CONSERVE LAKE COUNTY C/O OPENLANDS Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

CONSERVE LAKE COUNTY C/O OPENLANDS

EIN 36-3989864 · Natural Resources Conservation and Protection

What they do

CONSERVE LAKE COUNTY is A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED to PRESERVING and STEWARDING NATURAL LANDS and FARMLAND THROUGHOUT LAKE COUNTY, ILLINOIS. SINCE 2004, WE HAVE PRESERVED OVER 450 ACRES of OPEN LAND IN PARTNERSHIPS WITH PRIVATE LANDOWNERS. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO FOSTERS LAND STEWARDSHIP ON PUBLIC and PRIVATE LANDS and OFFERS A VARIETY of EDUCATION ACTIVITIES THAT INSPIRE and TEACH PEOPLE to CARE for THE COUNTYS OPEN LAND. THE SUPPORT of VOLUNTEERS, MEMBERS, BUSINESSES, and FOUNDATIONS is VITAL to OUR SUCCESS.OUR WORK BENEFITS THE PEOPLE of LAKE COUNTY BY SUPPORTING THE HEALTH and QUALITY of LIFE of THEIR COMMUNITIES. OUR WORK ALSO BENEFITS OUR COUNTYS RICH DIVERSITY of PLANTS and ANIMALS. LAKE COUNTY IS, IN FACT, of SPECIAL STATE-WIDE SIGNIFICANCE. IT PROVIDES SANCTUARY to MORE THAN 130 THREATENED and ENDANGERED SPECIES, THE MOST of ANY COUNTY IN THE STATE.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $60.70 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2017The report may be old. Ask for a newer one.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders12 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

160.63%of revenue went to mission work60.7% of expenses · Program services

12.15%of revenue went to fundraising4.6% of expenses

$264.57spent for every $100 of revenueSpending was higher than revenue this year.

91.79%of revenue went to management and office costs34.7% of expenses

45.2%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Worth asking: Expenses exceeded revenue by $311,788 this year. Ask whether that was planned or caused by a one-time event.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $87,838 for SARAH SURROZ (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2017

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

$100revenue

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$189,455

Mission workProgram services$304,331160.63% of revenue60.7% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$173,90091.79% of revenue34.7% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$23,01212.15% of revenue4.6% of expenses

Total expenses$501,243264.57% of revenue

Expenses were greater than revenue, so the colored ring fills the available $100 and the total above 100% is shown below.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails

2017CurrentExpense mix: 60.7% mission · 34.7% management · 4.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 264.57% of revenue

2016Expense mix: 54.9% mission · 30.1% management · 15.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 169.96% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$189,455

Expenses$501,243

Annual shortfall $311,788 Expenses were higher than revenue for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$304,331 · 60.7% of expenses

Management and office costs$173,900 · 34.7% of expenses

Fundraising$23,012 · 4.6% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$189,455

Expenses$501,243

Income$365,816

Contributions$85,613

Mission work (program services)$304,331

Fundraising$23,012

Management and general$173,900

Executive compensation (total)$172,085

Stocks and bonds$332,804

Accounting fees$12,000

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2017

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

SARAH SURROZEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $87,838Base $78,685 · Other $9,153

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (12)

SARAH SURROZEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

BRIAN LEVINSDIRECTOR

DAN TIMMDIRECTOR

DR JENNY WOJCIKDIRECTOR

FABRICE ZAMOLODIRECTOR (THROUGH 10/17)

GARY MITCHINERCHAIRMAN

GEOFF DEIGANVICE CHAIR AND TREASURER

JEFF SUNDBERGSECRETARY

LAWRENCE FALBEDIRECTOR

PAUL KARLTREASURER (THROUGH 7/17)

ROBERT STANLEYDIRECTOR

SHELIA LEEDIRECTOR

About this charity

Location: 25 E WASHINGTON STREET NO 1650, CHICAGO, IL 60602
County: Cook
In care of: GARY MITCHINER
Primary officer: GARY MITCHINER, PRESIDENT

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Phone(312) 863-6250

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2017
Tax period began: January 1, 2017
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: WARADY & DAVIS LLP
IRS tax category: Natural Resources Conservation and Protection