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Nonprofiteer
← ORGANIZATION FOR TROPICAL STUDIES INC

Form 990 for tax year 2023

Filed by ORGANIZATION FOR TROPICAL STUDIES INC.

Totals

Total revenue
$9,219,213
Total expenses
$9,858,737
Contributions and grants received
$5,476,336
Grants paid
$218,291
Program service revenue
$3,492,685
Investment income
$234,834
Other revenue
$15,358
Total assets, end of year
$15,633,974
Total liabilities, end of year
$1,045,056
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$14,588,918
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$8,385,489
Management and general expenses
$1,006,021
Fundraising expenses
$467,227
Program service expenses (Part III)
$8,385,489

Program services were 85.1% 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.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $172,391

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $5,303,945

  • 2a · Program service revenue: FACILITIES FEES

    total $2,634,367 · related or exempt $2,634,367

  • 2b · Program service revenue: TUITION AND FEES

    total $721,650 · related or exempt $721,650

  • 2c · Program service revenue: MEMBER DUES

    total $95,088 · related or exempt $95,088

  • 2d · Program service revenue: FIELD TRIP - SA

    total $41,580 · related or exempt $41,580

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $234,834 · excluded $234,834

  • 11a · Other revenue: MISCELLANEOUS

    total $15,358 · excluded $15,358

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $15,358

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 2 · Grants to domestic individuals

    total $93,421 · program services $93,421

  • 3 · Grants to foreign organizations and individuals

    total $124,870 · program services $124,870

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $210,188 · program services $7,600 · management and general $202,024 · fundraising $564

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $3,160,799 · program services $2,655,407 · management and general $227,264 · fundraising $278,128

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $50,009 · program services $40,818 · management and general $6,159 · fundraising $3,032

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $1,250,002 · program services $1,038,675 · management and general $134,183 · fundraising $77,144

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $38,958 · program services $31,798 · management and general $4,798 · fundraising $2,362

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $45,970 · program services $2,930 · management and general $43,040

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $51,452 · management and general $51,452

  • 11f · Fees: investment management

    total $41,389 · management and general $41,389

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $1,416,615 · program services $1,346,509 · management and general $66,582 · fundraising $3,524

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $5,886 · program services $5,755 · management and general $37 · fundraising $94

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $112,451 · program services $64,838 · management and general $19,121 · fundraising $28,492

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $979,420 · program services $945,513 · management and general $22,422 · fundraising $11,485

  • 17 · Travel

    total $1,100,890 · program services $1,017,211 · management and general $36,124 · fundraising $47,555

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $232,560 · program services $224,913 · management and general $7,647

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $102,228 · program services $28,780 · management and general $73,448

  • 24a · Other expenses: MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES

    total $514,093 · program services $500,871 · management and general $11,531 · fundraising $1,691

  • 24b · Other expenses: EQUIPMENT & FURNISHING

    total $184,780 · program services $161,971 · management and general $22,378 · fundraising $431

  • 24c · Other expenses: TOUR GUIDES

    total $40,872 · program services $40,299 · management and general $131 · fundraising $442

  • 24d · Other expenses: LICENSES, PERMITS, ENTR

    total $28,389 · program services $15,794 · management and general $2,449 · fundraising $10,146

  • 24e · All other expenses

    total $73,495 · program services $37,516 · management and general $33,842 · fundraising $2,137

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $893,880 · end of year $549,134

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $256,015 · end of year $360,415

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $81,865 · end of year $21,368

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $271,870 · end of year $187,424

  • 8 · Inventories for sale or use

    beginning of year $37,072 · end of year $29,124

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $24,997 · end of year $26,502

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

    $6,789,879

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

    $4,174,310

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $2,716,371 · end of year $2,615,569

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $6,908,270 · end of year $7,971,101

  • 12 · Investments: other securities

    beginning of year $2,994,414 · end of year $3,217,175

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $781,943 · end of year $656,162

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $611,497 · end of year $580,599

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    beginning of year $400,360 · end of year $209,085

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $102,276 · end of year $255,372

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $3,806,691 · end of year $3,791,548

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $10,045,873 · end of year $10,797,370

Mission and programs · 2023

Mission

THE ORGANIZATION FOR TROPICAL STUDIES, INC. (OTS) IS CHARTERED AS A NON PROFIT CORPORATION UNDER THE LAWS OF NORTH CAROLINA AND IS SUPPORTED BY A CONSORTIUM OF INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING IN NORTH, CENTRAL, AND SOUTH AMERICA, AUSTRALIA, AND SOUTH AFRICA. OTS'S PURPOSE IS TO SUSTAIN TROPICAL ECOSYSTEMS BY DRIVING SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY AND KNOWLEDGE, BY ENRICHING HUMAN PERCEPTION OF NATURE, AND BY ENHANCING WORLDWIDE POLICY IN THE TROPICS.

Activities or mission (Part I)

SEE PART III, LINE 1.

  • FACILITATED RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION: THE ORGANIZATION RECEIVES GRANTS AND CONTRACTS TO SUPPORT SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AT ITS FIELD STATIONS AND CONSERVATION PROJECTS AT, AND IN THE VICINITY OF, ITS FIELD STATIONS.

    Expenses $4,662,662 · Grants $95,924

  • FIELD STATIONS: THE ORGANIZATION OPERATES THREE BIOLOGICAL FIELD STATIONS IN DIVERSE ECOLOGICAL ZONES OF COSTA RICA (LA SELVA, LAS CRUCES, AND PALO VERDE) AND ONE IN KRUGER NATIONAL PARK, SOUTH AFRICA. THESE FIELD STATIONS ARE MAINTAINED TO FACILITATE BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH AND TO CONDUCT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS.

    Expenses $2,791,739 · Grants $117,568 · Revenue $810,774

  • EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS: THE ORGANIZATION CONDUCTS A NUMBER OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, INCLUDING GRADUATE COURSES FOR ACADEMIC CREDIT AND UNDERGRADUATE SEMESTER- ABROAD PROGRAMS FOR ACADEMIC CREDIT. THE ORGANIZATION HAS OFFERED MID-CAREER PROFESSIONAL TRAINING FOR U.S. AND LATIN AMERICAN OFFICIALS AND POLICY- MAKERS, SHORT EXCURSIONS LED BY SCIENTISTS FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN COSTA RICA, AND PROGRAMS FOR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS.

    Expenses $931,088 · Grants $4,799 · Revenue $2,681,911

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

Listed in Part VII

  • Elizabeth Braker

    DIRECTOR AND PRESIDENT/CEO

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    40

  • Chelsea Ward

    DIRECTOR AND CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Alvaro Umaa

    DIRECTOR & TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • James Dalling

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Bryan Heidorn

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Andre Kessler

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Erin Kuprewicz

    DIRECTOR & SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Javier Mateo-Vega

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • George Middendorf III

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Nathan Muchhala

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Rafael Munoz-Carpena

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Muriel Poston

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Oscar Rocha

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • John Tobin

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Susan Cordell

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Terry Vogt

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Michael Wasserman

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • William Wcislo

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Jennifer Kelley

    CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $109,511
    From this org
    $89,760
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $19,751
    Hours/week
    40

  • Miguel Mendez

    CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $100,677
    From this org
    $88,577
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $12,100
    Hours/week
    40

  • James Boyle

    VP DEVELOPMENT (UNTIL 5/2024)

    Total calculated
    $167,397
    From this org
    $130,900
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $36,497
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $130,900
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $16,313
    Nontaxable benefits
    $20,184
    Filer's total
    $167,397

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 · Approval by the board or compensation committee

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.

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.

  • NSASANI TRUST

    N/A · EDUCATION AND RESEARCH PROGRAMS IN KRUGER NATIONAL PARK · SF · controlled entity

    Directly controlled by ORGANISATION FOR TROPICAL STUDIES - SOUTH AFRICA

  • OTS SA

    N/A · ESTABLISH, FOSTER, SUPPORT AND CONDUCT PROGRAMS IN EDUCATION AND RESEARCH · SF · controlled entity

    Directly controlled by ORGANIZATION FOR TROPICAL STUDIES

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2023
Filed
17 April 2025
IRS schema version
2023v6.0
Source object
202531079349300908

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