The Trust for Public Land

Overview

Mission

To create parks and protect public land where they are needed most so that everyone has access to the benefits and joys of the outdoors.

What it reported doing in 2024

Fund - we helped pass 24 state and local ballot measures--a 100 percent success rate-- that generated $16,110,864,240 in public funds for parks and natural spaces.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 63% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
237222333
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Official website data refreshed
Jul 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Headquarters
San Francisco, CA, USA
Phone
(415) 495-4014
Rating
82
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Standard
Sector
Environmental Beautification and Aesthetics

Official website

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and some related-organization disclosures are missing.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 78
  • Transparency & Controls: 81
  • Accountability: 94
  • Sustainability: 55
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 80%; rating input score 80
  • Program expense ratio: 84.6%; rating input score 85
  • Fundraising efficiency: $12.57 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 47; 47th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 95%; rating input score 95; 34th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Pass
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 99.9%; rating input score 100; 45th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: No; rating input score 0

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 96.8%; rating input score 97; 50th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 6.2%; rating input score 61; 61st percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.53; rating input score 53; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.39; rating input score 45; 45th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 2.4%; rating input score 49; 49th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 7.5% per year; rating input score 100; 61st percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 6.1% per year; rating input score 100; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 1.6% per year; rating input score 100; 13th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: 5 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 1 operating location identified
  • Where the money goes: 80% of revenue deployed · 84.6% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 30 of 31 board members independent · 8 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $239M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $557K · 62 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $25.9M reported
  • Consistency: 43 of 44 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 10 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 15 annual filings from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 158 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 96 filed related-organization links
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Leadership & pay

62 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • DIANE C REGAS (PRESIDENT (THRU 9/30/24)): $556,863 total reported compensation
  • PATRICIA WATSON (SVP/CHIEF PHILANTHROPY OFFICER): $474,410 total reported compensation
  • KENNETH J DANTER (EXEC VP/ CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER): $367,611 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.