East Park Leadership and Conservation Center
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
EAST PARK LEADERSHIP AND CONSERVATION CENTER SUPPORTS THE NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY, INC AND PHILADELPHIA OUTWARD BOUND.
- Income
- $228,713
- Spending
- $609,843
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 71.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 58%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 200
- Highest pay
- $392,545, director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 60% of charities in its peer group (environment, under $250k).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 71.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 167% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 4% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 94 out of 100. Higher than 87% of charities in its peer group (environment, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 8 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 (1)
- $495,478 spent. THE EAST PARK LEADERSHIP AND CONSERVATION CENTER ("EPLACC") IS A PARTNERSHIP PROJECT OF THE PHILADELPHIA OUTWARD BOUND SCHOOL ("OUTWARD BOUND") AND THE NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY, INC. ("AUDUBON"). TOGETHER, THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS RAISED FUNDS AND OVERSAW THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE DISCOVERY CENTER IN EAST FAIRMOUNT PARK, A ONE-OF-A-KIND CENTER FOR NATURE CONSERVATION AND YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. OVERLOOKING A 37-ACRE RESERVOIR, THE DISCOVERY CENTER FEATURS INDOOR AND OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS, EXHIBITIONS, TRAILS, HIGH ROPES COURSE, CLIMBING WALL, AND BIRD-WATCHING LOOK-OUTS. OUTWARD BOUND AND AUDUBON DEVELOPED THE CENTER WITH THE INTENTION OF SERVING PHILADELPHIA'S ECONOMICALLY CHALLENGED COMMUNITIES THROUGH PUBLIC PROGRAMS AND ACCESS TO A NEW PUBLIC AMENITY. EPLACC IS GOVERNED BY A BOARD OF DIRECTIONS CONSISTING OF THREE REPRESENTATIVES FROM OUTWARD BOUND, THREE FROM AUDUBON, AND A REPRESENTATIVE JOINTLY SELECTED BY THE STRAWBERRY MANSION COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND STRAWBERRY MANSION NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION CENTER OF PHILADELPHIA. IN ADDITION, OUTWARD BOUND AND AUDUBON ENTERED INTO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING THAT GOVERNS USE OF THE DISCOVERY CENTER AND ITS ENVIRONS, COST SHARING BETWEEN OUTWARD BOUND AND AUDUBON, AND OTHER RELATED MATTERS. THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF EPLACC IS TO FURTHER THE MISSIONS OF ITS TWO SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS - NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY AND PHILADELPHIA OUTWARD BOUND SCHOOL - BY DEVELOPING THE SITE IN WAY THAT WILL PROTECT BIRDS AND OTHER WILDLIFE, ALLOW FOR MANAGED PUBLIC ACCESS, PROVIDE SPACE AND RESOURCES FOR PUBLIC PROGRAMMING, AND CREATE ADEQUATE STAFF OFFICES. IT IS THE GOAL OF EPLACC, THROUGH THE DISCOVERY CENTER, TO CREATE AN UNPARALLED RESOURCES TO CONNECT COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE PHILADELPHIA REGION WITH YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, NATURE, AND HABITAT CONSERVATION. ON JULY 3, 2014 ("THE EFFECTIVE DATE"), EPLACC ENTERED INTO GROUND LEASE WITH THE PHILADELPHIA AUTHORITY FOR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT. AT THE END OF THE 30-YEAR PERIOD STARTING ON THE COMMENCEMENT DATE. AT THE END OF THE 30 -YEAR PERIOD, EPLACC MAY RENEW THE LEASE FOR AN ADDITIONAL 10-YEAR PERIOD. THE COMMENCEMENT DATE WAS SEPTEMBER 13, 2017, AND IS THE DATE THAT EPLACC MET A SERIES OF CONDITIONS INCLUDING WRITTEN APPROVAL OF THE PROJECT BUDGET AND RAISING 100 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET IN READILY AVAILABLE FUNDS OR IN BINDING, IRREVOCABLE DONATION PLEDGES NO LATER THAN THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE. IN 2016, AUDUBON COMPLETED WORK ON AN OVERFLOW VALVE TO CONTROL WATER LEVELS ON THE RESERVOIR AS REQUIRED BY THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, PRESERVING THE RESERVOIR FOR THE BENEFIT OF BIRDS AND OTHER WILDLIFE. THIS FIRST PHASE OF CONSTRUCTION, WHICH DECOMMISSIONED THE RESERVOIR AS A DAM, WAS REQUIRED PRIOR TO ANY ADDITIONAL CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY AT THE SITE. CONSTRUCTION ON THE DISCOVERY CENTER BEGAN IN OCTOBER 2017 AND WAS COMPLETED IN SEPTEMBER 2018. THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN UNDERTAKEN BY OUTWARD BOUND AND AUDUBON ENVISIONED A PROJECT BUDGET SUFFICIENT TO FUND ALL CONSTRUCTION COSTS FOR THE DISCOVERY CENTER, A 5 MILLION ENDOWMENT TO SUPPORT BUILDING OPERATIONS IN PERPETUITY, AND CAPITAL AND OPERATING RESERVES FOR BUILDING REPAIRS AND SUPPORT FOR THE PROGRAMS OF OUTWARD BOUND AND AUDUBON. THE EAST PARK LEADERSHIP AND CONSERVATION CENTER ("EPLACC") IS A PARTNERSHIP PROJECT OF THE PHILADELPHIA OUTWARD BOUND SCHOOL ("OUTWARD BOUND") AND THE NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY, INC. ("AUDUBON"). TOGETHER, THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS RAISED FUNDS AND OVERSAW THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE DISCOVERY CENTER IN EAST FAIRMOUNT PARK, A ONE-OF-A-KIND CENTER FOR NATURE CONSERVATION AND YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. OVERLOOKING A 37-ACRE RESERVOIR, THE DISCOVERY CENTER FEATURS INDOOR AND OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS, EXHIBITIONS, TRAILS, HIGH ROPES COURSE, CLIMBING WALL, AND BIRD-WATCHING LOOK-OUTS. OUTWARD BOUND AND AUDUBON DEVELOPED THE CENTER WITH THE INTENTION OF SERVING PHILADELPHIA'S ECONOMICALLY CHALLENGED COMMUNITIES THROUGH PUBLIC PROGRAMS AND ACCESS TO A NEW PUBLIC AMENITY. EPLACC IS GOVERNED BY A BOARD OF DIRECTIONS CONSISTING OF THREE REPRESENTATIVES FROM OUTWARD BOUND, THREE FROM AUDUBON, AND A REPRESENTATIVE JOINTLY SELECTED BY THE STRAWBERRY MANSION COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND STRAWBERRY MANSION NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION CENTER OF PHILADELPHIA. IN ADDITION, OUTWARD BOUND AND AUDUBON ENTERED INTO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING THAT GOVERNS USE OF THE DISCOVERY CENTER AND ITS ENVIRONS, COST SHARING BETWEEN OUTWARD BOUND AND AUDUBON, AND OTHER RELATED MATTERS. THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF EPLACC IS TO FURTHER THE MISSIONS OF ITS TWO SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS - NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY AND PHILADELPHIA OUTWARD BOUND SCHOOL - BY DEVELOPING THE SITE IN WAY THAT WILL PROTECT BIRDS AND OTHER WILDLIFE, ALLOW FOR MANAGED PUBLIC ACCESS, PROVIDE SPACE AND RESOURCES FOR PUBLIC PROGRAMMING, AND CREATE ADEQUATE STAFF OFFICES. IT IS THE GOAL OF EPLACC, THROUGH THE DISCOVERY CENTER, TO CREATE AN UNPARALLED RESOURCES TO CONNECT COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE PHILADELPHIA REGION WITH YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, NATURE, AND HABITAT CONSERVATION. ON JULY 3, 2014 ("THE EFFECTIVE DATE"), EPLACC ENTERED INTO GROUND LEASE WITH THE PHILADELPHIA AUTHORITY FOR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT. AT THE END OF THE 30-YEAR PERIOD STARTING ON THE COMMENCEMENT DATE. AT THE END OF THE 30 -YEAR PERIOD, EPLACC MAY RENEW THE LEASE FOR AN ADDITIONAL 10-YEAR PERIOD. THE COMMENCEMENT DATE WAS SEPTEMBER 13, 2017, AND IS THE DATE THAT EPLACC MET A SERIES OF CONDITIONS INCLUDING WRITTEN APPROVAL OF THE PROJECT BUDGET AND RAISING 100 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET IN READILY AVAILABLE FUNDS OR IN BINDING, IRREVOCABLE DONATION PLEDGES NO LATER THAN THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE. IN 2016, AUDUBON COMPLETED WORK ON AN OVERFLOW VALVE TO CONTROL WATER LEVELS ON THE RESERVOIR AS REQUIRED BY THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, PRESERVING THE RESERVOIR FOR THE BENEFIT OF BIRDS AND OTHER WILDLIFE. THIS FIRST PHASE OF CONSTRUCTION, WHICH DECOMMISSIONED THE RESERVOIR AS A DAM, WA
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since September 2014.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 2026.
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