Is it real?
Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in May 1991.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
47 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.
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
25 people listed on the 990; $121K paid to officers and key staff.
Amanda Hofmann-Handy’s $96K as CEO (left 6/6/25) is at the 25th 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 · 6 named individuals · Part VII
| Name | FY2025 | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 | FY2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Owen | — | — | $157,728 | $167,043 | $118,385 | $120,796 |
| Jakki Casey | — | — | $112,215 | $108,963 | $79,431 | — |
| Amanda Hofmann-Handy | $96,234 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Bridget Blixt | $91,884 | $79,956 | — | — | — | — |
| Kelly McCullough | — | $74,548 | $26,000 | — | — | — |
| Gary Schalla | — | — | $61,608 | — | — | — |
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
Preserves natural open space through science, education, and stewardship.
Questions for McDowell Sonoran Conservancy
Your first name shows with your question. McDowell Sonoran Conservancy answers here, for everyone.
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Stewardship our 650 volunteers continued to deliver in-person programs until COVID-19 caused us to pause. This included over 150 free public guided hikes and bike rides, providing trailhead ambassadors and educating youth and families in the mcdowell sonoran preserve.
Science our scientific work is targeted to four key areas, restoration, invasive non-native species, habitat connectivity and protecting biodiversity. In all four areas we are completing leading edge scientific research within the mcdowell sonoran preserve in addition to playing a regional leadership role.
Education our educational programs target four groups, youth, adults, families and our volunteers. COVID-19 forced us to pivot to online offerings which have been designed to ensure we continue to provide meaningful and impactful experiences.
Funders
Who pays for it.
From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.
Grants
By the numbers
The FY2020 990, line by line.
Download 990
| Line | Start FY20 | End FY20 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and savingsLn 1–2 | $221K | $465K |
| InvestmentsLn 11–13 | $532K | $364K |
| Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c | $409K | $392K |
| Total assetsLn 16 | $1.5M | $1.6M |
| LiabilitiesLn 26 | $65K | $263K |
| Net assetsLn 32 | $1.4M | $1.3M |
| Line | Total | Programs | Management | Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1 | $0 | |||
| Grants to domestic individualsLn 2 | $0 | |||
| Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3 | $0 | |||
| Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4 | $0 | |||
| Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5 | $125K | $56K | $13K | $55K |
| Pay of disqualified personsLn 6 | $0 | |||
| Other salaries and wagesLn 7 | $511K | $231K | $54K | $226K |
| Pension plan contributionsLn 8 | $0 | |||
| Other employee benefitsLn 9 | $30K | $13K | $3K | $13K |
| Payroll taxesLn 10 | $54K | $24K | $6K | $24K |
| Management feesLn 11a | $0 | |||
| Legal feesLn 11b | $0 | |||
| Accounting feesLn 11c | $29K | $29K | ||
| Lobbying feesLn 11d | $0 | |||
| Professional fundraising feesLn 11e | $18K | $18K | ||
| Investment management feesLn 11f | $4K | $4K | ||
| Other fees for servicesLn 11g | $136K | $97K | $19K | $20K |
| Advertising and promotionLn 12 | $2K | $2K | ||
| Office expensesLn 13 | $136K | $64K | $31K | $42K |
| Information technologyLn 14 | $33K | $14K | $10K | $9K |
| RoyaltiesLn 15 | $0 | |||
| OccupancyLn 16 | $59K | $27K | $14K | $18K |
| TravelLn 17 | $20K | $7K | $7K | $6K |
| Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18 | $0 | |||
| Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19 | $30K | $30K | ||
| InterestLn 20 | $1K | $1K | ||
| Payments to affiliatesLn 21 | $0 | |||
| Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22 | $20K | $14K | $3K | $3K |
| InsuranceLn 23 | $11K | $5K | $2K | $3K |
| Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24 | $57K | $17K | $25K | $14K |
| All other expensesLn 24e | $2K | $798 | $186 | $782 |
| Total functional expensesLn 25 | $1.3M | $600K | $221K | $455K |
Filing history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 Latest | $1.4M | $1.6M | −$165K | $852K | 990 PDF |
| FY2024 | $1.3M | $1.8M | −$476K | $1.0M | 990 PDF |
| FY2023 | $1.5M | $2.6M | −$1.0M | $1.5M | 990 PDF |
| FY2022 | $1.8M | $1.9M | −$144K | $2.5M | 990 PDF |
| FY2021 | $2.5M | $1.1M | $1.3M | $2.7M | 990 PDF |
| FY2020 Viewing | $1.2M | $1.3M | −$83K | $1.3M | 990 PDF |
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Schedules filed Part IV
See the full FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,192,899 revenue, 12 lines filed
Part VI · Governance 24 of 24 board members independent, no flags
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,192,899 across 9 lines filed
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,275,887 across 31 lines filed
Part X · Balance sheet $1,582,494 assets, 18 lines filed
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,319,563 net assets at year end
Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File
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