Guadalupe River Park Conservancy

What it reported doing in 2024

The Conservancys environmental programs offer high-quality nature-centered education, awareness, and enrichment to youth and the general public in our region. Our programs utilize the park and gardens as a natural lab to teach hands-on lessons and instill a sense of environmental stewardship. The education program provides science-based field trips to students of public and private schools, adapted field trips for students with special needs, homeschooled students, and various community groups. The organization also provides free or low-cost fitness, gardening, and other enrichment classes for the general public. In 2024, we provided 148 programs engaging over 1,200 youth through our education and enrichment programs and 9,600 participants in our regular River Trail tours, nature walks, and special park activities.The organizations community engagement and advocacy efforts focus on promoting the parks use and development. Window on the River Park is our signature annual celebration where we uplift our communitys commitment to nurturing and cherishing the Guadalupe River Park, San Joses front yard and a civic greenway that connects people to nature and each other. Pumpkins in the Park brings thousands of visitors to enjoy a fun-filled family celebration and spread awareness of the park as one of our regions unique natural resources. The Guadalupe River Art Walk initiative connects artists to the River Park to help enhance public space and advocate for the preservation of our natural habitats through visual public art installations, with a new mural painted in 2024. The Rotary PlayGarden, San Joses first all-inclusive playspace, welcomed 83,000 visitors to engage with the River Park.Stewardship includes recruiting volunteers, individuals, and corporate groups to help care for a historic orchard, a rose garden and other demonstration gardens through integrated pest management practices. These beautification efforts are critical to the City of San Jose and benefit the chinook salmon and the steelhead trout in the river. Volunteers help with trail clean up, program staffing, and other tasks as necessary. In 2024, 2,000 volunteers provided 6,500 hours of stewardship, removing 9,000 pounds of trash and debris, and supported the delivery of our programs and development of park amenities.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 73.7%; rating input score 74
• Program expense ratio: 74.9%; rating input score 75
• Fundraising efficiency: $10.23 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 39; 39th 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: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings
• 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: 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: NotApplicable
  • 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: 1.7%; rating input score 41; 41st percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.92; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.25; rating input score 28; 28th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 7.6%; rating input score 45; 45th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 13.3% per year; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 14.1% per year; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 18.4% per year; rating input score 100; 79th percentile among comparable filings