Form 990 for tax year 2025

Totals

Total revenue

$3,509,052

Total expenses

$3,613,892

Contributions and grants received

$1,770,963

Grants paid

$0

Program service revenue

$1,483,949

Investment income

$38,890

Other revenue

$215,250

Total assets, end of year

$2,238,917

Total liabilities, end of year

$406,716

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$1,832,201

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$2,098,273

Management and general expenses

$1,071,039

Fundraising expenses

$444,580

Program service expenses (Part III)

$2,098,273

Program services were 58.1% 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.

Mission and programs · 2025

• INSIGHT PROGRAMS ARE ONE-DAY FACILITATED OUTWARD BOUND EXPERIENCES HELD AT OUR HEADQUARTERS AT THE DISCOVERY CENTER IN FAIRMOUNT PARK AND IN WISSAHICKON VALLEY PARK. PARTICIPANTS MOVE THROUGH A PROGRESSION OF ACTIVITIES BEGINNING WITH GROUND-BASED TEAM CHALLENGES AND BUILDING TOWARD A PEAK EXPERIENCE SUCH AS CLIMBING THE HIGH ROPES COURSE. EACH PROGRAM DAY IS DESIGNED TO BUILD CONNECTION, COMMUNICATION, AND CONFIDENCE WITHIN A GROUP. IN 2025, POBS SERVED 5,502 YOUTH THROUGH THIS INTRODUCTORY-LEVEL PROGRAM. THEY CAME PRIMARILY FROM SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND OTHER NEARBY DISTRICT PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOLLOWED BY YOUTH FROM CHARTER AND INDEPENDENT/PRIVATE SCHOOLS. STUDENTS SPANNED GRADES 6 - 12. FOR MANY YOUNG PEOPLE, SPENDING 5-6 HOURS IMMERSED IN OUTDOOR EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING PROVIDES A RARE AND FORMATIVE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE THE NATURAL WORLD, CHALLENGE THEMSELVES, AND DISCOVER NEW POSSIBILITIES. IN 2025, POBS SURVEYED 760 INSIGHT STUDENTS TO MEASURE THE IMPACT OF OUR PROGRAMS. COMBINED WITH FINDINGS FROM STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN OUR MULTI- DAY WILDERNESS EXPEDITIONS, THE LARGEST GROWTH AREAS WERE GROUP RELATIONSHIPS, ASSERTIVENESS, AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. HIGHLIGHTS FROM POBS' 2025 STUDENT SURVEYS INCLUDE: 92% ARE MORE AWARE OF HOW TO SUPPORT OTHERS 87% FEEL MORE CONNECTED TO THEIR PEERS 89% GAINED CONFIDENCE TO TRY NEW THINGS 91% ARE EXCITED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THEMSELVES AND OTHERS

  Expenses $2,098,273 · Revenue $1,483,949

• EXPEDITION PROGRAMS ARE IMMERSIVE, MULTI-DAY WILDERNESS EXPERIENCES THAT ACCELERATE SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILLS RELATED TO COURAGE, BELONGING, REFLECTION, AND PHYSICAL ENGAGEMENT. PARTICIPANTS PRIMARILY COME FROM A SCHOOL'S SPECIFIC GRADE LEVEL, A LEADERSHIP GROUP, CLUB, OR AFFINITY COHORT. EXPEDITIONS RANGE 5-14 DAYS AND TAKE PLACE ALONG THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL IN THE DELAWARE WATER GAP. ALONG WITH THE RIGORS OF CAMPING, STUDENTS ENGAGE IN 2-3 PHYSICAL CHALLENGES (HIKING, CANOEING, AND ROCK CLIMBING). TOGETHER, THEY NAVIGATE SHARING TEAM RESPONSIBILITIES: COOKING, DECISION MAKING, ROUTE PLANNING, AND PROBLEM-SOLVING. POBS ALSO OFFERS MERIT-BASED 100% SCHOLARSHIP SUMMER EXPEDITIONS OPEN TO YOUTH THROUGHOUT THE REGION. THESE OPPORTUNITIES ATTRACT MOTIVATED STUDENTS WHO PREVIOUSLY PARTICIPATED PREVIOUSLY IN A ONE-DAY INSIGHT PROGRAM OR A SCHOOL/GROUP SPONSORED EXPEDITION. IN 2025, 611 YOUTH PARTICIPATED IN A MULTI-DAY WILDERNESS EXPEDITION; 418 OF THESE STUDENTS WERE SURVEYED POST COURSE TO MEASURE THE IMPACT OF OUR PROGRAMS. COMBINED WITH FINDINGS FROM STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN INSIGHT DAYS, THE LARGEST GROWTH AREAS WERE GROUP RELATIONSHIPS, ASSERTIVENESS, AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. HIGHLIGHTS FROM POBS' 2025 STUDENT SURVEYS INCLUDE: 92% ARE MORE AWARE OF HOW TO SUPPORT OTHERS 87% FEEL MORE CONNECTED TO THEIR PEERS 89% GAINED CONFIDENCE TO TRY NEW THINGS EXPEDITIONS TAKE THREE BASIC FORMS. 1). PEER LEADERSHIP COURSES ARE 5-7 DAY WILDERNESS COURSES THAT ENGAGE PARTICIPANTS WITH PEERS IN CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENTS TO DEVELOP LEADERSHIP AND PERSONAL SKILLS. THEY ARE EITHER BACKPACKING OR CANOEING EXPEDITIONS IN THE FALL OR SPRING. SCHOOLS USE THESE AS PART OF A PROGRAM PROGRESSION FOR THEIR 8TH - 12TH GRADE STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED EARLIER IN INSIGHT PROGRAMS. THESE ARE ALSO A POPULAR FORMAT FOR SUMMER OPEN ENROLLMENT COURSES THAT ATTRACT STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER WHO SEEK A CHALLENGE. 2) GET OUT AND LEAD (GOAL) IS AN ANNUAL 10-DAY MERIT-AWARD SUMMER EXPEDITION FOR PHILADELPHIA REGION TWELVE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS. THE CREW BRINGS TOGETHER MOTIVATED STUDENTS SELECTED FROM A VARIETY OF BACKGROUNDS FOR A MIX OF BACKPACKING, CANOEING AND ROCK- CLIMBING. STUDENTS MUST APPLY, PROVIDE REFERENCES, AND INTERVIEW TO BE CONSIDERED. 3) YOUTH LEADERSHIP CORPS IS AN ANNUAL 14-DAY MERIT-AWARD SUMMER EXPEDITION FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. DEPENDING ON FUNDING, THERE CAN BE ONE TO TWO CREWS (12 STUDENTS EACH). IN 2025 THERE WAS ONE CREW. THIS COURSE ALSO BRINGS TOGETHER MOTIVATED STUDENTS SELECTED FROM A VARIETY OF BACKGROUNDS FOR A MIX OF BACKPACKING, CANOEING AND ROCK-CLIMBING. STUDENTS MUST APPLY, PROVIDE REFERENCES, AND INTERVIEW TO BE CONSIDERED.

• EDUCATOR AND OTHER ADULT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS PRIMARILY USE THE SINGLE DAY INSIGHT MODEL ADAPTED FOR A MATURE STUDENT WORKING IN EDUCATION, NONPROFIT, AND CORPORATE SETTINGS. POBS CUSTOMIZES THE PROGRAM TO ADDRESS EACH ORGANIZATION'S TEAMWORK, COMMUNICATION, AND PROBLEM-SOLVING GOALS. THE EXCEPTION IS THE 7-DAY SUMMER CANOE EXPEDITION FOR EDUCATORS FROM POBS' PARTNER SCHOOLS AND YOUTH-SERVING PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS. IN BOTH CASES, PARTICIPANTS BUILD TRUST AND GAIN NEW PERSPECTIVES ON LEADERSHIP. EDUCATORS AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS GAIN A DIRECT AND DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE OUTWARD BOUND EDUCATION MODEL AND ARE THEN BETTER EQUIPPED TO SUPPORT THE TRANSFER OF THEIR STUDENTS' LEARNING FROM POBS COURSE TO CLASSROOM TO COMMUNITY. IN 2025, POBS ENGAGED 520 TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS INVOLVED IN SECONDARY EDUCATION AS WELL AS 908 OTHER ADULTS RANGING FROM VETERANS AND PEOPLE WORKING IN THE CORPORATE, GOVERNMENT, AND NONPROFIT SECTORS. AFTER COMPLETING A PROGRAM WITH THEIR TEAM, 85% OF THE 2025 PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS SURVEYED AGREED OR STRONGLY AGREED THAT THEY FELT MORE COMMITTED TO THEIR TEAM'S SUCCESS AND 80% AGREED THAT THEY FEEL MORE ALIGNED WITH THEIR TEAM'S GOALS. RESPONDING TO HOW MUCH THE PROGRAM HELPED THEM DEVELOP, STRENGTHEN, OR BECOME MORE AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION SKILLS, 83% AGREED THAT IT HELPED THEM WITH COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND 87% AGREED THAT THEY BECAME MORE AWARE OF THE NEEDS OF THEIR TEAM.

• A TOP AND ONGOING PRIORITY FOR POBS REMAINS DEEPENING PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND RESIDENTS OF STRAWBERRY MANSION, THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT SURROUNDS THE DISCOVERY CENTER, OUR HEADQUARTERS IN EAST FAIRMOUNT PARK. SINCE 2018, POBS HAS SHARED THIS WORLD-CLASS ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FACILITY WITH AUDUBON MID-ATLANTIC (AMA). COMMUNITY INPUT WAS CRITICAL FOR CREATING THE DISCOVERY CENTER. EVER SINCE THE FACILITY OPENED IN 2018, POBS AND AMA HAVE WORKED TO OFFER A MONTHLY SCHEDULE OF PROGRAMMING FOR THE COMMUNITY. THESE DISCOVERY DAYS OFFER A VARIETY OF EDUCATIONAL AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES USING BOTH INDOOR AND OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS, EXHIBITS, TRAILS, CLIMBING WALL, HIGH ROPES COURSE, THE 37-ACRE LAKE, AND BIRD WATCHING LOOKOUTS. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC YEAR-ROUND, POBS COLLABORATED WITH AMA TO OFFER 10 WEEKEND EVENTS DESIGNED TO INTRODUCE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO EACH ORGANIZATION'S RESPECTIVE PROGRAMS. POBS AND AMA ORGANIZE ONGOING ADVISORY GROUP MEETINGS AND THE VOLUNTEERS PLAN AND PROMOTE THE EVENTS. THIS CONSISTENT OUTREACH FOSTERS NEIGHBORHOOD ADULTS' UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT POBS AND AMA OFFER AND BUILDS THE TRUST CRITICAL FOR THEM TO SUPPORT THEIR CHILDREN'S PARTICIPATION IN PROGRAMS. IN 2025, POBS AND AMA CONTINUED TO HOST A 10-WEEK PAID SUMMER ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP INTERNSHIP PROGRAM FOR A SMALL GROUP OF YOUTH RECRUITED FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD. IT IS A PIPELINE THAT CULTIVATES YOUTH AWARENESS OF AND INTEREST IN OUTDOOR EDUCATION JOBS.

As filed on the 2025 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

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

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.

• EAST PARK LEADERSHIP AND CONSERVATI

  501C3 · EDUCATIONA · PA

  Directly controlled by NA

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2025

Filed

29 July 2026

IRS schema version

2025v4.0

Source object

202622109349301522

Check it against the return as filed: the GivingTuesday Data Lake hosts a public copy of the original XML.

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