Forever Balboa Park
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To sustain, envision, and enhance Balboa Park for all in partnership with the City of San Diego and in collaboration with other organizations in the Park and the community. Our vision for the Park is to maintain and enhance its stature as a sustainable, world-class destination where all visitors are inspired, engaged, and enriched.
- Income
- $6.8 million
- Spending
- $4.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 73%
- Reserves
- 14.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 63%
- Employees
- 49
- Volunteers
- 450
- Highest pay
- $168,618, vp planning
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 88% of charities in its peer group (religion, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 14.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 5% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 34% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 42% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1572% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 17 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 85% of charities in its peer group (religion, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2529 of 29 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 (4)
- $1.4 million spent. Park Improvement Projects and Programs:Parkwide Volunteers:The Organization recruits, trains, and retains volunteers to support an array of Park needs, from garden and tree maintenance to visitor experience services. Growing to more than 450 volunteers strong, current programs include: Park Ambassadors, Tree Stewards, Tree Maintenance Volunteers, Garden Stewards, Rose Garden Corps, Tour Guides, Botanical Building Volunteers and Information Desk Volunteers. Volunteers perform vital functions within the Park, and the program is certified by the Points of Light Foundation as an official Service Enterprise organization, one of only 11% nonprofits nationwide.Park Activation:The Organization supports the City's Parks and Recreation Department in placemaking and Park activation endeavors, including parkwide tours, Botanical Building tours, clean-ups, community tree plantings, and provisioning of volunteers for visitor services for December Nights. In addition to events, the Organization works with other Park stakeholders to provide important infrastructure and programming that supports community connection in public spaces. The Organization hosts high school and college level interns, engaging them in workforce training on landscape architecture, GIS and mapping, marketing and communications, and leadership development skills. The Organization also partners with other Park organizations to support field trip programs and summer camp programs with tours and training orientations.Park Improvement:The Organization's process for selecting Park Improvement programs and capital improvement projects includes regular collaboration with, and ongoing input from, Park stakeholders and the City.The Organization's lead programs and projects that sustain and enhance the Park include the following initiatives:Urban Forest Initiative - a comprehensive tree inventory, site-specific tree plantings, sapling distribution programs, and a grant-funded initiative to plant hundreds of trees in the Park, while engaging youth and community members in learning about the climate and ecosystem benefits of caring for the Park's urban forest.Wayfinding and Signage - implementation of recommendations for a comprehensive wayfinding strategy to improve the visitor experience and to enhance access, circulation, and orientation. This strategy encompasses redesigning, updating, distributing, and installing a comprehensive Park map, and designing and installing wayfinding, Park identification, and pedestrian orientation signs in several key locations within the Park.Convenings and Awards - collaborative planning, design, and outreach, including a series of park-wide stakeholder meetings and support for programs focused specifically on horticulture and Park improvement projects. The newest project, the annual sPARK Awards, celebrates creative collaboration in the Park by honoring other inspirational organizations and individuals.Gardens Enhancement (a) upgraded gardens throughout the Park, with significant improvements to the Cactus Garden including irrigation planning, species identification mapping, and interpretive QR codes, elevating the stature of this neglected garden, (b) provided removal, redesign, and implementation of the Rose Garden pergola project, (c) recruited and trained dozens of new Garden Stewards, and (d) managed an Adopt-a-Plot program, guiding plot adopters in creating and maintaining their designated plots.Trail Restoration - restoration of degraded trails in the Park, including the 26th Street trail in the Golden Hill neighborhood of the Park; enhancements to the Kate O. Session Cactus Garden trail and a trail in the Trees for Health medicinal garden, opening up these areas of the Park for park-goers of all physical abilities; collaboration with the Park Ranger team to identify future trail restoration projects to protect biodiversity and enhance outdoor learning and recreation.Botanical Building and Gardens:The Botanical Building and Gardens is an architectural and horticultural treasure where Park visitors are introduced to the plethora of plants that flourish in the mild Southern California climate as well as to species from around the world. Constructed for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition, the iconic building remains one of the largest wood lath structures in the world. The shared vision for the Botanical Building and Gardens future is to create a botanical experience that inspires people to connect to nature. The facility and surrounding gardens have long been in need of revitalization, which will be accomplished through restoration of the original 1915 structure and creation of a meaningful botanical experience for the 21st century. Using federal, state, local, and private funding raised through the Organization's multi-year capital campaign, the building and gardens are being restored to their former glory, with the Organization serving as the City's private partner.The City-led Phase 1 of the project, which was completed in December of 2024 and included the full restoration of the building to its original 1915 design, recreates the series of arched openings with Palladian-style windows and large doors, and opens up the inside space to the surrounding gardens as intended. Updated planting designs and accessible walkways present visitors with the wonders of biodiversity, while ensuring all visitors can enjoy the experience. State-of-the-art lighting and new irrigation systems were added. Two new additions to the building's north faade provide additional workspace and multipurpose rooms for educational and public programming.The Organization is leading Phase 2 of the restoration and revitalization of the landmark building and gardens by reconstructing the historic pergola, revitalizing the surrounding gardens, and repairing fountains and pathways. Accomplishment of this phase will provide for improved botanical collection management, an enhanced visitor experience, and expanded educational and progr
- $825,817 spent. House of Hospitality: Historic Facilities, GardensThe Organization maintains and preserves the House of Hospitality, a National Historic Landmark building, providing clean public restrooms, ongoing facility care, and security for tenants and visitors. The Visitors Center is housed in the House of Hospitality, along with the Organizations offices, The Prado Restaurant, a ballroom, meeting rooms, and offices for nonprofit cultural and educational organizations operating within the Park. The House of Hospitality serves visitors numbering over 1,000,000 each year.
- $754,609 spent. Balboa Park Visitors Center: Retail Operations and Guest ServicesThe Balboa Park Visitors Center informs, educates, and serves over 600,000 visitors annually. The largest visitor center in the region, the Parks Visitors Center is supported by multilingual staff and volunteers with diverse backgrounds, who are trained to promote parkwide institutions and activities and to provide free and custom tours, maps, and information. The Visitors Center operates a gift store to offset the cost of visitor services and sells essential visitor amenities along with Park multi-museum passes, and zoo tickets.
- $265,315 spent. Dorothea Laub Balboa Park CarouselThe Balboa Park Carousel (the Carousel) was constructed in 1910 during the golden age of carousels (c.1880-1920) by the Herschell-Spillman Company of North Tonawanda, New York, and was permanently moved to the Park in 1922. Designated as a Historical Resource, the Carousel is a classic wood carousel of the menagerie type, featuring original hand-painted figures. After acquiring the Carousel in 2017, the Organization has made significant structural and historic restorations of the Carousel itself, and of the historic building in which it is housed. These restorations all adhere to rigorous historic restoration standards and include two new roofs, roof beam structural repairs, repairs to the clerestory windows and frames, and repainting. Additionally, a modern fire suppression system has been incorporated to protect the structure. The Carousel provides more than 100,000 rides annually to visitors of all ages.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
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.
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.
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.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 1999.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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.