Form 990 for tax year 2024

Totals

Total revenue

$390,236

Total expenses

$219,278

Contributions and grants received

$240,050

Grants paid

$0

Program service revenue

$50,600

Investment income

$50,854

Other revenue

$48,732

Total assets, end of year

$6,946,218

Total liabilities, end of year

$0

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$6,946,218

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$146,411

Management and general expenses

$33,900

Fundraising expenses

$38,967

Program service expenses (Part III)

$146,411

Program services were 66.8% 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 · 2024

• Habitat Restoration Program:The Headwaters Sanctuary: We share a sacred responsibility to care for God's creation. The San Antonio area is undergoing rapid urban growth, climate stressors, and biodiversity pressure. One 53-acre oasis in downtown San Antonio remains-the Headwaters Sanctuary. Sheltering the Blue Hole, the primary spring of the San Antonio River, the Sanctuary is protected in perpetuity by a conservation easement agreement. Headwaters is committed to the preservation and restoration of this urban refuge.The Headwaters ecological restoration vision plan addresses the need for an unfragmented native habitat corridor to support diverse native wildlife and migratory species in a growing urban center while simultaneously providing visitors with a connection to nature. In 2024, the Headwaters staff and our community volunteers engaged in the practical, hands-on restoration and protection of local natural resources within this corridor. Headwaters offered supervised volunteer sessions every Wednesday, Saturday, and frequently Friday mornings throughout the year, pausing only for extreme summer heat in mid-July through August. Headwaters staff and dedicated volunteers prepared and maintained trails, cleared debris, removed invasive species, and planted and maintained native plants. A total of 575 volunteers contributed 4698 service hours to Headwaters Stewardship Programs.Bird City San Antonio - Partner Organization: Headwaters habitat restoration work continued to support Bird City San Antonio certification requirements. Headwaters shared habitat restoration progress with Bexar Audubon South Central Texas representatives throughout the year. Headwaters is pleased to partner in this far reaching effort to protect and improve native habitat in the San Antonio area. Headwaters Earth Care 2024 A Year of Achievements, Plans, and Hope: Ecological Succession Continues: Prolonged drought and high spring/summer temperatures continue to stress our Hackberry trees, which produce desirable berries for wildlife. The forest transition has accelerated under these climate stressors. Yet, we do see signs of recovery amid this change. Native saplings and understory plants are responding. Dayflowers, Pigeonberry, Bluewood Condalia, Lotebush, and Turks Cap flourished this year. We continue our habitat restoration work to reduce the invasive plant population, augment the native seed supply, and provide more resources for our local and migratory wildlife. Along each trail, we view the land healing.Invasive Plant Management Program: Invasive plant species threaten the health of our forest by competing with native trees and suppressing understory species propagation that local and migratory wildlife require for sustenance and shelter. Wind, water, and birds introduce invasive seeds from neighboring properties to the Sanctuary. In 2024, Headwaters removed over 34,508 invasive plants, bringing the total removed since fall 2019 to 127,622. Headwaters has worked 54% of the Sanctuary (27 acres). In 2025, removal work on an additional 9 acres will deliver 72% of the Sanctuary initially cleared of invasive plants. Volunteers and Headwaters staff execute this multi-year program with limited assistance from hired tree crews as funds are available.Forest Floor Restoration Project: Native grass seed has been cast onto the forest floor, creating a more robust native seed bank to compete with invasive seeds present. Pedestrians can view Inland Sea Oats and Wildrye grasses along our pedestrian trails. Native grasses support insects, birds, and small mammals by providing foraging materials, food sources, and host plants. These drought-tolerant and deep-rooted grasses help reduce erosion, increase carbon sequestration, and improve soil health.The Circle of the Springs Garden Program: Headwaters continued to maintain the Sanctuary's 80-foot diameter Circle of the Springs Garden, composed of 16 planting beds with 43 native pollinator plant species to support local and migratory wildlife. The Buttonbush, Heartleaf Hibiscus, Apache Plume, Desert Rue, Lindheimer's Muhly, Dwarf Barbados Cherry, Datura, and Gulf Muhly were exceptional this year. In 2025, Headwaters will upgrade the drip irrigation system and install QR code signage to make garden and prairie plant information available to visitors.Native Prairie Program: After 2.5 years of preparation, the field surrounding the garden has been seeded with 13 grass species to establish a native short grass prairie. The area will remain fenced to protect the young grass plants from curious visitors until fully established. The prairie will provide food and nesting materials for wildlife, a significant addition to our habitat corridor along the migratory flyway.Butterfly and Bird Population: Volunteers completed North American Butterfly Association surveys in June and October 2024. The Headwaters Fall survey reported 31 butterfly species (53%) of the total species reported in all San Antonio survey sites. Headwaters monitors the species and population counts year to year, noting the habitat changes and environmental stressors. After each 2nd Friday Bird Walk, our Bexar Audubon guides file an eBird report. Since spring 2016, our docents have recorded the Headwaters Bird Walks to eBird.Volunteer Support: Over 621 volunteers contributed 5,296 service hours to support our Earth Care Mission. Our 2024 community support included members of the Texas Master Naturalist; River Aid San Antonio, Incarnate Word High School; Native Plant Society of Texas; Ronald Reagan High School, University of the Incarnate Word; Boy Scouts of America; Trinity University; St Anthony Catholic High School; Stantec, Inc.; United States Air Force; Young Men's Service League; Teens Give Back; Edgewood Fine Arts Academy; Our Lady of the Lake University; San Antonio Gaelic Athletic Club; HDR; University of Texas at San Antonio; Texas Conservation Corp; Bexar County Youth; Maestas & Associates, LLC; National Charity League, Texas Invaders, Salsa Squad; Salesforce; Culligan Southwest, Inc.; Lockwood, Andrews, and Newnam, Inc.; San Antonio Christian High School; Young Men's Leadership Academy; Engineers without Borders USA; EOG Resources; Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance; Kappa Delta Chi Society; Pape Dawson Engineers, United Health Group; and Wellmed Medical Management, Inc.2025 Headwaters Plans: Water for Wildlife Project: A solar-powered wildlife water station near the new native grass prairie will operate in 2025. The project is a collaborative effort between Headwaters and an engineering class from the University of the Incarnate Word. Community donations and a gift from The Skiles Foundation funded the project.Donated Services (In-Kind) received for 2024 amounted to $154,768.

  Expenses $122,501

• Environmental Education Program: During volunteer service sessions, Headwaters offered practical knowledge and guidance in land stewardship. Public response to our Sanctuary-guided bird and nature programming was strong. Community and school tours included a brief history of the ministry of Headwaters Sanctuary and an overview of our habitat programs. 2025 Guided nature walks, presentations, and tours will remain free and open to the public. Sanctuary wildlife and phenology survey work will continue. Our Environmental Film Series will resume when a facility with parking is secured.Donated Services (In-Kind) received for 2024 amounted to $3,173.

  Expenses $13,541

• Public Access Program:Spirit Reach Project: In October 2021, the Bexar County Commissioners funded the Spirit Reach Project. Headwaters at Incarnate Word, University of the Incarnate Word, the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, and the San Antonio River Authority signed a Memo of Understanding (MOU} to begin plans for a contemplative pedestrian route from the Brackenridge Park Lilly Pond, under Hildebrand Avenue to the Sanctuary's Blue Hole Spring and riparian forest. This contemplative walkway will complete a pedestrian route between the UNESCO World Heritage Site Missions to the primary source spring of the San Antonio River, the Blue Hole, providing a physical, cultural, historical, and spiritual connection by 2027.2025 Headwaters Plans:Spirit Reach Project-Contemplative Path to the Blue Hole and Beyond: The project will connect the Blue Hole to the World Heritage Site Missions along the San Antonio River. The contemplative path will bring visitors from Brackenridge Park under Hildebrand Avenue through the Incarnate Word campus to the Blue Hole and the Sanctuary main entrance near the Little Blue Hole. The project entails embankment stabilization, riparian restoration, an engaging contemplative path, and Blue Hole site preservation/restoration. Project construction begins in August 2025. Completion is anticipated in 2027.Great Oak Trail Bridge Project: By August 2025, the Great Oak Trail will reopen with three new pedestrian bridges thanks to the lronkosky Charitable Foundation. Visitors of all ages may then easily cross the creek beds along the trail surrounded by Mountain Laurels.Donated Services (In-Kind) received for 2024 amounted to $11,554.

  Expenses $10,369

As filed on the 2024 return.

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.

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.

• Srs of Charity of Incarnate Word

  501(c)(3) · Roman Catholic order of Women, religious · TX

  Directly controlled by NA

• Incarnate Word Foundation

  Foundation · MO

• University of the Incarnate Word

  University · TX

• The Village at Incarnate Word

  Senior Living Facility · TX

• CHRISTUS HEALTH

  501(c)(3) · Health Care · TX

• CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health Care

  501(c)(3) · Health Care · TX

• Visitation House Ministries Inc

  501(c)(3) · Assist with needs of low income women · TX

  Directly controlled by NA

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2024

Filed

2 July 2025

IRS schema version

2024v5.2

Source object

202521839349301472

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