TALL TIMBERS RESEARCH INC Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

TALL TIMBERS RESEARCH INC

EIN 59-0952956 · Science & Technology (U500)

What they do

THE MISSION of TALL TIMBERS RESEARCH,INC. is to FOSTER EXEMPLARY LAND STEWARDSHIP THROUGH RESEARCH, CONSERVATION and EDUCATION.OUR PRIMARY RESEARCH FOCUS is THE ECOLOGY of FIRE and NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT INCLUDING BOBWHITE QUAIL and OTHER WILDLIFE IN THE SOUTHEASTERN COASTAL PLAIN. OUR CONSERVATION EFFORTS ARE DEDICATED to HELPING PROTECT THE DISTINCTIVE RED HILLS LANDSCAPE of SOUTH GEORGIA and NORTH FLORIDA, and ITS TRADITIONAL LAND USES. OUR EDUCATION PROGRAM TRANSFERS RESEARCH and CONSERVATION INFORMATION for RESOURCE MANAGEMENT.DEFINING EXEMPLARY LAND STEWARDSHIP EXEMPLARY LAND STEWARDSHIP (ELS) BALANCES ECOLOGICAL VALUES and ECONOMIC UTILITY WITHIN A FRAMEWORK of LONG-TERM CONSERVATION. THE FOUNDATION of ELS ON UPLAND HABITATS IN THE RED HILLS is THE FREQUENT USE of FIRE to ACCOMMODATE MANAGEMENT for BOBWHITE QUAIL, SELECTION TIMBER HARVEST, and OTHER TRADITIONAL LAND USES. SCENIC, OPEN MULTI-AGED FOREST STRUCTURES ARE FUNDAMENTAL to ELS.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $95.80 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 2025The charity has a recent tax report to read.

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

They name their leaders28 people are listed in the latest report.

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

Money made simple

114.35%of revenue went to mission work95.8% of expenses · Program services

0.73%of revenue went to fundraising0.6% of expenses

$119.36spent for every $100 of revenueSpending was higher than revenue this year.

4.28%of revenue went to management and office costs3.6% of expenses

$1.76in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

78.0%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 $4,443,345 this year. Ask whether that was planned or caused by a one-time event.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $273,228 for WILLIAM E PALMER (PRESIDENT/CEO). 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 2025

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$22,954,861

Mission workProgram services$26,247,877114.35% of revenue95.8% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$983,1664.28% of revenue3.6% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$167,1630.73% of revenue0.6% of expenses

Total expenses$27,398,206119.36% 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

2025CurrentExpense mix: 95.8% mission · 3.6% management · 0.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 119.36% of revenue

2024Expense mix: 92.3% mission · 6.9% management · 0.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 96.01% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 93.5% mission · 5.8% management · 0.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 91.70% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 91.1% mission · 8.2% management · 0.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 85.43% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 93.5% mission · 5.3% management · 1.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 87.87% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 93.8% mission · 5.1% management · 1.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 87.22% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 93.2% mission · 5.2% management · 1.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 86.10% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 91.4% mission · 6.7% management · 1.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 96.78% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$22,954,861

Expenses$27,398,206

Annual shortfall $4,443,345 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)$26,247,877 · 95.8% of expenses

Management and office costs$983,166 · 3.6% of expenses

Fundraising$167,163 · 0.6% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$22,954,861

Expenses$27,398,206

Assets$48,210,925

Income$28,634,069

Contributions$17,909,761

Mission work (program services)$26,247,877

Fundraising$167,163

Management and general$983,166

Accounting fees$65,023

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2025

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

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

WILLIAM E PALMERPRESIDENT/CEO · 40 hrs/week $273,228Base $271,530 · Other $1,698

JULIAN MORGAN VARNERDIRECTOR OF RESEARCH · 40 hrs/week $206,144

GEOFFREY BEANEPROJECT MANAGER (CFRQP) · 40 hrs/week $160,239Base $158,541 · Other $1,698

ROBERT DWAYNE ELMOREDIRECTOR OF THE GAME BIRD · 40 hrs/week $154,421Base $152,231 · Other $2,190

MELISSA PROCTORCFO · 40 hrs/week $134,275Base $130,986 · Other $3,289

JOHN MCGUIREDIRECTOR OF PRIVATE LANDS · 40 hrs/week $134,275

KEVIN M ROBERTSONDIRECTOR OF FIRE ECOLOGY · 40 hrs/week $131,396Base $113,722 · Other $17,674

DONALD SISSONDIRECTOR OF THE ALBANY QUA · 40 hrs/week $129,663Base $119,060 · Other $10,603

SHANE D WELLENDORFLAND CONSERVANCY DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $124,692Base $124,604 · Other $88

HOLLY NOWELLDIRECTOR OF SMOKE SCIENCE · 40 hrs/week $109,082

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 (28)

WILLIAM E PALMERPRESIDENT/CEO

JULIAN MORGAN VARNERDIRECTOR OF RESEARCH

GEOFFREY BEANEPROJECT MANAGER (CFRQP)

ROBERT DWAYNE ELMOREDIRECTOR OF THE GAME BIRD

MELISSA PROCTORCFO

JOHN MCGUIREDIRECTOR OF PRIVATE LANDS

KEVIN M ROBERTSONDIRECTOR OF FIRE ECOLOGY

DONALD SISSONDIRECTOR OF THE ALBANY QUA

SHANE D WELLENDORFLAND CONSERVANCY DIRECTOR

HOLLY NOWELLDIRECTOR OF SMOKE SCIENCE

MRS MARGARET WETHERBEETRUSTEE

MR ORRIN H INGRAMTRUSTEE

MRS KATE SULLIVAN SCOVILTRUSTEE

MRS DAPHNE F WOODSECRETARY

MRS CORNELIA CORBETTTRUSTEE

MR WITT STEPHENSTRUSTEE

MR TOM L RANKINTREASURER

MR RUSSELL TURNERTRUSTEE

MR RICK B LEVERICHTRUSTEE

MR PETE FODORTRUSTEE

MR PALMER CLARKSONTRUSTEE

MR JAMES R KARELSTRUSTEE

MR GEORGE WATKINSVICE CHAIRMAN

MR ANDREW SCHOCKTRUSTEE

DR PHILIP WATTTRUSTEE

DR MICHAEL STAMBAUGHTRUSTEE

DR JAMES MARTINTRUSTEE

DR GEORGE W SIMMONSCHAIRMAN

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1960
Location: 13093 HENRY BEADEL DR, TALLAHASSEE, FL 32312-0918
County: Leon
In care of: WILLIAM E PALMER
Primary officer: WILLIAM E PALMER, PRESIDENT/CEO

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Phone(850) 893-4153

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2025
Tax period began: January 1, 2025
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: LANIGAN & ASSOCIATES P C
NTEE classification: Science & Technology (U500)