Methow Conservancy

Tax-deductible

Winthrop, WA501(c)(3)Youth DevelopmentEIN 91-1588861Revenue $1.8M in FY2025

On file with the IRSmethowconservancy.orgPo Box 71, 98862-0071 · Winthrop, WATax-exempt since Feb 1994Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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To inspire people to care for and conserve the land of the Methow valley by working with willing private land owners to create conservation easements, sustaining a stewardship program to care for the land we protect and by offering information and tangible education programs about living thoughtfully with the land in the Methow valley.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
70¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 120 volunteers and 11 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
5 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $2.6M a year · 56% of revenue · last 5 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 5 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
70%
of spending
Fine: 70% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$106K
to officers and key staff · 7% of spending
Top officer’s pay lower than 68% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 7% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
33 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 33.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
21
named funders · $599K
Looks good: 21 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$48K
0.2% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
14
of 14 voting members
Looks good: 14 of 14 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.8M
-77% vs prior year
Spent
$1.5M
To programs
70%
Net assets
$19.4M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$1.8M
FY2025▼ -77%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$2.8M
FY2021$4.5M
FY2023$5.9M
FY2024$7.7M
FY2025$1.8M
Expenses
$1.5M
FY2025▲ +12%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$1.1M
FY2021$3.7M
FY2023$2.3M
FY2024$1.4M
FY2025$1.5M
Net assets
$19.4M
FY2025▲ +2%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$8.3M
FY2021$9.9M
FY2023$12.5M
FY2024$19.1M
FY2025$19.4M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending March 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 Feb 1994.

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

Where the money goes

70 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 70% · $1.1M Management & general 25% · $382K Fundraising 5% · $77K

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

16 people listed on the 990; $106K 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 Director
$106,000Pt VII · Sec A
Vice-President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Sarah Brooks’s $106K as Executive Director is at the 32nd percentile of top reported officer pay among 1552 $1–10M youth development 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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2021FY2020
Jason Paulsen——$43,896$103,318$106,546
Sarah Brooks$106,000$102,333$87,942$71,678$74,925

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 Methow Conservancy 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

Protects Methow Valley land through conservation easements and education for private owners.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $1.0M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Continuing conservation easement program development and land protection efforts. Approximately 6,000 people benefited and critical wildlife habitat, including endangered species habitat protected.

$783Kprogram expense
02

Continuing environmental education outreach and educational courses and programs. Approximately 1,300 people benefited.

$144Kprogram expense
03

Continuing development of stewardship program. Monitoring and enforcing all easements, conservation planning for landowners, conservation mapping and restoration projects. Approximately 5,000 people benefited.

$107Kprogram 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 · FY2024
See all 21 funders →
Grants paid · 2 grants · $18K · 2023–2023
Individual RecipientFY2023$17,084
Unitemized GrantFY2023$1,000

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.8M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.4M
Investment incomeLn 3$300K
Other incomeLn 4–11$39K
Money outPt IX
$1.5M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.1M
Managementcol C$382K
Fundraisingcol D$77K
Owns and owesPt X
$19.4M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$4.3M
Total assetsLn 16$19.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$48K
PeoplePt VI, VII
16
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a14
IndependentVI 1b14
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.4M
Government grantsLn 1e$137K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$170K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$13K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$17K
Investment incomeLn 3$300K
Other incomeLn 4–11$39K
Gains on assetsLn 7$31K
Total revenueLn 12$1.8M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$230K
SavingsLn 2$4.0M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$4.3M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$3.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.4M
Other assetsLn 15$9.7M
Total assetsLn 16$19.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$48K
Net assetsLn 32$19.4M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 511
VolunteersI 6120
Fiscal year endsHeaderMarch
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$4.1M$4.3M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$3.5M$3.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.5M$1.4M
Total assetsLn 16$19.2M$19.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$49K$48K
Net assetsLn 32$19.1M$19.4M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$35K$35K
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$10K$10K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$109K$55K$27K$27K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$491K$377K$77K$37K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$15K$11K$2K$1K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$58K$42K$10K$6K
Payroll taxesLn 10$49K$36K$9K$5K
Legal feesLn 11b$20K$20K
Accounting feesLn 11c$29K$29K
Investment management feesLn 11f$49K$49K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$104K$104K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$1K$1K
Office expensesLn 13$22K$15K$7K$215
Information technologyLn 14$22K$2K$21K
OccupancyLn 16$64K$46K$18K
TravelLn 17$9K$9K$298$47
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$34K$29K$5K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$71K$71K
InsuranceLn 23$49K$10K$40K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$294K$276K$17K
All other expensesLn 24e$216$216
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.5M$1.1M$382K$77K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $1.8M$1.5M$237K$19.4M 990 PDF
FY2024 $7.7M$1.4M$6.3M$19.1M 990 PDF
FY2023 $5.9M$2.3M$3.6M$12.5M 990 PDF
FY2022 Not on file
FY2021 $4.5M$3.7M$843K$9.9M 990 PDF
FY2020 $2.8M$1.1M$1.8M$8.3M 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 $1,772,569 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $7,292,111$1,415,897
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $9,578$16,928
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $380,471$300,422
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $27,171$39,322
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $7,709,331$1,772,569
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $33,541$44,283
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $724,975$722,649
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $613,846$768,466
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,372,362$1,535,398
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $6,336,969$237,171
Part VI · Governance 14 of 14 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body14
VI-1b Independent voting members14
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 $1,772,569 across 11 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$12,875
VIII-1e Government grants$137,046
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,265,976
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$169,683
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,415,897
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $16,928$16,928
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $269,787$269,787
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $54,686$54,686
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $30,635$30,635
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$15,364−$15,364
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $16,928 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $339,744$1,772,569
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,535,398 across 21 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $34,692$34,692
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $9,591$9,591
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $54,590 · Management $27,295 · Fundraising $27,295$109,180
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $376,911 · Management $77,265 · Fundraising $36,682$490,858
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $11,469 · Management $2,357 · Fundraising $1,124$14,950
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $41,926 · Management $10,119 · Fundraising $6,162$58,207
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $35,621 · Management $8,598 · Fundraising $5,235$49,454
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $19,688$19,688
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $28,681$28,681
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $49,162$49,162
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $103,985$103,985
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $1,152$1,152
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $15,288 · Management $6,773 · Fundraising $215$22,276
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $1,786 · Management $20,529$22,315
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $46,137 · Management $18,025$64,162
IX-17 TravelPrograms $8,613 · Management $298 · Fundraising $47$8,958
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $29,436 · Management $4,816$34,252
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $70,504$70,504
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $9,594 · Management $39,713$49,307
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $276,403 · Management $17,405$293,808
IX-24e All other expensesManagement $216$216
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,076,882 · Management $381,756 · Fundraising $76,760$1,535,398
Part X · Balance sheet $19,492,043 assets, 14 lines filed
Asset lines not itemized here account for $25,691; see the IRS return.
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $2,566,281$229,911
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $1,524,299$4,037,931
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $354,613$155,354
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $10,163$13,065
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $1,474,098$1,394,891
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $3,488,551$3,919,396
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $9,750,496$9,715,804
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $19,194,192$19,492,043
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $48,590$48,203
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $48,590$48,203
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $16,332,160$16,647,477
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $2,813,442$2,796,363
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $19,145,602$19,443,840
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $19,194,192$19,492,043
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $19,443,840 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,772,569
XI-2 Total expenses$1,535,398
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$237,171
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$19,145,602
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$61,067
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$19,443,840

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

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