How the Nature Conservancy Spends Revenue (2023)
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.
The bottom line: most revenue is spent on compensation, outside fees, and office-related expenses. Less than 10% of revenue was spent on grants. Read more 
Executive Compensation at the National Confectioners Association (2024)
The National Confectioners Association (NCA) is tax-exempt, non-profit trade association (501 (c) 6) that promotes chocolate, candy, gum, and mints along with the companies that make these treats. Based in Washington, DC, the NCA focuses on 7 key areas:
- Public Policy and Government Affairs
- Scientific and Regulatory Affairs
- Industry Affairs and the Sweets & Snacks Expo
- International Business Development
- Meetings and Membership
- Public Affairs and Communications
- Administration and Finance
16 Employees at Texas Christian University Took Home $109 Million in Compensation
15 of the most highly compensated employees at Texas Christian University (a private, tax-exempt non-profit research university in Fort Worth, Texas that is affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) that has 11,000 undergraduate and 2,000 graduate students pursuing 114 undergraduate areas of study and 98 graduate degrees on the 300 acre campus a few miles from downtown Fort Worth) in 2024 took home $109 million in compensation from 2017-2024 (note: highly compensated employees in any of the years 2017-2023 but not in 2024 are not included (i.e. Gary Patterson, the former football coach who received $45 million in compensation from 2017-2022): Read more
Executive Compensation at Texas Christian University (2024)
Texas Christian University (TCU) is a private, tax-exempt non-profit research university in Fort Worth, Texas that is affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Approximately 11,000 undergraduate and 2,000 graduate students are pursuing 114 undergraduate areas of study and 98 graduate degrees on the 300 acre campus a few miles from downtown Fort Worth.
Tuition, room and board are approximately $80,000 annually for an undergraduate student (with about 80% receiving financial aid). With an acceptance rate of 40% (20,000 applications in 2024 of which 8,000 were accepted, and about 3,000 chose to attend), TCU counts about 55% of its students coming from out of state.
The bottom line: TCU took in enough revenue to pay all university expenses (including $7 million to the head football coach), give out $320 million in cash scholarships, and add nearly $200 million to the general fund (that had more than $3.4 billion in net assets at year-end).
10 Employees of Mercy Health (Wisconsin) Took Home $100 Million in Compensation
10 highly compensated employees of Mercy Health (a regional healthcare system with 7 hospitals and about 85 facilities in 50 communities in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois that is headquartered in Janesville, Wisconsin and also owns several organizations that are taxed as corporations including Mercycare Insurance Company, Rockford Health Insurance (which is domiciled in Bermuda), Mercycare HMO (which consolidated with Mercycare Insurance Company), and Janesville Medical Center, Inc (management of union employees) received nearly $100,000 in compensation from 2017-2023: Read more
Executive Compensation at Mercy Health (Wisconsin) 2023
Mercy Health (Mercyhealth) is a regional healthcare system with 7 hospitals and about 85 facilities in 50 communities in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Headquartered in Janesville, Wisconsin, Mercyhealth consists of many non-profit, tax-exempt organizations (9) and also owns several organizations that are taxed as corporations including Mercycare Insurance Company, Rockford Health Insurance (which is domiciled in Bermuda), Mercycare HMO (which consolidated with Mercycare Insurance Company), and Janesville Medical Center, Inc (management of union employees). Read more
Executive Compensation at the San Diego Zoo (2023)
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 is also known as one of the wealthiest zoos in the US with nearly $800 million in net assets. Read more
How Revenue is Spent at the San Diego Zoo (2023)
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. Known as one of the wealthiest zoos in the country, the SDZWA has nearly $800 million in net assets (which was primarily accumulated by not spending as much as the organization raises).
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, $392 million in 2022, and $411 million in 2023).
There are 12 independent voting members (trustees) of the governing body, 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 Donations are Used at Toys For Tots (2023)
Toys for Tots is one of the most well known organizations whose mission is to work with the US Marine Corp to collect new unwrapped toys and distribute those toys to economically disadvantaged children at Christmas time. A non-profit, tax-exempt 501 (c) 3, Toys for Tots is legally known as Marine Toys for Tots Foundation but nearly everyone refers to the organization as “Toys for Tots.”
There are 13 voting members of the governing party, 12 of whom are independent. 9 of the 13 (69%) directors are male while 4 (31%) are female.
So, if you made a donation in 2023, where did it go? It depends. If you donated a toy, then more than likely, a child received that toy. If you made a cash donation, then the funds were probably used to pay for organization expenses (i.e. compensation, office-related expenses, fees for services, etc) or to purchase toys. How do I know this? Because the Form 990 that Toys for Tots submitted to the IRS (2023) reports the following information: Read more
15 Employees of Texas Christian University (TCU) Took Home Nearly $100 Million in Compensation
15 of the most highly compensated employees at Texas Christian University (a private, tax-exempt non-profit research university in Fort Worth, Texas that is affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) that has 11,000 undergraduate and 2,000 graduate students pursuing 114 undergraduate areas of study and 98 graduate degrees on the 300 acre campus a few miles from downtown Fort Worth) in 2023 took home nearly $100 million in compensation from 2017-2023 (note: highly compensated employees in any of the years 2017-2022 but not in 2023 are not included (i.e. Gary Patterson, the former football coach who received $45 million in compensation from 2017-2022): Read more
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