Form 990 for tax year 2023

Filed by PHEASANTS FOREVER INC.

Totals

Total revenue: $132,707,799
Total expenses: $125,555,728
Contributions and grants received: $109,206,572
Grants paid: $0
Program service revenue: $4,420,075
Investment income: $6,420,470
Other revenue: $12,660,682
Total assets, end of year: $80,971,314
Total liabilities, end of year: $19,717,474
Net assets or fund balances, end of year: $61,253,840
Program services expenses (Part IX): $110,970,550
Management and general expenses: $3,874,345
Fundraising expenses: $10,710,833
Program service expenses (Part III): $110,970,550

Program services were 88.4% 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.

1a · Federated campaigns

$5,894
1b · Membership dues

$5,759,420
1c · Fundraising events

$0
1d · Related organizations

$0
1e · Government grants (contributions)

$85,034,300
1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

$18,406,958
1g · Noncash contributions included above

$3,392,984
2a · Program service revenue: Habitat Program Revenue

total $3,028,956 · related or exempt $3,028,956 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
2b · Program service revenue: Membership Dues

total $1,391,119 · related or exempt $1,391,119 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
2f · All other program service revenue

total $0 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
3 · Investment income

total $1,114,878 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $1,114,878
4 · Income from investment of tax-exempt bond proceeds

total $0 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
5 · Royalties

total $531,635 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $531,635
6a · Gross rents

real property $205,404 · personal property $0
6b · Less rental expenses

real property $40,370 · personal property $0
6c · Rental income or loss

real property $165,034 · personal property $0
6d · Net rental income or loss

total $165,034 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $165,034
7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

securities $2,798,546 · other assets $5,019,934
7b · Less cost or other basis and sales expenses

securities $2,512,888 · other assets $0
7c · Gain or loss

securities $285,658 · other assets $5,019,934
7d · Net gain or loss

total $5,305,592 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $5,305,592
8a · Fundraising events: gross income

$17,477,960
8a · Fundraising events: contributions included on line 1c

$0
8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

$11,293,572
8c · Net income from fundraising events

total $6,184,388 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $6,184,388
9a · Gaming: gross income

$11,378,990
9b · Gaming: direct expenses

$7,890,652
9c · Net income from gaming

total $3,488,338 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $3,488,338
10a · Gross sales of inventory

$4,204,749
10b · Cost of goods sold

$3,139,798
10c · Net income from sales of inventory

total $1,064,951 · related or exempt $1,064,951 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
11a · Other revenue: Advertising Publications

total $1,069,072 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $1,069,072 · excluded $0
11b · Other revenue: Digital Advertising

total $121,910 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $121,910 · excluded $0
11d · All other revenue

total $35,354 · related or exempt $35,354 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0
11e · Other revenue, total

$1,226,336

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments

total $0 · program services $0
2 · Grants to domestic individuals

total $0 · program services $0
3 · Grants to foreign organizations and individuals

total $0 · program services $0
4 · Benefits paid to or for members

total $0 · program services $0
5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

total $1,670,092 · program services $832,408 · management and general $404,823 · fundraising $432,861
6 · Compensation of disqualified persons

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
7 · Other salaries and wages

total $29,940,424 · program services $24,634,644 · management and general $1,976,564 · fundraising $3,329,216
8 · Pension plan contributions

total $1,215,967 · program services $992,743 · management and general $92,057 · fundraising $131,167
9 · Other employee benefits

total $2,509,574 · program services $2,113,057 · management and general $154,836 · fundraising $241,681
10 · Payroll taxes

total $2,211,729 · program services $1,809,654 · management and general $153,892 · fundraising $248,183
11a · Fees: management

total $340,368 · program services $137,650 · management and general $76,878 · fundraising $125,840
11b · Fees: legal

total $72,884 · program services $0 · management and general $71,700 · fundraising $1,184
11c · Fees: accounting

total $229,414 · program services $0 · management and general $229,414 · fundraising $0
11d · Fees: lobbying

total $79,529 · program services $79,529 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
11e · Fees: professional fundraising services

total $0 · fundraising $0
11f · Fees: investment management

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
11g · Fees: other

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
12 · Advertising and promotion

total $1,340,942 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $1,340,942
13 · Office expenses

total $3,005,671 · program services $1,792,665 · management and general $130,068 · fundraising $1,082,938
14 · Information technology

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
15 · Royalties

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
16 · Occupancy

total $35,087 · program services $9,732 · management and general $10,452 · fundraising $14,903
17 · Travel

total $2,919,445 · program services $2,117,291 · management and general $46,395 · fundraising $755,759
18 · Travel or entertainment for public officials

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

total $437,369 · program services $279,347 · management and general $134,518 · fundraising $23,504
20 · Interest

total $17,702 · program services $14,210 · management and general $3,492 · fundraising $0
21 · Payments to affiliates

total $0 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

total $510,893 · program services $357,571 · management and general $41,110 · fundraising $112,212
23 · Insurance

total $531,972 · program services $440,640 · management and general $53,396 · fundraising $37,936
24a · Other expenses: Habitat Conservation Projects

total $69,466,558 · program services $69,466,558 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
24b · Other expenses: Conservation Education

total $4,070,885 · program services $4,070,885 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0
24c · Other expenses: Direct Mail Expenses

total $1,613,555 · program services $0 · management and general $0 · fundraising $1,613,555
24d · Other expenses: Equipment Rental and Maintenance

total $1,121,776 · program services $889,708 · management and general $201,621 · fundraising $30,447
24e · All other expenses

total $2,213,892 · program services $932,258 · management and general $93,129 · fundraising $1,188,505

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

beginning of year $6,373,422 · end of year $3,194,897
2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

beginning of year $9,577,155 · end of year $11,657,010
3 · Pledges and grants receivable

beginning of year $2,326,381 · end of year $3,113,241
4 · Accounts receivable

beginning of year $16,112,318 · end of year $21,137,683
5 · Loans and receivables from officers and key people

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
6 · Loans and receivables from disqualified persons

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
7 · Other notes and loans receivable

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
8 · Inventories for sale or use

beginning of year $18,436 · end of year $40,032
9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

beginning of year $893,147 · end of year $1,012,908
10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

$5,750,983
10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

$3,421,915
10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

beginning of year $1,887,724 · end of year $2,329,068
11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

beginning of year $17,346,674 · end of year $20,684,868
12 · Investments: other securities

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
13 · Investments: program-related

beginning of year $13,412,493 · end of year $15,001,370
14 · Intangible assets

beginning of year $0
15 · Other assets

beginning of year $2,883,043 · end of year $2,800,237
17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

beginning of year $8,694,430 · end of year $11,475,031
18 · Grants payable

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
19 · Deferred revenue

beginning of year $1,766,133 · end of year $1,434,417
20 · Tax-exempt bond liabilities

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
21 · Escrow or custodial account liability

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
22 · Loans and payables to officers and key people

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
23 · Secured mortgages and notes payable

beginning of year $2,177,300 · end of year $49,947
24 · Unsecured notes and loans payable

beginning of year $0 · end of year $0
25 · Other liabilities

beginning of year $4,775,485 · end of year $6,758,079
27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

beginning of year $34,323,889 · end of year $38,534,943
28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

beginning of year $19,093,556 · end of year $22,718,897

Mission and programs · 2023

Mission

Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever's mission is to conserve pheasants, quail, and other wildlife through habitat improvements, public access, education, and conservation advocacy.

Wildlife Habitat Initiatives: Since its inception in 1982, Pheasants Forever has spent $1.2 billion and completed 587,000 habitat projects. These projects include land acquisitions, shelterbelts, wetlands, food plots, nesting cover, tree planting, maintenance and include the purchase of habitat equipment. Following are current year highlights of the various projects completed by Pheasants Forever: Land Acquisitions-Land acquired by, or with the help of, Pheasants Forever is generally donated to state and federal wildlife agencies for public wildlife management areas. During the year, Pheasants Forever spent $36.9 million to help purchase 2,037 acres of land, including conservation easements Since inception, Pheasants Forever has helped purchase, and put into public domain, more than 239,000 acres of land at a cost of $325 million. Shelterbelts- A well designed shelterbelt can effectively protect wildlife from exposure to harsh weather conditions. Shelterbelts also provide loafing, feeding, roosting and escape cover for pheasants and other upland wildlife throughout the year. In harsh winters, shelterbelts become rescue cover, allowing a nucleus of breeding individuals to survive the winter and repopulate the rural landscape the next spring. During the year, Pheasants Forever expended $2.4 million to plant trees and has spent $27.9 million on planted trees since 1982. Wetlands - Wetlands provide an excellent source of winter cover and provide the best overall survival rates for pheasants. A wetland's dense network of stems provides effective insulation from cold temperatures and wind chill and provides shelter from blowing and drifting snow. Pheasants Forever restored 1,424 acres of wetlands during the year and 89,341 acres of wetlands since inception. Food Plots- Winter cover is much more effective with a high energy food source nearby. Well-placed food plots establish safe foraging patterns, restrict unnecessary movements, and provide a dependable food source. A dependable high energy food source is needed to carry female birds through harsh winters in good condition and leads to a reduction in mortality rate during the following spring nesting season. During the year, Pheasants Forever planted 70,166 acres of food plots and has planted 2,299,000 acres of food plots since 1982. Nesting Cover - Throughout the pheasant range, nesting cover is the single most important limiting factor for wildlife populations. Establishing the right vegetation and managing it properly will provide pheasants with concealment from predators and protection from various weather conditions. Additionally, our nesting and brood-rearing projects that plant prairie grasses and forbs (flowering plants) also improve habitat for bees, butterflies and other pollinators. Pheasants Forever established or improved 15,726 acres of nesting cover during the year, and more than 3,227,000 acres since 1982. Maintenance - During fiscal year 2024 Pheasants Forever completed 1,185 projects to maintain quality habitat on over 26,000 acres. Since 1999 the organization has completed more than 58,000 maintenance projects covering more than 3,747,000 acres. Equipment - Pheasants Forever chapters purchase specialized habitat equipment which is either donated to local wildlife agencies or made available to local landowners to aid in establishing and/or maintaining their own habitat projects. During the year, Pheasants Forever expended $960,000 to purchase habitat equipment and has spent $22.4 million on habitat equipment since inception. Farm Bill Biologist Program - Pheasants Forever has developed a network of more than 350 trained biologists that work directly with local landowners, state and federal agencies and others around the country. These Farm Bill Biologists, Coordinating Wildlife Biologists, Habitat Specialists and others assist landowners and property managers in designing, developing, and funding habitat improvements on private lands and public lands. PF Biologists and other trained field staff possess the knowledge of federal, state, and local programs to assist landowners in finding the right program to meet their personal habitat and land use goals. Through a unique partnership, Farm Bill Biologists are located in local USDA service centers in priority habitat areas throughout the pheasant and quail range. During fiscal year 2024, Pheasants Forever biologists worked with more than 34,000 landowners to improve wildlife habitat on more than 1.7 million acres.

Expenses $99,746,499 · Revenue $3,028,956
Public Awareness, Education and Outreach: The education and outreach component of Pheasants Forever provides year-round youth programs that offer a pathway of activities that cultivate and grow land stewards and hunting conservationists of all ages. The focus is on hunter recruitment, retention, and reactivation. This initiative is carried on in part through the No Child Left Indoors(R) Initiative and other outreach activities. The organization's publications, The Pheasants Forever Journal of Upland Conservation (published four times a year) and The Quail Forever Journal of Quail Conservation (published four times a year) and the joint Upland Hunting SUPER issue (published once for both PF and QF audiences) are distributed to members along with a variety of printed and electronic communications disseminated to educators, chapter leaders, and other stakeholders. These periodicals contain information pertaining to the need for wildlife habitat development and restoration, the benefits of water and soil conservation, current issues and policies affecting conservation and the tradition of hunting, chapter activities and other special features. During the 2024 fiscal year, Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever chapters hosted over 1,600 outreach events that introduced habitat education, our hunting heritage, shooting sports and conservation engagement to 29,195 youth and 33,342 adult participants across the country. Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever outreach events include events, workshops, educational materials and resources. Education & Outreach efforts support PF and QF chapters in community activities that engage youth and their families in outdoor, hands-on activities aimed at recruiting, retaining & reactivating hunter conservationists and engaged advocates for wildlife habitat. Such events include hunter safety classes, learn to hunt events, pollinator habitat projects, summer camps, shooting programs and outdoor field days. Youth 17 or younger can become Ringnecks and/or Whistler members. Over 11,000 youth members receive the youth publication Upland Tales four times a year. Youth leadership is encouraged at the local level and through state youth leadership councils and a National Youth Leadership Council comprised of about 25 active young leaders from across the country. Educational brochures also are available on subjects such as habitat and pheasant population dynamics.

Expenses $7,650,264
Chapter, Volunteer and Member Services: Pheasants Forever's regional field representatives provide support, information, hands-on education to the public, and work on implementation of wildlife habitat development and restoration. PF's representatives also assist members and chapter volunteers to improve wildlife habitat in the most efficient and effective way. In addition, Pheasants Forever provides support for and informs and updates, the more than 150,000 members and nearly 750 chapters, as to the need for ongoing work in wildlife conservation and provides assistance to accomplish that goal.

Expenses $2,633,901 · Revenue $1,391,119
Pheasants Forever's governmental affairs function provides policy advice on and advocates for issues impacting wildlife habitat throughout the United States.

Expenses $939,886

As filed on the 2023 return.

Listed in Part VII

Howard K Vincent

President and CEO

Total calculated

$381,165

From this org

$365,985

From related orgs

$0

Other

$15,180

Hours/week

50

Schedule J breakdown matched by us

Base

$207,401

Bonus

$47,100

Other

$111,484

Deferred

$7,290

Nontaxable benefits

$7,890

Filer's total

$381,165
Marilyn Vetter

President and CEO

Total calculated

$308,887

From this org

$284,127

From related orgs

$0

Other

$24,760

Hours/week

50

Schedule J breakdown matched by us

Base

$279,120

Bonus

$0

Other

$5,007

Deferred

$10,688

Nontaxable benefits

$14,072

Filer's total

$308,887
James M Koerber

Chief Financial Officer & Asst. Secretary

Total calculated

$301,314

From this org

$279,970

From related orgs

$0

Other

$21,344

Hours/week

50

Schedule J breakdown matched by us

Base

$253,777

Bonus

$7,500

Other

$18,693

Deferred

$12,777

Nontaxable benefits

$8,567

Filer's total

$301,314
David Bue

Chief Development Officer

Total calculated

$264,934

From this org

$235,360

From related orgs

$0

Other

$29,574

Hours/week

50

Schedule J breakdown matched by us

Base

$205,313

Bonus

$10,000

Other

$20,046

Deferred

$10,719

Nontaxable benefits

$18,855

Filer's total

$264,933
Ron Leathers

Chief Conservation Officer

Total calculated

$218,580

From this org

$198,572

From related orgs

$0

Other

$20,008

Hours/week

50

Schedule J breakdown matched by us

Base

$185,230

Bonus

$5,000

Other

$8,342

Deferred

$9,691

Nontaxable benefits

$10,317

Filer's total

$218,580
Robert St Pierre

Chief Marketing & Communications Officer

Total calculated

$195,210

From this org

$177,868

From related orgs

$0

Other

$17,342

Hours/week

50

Schedule J breakdown matched by us

Base

$168,526

Bonus

$6,500

Other

$2,841

Deferred

$8,251

Nontaxable benefits

$9,092

Filer's total

$195,210
Mark Curwick

Director of IT

Total calculated

$181,129

From this org

$146,734

From related orgs

$0

Other

$34,395

Hours/week

50
Richard Wissink

Vice President of Conservation Programs

Total calculated

$164,911

From this org

$138,627

From related orgs

$0

Other

$26,284

Hours/week

50
Joseph Eisenmenger

Director of Application Development

Total calculated

$161,105

From this org

$153,524

From related orgs

$0

Other

$7,581

Hours/week

50
Jordan Martincich

Vice President of Development

Total calculated

$160,108

From this org

$136,564

From related orgs

$0

Other

$23,544

Hours/week

50
Bethany Erb

Director of Government Affairs

Total calculated

$159,987

From this org

$133,963

From related orgs

$0

Other

$26,024

Hours/week

50
Matt Kucharski

Chairman

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

5
Jerrod Burke

Vice-Chairman

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

5
Keith Schopp

Secretary

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

5
Brett Reber

Treasurer

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

5
Daniel Forster

Director

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

3
Matt Carstens

Director

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

3
Ashley Langen

Director

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

3
Jon Kohler

Director

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

3
John Beall

Director

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

3
Dax Hayden

Director

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

3
Susan Felege

Director

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

3
Douglas Spale

Director

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

3
Evan Carruthers

Director

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

3
Thomas Harris

Director

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

3
Owen Stockdale

Director

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

3
Larry Voyles

Director

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

3
David Zellmer

Director

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

3

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

3 · Compensation committee
3 · Form 990 of other organizations
3 · Compensation survey or study
3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee
4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan

Answered no

4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
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

The filer's explanations (Part III)

Schedule J, Part I, Line 3: Compensation for the President/CEO is set by the executive committee and is based on the review of compensation data from other nonprofit organizations of similar size and scope as well as data from several published compensation surveys. The Committee reviews the President/CEOs achievement of goals for the year along with the compensation data described above to determine salary adjustments as well as any inventive compensation to be awarded. This review process takes place annually. Compensation for other officers and key employees is set by the President/CEO and is performed using the same compensation data sources described above for the applicable positions.
Schedule J, Part I, Line 4: Pheasants Forever has a split dollar life insurance benefit that is available to executive leadership. Both the eligible employees and Pheasants Forever can contribute to the premium costs of the policies. For calendar year 2024 the following amounts were included in the employees' compensation: Howard Vincent - $101,853; Marilyn Vetter - $179; James Koerber - $18,693; David Bue - $20,046; Ronald Leathers - $8,342 & Bob St. Pierre - $2,841.

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.

Taxable family on this return

Schedule R Parts I, III and IV, as filed. These record ownership and control, not shared board members or money moved.

Disregarded entities

Part I: entities that legally are the filer and file no return of their own.

Habitat Forever LLC

Wildlife Habitat Development and Improvement · DE · income $0 · assets $0
The Forever Land Trust LLC

Long-term Land Protection · DE · income $6,012 · assets $259,816

Provenance

Return type: form_990
Tax year: 2023
Filed: 7 May 2025
IRS schema version: 2023v6.0
Source object: 202501279349303305

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