Thorne's mission is to build earth stewardship by connecting youth to nature through joyful, hands-on, place-based environmental education experiences.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
75¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 207 volunteers and 82 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · 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
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $575K a year · 17% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
75%
of spending
Fine: 75% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$291K
to officers and key staff · 8% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 8% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Worth a look: 0.7 months of spending in cash; under 1.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $15K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$1.5M
20% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 20% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
15
of 15 voting members
Looks good: 15 of 15 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$2.7M
-18% vs prior year
Spent
$3.5M
To programs
75%
Net assets
$5.9M
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$2.7M
FY2025▼ -18%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$2.8M
FY2022$3.2M
FY2023$4.9M
FY2024$3.3M
FY2025$2.7M
Expenses
$3.5M
FY2025▼ -3%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$2.0M
FY2022$2.2M
FY2023$2.7M
FY2024$3.6M
FY2025$3.5M
Net assets
$5.9M
FY2025▼ -10%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$3.7M
FY2022$4.5M
FY2023$6.8M
FY2024$6.6M
FY2025$5.9M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending August 2025) · 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: FY2025. IRS ruling in Oct 1957.

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

Where the money goes

75 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 75% · $2.6M Management & general 15% · $532K Fundraising 10% · $347K

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

18 people listed on the 990; $291K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Di
$175,294Pt VII · Sec A
Deputy Direc
$115,373Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Keith Desrosiers’s $175K as Executive Di is at the 76th 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Keith Desrosiers$175,294$135,479$119,986$115,363$100,858
Leann Arend$115,373$104,935———

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 Thorne Ecological Institute 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 15aYes

Programs and updates

Connects youth to nature through joyful, hands-on environmental education.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $2.6M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Core Programs

Thorne accomplishes its mission through nature-based education programs that primarily serve boulder county youth and families. Programs are designed to build earth stewardship by connecting children and youth to nature through joyful, hands-on, place-based environmental education experiences.

$2.6Mprogram 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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$15K
Grants paid · 37 grants · $847K · 2020–2024
Cal-Wood Education CenterCO · FY2024$43,860
Cottonwood InstituteCO · FY2024$32,200
City of LongmontFY2024$10,150
Cal-Wood Education CenterCO · FY2023$56,490
Cottonwood InstituteCO · FY2023$28,200
Cottonwood InstituteCO · FY2022$57,612
Cal-Wood Education CenterCO · FY2022$37,750
Colorado Lifted FoundationCO · FY2022$8,283
Ecoarts ConnectionsCO · FY2022$5,585
Cal-Wood Education CenterCO · FY2021$56,230
See all 37 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$2.7M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.4M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.3M
Investment incomeLn 3$24K
Money outPt IX
$3.5M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.6M
Managementcol C$532K
Fundraisingcol D$347K
Owns and owesPt X
$5.9M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$205K
Total assetsLn 16$7.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.5M
PeoplePt VI, VII
18
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a15
IndependentVI 1b15
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.3M
Government grantsLn 1e$562K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$32K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$102K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.4M
Investment incomeLn 3$24K
Total revenueLn 12$2.7M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$190K
SavingsLn 2$15K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$205K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$5.8M
Other assetsLn 15$1.2M
Total assetsLn 16$7.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.5M
Net assetsLn 32$5.9M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 582
VolunteersI 6207
Fiscal year endsHeaderAugust
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$388K$205K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$6.0M$5.8M
Total assetsLn 16$8.2M$7.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.6M$1.5M
Net assetsLn 32$6.6M$5.9M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$150K$150K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$247K$175K$46K$27K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.7M$1.2M$319K$185K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$46K$31K$9K$5K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$141K$96K$29K$17K
Payroll taxesLn 10$192K$130K$39K$23K
Accounting feesLn 11c$72K$35K$35K$3K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$119K$109K$3K$7K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$12K$7K$2K$3K
Office expensesLn 13$59K$48K$4K$6K
Information technologyLn 14$69K$53K$9K$7K
OccupancyLn 16$123K$110K$7K$5K
TravelLn 17$50K$43K$5K$2K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$19K$15K$2K$3K
InterestLn 20$56K$49K$4K$3K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$205K$181K$14K$10K
InsuranceLn 23$23K$18K$4K$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$157K$113K$3K$41K
Total functional expensesLn 25$3.5M$2.6M$532K$347K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $2.7M$3.5M−$779K$5.9M 990 PDF
FY2024 $3.3M$3.6M−$304K$6.6M 990 PDF
FY2023 $4.9M$2.7M$2.2M$6.8M 990 PDF
FY2022 $3.2M$2.2M$968K$4.5M 990 PDF
FY2021 $2.8M$2.0M$767K$3.7M 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 M · Noncash J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $2,681,033 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,892,066$1,280,142
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $1,374,867$1,377,584
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $41,751$23,597
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$37,941−$290
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $3,270,743$2,681,033
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $126,948$149,771
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $2,173,494$2,347,623
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,274,473$962,831
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $3,574,915$3,460,225
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$304,172−$779,192
Part VI · Governance 15 of 15 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body15
VI-1b Independent voting members15
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 $2,681,033 across 10 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$102,270
VIII-1e Government grants$561,636
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$616,236
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$32,008
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,280,142
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $1,377,584$1,377,584
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $7,616 · Excluded from tax $15,981$23,597
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $436$436
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission −$726−$726
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $1,384,474 · Excluded from tax $16,417$2,681,033
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $3,460,225 across 18 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $149,771$149,771
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $174,572 · Management $46,035 · Fundraising $26,775$247,382
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,218,034 · Management $318,518 · Fundraising $185,375$1,721,927
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $30,990 · Management $9,219 · Fundraising $5,364$45,573
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $95,980 · Management $28,555 · Fundraising $16,614$141,149
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $130,302 · Management $38,740 · Fundraising $22,550$191,592
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $34,906 · Management $34,857 · Fundraising $2,550$72,313
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $108,989 · Management $2,748 · Fundraising $6,952$118,689
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $6,699 · Management $1,908 · Fundraising $3,053$11,660
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $48,402 · Management $4,100 · Fundraising $6,168$58,670
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $52,807 · Management $9,288 · Fundraising $6,744$68,839
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $110,365 · Management $7,285 · Fundraising $4,941$122,591
IX-17 TravelPrograms $43,329 · Management $4,822 · Fundraising $1,743$49,894
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $14,525 · Management $2,025 · Fundraising $2,868$19,418
IX-20 InterestPrograms $49,407 · Management $3,847 · Fundraising $2,748$56,002
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $181,309 · Management $13,876 · Fundraising $9,912$205,097
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $17,602 · Management $3,666 · Fundraising $1,717$22,985
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $112,840 · Management $2,894 · Fundraising $40,939$156,673
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,580,829 · Management $532,383 · Fundraising $347,013$3,460,225
Part X · Balance sheet $7,411,716 assets, 18 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $122,168$189,689
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $265,462$15,322
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $259,736$126,000
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $223,148$46,814
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $4,004$1,353
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $122,034$21,118
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $6,010,910$5,846,494
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $1,233,893$1,164,926
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $8,241,355$7,411,716
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $237,719$182,637
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $234,035$65,675
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $159,594$156,668
X-25 Other liabilities$17,185
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,631,348$1,489,934
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $5,249,954$4,736,076
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $1,360,053$1,185,706
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $6,610,007$5,921,782
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $8,241,355$7,411,716
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $5,921,782 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,681,033
XI-2 Total expenses$3,460,225
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$779,192
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$6,610,007
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$97,872
XI-8 Prior period adjustments−$6,905
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$5,921,782

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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