Tohono Chul Park Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
WE ARE A COMMUNITY OASIS WHERE REVERENCE FOR THE CULTURAL AND NATURAL ECOLOGY OF THE SONORAN DESERT REGION INSPIRES RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP SO THAT FUTURE GENERATIONS MAY THRIVE.
- Income
- $4.7 million
- Spending
- $4.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 78%
- Reserves
- 12.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- other income, 42%
- Employees
- 52
- Volunteers
- 193
- Highest pay
- $158,196, ceo
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 86% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 12.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 5% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 7% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 29% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1578% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 23 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 60% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 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 (3)
- $1.3 million spent. GARDENS & FACILITIESTHE GARDENS AND FACILITIES TEAM AT TOHONO CHUL HAD ANOTHER GREAT YEAR OF FULFILLING OUR CORE MISSION OF MAKING TOHONO CHUL A COMMUNITY OASIS THAT INSPIRES RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP WHILE CULTIVATING REVERENCE FOR THE CULTURAL AND NATURAL ECOLOGY OF THE SONORAN DESERT.ONE OF OUR BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS ON THE COMMUNITY OASIS MISSIONS WAS FUNDRAISING FOR AND COMPLETING A NEW 700' PATHWAY FROM THE HEART OF OUR GARDENS OUT TO OUR DESERT DISCOVERY CENTER AND THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM OF ORO VALLEY. THIS PATHWAY WAS BUILT TO BE 100% ADA ACCESSIBLE, GREATLY EXPANDING THE ACCESSIBLE PORTIONS OF OUR PARK AND ALLOWING US TO WELCOME ALL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY. THE PATH WAS BUILT USING A MATERIAL CALLED POROUS PAVE, MADE FROM RECYCLED TIRES, REDUCING THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF THE PATH WHILE ALSO CREATING A POROUS SURFACE THAT ALLOWS WATER TO INFILTRATE INTO THE SOIL AND TOWARDS THE ROOTS OF SURROUNDING VEGETATION.WE INSPIRED RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP BY INSTALLING A NEW WATER HARVESTING CISTERN THAT PREVENTS FLOODING WHILE STORING WATER FOR LANDSCAPE USE, REDUCING OUR DEPENDENCE ON POTABLE WATER FOR IRRIGATION. WE CONSTRUCTED FOUR NEW BASINS THAT PASSIVELY HARVEST RAINWATER AND CAPTURE IT IN OUR GARDENS INSTEAD OF ALLOWING IT TO RUN OFF. THESE TYPES OF STRUCTURES ARE AN IMPORTANT SOLUTION TO WATER CONSERVATION IN URBAN LANDSCAPES IN THE ARID SOUTHWEST, AND INSTALLING THESE IN PUBLIC SPACES MAKES US A LEADER IN DEMONSTRATING THEIR USE AND MAINTENANCE TO THE PUBLIC.WE CULTIVATED REVERENCE FOR THE CULTURAL AND NATURAL ECOLOGY OF THE SONORAN DESERT IN SEVERAL WAYS. TO BEGIN WITH, WE CONTINUED OUR LONG-TERM SURVEY OF SAGUARO (CARNEGIEA GIGANTEA) GROWTH RATES AND COMPLETED A CENSUS OF ALL THE SAGUARO PLANTS ON OUR 49-ACRES. THIS IS A SPECIES OF CONSERVATION CONCERN AND THE SUBJECT OF MUCH RESEARCH TO ASSESS HOW WELL THEY ARE FARING AS THE CLIMATE BECOMES WARMER AND DRIER. THROUGHOUT THE RANGE OF THIS SPECIES THERE ARE SEVERAL STUDIES ASSESSING GROWTH RATE AND AGE RELATIONSHIPS AND THE RECRUITMENT OF NEW PLANTS TO REPLACE DYING OLDER SPECIMENS. BY WORKING ON THESE STUDIES, WE ARE ABLE TO SHARE INFORMATION AND HELP RESEARCHERS AND LAND MANAGERS BETTER UNDERSTAND THIS KEYSTONE SPECIES WHILE MODELING WHAT THE FUTURE WILL LOOK LIKE FOR THESE PLANTS IN THE SONORAN DESERT. IN 2025, WE ADDED A TOTAL OF 1,627 PLANTS TO OUR DOCUMENTED LIVING CONNECTION. THIS IS A COMBINATION OF NEW PLANTS ADDED TO THE GARDENS AS WELL AS EXTANT PLANTS THAT HAD NOT BEEN PREVIOUSLY DOCUMENTED. THIS NUMBER REPRESENTS A NEARLY 25% INCREASE IN OUR TOTAL DOCUMENTED LIVING COLLECTION AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC VIEWING.
- $543,764 spent. ARTS & ENGAGEMENTTOHONO CHUL'S ARTS AND CULTURAL PROGRAMMING CELEBRATES THE DIVERSITY OF THE SOUTHWEST WITH AN EMPHASIS ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PEOPLE, PLACE, AND THE SONORAN DESERT ENVIRONMENT. PROGRAMMING INCLUDES ROTATING EXHIBITIONS, LECTURES, WORKSHOPS, PERFORMANCES, AND INTERPRETIVE EXPERIENCES DESIGNED TO FOSTER CULTURAL AWARENESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL UNDERSTANDING.TOHONO CHUL MAINTAINS THREE GALLERIES LOCATED IN A HISTORIC 1937 RESIDENCE. DURING FISCAL YEAR 2025, ROTATING EXHIBITIONS DISPLAYED 901 WORKS BY 164 ARTISTS. MAIN GALLERY EXHIBITIONS INCLUDED THE EXOTIC SUBLIME | TREADING SOFTLY, EXPLORING TERRESTRIAL BIODIVERSITY IN THE SONORAN DESERT; THE EXOTIC SUBLIME | ON PLANTS, FOCUSING ON PLANT LIFE ACROSS DESERT LANDSCAPES; JIM WAID AND ANDY IVENTOSCH: THE HEART OF NATURE; 40 FOR 40, AN INVITATIONAL EXHIBITION HONORING TOHONO CHUL'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY; AND IMPRESSIONS IN PLACE, EXAMINING ARTISTIC INTERPRETATIONS OF PLACE AND IDENTITY.THREE CALLS FOR ENTRIES WERE ISSUED DURING THE YEAR WITH NO SUBMISSION FEE, SUPPORTING ACCESS FOR EMERGING AND ESTABLISHED ARTISTS. FOUR PUBLIC OPENING RECEPTIONS WERE HELD IN THE MAIN GALLERY, EACH FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, FOLLOWED BY CURATOR'S TALKS OFFERED WITH ADMISSION. MUSICAL ACCOMPANIMENT AT OPENINGS WAS PROVIDED BY REGIONAL MUSICIANS.THE ENTRY AND WELCOME GALLERIES FEATURED SOLO EXHIBITIONS BY ARIZONA ARTISTS MOIRA GEOFFRION AND NORAH SILLER, AS WELL AS PERMANENT COLLECTION EXHIBITIONS INCLUDING BEGINNINGS: THE WILSON GIFT AND NEW PERSPECTIVES, A VOLUNTEER AND DOCENT CURATED EXHIBITION. THE ENTRY GALLERY PROJECT SPACE HOSTED THREE SOLO EXHIBITIONS. ANNUAL EXHIBITIONS INCLUDING QUEEN OF THE NIGHT AND 10 X 10 | A FUNDRAISER CONTINUED. SCULPTURAL WORKS WERE INCORPORATED INTO THE GARDEN PAVILION IN CONJUNCTION WITH SUMMER PROGRAMMING.ADDITIONAL ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES INCLUDED ART TALKS WITH EXHIBITING ARTISTS AND A PRESENTATION ON NAVAJO TEXTILES AND SOUTHWEST BASKETRY.FISCAL YEAR 2025 ALSO MARKED THE RETURN OF THE ANNUAL CHILES, CHOCOLATE, AND DAY OF THE DEAD FESTIVAL. THE ART DEPARTMENT COLLABORATED WITH THREE SCHOOLS, ENGAGING 131 STUDENTS, AND 12 ARTISTS WHO CREATED PERSONAL ALTARS OF REMEMBRANCE FOR THE ALTAR PROJECT, INTRODUCING VISITORS TO THE CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH DA DE LOS MUERTOS. THE FESTIVAL ALSO FEATURED MUSICAL AND DANCE PERFORMANCES REFLECTING REGIONAL CULTURAL TRADITIONS.EDUCATIONAL AND ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVES EXTENDED BEYOND EXHIBITIONS. THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM INTRODUCED THUNDERSTORM THURSDAYS, A SUMMER SERIES FOCUSED ON MONSOON RELATED THEMES. PARTNERSHIPS CONTINUED WITH TUCSON BIRD ALLIANCE FOR BIRDING PROGRAMS AND WITH SARSEF THROUGH SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMMING CENTERED ON SONORAN DESERT ECOLOGY. WE ALSO HOSTED A LECTURE CELEBRATING THE RELEASE OF THE SOUTHWEST NATIVE PLANT PRIMER, AUTHORED BY TOHONO CHUL'S GARDENS MANAGER AND ENGAGEMENT MANAGER, HIGHLIGHTING NATIVE PLANT CONSERVATION AND RESILIENT LANDSCAPE PRACTICES. A PUBLIC PROGRAM MARKING THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WILD CHILE BOTANICAL AREA FURTHER EMPHASIZED THE ECOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL IMPORTANCE OF CROP WILD RELATIVES.VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT WAS STRENGTHENED THROUGH THE RELAUNCH OF OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, ONBOARDING 144 NEW VOLUNTEERS. DURING THE YEAR, WE REDESIGNED OUR DOCENT TRAINING PROGRAM, DEVELOPED A NEW GUIDED TOUR TITLED DISCOVERING TOHONO CHUL, AND BEGAN ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR A NEW COHORT OF DOCENTS, WITH TRAINING SCHEDULED TO BEGIN IN 2026.THROUGH THESE INITIATIVES, TOHONO CHUL CONTINUED TO ADVANCE ITS WORK AS A COMMUNITY CENTERED ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO EDUCATION, CULTURAL CONNECTION, AND STEWARDSHIP OF THE SONORAN DESERT.
- $1.6 million spent. GUEST SERVICESDURING THE PAST YEAR, TOHONO CHUL PARK WELCOMED MORE THAN 76,000 VISITORS AND MAINTAINED APPROXIMATELY 14,000 ACTIVE MEMBERS. IN ADDITION, THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM RECEIVED OVER 28,000 VISITORS. WE CONTINUED THE MERRY MARKET DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON, OFFERING EXTENDED EVENING HOURS TO INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.TO SUPPORT HIGH QUALITY GUEST EXPERIENCES ACROSS PUBLIC PROGRAMS AND PRIVATE RENTALS, WE EXPANDED STAFFING BY HIRING A PRIVATE RENTALS MANAGER AND AN EVENTS ASSISTANT. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WE HOSTED 19 WEDDINGS, 7 CELEBRATIONS OF LIFE, 17 CORPORATE GATHERINGS, AND 17 ADDITIONAL PRIVATE EVENTS, PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO GATHER IN THE GARDENS FOR SIGNIFICANT LIFE EVENTS AND COMMUNITY CELEBRATIONS. THESE PRIVATE RENTALS INCLUDED COLLABORATIONS WITH TUCSON FOODIE AND THE LOCAL BOOKSTORE STACKS.SEASONAL AND RECURRING EVENTS REMAIN AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE. THESE INCLUDED BLOOM NIGHT, CHILES, CHOCOLATE AND DAY OF THE DEAD FESTIVAL, AND HOLIDAY NIGHTS. THE CHILES, CHOCOLATE AND DAY OF THE DEAD FESTIVAL INCLUDED A SPECIAL EVENING CONCERT BY TUCSON BASED BAND XIXA AS PART OF ITS CULTURAL PROGRAMMING. ADDITIONAL MUSIC OFFERINGS INCLUDED SUNDAYS IN THE GARDEN, JAZZ UNDER THE STARS, AND A REBRANDED FALL ACOUSTIC MUSIC SERIES, TOHONO CHUL UNPLUGGED.SUMMER PROGRAMMING EMPHASIZED ACCESSIBILITY AND REPEAT VISITATION. OUR FREE SUMMER CONCERT SERIES, CHILLIN AT THE CHUL, CONTINUED WITH THEMED EVENINGS AND PARTICIPATORY ACTIVITIES. WE ALSO HOSTED MONSOON MARKET, A REBRANDED SUMMER PLANT FOCUSED EVENT FEATURING NATIVE PLANT VENDORS, EDUCATIONAL TALKS, ARTISAN GOODS, AND FAMILY FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES.
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 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 June 2025.
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 December 1982.
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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