Ventana Wilderness Alliance
“Protect the wilderness, watersheds, and biodiversity of the Big Sur region.”
The work
What they do
Stewardship and advocacy for the Ventana Wilderness and surrounding Los Padres National Forest. Trail maintenance, invasive species, and fire recovery.
Every year they sign one sentence and file it with the federal government: “The mission of the Ventana Wilderness Alliance is to protect, preserve, and restore the wilderness qualities and biodiversity of the public lands within California's northern Santa Lucia Mountains and Big Sur coast.”
Where the money went, FY2024
The work, and what it cost
Keeping wilderness wild
$177KVWA’S YOUTH IN WILDERNESS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ARE DESPERATELY NEEDED BY CENTRAL COAST YOUTH.
Read it as they filed it
YOUTH: VWA'S YOUTH IN WILDERNESS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ARE DESPERATELY NEEDED BY CENTRAL COAST YOUTH. MONTEREY COUNTY RANKS AT OR NEAR THE TOP STATEWIDE IN YOUTH AND TEEN VIOLENCEAND REMAINS A COUNTY OF CONCERN FOR JUVENILE DELINQUENCY RATES. YOUNG PEOPLE IN URBAN AREAS OFTEN HAVE MINIMAL RESOURCES OR OPPORTUNITIES FOR A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE. IN 2024, THE VWA'S YOUTH IN WILDERNESS PROGRAM CONTINUED TO FILL THIS NEED AND INSPIRE FUTURE WILDERNESS STEWARDS BY PROVIDING CAREFULLY PLANNED, PROFESSIONALLY-LED BACKPACKING ADVENTURES TO 322 YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE REGION. LEADERSHIP, GEAR, AND MEALS FOR THESE EXPERIENCES WAS PROVIDED AT NO COST TO PARTICIPANTS AND OUR EDUCATION PARTNERS.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2024, signed under penalty of perjury.
Keeping wilderness wild
$144KMAINTAINING PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE 300-MILE NETWORK OF TRAILS IN THE RUGGED VENTANA REGION HAS ALWAYS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE.
Read it as they filed it
TRAIL PROGRAM: MAINTAINING PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE 300-MILE NETWORK OF TRAILS IN THE RUGGED VENTANA REGION HAS ALWAYS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE. LANDSCAPE LEVEL WILDFIRES IN RECENT YEARS INCLUDE THE 2016 SOBERANES FIRE AND THE 2020 DOLAN FIRE. EACH OF THESE CONFLAGRATIONS TORCHED OVER 100,000 ACRES OF THE VENTANA WILDENESS AND DAMAGED OVER 100 MILES OF TRAILS. POST-FIRE WINTER STORMS DECIMATE ROADS LEADING TOTRAILHEADS LIMITING THE ABILITY OF VOLUNTEER AND CONTRACT CREWS TO RESTORE TRAILS EQUALLY DAMAGED BY EROSION, DEBRIS FLOWS, AND DEADFALLS. DESPITE THESE MAJOR SETBACKS, THE VWA TRAIL PROGRAM CONTINUED TO CONTRIBUTE THOUSANDS OF VOLUNTEER CREW HOURS IN 2024 TO MAINTAIN AND RECONSTRUCT PRIORITIZED SECTIONS OF TRAIL IN THE VENTANA AND SILVER PEAK WILDERNESS AREAS.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2024, signed under penalty of perjury.
Keeping wilderness wild
$140KVWA ADVOCATES FOR WILDERNESS VALUES AND THE ECOLOGICALLY SENSITIVE MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC LANDS IN THE VENTANA AND BIG SUR REGIONS.
Read it as they filed it
ADVOCACY: VWA ADVOCATES FOR WILDERNESS VALUES AND THE ECOLOGICALLY SENSITIVE MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC LANDS IN THE VENTANA AND BIG SUR REGIONS. POLICY EXPERTS ANALYZE AND RESPOND TO THE US FOREST SERVICE SCHEDULE OF PROPOSED ACTIONS (SOPA) BY ATTENDING PLANNING AND SCOPING MEETINGS, PROVIDING COMMENTS, AND ENCOURAGING PARTICIPATION BY THE PUBLIC AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS. THE VWA'S ADVOCACY PROGRAMS INCLUDED EFFORTS TO EXPAND WILDERNESS AND WILD AND SCENIC RIVER DESIGNATIONS, MONITORING GRAZING ALLOTMENTS TO ENSURE REGULATORY COMPLIANCE, PROMOTING APPROPRATE FUELS AND WILDFIRE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, IDENTIFYING AND ENCOURAGING THE MITIGATION OF WILDERNESS INCURSIONS, EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT WILDERNESS, AND ADVOCATING FOR THE RESTORATION OF FEDERAL FUNDING TO CRITICAL PUBLIC LAND AGENCIES.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2024, signed under penalty of perjury.
Keeping wilderness wild
$25KSINCE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOES NOT PRIORITIZE OR PROPERLY FUND THE US FOREST SERVICE TO MANAGE WILDNERNESS, VWA STEPS TO THE CHALLENGE WITH A PROGRAM THAT PUTS VOLUNTEER WILDERNESS RANGERS IN THE BACK COUNTRY.
Read it as they filed it
VOLUNTEER WILDERNESS RANGER PROGRAM: SINCE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOES NOT PRIORITIZE OR PROPERLY FUND THE US FOREST SERVICE TO MANAGE WILDNERNESS, VWA STEPS TO THE CHALLENGE WITH A PROGRAM THAT PUTS VOLUNTEER WILDERNESS RANGERS IN THE BACK COUNTRY. VOLUNTEERS PATROL TRAILS AND CAMPS AND PERFORM CAMPSITE MAINTENANCE WHILE IMPARTING FIRE SAFETY AND LEAVE NO TRACE INFORMATION TO THE VISITING PUBLIC. IN 2024 RANGERS DONATED THOUSANDS OF SERVICE HOURS BY CLEANING CAMP SITES, REMOVING TRASH, AND IMPARTING LEAVE NO TRACE PRINCIPLES THROUGH DIRECT CONTACT WITH VISITORS. EACH YEAR, VOLUNTEER WILDERNESS RANGERS MAKE AN IN-KIND CONTRIBUTION TO PUBLIC LANDS WORTH TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO THE COMMUNITY.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2024, signed under penalty of perjury.
Follow the dollar
65 cents of every dollar goes to the work
Read it as a snapshot, not a scorecard. Splits move year to year with grants and campaigns, and healthy shops live all across this range.
$486,404 programs, $127,918 management, $133,411 fundraising. Form 990, FY2024.
The people
Who does the work
Took the helm from Mike Chamberlain, who drew $117,011 in the final year on file.
Honesty note: leadership comes from each year’s federal filing, so it can run a year behind. This one caught a changing of the guard in the act: the FY2024 officer table lists Mike Chamberlain, the return itself is signed by David Jacobs. Orgs that claim their page can update it same-day. Work at Ventana Wilderness Alliance? Claim this page.
Those 40 volunteers are people who decided this ground was theirs to defend. If Ventana Wilderness Alliance is fighting for your place too, the matchmaker will find your way in.
Make it 41The filings
14 years of filings
14 years of filings
Total revenue by fiscal year, as filed. Point at the line for any year.
| Year | Revenue |
|---|---|
| 2011 | $273,857 |
| 2012 | $303,180 |
| 2013 | $232,547 |
| 2014 | $536,940 |
| 2015 | $460,526 |
| 2016 | $484,623 |
| 2017 | $417,491 |
| 2018 | $570,406 |
| 2019 | $546,595 |
| 2020 | $622,932 |
| 2021 | $505,713 |
| 2022 | $752,640 |
| 2023 | $708,853 |
| 2024 | $743,171 |
From $274K in 2011 to $743K in FY24, with no missed filing in 14 years.
The California congressional delegation averages 81 of 100 on public lands. See the full scorecard
Ways in
How to help
65 cents of your dollar goes straight to the work above.
Give on their site ↗Show upVolunteer with themFind their volunteer door on their own site.
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28 years on the ground, 40 volunteers, 65 cents of every dollar on the line. That is who is holding it. There is room for one more.