The Saint Paul Parks Conservancy

What it reported doing in 2024

Capacity building. According to the city parks alliance and the nataional association of park foundations (of which the conservancy is a member), city-wide park nonprofits tend to grow slowly over time and employee a staff of 4-15 ftes. In 2024 the conservancy hired its second full time position of associate director/director of philanthropy with 18 years of executive and fundraising experience and secured the services of a part- time grant writer with 30 years of park fundraising experience. To support this staff growth, the conservancy upgraded its donor management software and website to support monthly giving, multi-year pledges, gala events, team walks/runs and peer-to-peer fundraising. After four years of operating with one full time staff position supported by a back office contract with the saint paul chamber of commerce, these steps represent a significant new level of operation and support for parks. Finally, six new board members were added in jan 2024. Rice park management: the conservancy partners with the saint paul garden club and rice park association to oversee the long-term maintenance of rice park. This work includes managing the rice park revitalization endowment fund and contracting horticultural services for this landmark historic green space experienced by six million visitors annually. In 2024 the conservancy contracted weekly garden and turf care services, coordinated four annual planting events with the saint paul garden club. Served as fiscal agent and advisor/consultant for these neighborhood based volunteer groups: friends of wacouta commons park, friends of pedro park, friends of mears park and historic irvine park assocation. The conservancy contracts art conservators as needed and advises parks staff on care for artworks in the state's second largest collection of outdoor art housed in saint paul parks. In 2024, the conservancy carried out conservation work on the f. Scott fitzgerald sculpture at rice park as well as additional work at the duck bench at marydale park. The conservancy also manages programs to add and dedicate trees and benches in saint paul parks, as well as a program to sponsor sculptures compensation process for top official: starting compensation was set in 2020 with the consultants hired to conduct the search and hire process, including a survey of compensation for similar positions locally, regionally and nationally. The board sets annual goals for the executive director and conducts an annual performance review, managed by the board president. Compensation adjustments for cost of living and merit are discussed and approved by the full board. Volunteer management: -supported 200 garden stewards who tend 42 gardens through fourteen planting events -partnered with the trust for public land to convene a cohort of 12 "friends of" park groups to strengthen the private stewardship of parks across the city. -coordinated and/or co-sponsored four volunteer events (buckthorn removal, invasive plant removal and weeding, trash pick-ups) that engaged 80 volunteers in three parks -recognzed fourteen volunteers of the year at the signature celebration "party for the parks" - as part of the city-wide parks and rec volunteer awards, major media coverage in both twin cities daily papers, wcco radio and tv, kare 11 tv and fox 9 news earned more than 600,000 "hits" for these amazing volunteers. Additionally, four park volunteers were interviewed and recognized by media outlets in related stories.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 64.3%; rating input score 64
• Program expense ratio: 78.3%; 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: 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: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 18.9%; rating input score 75; 75th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.51; rating input score 71; 71st percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.12; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 22.7%; rating input score 12; 12th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 8.4% per year; rating input score 100; 57th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 8.8% per year; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 9.9% per year; rating input score 100; 58th percentile among comparable filings