The McDowell Sonoran Conservancy preserves and advances natural open space through science, education and stewardship. As stewards of the preserve, we connect the community to their natural environment for this and future generations.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
32¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$155K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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FY2024 · 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
1 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $97K a year · 6% of revenue · last 6 filings
Concern: a surplus in 1 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
32%
of spending
Concern: 32% of spending went to programs; under 50%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$155K
to officers and key staff · 9% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 9% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $320K in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Fine: 1.7 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
28
named funders · $740K
Looks good: 28 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$931K
48% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 48% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
22
of 22 voting members
Looks good: 22 of 22 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.3M
-13% vs prior year
Spent
$1.8M
To programs
32%
Net assets
$1.0M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$1.3M
FY2024▼ -13%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.2M
FY2021$2.5M
FY2022$1.8M
FY2023$1.5M
FY2024$1.3M
FY2025$1.4M
Expenses
$1.8M
FY2024▼ -30%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$1.3M
FY2021$1.1M
FY2022$1.9M
FY2023$2.6M
FY2024$1.8M
FY2025$1.6M
Net assets
$1.0M
FY2024▼ -31%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$1.3M
FY2021$2.7M
FY2022$2.5M
FY2023$1.5M
FY2024$1.0M
FY2025$852K

From the FY2024 Form 990 (year ending June 2024) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2024 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 May 1991.

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

Where the money goes

32 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 32% · $574K Management & general 37% · $665K Fundraising 31% · $564K

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

26 people listed on the 990; $155K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2023); the FY2024 filing did not itemize Part VII
$79,956Pt VII · Sec A
Interim CEO Until 3/2024
$74,548Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
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.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $574K · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

Through our youth education program, we taught 4000 students about the sonoran desert and the importance of conservation efforts in the mcdowell sonoran preserve. Over 600 volunteers logged over 73,000 hours assisting us in providing our services to the community.

$574Kprogram 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
See all 28 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.3M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.3M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$235K
Investment incomeLn 3$6K
Money outPt IX
$1.8M
Ln 25
Programscol B$574K
Managementcol C$665K
Fundraisingcol D$564K
Owns and owesPt X
$1.0M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$251K
Total assetsLn 16$1.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$931K
PeoplePt VI, VII
26
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a22
IndependentVI 1b22
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.3M
Government grantsLn 1e$226K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$7K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$365K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$235K
Investment incomeLn 3$6K
Gains on assetsLn 7−$295
Total revenueLn 12$1.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$167K
SavingsLn 2$84K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$251K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$320K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$410K
Other assetsLn 15$495K
Total assetsLn 16$1.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$931K
Net assetsLn 32$1.0M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 513
VolunteersI 6625
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$124K$251K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$320K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$432K$410K
Total assetsLn 16$2.6M$1.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.1M$931K
Net assetsLn 32$1.5M$1.0M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
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$214K$60K$89K$65K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$710K$257K$276K$176K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$10K$4K$4K$3K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$39K$14K$15K$10K
Payroll taxesLn 10$67K$24K$26K$17K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$99K$10K$47K$42K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$21K$21K
Investment management feesLn 11f$2K$2K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$108K$15K$49K$43K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$885$47$218$620
Office expensesLn 13$143K$32K$37K$75K
Information technologyLn 14$39K$4K$18K$17K
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$206K$75K$80K$51K
TravelLn 17$7K$699$40$6K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$86K$52K$6K$29K
InterestLn 20$10K$7K$2K
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$31K$23K$4K$4K
InsuranceLn 23$12K$4K$5K$3K
All other expensesLn 24e$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.8M$574K$665K$564K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $1.4M$1.6M−$165K$852K 990 PDF
FY2024 Viewing $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 $1.2M$1.3M−$83K$1.3M 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 FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,328,002 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,278,962$1,318,243
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $219,422$234,602
I-10 Investment incomePrior year −$1,072$6,188
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $24,699−$231,031
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,522,011$1,328,002
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,300,442$1,040,190
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $115,272$21,180
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,151,197$742,446
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $2,566,911$1,803,816
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$1,044,900−$475,814
Part VI · Governance 22 of 22 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body22
VI-1b Independent voting members22
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 $1,328,002 across 11 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $5,628 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$131
VIII-1c Fundraising events$364,689
VIII-1e Government grants$226,235
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$727,188
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$6,592
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,318,243
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $234,602$234,602
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $6,483$6,483
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax −$295−$295
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$236,659−$236,659
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $240,230 · Excluded from tax −$230,471$1,328,002
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,803,816 across 30 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $60,347 · Management $88,658 · Fundraising $64,944$213,949
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $257,220 · Management $276,274 · Fundraising $176,490$709,984
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $3,651 · Management $3,921 · Fundraising $2,505$10,077
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $14,280 · Management $15,338 · Fundraising $9,798$39,416
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $24,188 · Management $25,980 · Fundraising $16,596$66,764
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal fees$0
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $9,947 · Management $46,561 · Fundraising $42,246$98,754
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $21,180$21,180
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $1,832$1,832
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $14,719 · Management $49,478 · Fundraising $43,340$107,537
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $47 · Management $218 · Fundraising $620$885
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $31,826 · Management $36,594 · Fundraising $74,761$143,181
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $3,908 · Management $18,291 · Fundraising $16,596$38,795
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $74,593 · Management $80,119 · Fundraising $51,182$205,894
IX-17 TravelPrograms $699 · Management $40 · Fundraising $6,368$7,107
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $51,911 · Management $5,704 · Fundraising $28,629$86,244
IX-20 InterestManagement $7,424 · Fundraising $2,189$9,613
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $22,806 · Management $4,036 · Fundraising $4,036$30,878
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $4,248 · Management $4,563 · Fundraising $2,915$11,726
IX-24e All other expenses$0
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $574,390 · Management $665,031 · Fundraising $564,395$1,803,816
Part X · Balance sheet $1,948,144 assets, 19 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $90,164$167,485
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $33,356$83,867
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $901,665$361,376
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $47,851$18,932
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $26,518$24,499
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $18,795$24,167
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $431,729$410,423
X-11 Publicly traded securities$319,555
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $38,379$43,337
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $659,101$494,503
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $2,624,813$1,948,144
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $129,307$91,014
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $348,536$339,637
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $664,729$500,448
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,142,572$931,099
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year −$196,507$23,821
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $1,678,748$993,224
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,482,241$1,017,045
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $2,624,813$1,948,144
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,017,045 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,328,002
XI-2 Total expenses$1,803,816
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$475,814
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,482,241
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$10,618
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,017,045

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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