Sustainable Conservation advances the collaborative stewardship of Californias land, air, and water for the benefit of nature and people. For over three decades, Sustainable Conservation has built coalitions of people with different interests to catalyze conservation success. By listening deeply and honoring all perspectives, we build common ground from which to forge a better path forward for our Golden State.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
73¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$1.1M paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

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
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $1.0M a year · 16% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
73%
of spending
Fine: 73% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.1M
to officers and key staff · 20% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 20% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $4.0M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Fine: 2.9 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $2K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$1.3M
18% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 18% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
16
of 16 voting members
Looks good: 16 of 16 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$5.4M
+0.8% vs prior year
Spent
$5.6M
To programs
73%
Net assets
$6.2M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$5.4M
FY2023▲ +0.8%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$4.8M
FY2021$5.2M
FY2022$5.4M
FY2023$5.4M
FY2024$8.8M
FY2025$9.7M
Expenses
$5.6M
FY2023▲ +16%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$4.9M
FY2021$4.4M
FY2022$4.8M
FY2023$5.6M
FY2024$6.3M
FY2025$7.0M
Net assets
$6.2M
FY2023▼ -3%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$5.3M
FY2021$6.2M
FY2022$6.4M
FY2023$6.2M
FY2024$8.8M
FY2025$11.5M

From the FY2023 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim
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 Sep 1996.

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

Where the money goes

73 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 73% · $4.1M Management & general 10% · $585K Fundraising 17% · $924K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

24 people listed on the 990; $1.1M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$187,633Pt VII · Sec A
$162,311Pt VII · Sec A
$136,697Pt VII · Sec A
SR Program Dir Acr
$130,000Pt VII · Sec A
SR Dir Circ Econ
$128,094Pt VII · Sec A
Dir Ind Giv & Lgcy
$124,500Pt VII · Sec A
SR Dir Water Ff
$122,400Pt VII · Sec A
Chief People Offic
$118,400Pt VII · Sec A

Ashley Boren’s $253K as CEO is at the 94th 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 · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Ashley Boren$253,475$210,340$187,633$185,014$193,864$173,540
Michael Behrens$168,726$167,186$162,311$157,561$154,535$144,397
Pinky Keswani$153,015$144,580$118,400———
Ryan Flaherty$152,930$145,242$128,094$125,327$122,354$119,649
Erika Lovejoy$151,861$143,360$130,000$125,250$120,000—
Richael Keller$148,350$133,434————
Gina Pacheu——$136,697$148,061$140,431$135,111
Daniel Mountjoy——$122,400$119,050$146,000$142,200

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 Sustainable Conservation executive salaries →

On this list? Claim this org

Something off? Claim to add context

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

Uniting people to solve tough land, air, and water challenges for California's future.

Questions for Sustainable Conservation

Tap to ask. Sustainable Conservation sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Sustainable Conservation answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

Know this org? Add your story

3 programs · $3.7M · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

California faces big challenges when it comes to our water supplies. Our limited and less reliable fresh water is being stretched to meet the needs of the environment and growing urban and farming demands, while our groundwater supplies are steadily declining.

$2.1Mprogram expense
02

Healthy soils are the foundation of productive farmland and a critical tool for addressing Californias water challenges in the face of climate change. Were all connected by land, air, and water, and understanding how we can improve soil health will help us co-create a more sustainable California.

$801Kprogram expense
03

California boasts iconic plants and animals, some found nowhere else on the planet, but more than 350 of these species and their habitats are threatened because weve significantly altered the states landscapes. This includes the destruction of 90% of Californias riparian forests and ongoing pollution in a vast majority of waterways.

$801Kprogram 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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$2K
Grants paid · 2 grants · $45K · 2024–2025
Individual RecipientFY2024$25,000

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$5.4M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$4.0M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.1M
Investment incomeLn 3$334K
Money outPt IX
$5.6M
Ln 25
Programscol B$4.1M
Managementcol C$585K
Fundraisingcol D$924K
Owns and owesPt X
$6.2M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.4M
Total assetsLn 16$7.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.3M
PeoplePt VI, VII
24
listed · VII A
PaidVII A8
Voting boardVI 1a16
IndependentVI 1b16
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$4.0M
Government grantsLn 1e$127K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$71K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.1M
Investment incomeLn 3$334K
Other incomeLn 4–11$25K
Gains on assetsLn 7$0
Total revenueLn 12$5.4M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.3M
SavingsLn 2$55K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$4.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$476K
Other assetsLn 15$805K
Total assetsLn 16$7.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.3M
Net assetsLn 32$6.2M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 538
VolunteersI 615
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
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$1.2M$1.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$3.9M$4.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$616K$476K
Total assetsLn 16$8.0M$7.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.6M$1.3M
Net assetsLn 32$6.4M$6.2M
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$591K$269K$178K$144K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$2.5M$1.9M$207K$424K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$119K$90K$10K$19K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$385K$291K$30K$64K
Payroll taxesLn 10$230K$165K$24K$40K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$26K$26K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$60K$60K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$705K$694K$4K$7K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$4K$4K$1$2
Office expensesLn 13$213K$125K$15K$73K
Information technologyLn 14$95K$46K$18K$31K
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$332K$227K$37K$67K
TravelLn 17$65K$59K$2K$4K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$37K$20K$2K$15K
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$156K$103K$19K$34K
InsuranceLn 23$34K$21K$12K$2K
All other expensesLn 24e$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$5.6M$4.1M$585K$924K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $9.7M$7.0M$2.7M$11.5M 990 PDF
FY2024 $8.8M$6.3M$2.6M$8.8M 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $5.4M$5.6M−$187K$6.2M 990 PDF
FY2022 $5.4M$4.8M$542K$6.4M 990 PDF
FY2021 $5.2M$4.4M$846K$6.2M 990 PDF
FY2020 $4.8M$4.9M−$135K$5.3M 990 PDF

More to add? Claim this org

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support M · Noncash J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $5,412,592 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $4,685,826$3,979,888
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $614,306$1,074,437
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $42,073$333,656
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $26,030$24,611
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $5,368,235$5,412,592
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $3,535,925$3,869,894
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,290,111$1,729,437
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $4,826,036$5,599,331
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $542,199−$186,739
Part VI · Governance 16 of 16 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body16
VI-1b Independent voting members16
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 $5,412,592 across 12 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$126,678
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$3,853,210
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$70,714
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$3,979,888
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $1,074,437$1,074,437
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $333,656$333,656
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or loss$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assets$0
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $24,611$24,611
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $1,074,437 · Excluded from tax $358,267$5,412,592
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $5,599,331 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 $268,837 · Management $178,159 · Fundraising $143,793$590,789
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,914,950 · Management $207,040 · Fundraising $423,965$2,545,955
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $90,466 · Management $9,527 · Fundraising $18,531$118,524
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $291,156 · Management $29,881 · Fundraising $63,742$384,779
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $165,031 · Management $24,336 · Fundraising $40,480$229,847
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal fees$0
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $26,458$26,458
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $60,000$60,000
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $694,433 · Management $3,554 · Fundraising $7,036$705,023
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $3,937 · Management $1 · Fundraising $2$3,940
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $125,380 · Management $14,744 · Fundraising $73,238$213,362
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $46,060 · Management $18,223 · Fundraising $31,071$95,354
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $227,461 · Management $37,268 · Fundraising $67,394$332,123
IX-17 TravelPrograms $58,919 · Management $2,322 · Fundraising $4,247$65,488
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $20,156 · Management $2,230 · Fundraising $14,564$36,950
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $102,877 · Management $18,997 · Fundraising $34,433$156,307
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $20,962 · Management $11,955 · Fundraising $1,515$34,432
IX-24e All other expenses$0
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $4,090,625 · Management $584,695 · Fundraising $924,011$5,599,331
Part X · Balance sheet $7,567,785 assets, 21 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $945,672$1,319,050
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $258,313$54,509
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $704,874$511,892
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $384,213$290,724
X-8 Inventories for sale or use$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $116,456$138,032
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $616,472$476,437
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $3,918,623$3,971,907
X-12 Other securities$0
X-13 Program-related investments$0
X-14 Intangible assets$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $1,040,657$805,234
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $7,985,280$7,567,785
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $365,818$390,392
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $15,000$15,000
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $1,180,099$924,769
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,560,917$1,330,161
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $3,325,558$3,258,325
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $3,098,805$2,979,299
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $6,424,363$6,237,624
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $7,985,280$7,567,785
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $6,237,624 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$5,412,592
XI-2 Total expenses$5,599,331
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$186,739
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$6,424,363
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$6,237,624

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

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

Your org? Add context

Made it to the end? Claim this org

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.