The Student Conservation Association
The Student Conservation Association reported $48.4 million in revenue and $50.0 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $71.50 went to program services, $21.93 to management and general costs and $6.57 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 80.2% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $419,214 (PRESIDENT & CEO). 14 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 30% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending March 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $50MFor context, the median across 2,433 covered unclassified charities: $88.27 programs, $11.68 management, $0.05 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending March 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $48MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 71.5% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 21.9% | 11.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 6.6% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.39 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 17.5% | 29.9% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 1.4% | 3.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 80.2% | 58.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $419,214 | $301,601 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.84% | 1.38% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 14 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 3.9 | 6.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 17 of 17 | 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 expenseConservation interns: career-shaping service opportunities for individuals 18 years of age and older, primarily hosted by government resource management agencies. Internships span 2-12 months in length and cover a wide range of practices including recreation management, wildland fire, historic preservation, and habitat improvement
Conservation corps: teams of young adults (primarily 18-25 years of age) led by sca staff spend 3-10 months addressing needs on federal and state public lands including habitat restoration, trail maintenance, invasive species eradication, wildfire mitigation, and more. Participant s gain important professional skills and experience
Community crews: city-based jobs programs for youth aged 15-25. Sca-led summer and school-year crews engage participants in improving urban parks and green spaces through trail work, habitat restoration, and general maintenance. The program also includes community service projects as well as career training and development
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 & CEO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $411,655 | $0 | $7,559 | $419,214 |
| COO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $234,262 | $0 | $8,753 | $243,015 |
| CHIEF COUNSEL SVP (UNTIL 3/15/25) Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $214,464 | $0 | $25,263 | $239,727 |
| SVP PROGRAMS Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $197,245 | $0 | $7,557 | $204,802 |
| SR. DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND ADMIN Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $165,283 | $0 | $19,407 | $184,690 |
| VP PEOPLE AND CULTURE Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $162,888 | $0 | $6,471 | $169,359 |
| SR. DIRECTOR MARKETING Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $143,066 | $0 | $7,015 | $150,081 |
| PRINCIPAL GIFT OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $121,934 | $0 | $10,868 | $132,802 |
14 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Student Conservation Association (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.5M (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–1b17 · 17 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 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 52,145
- Volunteers Part I, line 66,784
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| MAL WARWICK DONOR DIGITAL Fundraising | $1,350,999 |
| ADP Payroll services | $249,333 |
| DATAPRISE LLC Information technology | $246,469 |
| SALESFORCE INC Information technology | $220,570 |
| AGILE CLOUD CONSULTING Information technology | $220,546 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 10 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
65 private foundations reported grants to The Student Conservation Association totaling $2.1M 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 Student Conservation Association'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 Student Conservation Association, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 The Student Conservation Association spent in FY2025, $71.50 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
Embed on your site
Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Pilsen Little Village Community Mental Health CenterChicago, IL · revenue $48M · programs 60.1% · FY2025
- Odyssey House Inc. - UtahSalt Lake City, UT · revenue $49M · programs 89.8% · FY2025
- New York Foundation for Senior Citizens Home Attendant ServicesNew York, NY · revenue $48M · programs 96.0% · FY2025
- America's CharitiesChantilly, VA · revenue $49M · programs 95.0% · 2025
- Anderson Center ServicesStaatsburg, NY · revenue $48M · programs 88.4% · 2024
Questions people ask
How much of The Student Conservation Association's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, The Student Conservation Association reported that 71.5% of its $50.0 million in expenses went to program services, 21.9% to management and general and 6.6% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Student Conservation Association pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Student Conservation Association reported for one person in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025 was $419,214, for the role of PRESIDENT & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Student Conservation Association get its money?
Of $48.4 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, 17.5% came from contributions and grants (including 1.4% from government grants) and 80.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Student Conservation Association a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 91-0880684 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 March 31, 2025, object 202543449349300714 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, object 202413059349301216 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023, object 202343139349305194 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022, object 202213509349300246 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021, object 202133169349304198 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2020, object 202043179349306884 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 91-0880684: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.