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.
94¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$57K 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
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
94%
of spending
Looks good: 94% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$57K
to officers and key staff · 4% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 4% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
1 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.3 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
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
$307K
34% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 34% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
9
of 9 voting members
Looks good: 9 of 9 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.5M
+41% vs prior year
Spent
$1.4M
To programs
94%
Net assets
$594K
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$1.5M
FY2023▲ +41%
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
$1.4M
FY2023▲ +25%
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
$594K
FY2023▲ +33%
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 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 Sep 2019.

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

Where the money goes

94 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 94% · $1.3M Management & general 5% · $76K Fundraising 0% · $1K

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

10 people listed on the 990; $57K 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
Exec. Director / Head of Schools
$57,000Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$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.

See Ecology Learning Center executive salaries →

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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 · $1.3M · in their own filed words · FY2022
01

Charter school providing education to appoximately 77 students grades 9-11. Several students completed dual enrollment courses at UMaine and climate science courses through the Belfast College course.

$1.3Mprogram 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 FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.5M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.5M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$58K
Other incomeLn 4–11$4K
Money outPt IX
$1.4M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.3M
Managementcol C$76K
Fundraisingcol D$1K
Owns and owesPt X
$594K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$153K
Total assetsLn 16$901K
LiabilitiesLn 26$307K
PeoplePt VI, VII
10
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b9
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.5M
Government grantsLn 1e$1.4M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$58K
Other incomeLn 4–11$4K
Total revenueLn 12$1.5M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$153K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$153K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$643K
Total assetsLn 16$901K
LiabilitiesLn 26$307K
Net assetsLn 32$594K
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 FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$87K$153K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$555K$643K
Total assetsLn 16$736K$901K
LiabilitiesLn 26$290K$307K
Net assetsLn 32$446K$594K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$63K$60K$3K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$783K$744K$39K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$41K$38K$3K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$26K$26K$18
Payroll taxesLn 10$41K$41K$885
Legal feesLn 11b$9K$8K$2K
Accounting feesLn 11c$17K$13K$3K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$81K$66K$15K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$713$713
Office expensesLn 13$47K$44K$2K$1K
OccupancyLn 16$22K$22K
TravelLn 17$83K$83K
InterestLn 20$8K$8K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$27K$27K
InsuranceLn 23$12K$10K$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$109K$109K
All other expensesLn 24e$31K$26K$5K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.4M$1.3M$76K$1K

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 Viewing $1.5M$1.4M$148K$594K 990 PDF
FY2022 $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 FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,547,995 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,059,685$1,485,747
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $30,888$58,343
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $5,600$3,905
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,096,173$1,547,995
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 $682,202$953,268
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $437,138$446,818
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,119,340$1,400,086
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$23,167$147,909
Part VI · Governance 9 of 9 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body9
VI-1b Independent voting members9
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 $1,547,995 across 7 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$1,396,967
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$88,780
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,485,747
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $58,343$58,343
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossUnrelated business −$1,011 · Excluded from tax −$1,679−$2,690
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $6,595$6,595
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $64,938 · Unrelated business −$1,011 · Excluded from tax −$1,679$1,547,995
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,400,086 across 17 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $59,613 · Management $3,257$62,870
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $743,611 · Management $39,138$782,749
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $37,828 · Management $2,819$40,647
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $25,564 · Management $18$25,582
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $40,535 · Management $885$41,420
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $7,509 · Management $1,758$9,267
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $13,429 · Management $3,145$16,574
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $65,856 · Management $15,423$81,279
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $713$713
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $44,006 · Management $1,893 · Fundraising $1,420$47,319
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $21,833$21,833
IX-17 TravelPrograms $82,821$82,821
IX-20 InterestPrograms $7,594$7,594
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $27,059$27,059
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $10,496 · Management $2,003$12,499
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $108,881$108,881
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $25,585 · Management $5,394$30,979
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,322,220 · Management $76,446 · Fundraising $1,420$1,400,086
Part X · Balance sheet $901,099 assets, 10 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $86,862$152,742
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $94,171$105,020
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $554,669$643,337
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $735,702$901,099
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $101,719$108,190
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $289,677$307,165
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $431,336$583,344
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $14,689$10,590
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $446,025$593,934
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $735,702$901,099
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $593,934 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,547,995
XI-2 Total expenses$1,400,086
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$147,909
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$446,025
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$593,934

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

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