Johnny Morris' Ozarks Heritage Preserve

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
834392705
IRS 990 coverage
2019–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
Location
Springfield, MO, USA
Phone
4178735529
Rating
55
Verdict
MIXED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Wildlife Preservation, Protection

Reported finances

Revenue
$167,956,538
Expenses
$13,646,408
Assets
$516,156,624
Liabilities
$10,813,700

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

12 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • JOHN L MORRIS (PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR)
  • JOHN PAUL MORRIS (VICE PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • JOHN MIKOLAJCZYK (DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS): $199,443 total reported compensation
  • MIKE DANIEL (DIRECTOR OF ANIMAL CARE): $154,729 total reported compensation
  • JARED BOYD (DIRECTOR OF FINANCE): $141,868 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

To educate and inspire conservation by celebrating the unique beauty and history of the ozarks.

What it reported doing in 2024

Ozarks heritage preserve was formed, in part, to operate top of the rock lost canyon cave and nature trail ("the cave trail"). The cave trail is a two-and-a-half mile trail where visitors can experience nature while they learn about the geology and landscape of the ozark mountains. The trail opened in 2014 after hundreds of hours were spent walking the land and painstakingly cutting the cave trail for visitors to be able to immerse themselves yearround (weather permitting) in the dramatic features of the ozarks, such as stunning rock formations, beautiful views of table rock lake, waterfalls, and the lost canyon cave.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 84% 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

MIXED - The filed numbers largely add up and revenue comfortably covers expenses. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of voting board members are independent.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 35
  • Transparency & Controls: 76
  • Accountability: 53
  • Sustainability: 96
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 7.5%; rating input score 8
  • Program expense ratio: 90.7%; rating input score 91
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 1 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 17
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Yes; rating input score 100

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 50%; rating input score 50; 13th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 4 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 57
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 91.9%; rating input score 99; 99th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 37.82; rating input score 99; 99th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 93; 93rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0.7%; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 31.2% per year; rating input score 100; 96th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -24.6% per year; rating input score 0; 0th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 10.1% per year; rating input score 100; 70th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 7.5% of revenue deployed · 90.7% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 3 of 6 board members independent · 4 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $12.4M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $199K · 12 people listed · 1 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $7.2M reported
  • Consistency: 36 of 36 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors, executive pay, and related organizations
  • Filing history: 5 filing years from 2019 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Related organizations: 6 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.

Key Signals

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

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 8/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Independent voting board scored 50/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 6 not reported.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.