The Trust for Public Land
The Trust for Public Land reported $301.2 million in revenue and $282.5 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $84.58 went to program services, $8.50 to management and general costs and $6.92 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 81.5% of the total. Government grants made up 26.0%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $556,863 (PRESIDENT (THRU 9/30/24)). 178 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 113% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $283MFor context, the median across 371 covered environment charities: $85.82 programs, $10.80 management, $3.38 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $301MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 84.6% | 83.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 8.5% | 10.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 6.9% | 3.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.08 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 81.5% | 87.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 26.0% | 4.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 15.9% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $556,863 | $293,532 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.20% | 1.74% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 178 | 7 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 11.2 | 18.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 30 of 31 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseLand - we completed 58 conservation transactions that protected 100,060 acres
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT (THRU 9/30/24) Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $525,365 | $0 | $31,498 | $556,863 |
| SVP/CHIEF PHILANTHROPY OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $440,518 | $0 | $33,892 | $474,410 |
| EXEC VP/ CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $317,086 | $0 | $50,525 | $367,611 |
| SVP/CHIEF FINANCIAL & ADMIN OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $316,658 | $0 | $43,658 | $360,316 |
| SVP, LAND AND PEOPLE LAB Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $296,825 | $0 | $21,476 | $318,301 |
| SVP, POLICY, ADVOCACY, & GOV'T RELATIONS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $255,061 | $0 | $46,851 | $301,912 |
| CHIEF IMPACT OFFICER (THRU 9/30/24) Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $261,420 | $0 | $32,255 | $293,675 |
| SVP, GENERAL COUNSEL/CORP SECRETARY Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $259,068 | $0 | $28,205 | $287,273 |
178 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Trust for Public Land (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $6.7M (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b31 · 30 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5437
- Volunteers Part I, line 6331
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| MSM EMPIRE CONSTRUCTION Construction services | $9,264,577 |
| DOYLE-BALDANTE INC Construction services | $6,180,026 |
| FREDANTE CONSTRUCTION Construction services | $4,111,115 |
| GESSLER CONSTRUCTIN Construction services | $2,728,837 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 78 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
276 private foundations reported grants to The Trust for Public Land totaling $36M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from The Trust for Public Land's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for The Trust for Public Land, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 The Trust for Public Land spent in FY2025, $84.58 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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- Climate Imperative FoundationSan Francisco, CA · revenue $272M · programs 72.0% · 2024
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Questions people ask
How much of The Trust for Public Land's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, The Trust for Public Land reported that 84.6% of its $282.5 million in expenses went to program services, 8.5% to management and general and 6.9% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Trust for Public Land pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Trust for Public Land reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $556,863, for the role of PRESIDENT (THRU 9/30/24) (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Trust for Public Land get its money?
Of $301.2 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 81.5% came from contributions and grants (including 26.0% from government grants) and 15.9% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Trust for Public Land a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 23-7222333 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, object 202631339349309088 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202531189349301993 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202441289349303624 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202321299349302472 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202231339349303593 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202111259349302441 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 23-7222333: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.