Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks

What it reported doing in 2024

Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks is a vital partner to California State Parks, creatively working to ensure parks and beaches throughout Santa Cruz County and Coastal San Mateo County are thriving and available to all. Friends innovative and collaborative community partnership invests in our cherished state parks and beaches, providing services and funding to support education, equity and inclusion, conservation, facilities improvements, historic preservation, and cultural events. Friends: provides visitor services in the parks by Visitor Service Aides (VSAs) and Senior Visitor Service Aides (SVSAs); operates stores in five parks and online; provides revenue for parks improvement projects and funding for Park employees to deliver interpretive and program services to the public, as well as maintenance services. Friends also provides staff to assist with: fundraising, grant-writing and membership; volunteer recruitment; event and project management; historic preservation, technology; equity and outreach; accounting; strategic planning; and communications and public relations.Specific accomplishments during the past year include, but are not limited to: Served 4,130 students on 96 trips in our Kids2Parks equity field trip program.Funded two State Parks facilities Maintenance staff at Castle Rock State Park and 4 State Parks facilities positions.Employed 100 Field Staff to support park operations.Funded volunteer and staff training, supplies, and support services.Funded 36 State Park Interpreters who provided educational programs at local parks and beaches.Participated in outreach events in State Parks and in the community.Planned and coordinated projects at the Castro Adobe State Historic Park including site interpretation, gardening, pest control, tree-trimming, minor maintenance and managing the adjacent Kimbro and McClune properties for park purposes. Documented policies and procedures of the Edna Kimbro Early California History Archives. Purchased database software, EmbARK, and started preparing and organizing files in the archive for scanning.Administered the Beach Wheelchair program, including supporting the annual Shared Adventures Day.Continued support of the long-term recovery of Big Basin Redwoods State Park including operating an online reservation system for day-use and supported seasonal shuttle operations, assisting in the creation of temporary camping at Rancho del Oso, and funds to improve in-park communications. Utilized donor designated funds to purchase materials for a 28-foot fiberglass bridge, decking and handrails for a new bridge on the Skyline to the Sea trail. Supported Seacliff recovery planning and utilized the Seacliff Recovery Fund to support expenses related to outreach for the public engagement process such as talking points, project website, presentation materials, social media, handouts, signage, banners, email updates, advertising, a short video, press releases and local media outreach, public events and more.Supported the completion of the new entrance sign at The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park.Purchased materials to build 10 owl boxes at Wilder Ranch for rodent mitigation and conservation of the historic Victorian buildings. Funded upgrades to the firewood shed at Manresa State Beach.Contracted for and facilitated payment for the construction of a new staging area at Ao Nuevo utilizing funds from Coastside State Parks Association, with project management from California State Parks.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 96.7%; rating input score 97
• Program expense ratio: 91.4%; rating input score 91
• Fundraising efficiency: $20.57 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 60; 60th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Pass
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• 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; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 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: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -5.7%; rating input score 19; 19th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.75; rating input score 28; 28th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.2; rating input score 44; 44th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 9.8%; rating input score 30; 30th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 7.1% per year; rating input score 100; 51st percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 7% per year; rating input score 100; 54th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 9.7% per year; rating input score 100; 57th percentile among comparable filings