Desert Botanical Garden: Nonprofit Profile, Financials & Form 990 (EIN 86-0136925)

Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020	$16.1M
FY2021	$19.0M
FY2022	$39.2M
FY2023	$26.7M
FY2024	$26.7M
FY2025	$30.2M

Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020	$17.0M
FY2021	$15.3M
FY2022	$21.9M
FY2023	$21.6M
FY2024	$23.6M
FY2025	$27.5M

Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020	$42.9M
FY2021	$49.2M
FY2022	$62.0M
FY2023	$68.7M
FY2024	$75.2M
FY2025	$79.9M

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Sep 1949.

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

Where the money goes

73 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

73%

16%

Program services 73% · $20.0M Management & general 11% · $3.0M Fundraising 16% · $4.5M

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

65 people listed on the 990; $1.7M 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

Kenneth Schutz

Executive Director (until 9/30/25)

$539,569Pt VII · Sec A

Margaret Burke

Executive VP & Cfoo

$267,850Pt VII · Sec A

Mike Remedi

Chief Development Officer

$232,894Pt VII · Sec A

Elaine McGinn

Chief Experience Officer

$200,169Pt VII · Sec A

Kimberlie McCue

Chief Science Officer

$190,187Pt VII · Sec A

Tina Wilson

SR Director of Horticulture

$165,442Pt VII · Sec A

Marcia Flynn

SR Director of Events

$151,899Pt VII · Sec A

Ed Marley

Treasurer

$0Pt VII · Sec A

Kenneth Schutz’s $540K as Executive Director (until 9/30/25) is at the 94th percentile of top reported officer pay among 324 $10–100M 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

Name	FY2025	FY2024	FY2023	FY2022	FY2021	FY2020
Kenneth J Schutz	—	—	$460,025	$339,679	$284,964	$566,536
Kenneth Schutz	$539,569	$486,947	—	—	—	—
Beverly Duzik	—	—	—	—	$317,894	$157,802
Margaret Burke	$267,850	$253,310	$259,570	$219,952	$181,797	$137,329
Mike Remedi	$232,894	$222,876	$220,409	—	—	—
Elaine McGinn	$200,169	$193,413	$189,314	$162,656	$136,206	$122,818
Kimberlie McCue	$190,187	$182,762	$189,314	$146,562	$126,216	$123,820
Tina Wilson	$165,442	$159,851	$156,662	$146,452	$138,848	$144,756

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 Desert Botanical Garden 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

Conserves and exhibits over 50,000 desert plants while educating the public and conducting research to protect fragile arid ecosystems, focusing on the Sonoran Desert.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $20.0M · in their own filed words · FY2024

01

Horticulture

Propagating & maintaining a living plant collection of over 50,000 desert plants with particular emphasis on those inhabiting the sonoran desert, many of which are endangered species. This program also works to preserve desert plant life outside of its collection by educating the public regarding the beauty, variety and fragility of…

$20.0Mprogram 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 · FY2025

Monarch Joint VentureFY2025$24K

American Public Gardens AssociationFY2025$20K

Center for Plant Conservation INCFY2025$12K

Total grants receivedfrom 3 funders$56K

See all 3 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

Download 990

from philanthropy.org

1The main four

Money inPt VIII

$30.2M

Ln 12

Fees for servicesLn 2g$14.2M

Gifts and grantsLn 1h$10.5M

Other incomeLn 4–11$5.1M

Money outPt IX

$27.5M

Ln 25

Programscol B$20.0M

Managementcol C$3.0M

Fundraisingcol D$4.5M

Owns and owesPt X

$79.9M

net assets · Ln 32

Cash and savingsLn 1–2$20.5M

Total assetsLn 16$86.7M

LiabilitiesLn 26$6.9M

PeoplePt VI, VII

65

listed · VII A

PaidVII A7

Voting boardVI 1a45

IndependentVI 1b45

2In more detail

Revenue in detailPt VIII

Gifts and grantsLn 1h$10.5M

Government grantsLn 1e$602K

Noncash giftsLn 1g$2.1M

Fundraising eventsLn 1c$294K

Fees for servicesLn 2g$14.2M

Investment incomeLn 3$412K

Other incomeLn 4–11$5.1M

Gains on assetsLn 7−$102K

Total revenueLn 12$30.2M

Assets in detailPt X, end of year

CashLn 1$19.3M

SavingsLn 2$1.2M

Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$20.5M

InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.5M

Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$36.0M

Other assetsLn 15$21.4M

Total assetsLn 16$86.7M

LiabilitiesLn 26$6.9M

Net assetsLn 32$79.9M

OperationsPt I, VI

EmployeesI 5305

VolunteersI 6907

Fiscal year endsHeaderSeptember

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

Line	Start FY25	End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2	$13.9M	$20.5M
InvestmentsLn 11–13	$12.2M	$1.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c	$29.7M	$36.0M
Total assetsLn 16	$81.9M	$86.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26	$6.7M	$6.9M
Net assetsLn 32	$75.2M	$79.9M

4Every line

Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line

Line	Total	Programs	Management	Fundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5	$922K	$684K	$85K	$153K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7	$12.5M	$9.3M	$1.2M	$2.1M
Pension plan contributionsLn 8	$438K	$328K	$34K	$76K
Other employee benefitsLn 9	$1.4M	$1.0M	$107K	$234K
Payroll taxesLn 10	$916K	$685K	$73K	$158K
Legal feesLn 11b	$110K		$110K
Accounting feesLn 11c	$63K		$63K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g	$3.4M	$2.3M	$201K	$824K
Advertising and promotionLn 12	$814K	$672K	$83K	$59K
Office expensesLn 13	$1.4M	$981K	$36K	$372K
OccupancyLn 16	$514K	$303K	$12K	$199K
TravelLn 17	$551K	$328K	$170K	$53K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22	$1.7M	$1.5M	$132K	$57K
InsuranceLn 23	$373K	$331K	$29K	$13K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24	$1.9M	$1.0M	$638K	$172K
All other expensesLn 24e	$622K	$528K	$35K	$59K
Total functional expensesLn 25	$27.5M	$20.0M	$3.0M	$4.5M

Filing history

Year	Money in	Money out	In minus out	Net assets	Download
FY2025 Latest Viewing	$30.2M	$27.5M	$2.7M	$79.9M	990 PDF
FY2024	$26.7M	$23.6M	$3.0M	$75.2M	990 PDF
FY2023	$26.7M	$21.6M	$5.1M	$68.7M	990 PDF
FY2022	$39.2M	$21.9M	$17.3M	$62.0M	990 PDF
FY2021	$19.0M	$15.3M	$3.7M	$49.2M	990 PDF
FY2020	$16.1M	$17.0M	−$912K	$42.9M	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 FY2025 990 (6 parts)

Part I · Summary $30,218,299 revenue, 12 lines filed

I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $9,207,059$10,500,585

I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $12,413,271$14,171,964

I-10 Investment incomePrior year $621,422$412,420

I-11 Other revenuePrior year $4,421,850$5,133,330

I-12 Total revenuePrior year $26,663,602$30,218,299

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 $14,381,520$16,163,978

I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0

I-17 Other expensesPrior year $9,255,451$11,324,639

I-18 Total expensesPrior year $23,636,971$27,488,617

I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $3,026,631$2,729,682

Part VI · Governance 45 of 45 board members independent, no flags

VI-1a Voting members of the governing body45

VI-1b Independent voting members45

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 $30,218,299 across 13 lines filed

Lines not itemized here account for $2,979,028 of total revenue; see the IRS return.

VIII-1b Membership dues$1,568,385

VIII-1c Fundraising events$294,000

VIII-1d Related organizations$723,230

VIII-1e Government grants$602,223

VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$7,312,747

VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$2,067,142

VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$10,500,585

VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $14,171,964$14,171,964

VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $514,579$514,579

VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax −$102,159−$102,159

VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $2,142,702$2,142,702

VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $11,600$11,600

VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $17,162,592 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $2,555,122$30,218,299

Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $27,488,617 across 16 lines filed

IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $683,871 · Management $85,195 · Fundraising $152,944$922,010

IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $9,279,044 · Management $1,195,329 · Fundraising $2,059,793$12,534,166

IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $327,944 · Management $33,596 · Fundraising $76,188$437,728

IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $1,013,153 · Management $106,894 · Fundraising $234,159$1,354,206

IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $685,075 · Management $72,575 · Fundraising $158,218$915,868

IX-11b Legal feesManagement $110,386$110,386

IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $63,095$63,095

IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $2,328,272 · Management $201,456 · Fundraising $824,406$3,354,134

IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $671,865 · Management $83,465 · Fundraising $58,888$814,218

IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $981,044 · Management $35,587 · Fundraising $372,109$1,388,740

IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $303,229 · Management $12,103 · Fundraising $198,548$513,880

IX-17 TravelPrograms $328,038 · Management $170,325 · Fundraising $52,991$551,354

IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $1,485,776 · Management $131,892 · Fundraising $57,018$1,674,686

IX-23 InsurancePrograms $331,124 · Management $29,394 · Fundraising $12,707$373,225

IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,048,011 · Management $638,365 · Fundraising $172,461$1,858,837

IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $527,916 · Management $35,036 · Fundraising $59,132$622,084

IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $19,994,362 · Management $3,004,693 · Fundraising $4,489,562$27,488,617

Part X · Balance sheet $86,738,251 assets, 21 lines filed

X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $9,977,926$19,251,817

X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $3,971,321$1,220,246

X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $2,758,412$1,124,252

X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $165,208$132,750

X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $24,821$38,473

X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $1,753,788$4,599,490

X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $29,685,883$36,037,956

X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $11,313,411$626,208

X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $892,396$913,778

X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $1,360,858$1,360,858

X-15 Other assetsStart of year $19,949,903$21,432,423

X-16 Total assetsStart of year $81,853,927$86,738,251

X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $3,358,581$3,972,300

X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $2,503,763$2,643,913

X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $631,124$0

X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $158,249$259,213

X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $6,651,717$6,875,426

X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $40,461,293$54,402,655

X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $34,740,917$25,460,170

X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $75,202,210$79,862,825

X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $81,853,927$86,738,251

Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $79,862,825 net assets at year end

XI-1 Total revenue$30,218,299

XI-2 Total expenses$27,488,617

XI-3 Revenue less expenses$2,729,682

XI-4 Net assets at start of year$75,202,210

XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$350,302

XI-9 Other changes in net assets$1,580,631

XI-10 Net assets at end of year$79,862,825

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

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