Cardinal Land Conservancy
Cardinal Land Conservancy reported $12.6 million in revenue and $1.1 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $61.45 went to program services, $18.77 to management and general costs and $19.78 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 96.3% of the total. Government grants made up 44.9%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $85,458 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). Revenue rose 1154% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, FY2025 (9 mo.).
Where $100 of spending went
The 9-month short period ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $1.1MFor 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 9-month short period ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $13MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 61.5% | 83.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 18.8% | 10.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 19.8% | 3.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.02 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 96.3% | 87.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 44.9% | 4.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $85,458 | $293,532 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 7.67% | 1.74% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 0 | 7 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 222.6 | 18.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 14 of 14 | 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 (9 mo.) · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseLand stewardship: we are responsible to protect conservation values and to be a good neighbor and community member for all our properties. We evaluate every property for its conservation value, the threats to these values, and for opportunities to enhance conservation values through responsible management. A formal stewardship plan is developed and implemented based on this analysis to include annual monitoring and assessment as part of an adaptive management framework. Some conservation properties include restoration work to replace lost functions and to increase the conservation value of…
Conservation land and easement acquisition: we conserve important and threatened land using all the tools of private, voluntary land conservation. We work exclusively with willing landowners to find ways to conserve, forever, the scenic and natural values of the land and water. Landowners donate or sell their land for conservation or a conservation easement. In either case, the conversion of the land to development uses is restricted or eliminated. We manage the land under a stewardship plan and, if necessary, legally defend the terms of the conservation easement or the conservation values of…
Bahr farm: in june 2021, dale & carole bahr donated their 32-acre working farm (the largest working farm in the city of cincinnati) and all its assets to clc, along with a significant cash contribution to begin significant renovation/improvement of the property (expected to take 2 years to complete). The farm will remain as a working farm operated in a way to support education on agriculture, sustainability and the environment. Clc effectively began to actually manage and operate the farm in 3rd quarter 2021
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 (9 mo.) · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $85,458 | $0 | $0 | $85,458 |
| BOARD MEMBER Director/trustee, 1.00 hrs/week | $4,646 | $0 | $0 | $4,646 |
| BOARD MEMBER Director/trustee, 3.00 hrs/week | $1,500 | $0 | $0 | $1,500 |
0 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Cardinal Land Conservancy (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $89,233 (Part IX, line 5).
7 filings since 2019
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 (9 mo.) · 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–1b14 · 14 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 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 513
- Volunteers Part I, line 650
Private foundation grants it received
14 private foundations reported grants to Cardinal Land Conservancy totaling $165K 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 Cardinal Land Conservancy's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Cardinal Land Conservancy, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Cardinal Land Conservancy spent in 2024, $61.45 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries ProgramCorpus Christi, TX · revenue $13M · programs 91.2% · FY2025
- The Rose Foundation for Communities the EnvironmentOakland, CA · revenue $13M · programs 90.0% · 2024
- Sogorea Te Land TrustOakland, CA · revenue $13M · programs 77.1% · 2024
- Sempervirens FundLos Altos, CA · revenue $13M · programs 66.9% · FY2025
- California Association of Resource Conservation DistrictsSacramento, CA · revenue $13M · programs 91.5% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of Cardinal Land Conservancy's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Cardinal Land Conservancy reported that 61.5% of its $1.1 million in expenses went to program services, 18.8% to management and general and 19.8% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Cardinal Land Conservancy pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Cardinal Land Conservancy reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $85,458, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Cardinal Land Conservancy get its money?
Of $12.6 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 96.3% came from contributions and grants (including 44.9% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Cardinal Land Conservancy a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 31-1673211 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, 2025. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025 (9 mo.): Form 990 for the 9-month short period ending September 30, 2025, object 202602269349302430 · read the filing
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202523189349310607 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202402159349300105 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202313179349302991 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202212599349300736 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202141879349301474 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202021769349300502 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 31-1673211: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.