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Nonprofiteer
← ASPEN CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Form 990 for tax year 2024

Filed by ASPEN CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES.

Totals

Total revenue
$6,250,553
Total expenses
$5,018,774
Contributions and grants received
$4,848,390
Grants paid
$0
Program service revenue
$1,222,485
Investment income
$135,539
Other revenue
$44,139
Total assets, end of year
$39,643,797
Total liabilities, end of year
$789,620
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$38,854,177
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$3,687,710
Management and general expenses
$642,791
Fundraising expenses
$688,273
Program service expenses (Part III)
$3,687,710

Program services were 73.5% 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.

  • 1b · Membership dues

    $287,013

  • 1c · Fundraising events

    $716,361

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $181,598

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $3,663,418

  • 2a · Program service revenue: ADMISSIONS/TUITION

    total $919,640 · related or exempt $919,640

  • 2b · Program service revenue: EVENTS

    total $204,716 · related or exempt $204,716

  • 2c · Program service revenue: OTHER INCOME

    total $98,129 · related or exempt $98,129

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $143,701 · excluded $143,701

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

    other assets $8,162

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    other assets -$8,162

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total -$8,162 · related or exempt -$8,162

  • 8a · Fundraising events: gross income

    $210,800

  • 8a · Fundraising events: contributions included on line 1c

    $716,361

  • 8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

    $166,661

  • 8c · Net income from fundraising events

    total $44,139 · excluded $44,139

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $2,402,350 · program services $1,758,662 · management and general $212,640 · fundraising $431,048

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $48,982 · program services $27,920 · management and general $10,776 · fundraising $10,286

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $287,864 · program services $198,362 · management and general $43,040 · fundraising $46,462

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $191,763 · program services $124,646 · management and general $32,600 · fundraising $34,517

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $116,261 · management and general $116,261

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $85,947 · program services $35,238 · management and general $40,395 · fundraising $10,314

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $42,227 · program services $28,625 · management and general $6,952 · fundraising $6,650

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $42,245 · program services $24,502 · management and general $6,759 · fundraising $10,984

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $476,323 · program services $292,784 · management and general $148,113 · fundraising $35,426

  • 17 · Travel

    total $22,041 · program services $22,041

  • 20 · Interest

    total $4,681 · program services $4,681

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $550,766 · program services $501,197 · management and general $5,508 · fundraising $44,061

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $139,205 · program services $103,011 · management and general $18,097 · fundraising $18,097

  • 24a · Other expenses: SUPPLIES

    total $516,076 · program services $475,648 · fundraising $40,428

  • 24b · Other expenses: OTHER PROGRAM EXPENSE

    total $90,393 · program services $90,393

  • 24c · Other expenses: BAD DEBT

    total $1,650 · management and general $1,650

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $983 · end of year $1,083

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $1,810,524 · end of year $846,883

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $1,209,003 · end of year $1,235,080

  • 8 · Inventories for sale or use

    beginning of year $46,374 · end of year $36,943

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

    $32,163,516

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

    $3,421,133

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $24,221,865 · end of year $28,742,383

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $11,405,951 · end of year $8,761,858

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $26,036 · end of year $19,567

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $1,192,041 · end of year $612,302

  • 24 · Unsecured notes and loans payable

    beginning of year $204,459 · end of year $177,318

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $28,095 · end of year $0

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $34,709,532 · end of year $37,072,507

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $2,586,609 · end of year $1,781,670

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

ACES' MISSION IS TO INSPIRE A LIFE-LONG COMMITMENT TO THE EARTH BY PROVIDING INNOVATIVE AND IMMERSIVE PROGRAMMING FOR ALL AGES.

Activities or mission (Part I)

EDUCATING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY

  • ASPEN CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES (ACES) IS A NONPROFIT ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE EDUCATION ORGANIZATION.ACES INSPIRES A LIFE-LONG COMMITMENT TO THE EARTH BY PROVIDING INNOVATIVE AND IMMERSIVE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR ALL AGES. WE HAVE THREE LOCATIONS: HALLAM LAKE, ROCK BOTTOM RANCH, AND CATTO CENTER AT TOKLAT. OUR EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOCUS ON ECOLOGICAL LITERACY, REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE, FOREST AND ECOSYSTEM HEALTH, LAND RESTORATION, AND ENVIRONMENTAL CIVIC LEADERSHIP AND THEY REACH OVER 140,000 INDIVIDUALS EVERY YEAR. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH 60 PLUS PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, ACES TEACHES ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE DAILY IN SCHOOLS FROM ASPEN TO RIFLE COLORADO, PROVIDES DAY CAMPS FOR CHILDREN IN THE SUMMER AND OVER SELECT HOLIDAYS, GUIDES ADULTS AND YOUTHS OF ALL AGES ON OUTDOOR NATURE CLASSES, GUIDED HIKES AND FIELD PROGRAMS. WE ALSO ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY BY HOSTING PUBLIC LECTURES AND EVENTS ABOUT CUTTING EDGE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. THROUGH COLLABORATIONS WITH LAND TRUSTS, PUBLIC AGENCIES AND OTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS; ACES CARRIES OUT ITS MISSION "EDUCATING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY."

    Expenses $3,687,710 · Revenue $1,214,323

As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • Adam Lewis

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Adelaide Waters

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Alex Sanchez

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Andy Docken

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Barbara Rosenberg

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Ben Pritzker

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Brian Brady

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Chris Daniels

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Diane Moore

    CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    4

  • Gina Murdock

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Hadley Hentschel

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Jennifer Goldfarb

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Jerry Murdock

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Jody Guralnick

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Leslie Lamont

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Mark Hamilton

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Megan Talarico

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Reenie Kinney

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Tomakin Archambault

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Chris Lane

    CEO

    Total calculated
    $286,971
    From this org
    $286,971
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $286,971
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $0
    Filer's total
    $286,971

  • Christina Mahon

    EMPLOYEE

    Total calculated
    $128,926
    From this org
    $128,926
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    40

  • Clayton B Kettelkamp

    EMPLOYEE

    Total calculated
    $125,026
    From this org
    $125,026
    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

  • 1a · Housing allowance or residence for personal use
  • 3 · Compensation committee
  • 3 · Form 990 of other organizations
  • 3 · Compensation survey or study
  • 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee

Answered no

  • 1b · Written policy on the line-1a expenses
  • 2 · Substantiation required before reimbursing expenses
  • 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

The filer's explanations (Part III)

PART I, LINE 1A
HOUSING ALLOWANCE PROVIDED FOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

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.

Related organizations on this return

Schedule R Part II: tax-exempt organizations related to the filer by control. It does not record shared board members or money.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2024
Filed
10 August 2026
IRS schema version
2024v5.5
Source object
202622319349300812

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