Cylburn Arboretum Friends Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
237091589
IRS 990 coverage
2013–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Location
Baltimore, MD, USA
Phone
4103672217
Rating
85
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Single Organization Support

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,105,227
Expenses
$1,007,615
Assets
$8,932,865
Liabilities
$37,709

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

Leadership & pay

21 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • HILLES WHEDBEE (PRESIDENT)
  • SANDRA P GOHN (VICE PRESIDENT)
  • BROOKE FRITZ (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • BROOKE FRITZ (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $78,140 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Our commitment to the baltimore community is to support the cylburn arboretum through stewardship and educational programming.

What it reported doing in 2025

Education & community outreach-education: all programs at cylburn have at their core the goal of education in some form. Educational programs are concerned with issues that provide and enhance base knowledge in: environment, history, arts and culture, nature, recycling, wildlife, preservation and cultivation of trees, shrubs and plants, recreation, and health and wellness.health & wellness: exercise, mindfulness, relaxation and seasonal healthy cooking are promoted through programs and summer camp. These programs teach all ages to be comfortable in nature and show people how to reap the benefits of nature for personal and family health. Three and a half miles of hiking trails with peaceful stops/benches from which to observe nature more closely.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 80% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
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.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

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 expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 74
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 65
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 78.4%; rating input score 78
  • Program expense ratio: 78.2%; rating input score 78
  • Fundraising efficiency: $14.33 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 46; 46th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd 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: 8.8%; rating input score 54; 54th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 8.87; rating input score 91; 91st percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 66; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 7.8%; rating input score 44; 44th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 10.8% per year; rating input score 100; 60th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 14.8% per year; rating input score 100; 74th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 23.3% per year; rating input score 100; 83rd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 78.4% of revenue deployed · 78.2% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 20 of 20 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $788K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $78K · 21 people listed
  • Consistency: 28 of 28 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 12 filing years from 2013 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • 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: Fundraising efficiency scored 46/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 54/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 44/100.