The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County
The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County reported $13.0 million in revenue and $5.0 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $80.15 went to program services, $10.14 to management and general costs and $9.71 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 94.6% of the total. Government grants made up 12.0%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $284,305 (Executive Dir.). 4 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 132% 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 $5.0MFor 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 $13M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$82.48 $11M
- Government grants$12.02 $1.6M
- Program service revenue$0.08 $9,990
- Investment income$5.42 $704K
Other revenue was negative: −$12,546. 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) | 80.2% | 83.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 10.1% | 10.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 9.7% | 3.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.04 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 94.6% | 87.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 12.0% | 4.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.1% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $284,305 | $293,532 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 5.72% | 1.74% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 4 | 7 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 70.3 | 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 expenseAcquisition: We engage in the acquisition of conservation land and easement interests. We conduct general outreach within the county to potential transaction partners and landowners. We respond to landowner and agency inquiries and partner with other conservation organizations in furtherance of our mission. We seek conservation funding and match conservation transactions to appropriate funding sources. We follow the land trust alliance standards and practices for our transactions
Education & Outreach: We engage in public education, land use, and interpretive programs in service to our mission. The Arroyo Hondo preserve hosts school and community group trips and is open to the public for free two weekends a month. We offer educational programs at Arroyo Hondo on topics such as birding, wildflowers, fire & stream ecology. We offer free community nature hikes and other guided activities at locations around the county year-round. We also offer opportunities to volunteer with the land trust in roles including preserve docent, hike guide, and restoration crew. We engage in…
Preserves: We conserve land in perpetuity for natural resource protection, preservation, of agriculture, and for recreation through conservation easement and fee title transactions. We own the following nature preserves: Carpinteria Salt Marsh Preserve, Arroyo Hondo Preserve, Coronado Butterfly Preserve and Hot Springs Canyon. In 2022, we purchased the Gaviota Overlook Property which has been added to the Arroyo Hondo Preserve
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Dir. Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $274,122 | $0 | $10,183 | $284,305 |
| Land Program Dir. Listed in Part VII, 40.00 hrs/week | $111,927 | $0 | $13,394 | $125,321 |
| Land Conservation Listed in Part VII, 40.00 hrs/week | $102,457 | $0 | $12,461 | $114,918 |
| Land Stewardship Listed in Part VII, 40.00 hrs/week | $101,774 | $0 | $12,784 | $114,558 |
| Finance Dir. Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $55,621 | $0 | $3,760 | $59,381 |
4 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $443K (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 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 525
- Volunteers Part I, line 6275
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| Conservation Partners LLP Legal Services | $109,069 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 1 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
31 private foundations reported grants to The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County totaling $1.2M 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 Land Trust for Santa Barbara County'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 Land Trust for Santa Barbara County, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County spent in FY2025, $80.15 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Forterra NwSeattle, WA · revenue $13M · programs 79.8% · 2024
- Santa Barbara Botanic GardenSanta Barbara, CA · revenue $13M · programs 73.1% · 2024
- Friends of AcadiaBar Harbor, ME · revenue $13M · programs 82.8% · 2025
- Japanese Garden Society of OregonPortland, OR · revenue $13M · programs 77.0% · 2024
- Lowcountry Land TrustCharleston, SC · revenue $13M · programs 91.8% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County reported that 80.2% of its $5.0 million in expenses went to program services, 10.1% to management and general and 9.7% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $284,305, for the role of Executive Dir. (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County get its money?
Of $13.0 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 94.6% came from contributions and grants (including 12.0% from government grants) and 0.1% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 95-3797404 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 202641049349301229 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202520939349302017 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202410399349300941 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202312309349301036 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202240989349300444 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202140649349301719 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 95-3797404: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.