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← GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN STEWARDSHIP FOUNDATION INC

Form 990 for tax year 2023

Filed by GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN STEWARDSHIP FOUNDATION INC.

Totals

Total revenue
$10,350,552
Total expenses
$8,165,272
Contributions and grants received
$801,485
Grants paid
$0
Program service revenue
$6,933,779
Investment income
$380,110
Other revenue
$2,235,178
Total assets, end of year
$35,747,185
Total liabilities, end of year
$293,702
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$35,453,483
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$5,637,864
Management and general expenses
$2,402,295
Fundraising expenses
$125,113
Program service expenses (Part III)
$5,637,864

Program services were 69.0% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $144,439

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $657,046

  • 2a · Program service revenue: INDIVIDUAL ADMISSIONS

    total $6,346,152 · related or exempt $6,346,152

  • 2b · Program service revenue: SEASON PASSES

    total $325,534 · related or exempt $325,534

  • 2c · Program service revenue: SPECIAL EVENTS

    total $169,386 · related or exempt $169,386

  • 2d · Program service revenue: GROUP ADMISSIONS

    total $92,707 · related or exempt $92,707

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $506,005 · excluded $506,005

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    securities $3,337,212 · other assets $14,025

  • 7b · Less cost or other basis and sales expenses

    securities $3,477,132 · other assets $0

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities -$139,920 · other assets $14,025

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total -$125,895 · excluded -$125,895

  • 10a · Gross sales of inventory

    $3,835,113

  • 10b · Cost of goods sold

    $1,605,019

  • 10c · Net income from sales of inventory

    total $2,230,094 · related or exempt $2,230,094

  • 11a · Other revenue: MISCELLANEOUS

    total $5,084 · related or exempt $5,084

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $5,084

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $3,397,451 · program services $2,547,930 · management and general $849,521

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $503,707 · program services $431,857 · management and general $71,850

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $255,725 · program services $193,229 · management and general $62,496

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $24,894 · management and general $24,894

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $42,800 · management and general $42,800

  • 11e · Fees: professional fundraising services

    total $100,250 · fundraising $100,250

  • 11f · Fees: investment management

    total $37,697 · management and general $37,697

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $187,460 · management and general $162,597 · fundraising $24,863

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $777,268 · program services $755,050 · management and general $22,218

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $106,783 · program services $72,392 · management and general $34,391

  • 17 · Travel

    total $41,826 · program services $11,219 · management and general $30,607

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $702,944 · program services $635,461 · management and general $67,483

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $248,549 · program services $224,777 · management and general $23,772

  • 24a · Other expenses: REPAIRS & MAINTENANCE

    total $328,129 · program services $166,825 · management and general $161,304

  • 24b · Other expenses: SUPPLIES

    total $318,446 · program services $188,382 · management and general $130,064

  • 24c · Other expenses: BANK FEES

    total $280,175 · program services $0 · management and general $280,175

  • 24d · Other expenses: MISCELLANEOUS

    total $197,931 · program services $166,564 · management and general $31,367

  • 24e · All other expenses

    total $613,237 · program services $244,178 · management and general $369,059

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $1,527,256 · end of year $1,253,531

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $2,286,511 · end of year $3,648,637

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $915,912 · end of year $395,762

  • 7 · Other notes and loans receivable

    end of year $286,335

  • 8 · Inventories for sale or use

    beginning of year $243,222 · end of year $217,954

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $27,184,418

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $10,119,442

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $16,588,762 · end of year $17,064,976

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $11,109,703 · end of year $12,879,990

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $824,309 · end of year $293,702

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $30,858,474 · end of year $34,286,588

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $988,583 · end of year $1,166,895

Mission and programs · 2023

Mission

GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN STEWARDSHIP FOUNDATION'S MISSION IS TO INSPIRE CONSERVATION OF THE NATURAL WORLD BY HELPING GUESTS EXPLORE, UNDERSTAND AND VALUE THE WONDERS OF GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN.

  • THE PRINCIPAL PROGRAM SERVICES ARE AS FOLLOWS:1) PRESERVATION OF GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN BY PROTECTING AND MONITORING ENDANGERED SPECIES, ERADICATING AND MANAGING INVASIVE SPECIES, CREATING AND IMPLEMENTING A RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN, REDUCING LIGHT POLLUTION IN THE NIGHT SKY, DEVELOPING AND EXECUTING CITIZEN SCIENCE PROGRAMS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND OUR NATURAL COMMUNITIES, PRESERVING OUR FORESTS TO INCREASE CARBON SEQUESTRATION AND SEEKING WAYS TO REDUCE OUR GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS FROM THE NATURE PARK. 2) ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN MAN AND BIOSPHERE PROGRAM, A UNIT OF THE UNESCO MAN AND BIOSPHERE PROGRAM, WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AGENCIES AND NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO DETERMINE BEST PRACTICES IN NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT. 3) EDUCATING THE PUBLIC THROUGH HANDS-ON IMMERSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION EXPERIENCES BOTH IN THE FIELD ON GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN AND IN SCHOOL CLASSROOMS ACROSS THE REGION. EDUCATION STAFF WORK CLOSELY WITH TEACHERS AND OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES THAT EXPAND LEARNERS' UNDERSTANDING OF THE NATURAL WORLD. EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM FOR GRADES K-12 WITH TWO NEW IN-DEPTH PARTNERSHIPS WITH ALL FIRST GRADE STUDENTS THROUGH A PROGRAM CALLED WILD WATCH IN ALL AVERY COUNTY, NC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THEIR LOCAL NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS AND THE FLORA AND FAUNA THAT LIVE HERE. GROWING EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS FOR 5TH GRADE STUDENTS THE ECOWATCH PROGRAM.4) OPERATING THE NATURE PARK FOR PUBLIC ENRICHMENT, ENJOYMENT AND UNDERSTANDING. PROVIDE ONGOING MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP, ADEQUATE STAFFING LEVELS TO PROVIDE HIGH-LEVEL EXPERIENCES IN ONE OF THE MOST BIOLOGICALLY DIVERSE MOUNTAINS IN THE EASTERN UNITED STATES. PARK ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDE NATIVE ANIMAL EXHIBITS, NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM EXHIBITS, CULTURAL MUSEUM EXHIBITS, GIFT SHOPS, RESTAURANT AND FOOD SERVICE, MILES OF HIKING TRAILS, PAVED ROAD AND WALKWAYS, SPECIAL EVENTS, AND THE HISTORIC MILE HIGH SWINGING BRIDGE. WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ADJACENT GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN STATE PARK TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY RESPONSE SUPPORT, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND TRAIL MAINTENANCE.5) PARTNER AND COLLABORATE WITH ORGANIZATIONS AND AGENCIES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY TO FORM AND NURTURE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE WHO SHARE THE FOUNDATION'S VALUES, INCLUDING THE GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN HIGHLAND GAMES, BLUE RIDGE CONSERVANCY, BLUE RIDGE NATURAL HERITAGE AREA, NORTH CAROLINA AUDUBON, BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY, LEES-MCRAE COLLEGE, APPALACHIAN STATE UNIVERSITY, MAYLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE, CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE IN THE LOCAL REGION, GIRL SCOUTS OF THE USA AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. PROMOTE A FAMILY CULTURE WHERE EMPLOYEES FEEL A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP OF OUR MISSION, PRIDE, VALUE AND SATISFACTION IN THEIR DAILY ACTIVITIES AND IN THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE FOUNDATION'S MISSION. ACT AS AN ECONOMIC DRIVER WITHIN THE REGION BY POSITIVELY INFLUENCING THE LOCAL ECONOMY BY DRAWING VISITORS TO GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN. ENGAGE WITH DONORS AND OPERATE FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGNS TO FURTHER OUR MISSION OF INSPIRING CONSERVATION OF THE NATURAL WORLD BY HELPING GUESTS EXPLORE, UNDERSTAND AND VALUE THE WONDERS OF GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN.

    Expenses $5,637,864 · Revenue $9,168,957

As filed on the 2023 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • Gordon Warburton

    CHAIRMAN

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    4

  • Catherine Walker Morton

    SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Julia MacRae Morton

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Mike Leonard

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Jon Barrett

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Bob Biggerstaff

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Jesse Pope

    PRESIDENT & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $175,061
    From this org
    $175,061
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    50

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $141,050
    Bonus
    $34,011
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $0
    Filer's total
    $175,061

  • Lesley Platek

    VICE PRESIDENT

    Total calculated
    $70,608
    From this org
    $70,608
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    40

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Answered yes

None.

Answered no

  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
  • 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
  • 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
  • 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
  • 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
  • 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2023
Filed
23 January 2025
IRS schema version
2023v6.0
Source object
202501909349300315

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