The Mountain Lion Foundation supports policies that ensure the natural long term survival of Mountain lions across their historic range. The Foundation uses research, education, advocacy, legislation and litigation to influence private and public policies that affect the ecosystems upon which lions depend.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
74¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$78K 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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FY2023 · 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
2 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $95K a year · 12% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
74%
of spending
Fine: 74% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$78K
to officers and key staff · 11% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 11% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
12 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $1.8M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Looks good: 11.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
7
named funders · $92K
Looks good: 7 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$98K
4% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 4% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
8
of 8 voting members
Looks good: 8 of 8 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$735K
+45% vs prior year
Spent
$700K
To programs
74%
Net assets
$2.6M
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$735K
FY2023▲ +45%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$1.2M
FY2022$505K
FY2023$735K
FY2024$884K
FY2025$725K
Expenses
$700K
FY2023▼ -14%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$725K
FY2022$818K
FY2023$700K
FY2024$1.1M
FY2025$1.2M
Net assets
$2.6M
FY2023▲ +7%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$2.9M
FY2022$2.5M
FY2023$2.6M
FY2024$2.6M
FY2025$2.3M

From the FY2023 Form 990 (year ending June 2023) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2023 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 Nov 1986.

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

Where the money goes

74 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 74% · $520K Management & general 17% · $120K Fundraising 9% · $60K

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

10 people listed on the 990; $78K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2022); the FY2023 filing did not itemize Part VII
Former Exec Dir
$58,098Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Dir
$19,875Pt VII · Sec A
Board Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Brent Lyles’s $102K as Executive is at the 94th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1221 $100K–1M animals 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 · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Brent Lyles$102,292$98,335$19,875——
Debra Chase——$58,098$71,912$64,835
Fred Hull———$58,507—

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 Mountain Lion Foundation 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

Advocates for mountain lion survival through policy, research, education, and legal action.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $520K · in their own filed words · FY2022
01

Protection

The Mountain Lion Foundation cultivates proactive, community-based coexistence for the protection of both people and lions. We work in communities across the United States to highlight the fact that living with lions is not just possible, but simple.

$520Kprogram expense
02

Advocacy The Mountain Lion Foundation champions broad protections for mountain lions across the United States. Working with policymakers at the local, state, and federal levels, we empower our members and partners to advocate for strong protection for mountain lions and their habitats.

Pt IX · col B
03

Public Outreach and Communication The Mountain Lion Foundation fosters appreciation of mountain lions and their ecological significance. Mountain lions are an indispensable keystone species. However, like many top carnivores, mountain lions suffer from some widely held, but false and harmful misconceptions.

Pt IX · col B

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 7 funders →
Grants paid · 3 grants · $270K · 2023–2024
Cats Arent TrophiesFY2024$150,000
Fin & Fur Film ProductionsFY2023$100,000
Individual RecipientFY2023$20,000

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$735K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$721K
Investment incomeLn 3$11K
Other incomeLn 4–11$2K
Money outPt IX
$700K
Ln 25
Programscol B$520K
Managementcol C$120K
Fundraisingcol D$60K
Owns and owesPt X
$2.6M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$679K
Total assetsLn 16$2.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$98K
PeoplePt VI, VII
10
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b8
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$721K
Investment incomeLn 3$11K
Other incomeLn 4–11$2K
Gains on assetsLn 7−$27K
Total revenueLn 12$735K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$679K
SavingsLn 2$0
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$679K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.8M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Other assetsLn 15$63K
Total assetsLn 16$2.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$98K
Net assetsLn 32$2.6M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 59
VolunteersI 630
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 FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$784K$679K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.7M$1.8M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1K$0
Total assetsLn 16$2.5M$2.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$24K$98K
Net assetsLn 32$2.5M$2.6M
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$82K$24K$49K$8K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$357K$331K$15K$11K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$17K$16K$704$537
Payroll taxesLn 10$40K$32K$6K$2K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$5K$5K
Accounting feesLn 11c$35K$34K$1K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$3K$3K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$10K$99$150$10K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$0
Office expensesLn 13$21K$15K$2K$4K
Information technologyLn 14$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$33K$27K$4K$2K
TravelLn 17$20K$19K$254$382
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$5K$4K$407$586
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$1K$1K
InsuranceLn 23$5K$4K$414$598
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$55K$35K$2K$18K
All other expensesLn 24e$12K$6K$5K$820
Total functional expensesLn 25$700K$520K$120K$60K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $725K$1.2M−$492K$2.3M 990 PDF
FY2024 $884K$1.1M−$185K$2.6M 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $735K$700K$34K$2.6M 990 PDF
FY2022 $505K$818K−$312K$2.5M 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.2M$725K$482K$2.9M 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 FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $734,843 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $663,877$721,095
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $11,562$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year −$170,775$11,451
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $729$2,297
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $505,393$734,843
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $512,092$495,222
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $305,498$205,252
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $817,590$700,474
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$312,197$34,369
Part VI · Governance 8 of 8 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body8
VI-1b Independent voting members8
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 $734,843 across 9 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$721,095
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$721,095
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $38,500$38,500
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or loss$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax −$27,049−$27,049
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $2,297$2,297
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $2,297 · Excluded from tax $11,451$734,843
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $700,474 across 31 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 $24,495 · Management $48,989 · Fundraising $8,165$81,649
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $330,682 · Management $14,922 · Fundraising $11,402$357,006
IX-8 Pension plan contributions$0
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $15,591 · Management $704 · Fundraising $537$16,832
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $32,344 · Management $5,637 · Fundraising $1,754$39,735
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $5,000$5,000
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $33,942 · Fundraising $1,117$35,059
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $3,000$3,000
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $99 · Management $150 · Fundraising $10,205$10,454
IX-12 Advertising and promotion$0
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $14,670 · Management $2,229 · Fundraising $4,424$21,323
IX-14 Information technology$0
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $27,347 · Management $3,875 · Fundraising $1,634$32,856
IX-17 TravelPrograms $19,488 · Management $254 · Fundraising $382$20,124
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $3,517 · Management $407 · Fundraising $586$4,510
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $1,439$1,439
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $3,592 · Management $414 · Fundraising $598$4,604
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $34,810 · Management $2,014 · Fundraising $18,180$55,004
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $5,564 · Management $5,495 · Fundraising $820$11,879
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $520,199 · Management $120,471 · Fundraising $59,804$700,474
Part X · Balance sheet $2,721,919 assets, 20 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $784,274$678,675
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investments$0
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $37,741$175,866
X-4 Accounts receivable$0
X-8 Inventories for sale or use$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$9,169
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $1,439$0
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $1,656,485$1,795,095
X-12 Other securities$0
X-13 Program-related investments$0
X-14 Intangible assets$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $3,610$63,114
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $2,483,549$2,721,919
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $24,339$36,880
X-25 Other liabilities$61,308
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $24,339$98,188
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $2,311,949$2,325,365
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $147,261$298,366
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $2,459,210$2,623,731
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $2,483,549$2,721,919
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $2,623,731 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$734,843
XI-2 Total expenses$700,474
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$34,369
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$2,459,210
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$146,515
XI-7 Investment expenses−$16,363
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$2,623,731

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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