Sonoma Land Trust

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
510197006
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2025
Official website data refreshed
Sep 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Location
Santa Rosa, CA, US
Phone
(707) 526-6930
Rating
86
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Land Resources Conservation

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,800,680
Expenses
$6,317,266
Assets
$70,294,382
Liabilities
$1,982,882

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

20 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • EAMON O'BYRNE (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

People named in this filing

  • SCOTT HAFNER (CHAIR)
  • PHIL JENSEN (1ST VICE CHAIR)
  • GREGORY APPLING (2ND VICE CHAIR)

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 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

To protect the land, water, and biodiversity of Sonoma County for the benefit of all people, now and forever.

What it reported doing in 2025

Land acquisitions: we work with landowners to assess and understand goals for their properties, which can lead to an acquisition of property or conservation easement, or a transfer of property to the public. Transactions are negotiated to provide the best outcome for the landowner with the ultimate goal of permanently preserving land whether the final ownership is private or public. Land stewardship: we work with the land and community to restore and protect native habitats, creeks, wildlife corridors, productive farms and ranches, and other permanently protected private lands under our care. The program currently stewards 23 conservation properties totaling more than 6,900 acres and actively (continued on schedule o) monitors 47 conservation easement properties totaling more than 8,100 acres. Community programs: we offer a variety of activities, education and outreach aimed at engaging audiences as diverse as the lands and communities we represent. Offerings include on-the-land, virtual and volunteer experiences in addition to education programs, including school field trips and teen educational programs.

Operating model

Revenue model
Grant-funded. 68% of the money available for current operations came from government grants.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 74% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 84
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 42
  • Growth: 40

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 82.3%; rating input score 82
  • Fundraising efficiency: $3.01 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 8; 8th 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: 99.9%; rating input score 100; 54th 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; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 7 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: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -250.8%; rating input score 0; 0th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 11.13; rating input score 92; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.03; rating input score 50; 50th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 78; 78th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -12.2% per year; rating input score 0; 4th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 6.4% per year; rating input score 100; 45th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -0.2% per year; rating input score 0; 15th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: 8 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 1 operating location identified
  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 82.3% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 18 of 18 board members independent · 7 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $5.2M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 20 people listed
  • Consistency: 37 of 37 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 15 filing years from 2011 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 3 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 3 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: Fundraising efficiency scored 8/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 50/100.