Professional Grounds Management Society

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
111720821
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Forest Hill, MD, USA
Phone
4436401059
Rating
84
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$762,763
Expenses
$826,854
Assets
$2,148,105
Liabilities
$126,396

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

Leadership & pay

18 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • ROGER CONNER (PRESIDENT)
  • MICHAEL GILDEA (PRESIDENT-ELECT)
  • DONALD BOTTGER (VICE PRESIDENT)
  • BRUCE DE VROU (PAST PRESIDENT)
  • ELIZABETH FRANKS (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

People named in this filing

  • ROGER CONNER (PRESIDENT)
  • MICHAEL GILDEA (PRESIDENT-ELECT)
  • DONALD BOTTGER (VICE PRESIDENT)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

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

Overview

Mission

The organization was established as a professional society for individuals with the purpose of education and professional advancement for institutional grounds managers who work for organizations such as colleges and univeristies, municipalities, park and recreation facilities, office parks, apartment complexes, hotels/motels, cementaries and theme parks.

What it reported doing in 2024

Pgms provides a forum to promote, develop and expand the knowledge of its members through a number of meetings and conferences throughout the year, culminating with the annual conference held in conjunction with the equip expo. Pgms conducts its acclaimed annual education conference prior to the expo. This yearly forum brings together grounds managers, educators and suppliers for the sharing of knowledge and ideas. Pgms members receive a reduced registration fee. At the annual conference, pgms sponsors the annual green star awards program in recognition of excellence in grounds management.webinars: pgms holds bi-monthly webinars that provide education that aligns with the society's school of grounds management educational core competencies. Pgms members receive complimentary access; non-members can register for a fee.grounds accreditation: pgms offers an accreditation program as certified grounds manager - step up and elevate your professional stature. Grounds managers who want to stand out and be recognized proudly include the "cgm" designation as an addendum to your name.other program service accomplishments, including education manuals - pgms members receive a complimentary copy of the landscape management maintenance guidelines and best management practices guidelines.

Operating model

Revenue model
Other-operating. 88% of the money available for current operations came from other operating revenue.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 99% 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.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Expenses are high relative to revenue and some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 74
  • Transparency & Controls: 93
  • Accountability: 94
  • Sustainability: 46
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 87.5%; rating input score 87
  • Program expense ratio: 77.5%; rating input score 78
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

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: Limited
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 6 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 86
    • 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: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -8.4%; rating input score 19; 19th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.6; rating input score 72; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.06; rating input score 50; 50th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 10.1% per year; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 4.7% per year; rating input score 100; 41st percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 10.7% per year; rating input score 100; 61st percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 87.5% of revenue deployed · 77.5% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 17 of 17 board members independent · 6 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $641K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 18 people listed
  • Highest-paid contractors: 1 contractor listed · $385K reported
  • Consistency: 24 of 24 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes grants
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • 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 — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 19/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
  • Review — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 50/100.