National Outdoor Leadership School
National Outdoor Leadership School reported $43.0 million in revenue and $41.6 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $69.44 went to program services, $27.41 to management and general costs and $3.15 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 72.2% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $308,944 (PRESIDENT). 14 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 69% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $42MFor 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 August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $43MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 69.4% | 83.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 27.4% | 10.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 3.1% | 3.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.14 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 21.2% | 87.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 4.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 72.2% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $308,944 | $293,532 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.74% | 1.74% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 14 | 7 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 33.1 | 18.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 18 of 18 | 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 expenseHighest 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 Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $265,363 | $0 | $43,581 | $308,944 |
| FORMER CFO Former, 40.00 hrs/week | $218,110 | $0 | $9,886 | $227,996 |
| EMPLOYEE Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $160,087 | $0 | $46,577 | $206,664 |
| EMPLOYEE Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $157,947 | $0 | $38,480 | $196,427 |
| EMPLOYEE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $145,455 | $0 | $37,220 | $182,675 |
| EMPLOYEE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $138,865 | $0 | $13,219 | $152,084 |
| EMPLOYEE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $135,000 | $0 | $0 | $135,000 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $101,993 | $0 | $30,013 | $132,006 |
14 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from National Outdoor Leadership School (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $918K (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–1b18 · 18 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 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 51,223
- Volunteers Part I, line 675
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| ASCENDUM SOLUTIONS LLC It consulting | $1,050,690 |
| SYNOPTEK LLC It consulting | $479,498 |
| MISSION CRM LTD Software, consulting & support | $465,570 |
| WYOMING CATHOLIC COLLEGE Catering | $379,092 |
| EZE CASTLE INTEGRATIONS INC Managed resources | $221,760 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 8 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
79 private foundations reported grants to National Outdoor Leadership School totaling $2.7M 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 National Outdoor Leadership School's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for National Outdoor Leadership School, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 National Outdoor Leadership School spent in FY2025, $69.44 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Questions people ask
How much of National Outdoor Leadership School's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, National Outdoor Leadership School reported that 69.4% of its $41.6 million in expenses went to program services, 27.4% to management and general and 3.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does National Outdoor Leadership School pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation National Outdoor Leadership School reported for one person in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 was $308,944, for the role of PRESIDENT (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does National Outdoor Leadership School get its money?
Of $43.0 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, 21.2% came from contributions and grants and 72.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is National Outdoor Leadership School a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 83-0204184 as a 501(c)(3) organization (school), 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 August 31, 2025, object 202641599349300039 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024, object 202541959349301074 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2023, object 202421979349302812 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, object 202341989349301974 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021, object 202241949349302019 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2020, object 202121819349300527 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 83-0204184: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.