SOUTHERN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

SOUTHERN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER

EIN 52-1436778 · Alliances & Advocacy - Environment (C01)

What they do

THE MISSION of THE SOUTHERN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER is to PROTECT THE BASIC RIGHT to CLEAN AIR, CLEAN WATER, and A LIVABLE CLIMATE; to PRESERVE OUR REGIONS NATURAL TREASURES and RICH BIODIVERSITY; and to PROVIDE A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT for ALL.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $82.80 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 2024The charity has a recent tax report to read.

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

They name their leaders49 people are listed in the latest report.

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

Money made simple

71.86%of revenue went to mission work82.8% of expenses · Program services

9.27%of revenue went to fundraising10.7% of expenses

$86.74spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

5.61%of revenue went to management and office costs6.5% of expenses

$5.57in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

85.8%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.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $385,302 for DJ GERKEN (PRESIDENT & 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 2024

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$58,167,590

Mission workProgram services$41,800,17471.86% of revenue82.8% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$3,263,6925.61% of revenue6.5% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$5,390,7539.27% of revenue10.7% of expenses

Revenue left after expensesReported annual surplus$7,712,97113.26% of revenueShown in gray on the chart

Total expenses$50,454,61986.74% of revenue

Gray means reported revenue left after expenses for this filing year. It does not necessarily mean cash sitting in a bank account.

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

2024CurrentExpense mix: 82.8% mission · 6.5% management · 10.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 86.74% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 84.8% mission · 6.2% management · 9.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 68.59% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 83.8% mission · 8.3% management · 7.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 75.75% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 86.4% mission · 6.8% management · 6.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 39.63% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 87.2% mission · 6.7% management · 6.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 70.89% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 87.7% mission · 6.3% management · 6.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 74.86% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 86.1% mission · 7.5% management · 6.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 48.47% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 87.0% mission · 7.5% management · 5.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 59.06% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$58,167,590

Expenses$50,454,619

Annual surplus $7,712,971 Revenue was higher than expenses 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)$41,800,174 · 82.8% of expenses

Management and office costs$3,263,692 · 6.5% of expenses

Fundraising$5,390,753 · 10.7% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$58,167,590

Expenses$50,454,619

Assets$280,923,159

Income$71,895,905

Contributions$49,880,755

Mission work (program services)$41,800,174

Fundraising$5,390,753

Grants given$1,211,999

Average grant$34,629

Management and general$3,263,692

Stocks and bonds$242,665,063

Accounting fees$85,636

Investing fees$16,171

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2024

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

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

DJ GERKENPRESIDENT & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR · 50 hrs/week $385,302Base $321,468 · Other $63,834

DERB CARTERSENIOR ADVISOR & SENIOR ATTORNEY · 50 hrs/week $298,682Base $252,098 · Other $46,584

JOHN SUTTLESDEPUTY DIRECTOR · 50 hrs/week $290,324Base $256,257 · Other $34,067

KATIE SHEVLINCHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER · 50 hrs/week $278,095Base $227,893 · Other $50,202

ERIN MALECDIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS · 50 hrs/week $240,760Base $215,939 · Other $24,821

TRIP POLLARDSENIOR ATTORNEY · 50 hrs/week $238,479Base $190,553 · Other $47,926

SARAH FRANCISCODIRECTOR, VA OFFICE · 50 hrs/week $235,563Base $192,201 · Other $43,362

ALYS CAMPAIGNECLIMATE INITIATIVE LEADER · 50 hrs/week $230,457Base $194,511 · Other $35,946

MARY MACLEAN ASBILLDIRECTOR, NC OFFICE · 50 hrs/week $230,149Base $177,188 · Other $52,961

NAT MUNDDIRECTOR OF FEDERAL AFFAIRS · 50 hrs/week $226,753Base $202,745 · Other $24,008

DAVID CARRGEN. COUNSEL, TRES -(5/24- 11/24) · 50 hrs/week $224,227Base $194,361 · Other $29,866

GILBERT ROGERSDIRECTOR, GA OFFICE · 50 hrs/week $218,677Base $190,269 · Other $28,408

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 (49)

DJ GERKENPRESIDENT & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

DERB CARTERSENIOR ADVISOR & SENIOR ATTORNEY

JOHN SUTTLESDEPUTY DIRECTOR

KATIE SHEVLINCHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

ERIN MALECDIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

TRIP POLLARDSENIOR ATTORNEY

SARAH FRANCISCODIRECTOR, VA OFFICE

ALYS CAMPAIGNECLIMATE INITIATIVE LEADER

MARY MACLEAN ASBILLDIRECTOR, NC OFFICE

NAT MUNDDIRECTOR OF FEDERAL AFFAIRS

DAVID CARRGEN. COUNSEL, TRES -(5/24- 11/24)

GILBERT ROGERSDIRECTOR, GA OFFICE

DEBORAH MURRAYSENIOR ATTORNEY

GEOFF GISLERPROGRAM DIRECTOR

CHANDRA TAYLORENVIRON. JUSTICE INITIATIVE LEADER

HAYLEY PARRISHASSIS. TO ED & BOARD ADMIN.

CHRISTIE WIGGANSFIN. & INVEST. TRES. (4/24-5/24)

HOLLY HUESTONDIR. FIN. & ADMIN./TRES (TO 4/24)

CALI BUSCHCONTROLLER, TREASURER (FROM 11/24)

LAURA B FJELDTRUSTEE

MARCIA A ANGLETRUSTEE

LAURA D GATESCHAIR OF THE BOARD

ZAKIYA A SEYMOURTRUSTEE

JULIE G PRICETRUSTEE

WILLIAM L WANTTRUSTEE (UNTIL 11/24)

MELANIE P GRINNEYTRUSTEE

MELVIN T DAVISTRUSTEE

ALLEN M MCCALLIETRUSTEE

PHYLLIS DK HILDRETHTRUSTEE

THOMAS F TAFT SRTRUSTEE

WENDY B BROWNTRUSTEE

WILLIAM H SCHLESINGERTRUSTEE

DELL S BROOKETRUSTEE

ANNE DAVISTRUSTEE (UNTIL 11/24)

B CLAYTON ROLADERTRUSTEE

C GREY MCLEANVICE CHAIR OF THE BOARD

CATHY S BROWNTRUSTEE

CHARLES W PATRICK JRTRUSTEE

CLAY HAYNESTRUSTEE

DEADERICK C MONTAGUETRUSTEE (UNTIL 11/24)

DEBORAH H KENNEDY KENNARDTRUSTEE

JOHN SIMPKINSTRUSTEE

DONALD A HOLZWORTHTRUSTEE

EDWARD M MILLERTRUSTEE

HEATH P TERRYTRUSTEE

J STEPHEN DOCKERY IIITRUSTEE

JAMES G HANES IIITRUSTEE

JEAN C NELSONTRUSTEE (UNTIL 11/24)

JOEL B ADAMS JRTRUSTEE

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1986
Location: 120 GARRETT ST STE 400, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA 22902-5613
County: Charlottesville (city)
In care of: % MIDDLETON
Primary officer: DJ GERKEN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & PRESIDENT

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Phone(434) 977-4090

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: April 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: GELMAN ROSENBERG & FREEDMAN
NTEE classification: Alliances & Advocacy - Environment (C01)
IRS tax category: Alliances & Advocacy - Environment
Grant-giving organization: Yes