DESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN INC Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

DESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN INC

EIN 86-0136925 · Environment (C410)

What they do

THE GARDENS COMMITMENT to THE COMMUNITY is to ADVANCE EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION, RESEARCH, EXHIBITION and CONSERVATION of DESERT PLANTS of THE WORLD WITH EMPHASIS ON THE SONORAN DESERT. WE WILL ENSURE THAT THE GARDEN is ALWAYS A COMPELLING ATTRACTION THAT BRINGS to LIFE THE MANY WONDERS of THE DESERT.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $72.70 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 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 leaders65 people are listed in the latest report.

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

Money made simple

66.17%of revenue went to mission work72.7% of expenses · Program services

14.86%of revenue went to fundraising16.3% of expenses

$90.97spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

9.94%of revenue went to management and office costs10.9% of expenses

$3.16in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

34.7%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 $605,277 for KENNETH SCHUTZ (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (UNTIL 9/30/25)). 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$30,218,299

Mission workProgram services$19,994,36266.17% of revenue72.7% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$3,004,6939.94% of revenue10.9% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$4,489,56214.86% of revenue16.3% of expenses

Revenue left after expensesReported annual surplus$2,729,6829.03% of revenueShown in gray on the chart

Total expenses$27,488,61790.97% 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: 72.7% mission · 10.9% management · 16.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 90.97% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 71.7% mission · 10.7% management · 17.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 88.65% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 75.2% mission · 11.5% management · 13.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 80.92% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 73.0% mission · 12.6% management · 14.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 55.90% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 59.2% mission · 27.2% management · 13.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 80.54% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 56.9% mission · 28.3% management · 14.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 105.65% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 56.7% mission · 31.5% management · 11.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 95.20% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 75.7% mission · 13.1% management · 11.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 101.98% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$30,218,299

Expenses$27,488,617

Annual surplus $2,729,682 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)$19,994,362 · 72.7% of expenses

Management and office costs$3,004,693 · 10.9% of expenses

Fundraising$4,489,562 · 16.3% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$30,218,299

Expenses$27,488,617

Assets$86,738,251

Income$48,965,004

Contributions$10,500,585

Mission work (program services)$19,994,362

Fundraising$4,489,562

Grants given$25,000

Average grant$25,000

Management and general$3,004,693

Stocks and bonds$626,208

Accounting fees$63,095

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

KENNETH SCHUTZEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (UNTIL 9/30/25) · 40 hrs/week $605,277Base $539,569 · Other $65,708

MARGARET BURKEEXECUTIVE VP & CFOO · 40 hrs/week $316,733Base $267,850 · Other $48,883

MIKE REMEDICHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $249,252Base $232,894 · Other $16,358

KIMBERLIE MCCUECHIEF SCIENCE OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $224,991Base $190,187 · Other $34,804

ELAINE MCGINNCHIEF EXPERIENCE OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $221,006Base $200,169 · Other $20,837

TINA WILSONSR DIRECTOR OF HORTICULTURE · 40 hrs/week $195,813Base $165,442 · Other $30,371

MARCIA FLYNNSR DIRECTOR OF EVENTS · 40 hrs/week $177,602Base $151,899 · Other $25,703

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 (65)

KENNETH SCHUTZEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (UNTIL 9/30/25)

MARGARET BURKEEXECUTIVE VP & CFOO

MIKE REMEDICHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

KIMBERLIE MCCUECHIEF SCIENCE OFFICER

ELAINE MCGINNCHIEF EXPERIENCE OFFICER

TINA WILSONSR DIRECTOR OF HORTICULTURE

MARCIA FLYNNSR DIRECTOR OF EVENTS

LORI A HIGUERASECRETARY

MARY HOVDENTRUSTEE

MARTIN HARVIERTRUSTEE (UNTIL 5/22/25)

MARK LANDYTRUSTEE

LUIS AVILATRUSTEE

MICHAEL TREJOTRUSTEE

LISA URIASTRUSTEE

LINDA NORQUISTTRUSTEE

LINDA ELLIOTTTRUSTEE

LAURA A LO BIANCOSECRETARY (UNTIL 5/22/25)

KEN UDENZETRUSTEE

MELANIE STUCKENBERGTRUSTEE (UNTIL 5/22/25)

KATHY MUNSONTRUSTEE

PAUL J MOUNTAINTRUSTEE

QUINTIN BOYCETRUSTEE

RACHEL A NICHOLASTRUSTEE

REA MAYERTRUSTEE

REBECCA AILES-FINETRUSTEE

ROBERT S REDERTRUSTEE

SARA SCHAEFERTRUSTEE (UNTIL 5/22/25)

SCOTT BURDICKBOARD CHAIR

SHARI LEVITANTRUSTEE

SHELLEY COHNTRUSTEE

THOMAS R JONESTRUSTEE (UNTIL 5/22/25)

TIMOTHY LONGTRUSTEE

URSULA GANGADEANTRUSTEE (UNTIL 5/22/25)

ED MARLEYTREASURER

ALEXANDER FALKENSTEINTRUSTEE

AMANDA BURKEVICE CHAIR

ANDREA SANCHEZTRUSTEE

ANDREA WHITSETTTRUSTEE

ANN EWENTRUSTEE

ANN LEHMANNTRUSTEE

ANN STANTONVICE PRESIDENT (UNTIL 5/22/25)

BARRY K FINGERHUTTRUSTEE

BILL RUBINTRUSTEE

BRUCE MACDONOUGHTRUSTEE (UNTIL 5/22/25)

CHRIS KLINEVICE CHAIR

DAN PEREZTRUSTEE

DAVID A YOUNGTRUSTEE

DAVID MARTINEZ IIITRUSTEE

DIANA GREGORYTRUSTEE (UNTIL 5/22/25)

KATIE HOOTENTRUSTEE

EDGARDO RIVERATRUSTEE

GERI MINGURATRUSTEE (UNTIL 5/22/25)

HANK ARENSTRUSTEE

HAROLD C DORENBECHERIMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR

JAMEY WETMORETRUSTEE

JAN LEWISTRUSTEE (UNTIL 5/22/25)

JANE JOZOFFTRUSTEE (UNTIL 5/22/25)

JENNY HOLSMAN TETREAULTTRUSTEE

JOE COLIANNITRUSTEE

JOETTE SCHMIDTTRUSTEE (UNTIL 5/22/25)

JOHN BURNSIDETRUSTEE

JULIE WILLIAMSTRUSTEE

KATE BAKERTRUSTEE

KATHLEEN TADDEITRUSTEE (UNTIL 5/22/25)

ADRIANA MURRIETTATRUSTEE

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1949
Location: 1201 N GALVIN PARKWAY, PHOENIX, AZ 85008
County: Maricopa
In care of: MARGARET BURKE
Primary officer: MARGARET BURKE, EXECUTIVE VP & CFOO

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Emailplanthotline@dbg.org Phone(480) 941-1225

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: October 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: CBIZ ADVISORS LLC
NTEE classification: Environment (C410)
Grant-giving organization: Yes