Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
237393204
IRS 990 coverage
2014–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Location
Fort Davis, TX, USA
Phone
4323642499
Rating
83
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Standard

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,087,041
Expenses
$406,714
Assets
$6,085,105
Liabilities
$45,167

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

12 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • Jim Martinez (President)
  • Joe Williams (Vice President)
  • Lisa Gordon (Executive Director)

Highest reported compensation

  • Lisa Gordon (Executive Director): $74,625 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The mission of the Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute is to promote public awareness, appreciation, and concern for nature generally and the natural diversity of the Chihuahuan Desert region specifically, through education, the visitor experience, and through the support of research.

What it reported doing in 2025

Nature Center/Gardens/Public Outreach Program: CDRI operates from a 507 acre site named the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center & Botanical Gardens. The Nature Center contains a wide range of features including: i) a 20 acre botanical and pollinator garden, ii) a cactus house, iii) over 5 miles of trails including a canyon with a year round spring and pools and an overlook trail featuring one of three geologic exhibits at the Nature Center, iv) a mining exhibit, v) a visitor center with a well merchandised gift shop and vi) a bird blind with a year round water feature. CDRI offers annual memberships of varying levels and benefits to nearly 450 members and hosts over 14,000 visitors annually to its site. CDRI employs three full time personnel: the Executive Director, Events Coordinator and gardener, and 2-3 part time personnel, depending on seasonal demands. CDRI also utilizes the help of volunteer Host Campers throughout the year. Consistent with its mission, CDRI offers educational programs for Grades Pre-K through 8th, all free to Region 18 students, in addition to adult workshops and the Conant Lecture program (2x annually), also free of admission fees. There are 2 fundraiser events each year: The Cactus & Succulent Sale and the Cookout & Auction, with the Cookout/Auction being the principal fundraiser.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

The verdict

STRONG - The filed numbers largely add up and a large share of total spending goes to programs. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and some filed totals do not add up.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 66
  • Transparency & Controls: 93
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 81
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 44.6%; rating input score 45
  • Program expense ratio: 91.7%; rating input score 92
  • Fundraising efficiency: $245.14 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 92; 92nd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 92.3%; rating input score 92; 18th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 62.6%; rating input score 94; 94th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 14.96; rating input score 94; 94th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 62; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 18.3%; rating input score 19; 19th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 3.3% per year; rating input score 100; 28th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 8.1% per year; rating input score 100; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 5.9% per year; rating input score 100; 39th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 44.6% of revenue deployed · 91.7% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 11 of 11 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $373K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $75K · 12 people listed
  • Consistency: 27 of 28 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 12 filing years from 2014 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • 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.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 45/100.
  • Moderate — Transparency & Controls: Schedule A contributions reconciliation did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 19/100.