Mcdowell Sonoran Conservancy

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
860674350
IRS 990 coverage
2015–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Scottsdale, AZ, USA
Phone
4809987971
Rating
69
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Land Resources Conservation

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,417,821
Expenses
$1,583,031
Assets
$1,329,164
Liabilities
$477,564

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

Leadership & pay

24 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • AMANDA HOFMANN-HANDY (CEO (LEFT 6/6/25))

Highest reported compensation

  • BRIDGET BLIXT (COO): $123,139 total reported compensation
  • AMANDA HOFMANN-HANDY (CEO (LEFT 6/6/25)): $109,886 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

The mcdowell sonoran conservancy preserves and advances natural open space through science, education and stewardship. As stewards of the preserve, we connect the community to their natural environment for this and future generations.

What it reported doing in 2024

Through our youth education program, we brought engaging, science based educational programs to approximately 4,000 students. These programs sparked curiosity for, and love of, the sonoran desert which often leads to a greater respect for, and desire to conserve, nature.over 600 volunteers logged over 73,000 hours assisting us in providing our services to the community. The value of these hours totaled $2,450,071 and is included as contribution revenue and expense for financial statement purposes. For form 990, however, the IRS requires this amount be excluded from both revenue and expense.we hosted our second tour de scottsdale bicycle race (fundraiser) with over 2,600 riders, netting the organization almost $150,000. With over 60 trail cameras, we captured nearly one million photos documenting 21 animal species and their habits, providing invaluable insights into their behavior, habitat use, and migration patterns - insights that have informed targeted conservation strategies and protection efforts. In fy2025, over 290 native plants were planted and over 120 acres of preserve land were seeded with native seeds in efforts to restore areas damaged by wildfire.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 83% 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

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of total spending goes to programs.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 37
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 23
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 41.4%; rating input score 41
  • Program expense ratio: 36.4%; rating input score 36
  • Fundraising efficiency: $5.17 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 18; 18th 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; 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: -11.7%; rating input score 15; 15th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.84; rating input score 37; 37th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.36; rating input score 21; 21st percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 14.7%; rating input score 24; 24th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 5.9% per year; rating input score 100; 47th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 9.7% per year; rating input score 100; 65th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 6.2% per year; rating input score 100; 44th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 41.4% of revenue deployed · 36.4% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 22 of 22 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $577K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $123K · 24 people listed
  • Consistency: 33 of 33 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 9 filing years from 2015 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
  • 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: Mission deployment rate scored 41/100.
  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 36/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 18/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 15/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 37/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 21/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 24/100.