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Houston Parks Board
Houston Parks Board reported $35.8 million in revenue and $22.6 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $85.93 went to program services, $7.21 to management and general costs and $6.86 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 46.0% of the total. Government grants made up 21.2%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $365,931 (President and CEO). 16 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 54% 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 $23MFor context, the median across 1,001 covered philanthropy, voluntarism & grantmaking charities: $91.65 programs, $6.50 management, $1.85 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 $36M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$24.70 $8.9M
- Government grants$21.21 $7.6M
- Program service revenue$40.63 $15M
- Investment income$13.46 $4.8M
Other revenue was negative: −$61,385. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 85.9% | 90.2% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 7.2% | 6.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 6.9% | 1.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.09 | $0.02 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 46.0% | 79.9% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 21.2% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 40.7% | 0.0% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $365,931 | $325,675 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.62% | 1.56% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 16 | 3 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 54.6 | 56.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 35 of 36 | 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 expenseBayou Greenways Maintenance: Houston Parks Board provides ongoing maintenance for Bayou Greenways through a long-term agreement with the City of Houston. Bayou Greenways is an integrated system of connected linear parks and trails along nine major bayous within Houston city limits. Unspent funds from the annual maintenance fee are used for trail and bridge capital replacement projects along the bayous. Houston Parks Board incorporates conservation into bayou maintenance to preserve, create, and enhance the region's habitats through initiatives such as tree plantings and prairie rebuilds, and…
Neighborhood & Regional Parks: Through partnerships with the Houston Parks Board LGC, the City of Houston, and other public and private partners, Houston Parks Board creates and renovates neighborhood and regional parks in the Houston region, with a focus on supported underinvested communities
Bayou Greenways & Connector Trails: Houston Parks Board, along with support from partners, designs and builds trails and linear parks across the Houston region to connect communities, provide recreational opportunities, and enhance competitiveness in the region
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 and CEO Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $341,925 | $0 | $24,006 | $365,931 |
| CFO/COO Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $259,225 | $0 | $20,466 | $279,691 |
| Chief Adv Officer (thru June 25) Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $218,600 | $0 | $18,903 | $237,503 |
| Chief Program Officer Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $210,709 | $0 | $20,856 | $231,565 |
| Conservation & Maintenance Director Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $192,762 | $0 | $16,289 | $209,051 |
| Director of Capital Projects Key employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $180,496 | $0 | $19,793 | $200,289 |
| General Counsel Key employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $172,029 | $0 | $15,263 | $187,292 |
| Director of Land Acquisition Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $158,286 | $0 | $6,319 | $164,605 |
16 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Houston Parks Board (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $4.4M (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–1b36 · 35 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 558
- Volunteers Part I, line 6125
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| Times Construction Inc Construction Services | $2,029,294 |
| Westco Grounds Maintenance Parkland Maintenance | $1,779,376 |
| Yellowstone Landscape Parkland Maintenance | $1,491,739 |
| City of Houston Parks & Recreation Parkland Maintenance | $1,034,089 |
| Kean Construction Construction Services | $874,906 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 27 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
24 private foundations reported grants to Houston Parks Board totaling $30M 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 Houston Parks Board's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Houston Parks Board, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Houston Parks Board spent in FY2025, $85.93 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Driscoll Children's Hospital Development FoundationCorpus Christi, TX · revenue $36M · programs 99.8% · FY2025
- Community Foundation of AbileneAbilene, TX · revenue $36M · programs 93.4% · FY2025
- United Way of the Greater Lehigh ValleyAllentown, PA · revenue $36M · programs 84.5% · FY2025
- Midway USA FoundationColumbia, MO · revenue $36M · programs 91.2% · 2024
- Air Force Academy FoundationUsaf Academy, CO · revenue $35M · programs 61.2% · 2025
All philanthropy, voluntarism & grantmaking charities · Largest charities in Texas
Questions people ask
How much of Houston Parks Board's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Houston Parks Board reported that 85.9% of its $22.6 million in expenses went to program services, 7.2% to management and general and 6.9% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Houston Parks Board pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Houston Parks Board reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $365,931, for the role of President and CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Houston Parks Board get its money?
Of $35.8 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 46.0% came from contributions and grants (including 21.2% from government grants) and 40.7% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Houston Parks Board a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 74-1860046 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 202601329349300130 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202540459349301004 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202440459349300149 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202320539349301207 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202210529349300116 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202101339349301445 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 74-1860046: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.