THE CALIFORNIA DESERT LAND CONSERVANCY

EIN: 721603033 501(c)(3) Environment

JOSHUA TREE, CA

Total Revenue
$8,113,167
Total Expenses
$3,315,195
Total Assets
$60,229,508
Net Assets
$48,756,098
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Financial Trends

Organization Details

Formation Year
2005
Legal Domicile
CA
Principal Officer
KELLY HERBINSON
Phone
7603665440
Tax Period
2023-01-01 to 2023-12-31

THE CALIFORNIA DESERT LAND CONSERVANCY, founded in 2005, is a community nonprofit in the Environment sector that reported $8.1M in total revenue in fiscal year 2023. The organization ran a surplus of $4.8M, a strong 59% operating margin.

Mission

TO PROTECT THE COLORADO AND MOJAVE DESERTS ECOSYSTEMS AND THEIR SCENIC AND CULTURAL RESOURCES.

Program Service Accomplishments

Program 1
Expenses: $1,726,993 Revenue: $368,104

LAND PURCHASES THAT HAVE STRATEGIC CONSERVATION VALUES. WORKS TO ENSURE THAT ALL ACQUIRED LAND IS PROPERLY STEWARDED AND MAINTAINED. EVERY LAND TRANSACTION SUPPORTS THE VISION OF A MOJAVE DESERT WITH...

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LAND PURCHASES THAT HAVE STRATEGIC CONSERVATION VALUES. WORKS TO ENSURE THAT ALL ACQUIRED LAND IS PROPERLY STEWARDED AND MAINTAINED. EVERY LAND TRANSACTION SUPPORTS THE VISION OF A MOJAVE DESERT WITH INTERCONNECTED, PERMANENTLY PROTECTED SCENIC AND NATURAL AREAS HOSTING A DIVERSITY OF NATIVE PLANTS AND WILDLIFE. RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE CONSERVATION EASEMENT MONITORING, SIMPLE RESTORATION, AND WASTE REMOVAL. ALONG WITH LAND PUCHASES IN OUR LOCAL AREA AND OUR CONSERVATION EASEMENT WORK, THE ORGANIZATION HAS CONVEYED 1,308 PARCELS TOTALING 58,843 ACRES TO THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT, CONSOLIDATING OUR PUBLIC LANDS AND CONSERVED OVER 102,000 ACRES.

Program 2
Expenses: $519,013 Revenue: $0

EDUCATION AND PUBLIC OUTREACH PROGRAM INCLUDE GUIDED HIKES, OUTDOOR EDUCATION, OUTREACH AT LOCAL FAIRS AND FESTIVALS, LECTURES AND WORKSHOPS, SPECIAL EVENTS AND AN INTERNSHIP FOR WOMEN IN SCIENCE...

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EDUCATION AND PUBLIC OUTREACH PROGRAM INCLUDE GUIDED HIKES, OUTDOOR EDUCATION, OUTREACH AT LOCAL FAIRS AND FESTIVALS, LECTURES AND WORKSHOPS, SPECIAL EVENTS AND AN INTERNSHIP FOR WOMEN IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH. A TOTAL OF 913 YOUNG PEOPLE AGED 5-18 YEARS OLD IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CONNECTED WITH THE DESERT THROUGH MDLT'S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING IN 2023. OF THESE, 495 STUDENTS TOOK PART IN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING LABS ABOUT DESERT ECOLOGY AND HAD ARTWORK PUBLISHED IN THE CHOLLA NEEDLES: YOUNG WRITERS AND ARTISTS AND JOSHUA TREE VOICE MAGAZINES. AN ADDITIONAL 221 STUDENTS CARRIED OUT STEWARDSHIP AND CONTRIBUTED CITIZEN SCIENCE ABOUT SPECIES ON MDLT LANDS, AND 197 JOINED FIELD TRIPS TO A LOCAL BIRD WATCHING PRESERVE. NINE WOMEN TOOK PART IN THREE RESEARCH TEAMS FOR THE WOMEN IN SCIENCE DISCOVERING OUR MOJAVE (WISDOM) INTERNSHIP, COLLECTING DATA ABOUT TAMARISK BEETLES, BIRDS, BUMBLE BEES, AND SPRINGS IN MOJAVE TRAILS NATIONAL MONUMENT.

Program 3
Expenses: $483,053 Revenue: $123,052

THE PLANT CONSERVATION PROGRAM INCLUDES A NATIVE PLANT RESTORATION NURSERY AND A CONSERVATION SEED BANK. THE NURSERY GROWS NATIVE PLANTS FOR RESTORATION CONTRACTS FOR REVEGETATION PROJECTS THROUGHOUT...

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THE PLANT CONSERVATION PROGRAM INCLUDES A NATIVE PLANT RESTORATION NURSERY AND A CONSERVATION SEED BANK. THE NURSERY GROWS NATIVE PLANTS FOR RESTORATION CONTRACTS FOR REVEGETATION PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE CALIFORNIA DESERTS. THE SEED BANK PROGRAM STORES AND PRESERVES NATIVE SEEDS AND HERBARIUM SPECIMENS FROM MDLT PROPERTIES FOR FUTURE RESEARCH. IN FY23, THE NURSERY GREW OVER 20,000 PLANTS INCLUDING THE LARGEST RESTORATION CONTRACT TO DATE - OVER 15,000 SALT-TOLERANT PLANT SPECIES FOR HABITAT RESTORATION AND DUST SUPPRESSION AROUND THE SALTON SEA. IN 2023, THE PLANT CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT RECEIVED A 3 MILLION DOLLAR GRANT FROM THE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD TO EXPAND THE SEED BANK IN EFFORTS TO HELP PRESERVE AND PROTECT THE BIODIVERSITY OF THE DESERTS OF CALIFORNIA.

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Liquidity (40%) • Solvency (30%) • Sustainability (20%) • Efficiency (10%)

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Financial Overview (2023)

Revenue Breakdown

Contributions & Grants $7,230,288
Program Service Revenue $491,156
Investment Income $42,050
Other Revenue $349,673
TOTAL REVENUE $8,113,167

Expense Breakdown

Grants Paid $0
Salaries & Benefits $1,926,608
Fundraising Expenses $213,691
Program Expenses $2,729,059
Other Expenses $1,388,587
TOTAL EXPENSES $3,315,195

Year-over-Year Comparison

2023 2022 Change
Revenue $8,113,167 $8,072,702 +0.0%
Expenses $3,315,195 $3,005,485 +0.1%
Net Income $4,797,972 $5,067,217 -0.1%
Key Indicators
Grants to Organizations Grants to Individuals Lobbying Political Activity Foreign Activities Donor Advised Fund Schedule B Required
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Governance

Voting Members
9
Independent Members
9
Employees
35
Volunteers
117

Governance Policies

Conflict of Interest Policy
Whistleblower Policy
Document Retention Policy

Special Practices & Reported Activities

Operated a School
Operated a Hospital
Provided First Class Travel
Reported Conflict of Interest
Reported Asset Diversion
Excess Benefit Transaction
Made Political Expenditures
Engaged in Lobbying
Operated Donor Advised Fund
Maintained Art Collections
Filed Form 720

Compensation of Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Total Officers
6
$224,658
Total Directors
10
$0
Key Employees
0
$0
Highest Compensated
0
reported
Name Title Hours/Week Role Reportable Comp Other Comp Total
JOHN SIMPSON PRESIDENT 3.00
Officer Director
$0 $0 $0
ABDEL REID VICE PRESIDENT 3.00
Officer Director
$0 $0 $0
PETER BROOKS TREASURER 3.00
Officer Director
$0 $0 $0
GEARY HUND SECRETARY 3.00
Officer Director
$0 $0 $0
TERRYSA GUERRA DIRECTOR (UNTIL 11/23) 3.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
STEVE HELY DIRECTOR 3.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
ROBYN HELMLINGER DIRECTOR 3.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
RON RADZINER DIRECTOR 3.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
BRAD WILSON DIRECTOR 3.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
GWEN BARKER DIRECTOR 3.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
KELLY HERBINSON JOINT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40.00
Officer
$106,496 $13,341 $119,837
CODY HANFORD JOINT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40.00
Officer
$93,335 $11,486 $104,821
Note: Compensation data is self-reported by the organization on their Form 990. "Reportable Comp" includes salary, bonuses, and other reportable compensation from the organization and related organizations. "Other Comp" includes benefits, deferred compensation, and non-taxable benefits.

Historical Data

Year Revenue Expenses Assets Net Income
2025 No data No data No data No data
2024 No data No data No data No data
2023 $8,113,167 $3,315,195 $60,229,508 $4,797,972
2023 $8,113,167 $3,315,195 $60,229,508 $4,797,972
2022 $8,072,702 $3,005,485 $51,837,293 $5,067,217
2021 $5,993,436 $3,005,758 $46,712,856 $2,987,678
2020 $4,391,061 $2,494,475 $40,885,992 $1,896,586
2019 $6,757,533 $2,267,580 $35,756,661 $4,489,953
2018 $5,367,454 $2,207,962 $30,497,009 $3,159,492
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