Executive Compensation at the Nature Conservancy (2022)
The Nature Conservancy – a 501 (c) (3) based in Arlington, Virginia – whose mission is “to conserve land and waters on which all life depends” has been around since 1951 and is one of the most popular and wealthy non-profits in the country.
There are 23 voting members (directors) of the governing body, 21 of whom are independent, although the Form 990 lists 25 directors (due to timing differences) – 13 (52%) of whom are male and 12 (48%).of whom are female.
The most recent financial information (the 2021 IRS Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2022) reports the organization raised $1.3 billion and spent $1 billion. The difference between revenue raised and revenue spent was $300 million which along with nearly $700 million in net unrealized losses on investments and other changes in assets helped decrease net fund assets from $7.8 billion at the beginning of the year to $7.5 billion at the end of the year. Read more 
Where Does $100 to the Nature Conservancy Go (2022)?
The Nature Conservancy raises more than $1 billion a year and has nearly $8 billion in net assets , making the organization one of the most well capitalized non-profits in the country. If you’ve ever wondered how a donation is spent but don’t feel inclined to read the dozens and dozens of pages of the IRS Form 990 (the tax return submitted to the IRS annually), then continue reading. Read more
Executive Compensation at the National Geographic Society (2022)
The National Geographic Society (NGS) is a tax-exempt non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization based in Washington, DC that primarily relies on investment income (gains on the sale of investments, dividends, interest, etc), royalties, and contributions for revenue. With $1.5 billion in net assets (down $250 million since last year due to unrealized losses on investments), NGS has the ability to rely on these resources to keep their programs going when contributions, gifts, and grants (roughly $20-$50 million annually) are not enough, and when revenue greatly decreases due to unforeseen circumstances, like the pandemic in 2020. Read more
Executive Compensation at the National Geographic Society (2021)
When we think of the National Geographic Society (NGS), we often think of the magazine, which according to my childhood friends, was the first magazine they could look through to see naked people. But, the National Geographic Society is so much more than just the magazine. In their own words, they “identify and invest in an international community of explorers: leading scientists, educators, storytellers, conservationists, technologists, and many other change makers who help us define some of the critical challenges of our time….”
The NGS is a tax-exempt non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization based in Washington, DC that primarily relies on investment income (gains on the sale of investments, dividends, interest, etc), royalties, and contributions for revenue. With $1.7 billion in net assets, NGS has the ability to rely on these resources to keep their programs going when contributions, gifts, and grants (roughly $20-$50 million annually) are not enough, and when revenue greatly decreases due to unforeseen circumstances, like the pandemic in 2020. Read more
Executive Compensation at the San Diego Zoo (2022)
The Zoological Society of San Diego is more popularly known, and does business as the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (SDZWA). A tax-exempt, non-profit conservation organization, and perhaps more widely known for the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, SDZWA does not release membership data but the Form 990 reports membership dues were $3.8 million in 2022.
There are 11 independent voting members (trustees) of the governing body (although 12 are listed on the Form 990 due to timing differences), 8 (75%) of whom are male while 3 (25%) are female (note: The 990 does not report gender; determinations were made based on name and google searches). Read more
How Revenue is Spent at the San Diego Zoo (2022)
The Zoological Society of San Diego is more popularly known, and does business as the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (SDZWA) but is often referred to as simply the San Diego Zoo. A tax-exempt, non-profit conservation organization, SDZWA has been advertising in the Wall Street Journal trying to raise funds (total revenue dipped from $422 million in 2019 to $247 million in 2020 but then increased to $356 million in 2021).
There are 11 independent voting members (trustees) of the governing body (although 12 are listed on the Form 990 due to timing differences), 8 (75%) of whom are male while 3 (25%) are female (note: The 990 does not report gender; determinations were made based on name and google searches). Read more
Alice Waters: Put Your Menu Where Your Mouth Is
Recently, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) printed a piece on food and specifically the food of the south of France. Underlying the story is a question: Why are we so hungry for the food of the South of France right now? In trying to answer that question, Alice Waters, the 79-year old founder of Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California said
We need to make our diets healthy by eating more fruit and vegetables and less meat, and we need to respond to climate change with farming methods that protect and renew the earth…which is what they’ve been doing in the south of France for centuries.
Executive Compensation at Dairy Management (2022)
Dairy Management Inc (DMI) is the big organization that most people haven’t heard of because unless you’re a dairy producer, work in the dairy industry, or work in the corporate offices of Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Dominoe’s, or KFC, you would have no reason to know that this non-profit, tax-exempt 501 (c) (6) is the most powerful non-profit dairy organization in the country.
Considered a “check-off” program authorized by Congress but responsible to their members, DMI’s mission is to increase consumption of dairy products by finding more ways to get dairy products to the public including assisting fast food companies with menu items. Read more
How Dairy Management Spends Revenue (2022)
Dairy Management Inc (DMI) is a non-profit, tax-exempt 501 (c) (6) whose purpose is to promote dairy products in order to increase consumption of dairy products.
Funded by a mandate by Congress, DMI is what is referred to as a “check off program” where all producers have to contribute funds for the good of the industry. Dairy producers are required to contribute 15 cents per 100 pounds (foreign dairy producers are required to contribute 7.5 cents per 100 pounds) which equates to about 1.5 cents per gallon of milk, all of which adds up to about $150-$180 million annually (which is then spent on marketing (about 60%), administrative organization expenses (about 30%) and export expenses (about 10%). Read more
Executive Compensation at the ASPCA (2022)
The ASPCA is a non-profit tax-exempt 501 (c) (3) based in New York City, New York. As such, the organization submits a Form 990 to the IRS annually and makes a copy available to the public. The most recent IRS Form 990 (2022) reports the ASPCA: Read more
