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Olmsted Network Inc

EIN 13-3052765 · Washington, DC

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair59 out of 100GovernanceGood82 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Only 21% of its spending went to programs.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

THE OLMSTED NETWORK IS A UNIQUE ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO CHAMPIONING OLMSTED PARKS AND LANDSCAPES, THROUGH EDUCATION, ADVOCACY AND STEWARDSHIP. WE ARE DEVOTED TO ENSURING THAT OLMSTED'S VISION OF LIVABLE SPACES SURVIVES AND THRIVES. IN 2025, WE CHAMPIONED THE PRESERVATION AND VITALITY OF OLMSTED-DESIGNED LANDSCAPES BY ADVOCATING FOR 150 PARTNER SITES NATIONWIDE. THE NETWORK HOSTED TOURS, A NATIONAL CONFERENCE, AND SIX WEBINARS ADDRESSING CRITICAL ISSUES SUCH AS TREE CANOPY LOSS AND THE PROTECTION OF DEMOCRATIC PUBLIC SPACES. ADDITIONALLY, WE ADVANCED THE OLMSTED TRAIL PROJECTAN INTERACTIVE MAP SHOWCASING THOUSANDS OF OLMSTED PLACES. THE NETWORK ALSO LAUNCHED THE BETSY SHURE GROSS IMPACT FUND, PROVIDING RAPID-RESPONSE "FLASH GRANTS" TO LANDSCAPES IN URGENT NEED, HONORING BETSY'S ENDURING LEGACY OF PRESERVATION AND STEWARDSHIP.

Income
$539,273
Spending
$602,102
Spent on programs
21%
Reserves
29.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 92%
Employees
4
Volunteers
228

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 59 out of 100. Higher than 20% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 29.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 12% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 32% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    21% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 82 out of 100. Higher than 84% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    14 of 14 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $72,048 spent. EDUCATION PROGRAMSIN 2025, THE OLMSTED NETWORK GATHERED MORE THAN 70 PARK PARTNERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY FOR DEFENDING COMMON GROUND: AN OLMSTED PARK INTENSIVE. CONFERENCE-GOERS WERE ABLE TO ENGAGE IN PANEL DISCUSSIONS HIGHLIGHTING BEST PRACTICES IN THE FIELD, AND CONNECT WITH PARKPRACTITIONERS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY DOING SIMILAR WORK. THE CONFERENCE WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS WITH CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS. IN 2025 THE OLMSTED NETWORK ALSO PRODUCED A NUMBER OF WEBINARS HIGHLIGHTING KEY POINTS IN OLMSTED HISTORY, AS WELL ASCONVERSATIONS FOCUSED ON APPLYING OLMSTED PRINCIPLES TO TODAY.
  2. $42,918 spent. OLMSTEDTRAIL /DIGITIZATIONIN 2025, WE CONTINUED TO ASSIST IN THE DIGITIZATION OF THOUSANDS OF PLANS, DRAWINGS, IMAGES AND CORRESPONDENCE AT THE FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE. WE TOOK ON THE ENORMOUS PROJECT OF TRANSFORMING OUR OUTDATED ARCHIVAL PORTAL, OLMSTEDONLINE, INTO THE OLMSTED TRAIL,AN INTERRACTIVE MAP WHICH CONNECTS HISTORIC DESIGN PLANS WITH CONTEMPORARY STORIES ACROSS MORE THAN 6,000 OLMSTED LANDSCAPES.
  3. $761 spent. PARTNERSHIPS / STEWARDSHIP / ADVOCACYSINCE 2019, ON'S NETWORK HAS MORE THAN TRIPLED IN SIZE. HUNDREDS OF OLMSTED PARKS AND LANDSCAPES, PARK CONSERVANCIES AND PRESERVATIONISTS ARE COMING TOGETHER TO CHAMPION OLMSTED WORK AND PRINCIPLES. WE ARE PROUD TO PARTNER WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE ON THE FRONT LINES OF CARING FOR AND PROTECTING OLMSTED PARKS ACROSS THE GLOBE.IN 2025, WE CONTINUED TO ADD NEW PARTNERS TO OUR NETWORK. WE ALSO CONTINUED OUR ADVOCACY WORK THROUGH SIGNING ONTO OUR PARTNER'S APPLICATIONS TO BE ADDED TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES AND SIGNING ONTO AMICUS BRIEFS FOR PARTNERS FACING LEGAL BATTLES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since March 1981.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.