173 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$999,301
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$60,384
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,059,685
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $30,888$30,888
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $5,600$5,600
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $30,888 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $5,600$1,096,173
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,119,340 across 17 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $55,319 · Management $3,531$58,850
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $511,157 · Management $25,290$536,447
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $34,360 · Management $2,614$36,974
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $23,104 · Management $16$23,120
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $26,238 · Management $573$26,811
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $8,386$8,386
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $19,224 · Management $10,734$29,958
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $62,415$62,415
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $267$267
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $26,039 · Management $1,142 · Fundraising $737$27,918
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $22,388$22,388
IX-17 TravelPrograms $62,552$62,552
IX-20 InterestPrograms $8,257$8,257
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $25,658$25,658
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $10,867 · Management $2,103$12,970
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $161,952$161,952
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $11,523 · Management $2,894$14,417
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,061,053 · Management $57,550 · Fundraising $737$1,119,340
Part X · Balance sheet $735,702 assets, 10 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $234,616$86,862
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $44,179$94,171
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $444,905$554,669
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $723,700$735,702
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $59,866$101,719
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $254,508$289,677
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $454,192$431,336
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $15,000$14,689
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $469,192$446,025
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $723,700$735,702
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $446,025 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,096,173
XI-2 Total expenses$1,119,340
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$23,167
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$469,192
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$446,025

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2022 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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