Nonprofit · EIN 47-2407669
SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN WILDERNESS STEWARDS
Tax-exempt · ASHEVILLE, NC 28801
Financials
| Year ended | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Total assets | Liabilities | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 30, 2025 | 990 | $2,019,905 | $1,715,760 | $304,145 | $771,664 | $257,495 | $514,169 |
| September 30, 2024 | 990 | $1,216,976 | $1,193,208 | $23,768 | $360,918 | $150,894 | $210,024 |
| September 30, 2023 | 990 | $1,034,257 | $1,031,898 | $2,359 | $264,775 | $78,519 | $186,256 |
Financial details: 990 for the year ended September 30, 2025
Revenue
- Contributions, gifts and grants
- $314,853
- Program service revenue
- $1,699,011
- Investment income
- $3,714
- Other revenue
- $2,327
Expenses
- Grants and similar amounts paid
- $0
- Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
- $230,672
- Other salaries and wages
- $1,043,043
- Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
- $1,422,641
- Professional fundraising fees
- $0
- Legal fees
- $7,100
- Accounting fees
- $15,027
- Occupancy
- $25,992
- Travel
- $106,366
- Depreciation
- $5,464
- Program services (functional)
- $1,381,456
- Management and general (functional)
- $324,216
- Fundraising (functional)
- $10,088
Balance sheet and other
- Total assets, start of year
- $360,918
- Total assets, end of year
- $771,664
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $257,495
- Net assets, end of year
- $514,169
- Land, buildings and equipment
- $129,912
- Net assets without donor restrictions
- $513,715
- Net assets with donor restrictions
- $454
- Gross receipts
- $2,019,905
- Employees
- 38
- Volunteers
- 220
- Year formed
- 2014
- State of legal domicile
- NC
From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.
Officers, directors and key employees
As listed on the 990 for the year ended September 30, 2025, highest compensation first.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaitlin de Varona | Executive Director Officer | 40 | $64,618 | $32,545 |
| Rebekah Morrisson | Program Director Officer | 40 | $54,979 | $7,017 |
| Tracy Harrell | Finance Director Officer | 40 | $52,570 | $6,244 |
| Paul Dickens | Chair Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Chris Sporl | Chair to Nov 2024 Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Lornett Vestal | Vice-Chair Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Nealon DeVore | Secretary Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Bart Hawley | Treasurer Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Aliya Naim | Board Member Trustee or director | 0.25 | $0 | $0 |
| Anya Boyko | Board Member Trustee or director | 0.25 | $0 | $0 |
| Josh Burt | Board Member Trustee or director | 0.25 | $0 | $0 |
| Aubree Pierce | Board Member Trustee or director | 0.25 | $0 | $0 |
| Lena Snyder | Board Member Trustee or director | 0.25 | $0 | $0 |
| Olive Toran | Board Member Trustee or director | 0.25 | $0 | $0 |
| Delie Wilkins | Board Member Trustee or director | 0.25 | $0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended September 30, 2024: 10 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaitlin de Varona | Executive Director Officer | 40 | $57,699 | $25,577 |
| Tracy Harrell | Finance Director Officer | 40 | $50,638 | $6,303 |
| Chris Sporl | Chair Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Nealon DeVore | Secretary Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Paul Dickens | Treasurer Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Bart Hawley | Board Member Trustee or director | 0.25 | $0 | $0 |
| Aliya Naim | Board Member Trustee or director | 0.25 | $0 | $0 |
| Anya Boyko | Board Member Trustee or director | 0.25 | $0 | $0 |
| Lornett Vestal | Board Member Trustee or director | 0.25 | $0 | $0 |
| Kim Smith Woodford | Board Member Trustee or director | 0.25 | $0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended September 30, 2023: 9 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaitlin de Varona | Executive Director Officer | 40 | $59,699 | $14,713 |
| Chris Sporl | Chair Trustee or director, Officer | 3 | $0 | $0 |
| Kim Smith Woodford | Vice Chair Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Nealon DeVore | Secretary Trustee or director, Officer | 2.5 | $0 | $0 |
| Paul Dickens | Treasurer Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Bart Hawley | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Aliya Naim | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Anya Boyko | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Lornett Vestal | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
Address and contacts
- Address (IRS master file)
- 225 E CHESTNUT STREET, ASHEVILLE, NC 28801-2577
- Principal officer (990 for 2024)
- Paul Dickens, 225 E Chestnut St, Asheville, NC 28801
- Signed the 990
- Paul Dickens, Board Chair
- Phone
- (828) 785-1517
- Website
- www.wildernessstewards.org
- Return prepared by
- CORLISS & SOLOMON PLLC
Mission
SAWS sets standards of excellence that inspire, connect, and equip people to steward wild public lands. SAWS provides trail maintenance, restoration, construction, ranger patrols, and disaster recovery in remote and wilderness areas; offers technical training in stewardship and crosscut saw use; and engages communities, volunteers, and the public in transformational conservation and education efforts.
Program accomplishments
- As we reflect on 2025, we are filled with gratitude for a year of resilience, service, and impact. Despite the challenges brought by Hurricane Helene, SAWS staff stepped up to support communities across the region while continuing to steward some of the Southeasts most treasured public lands. We are especially grateful for the steadfast partnership of the U.S. Forest Service and other collaborators who helped make this work possible. In the wake of the storm, our crews assisted with recovery efforts before returning to the backcountry to advance our conservation mission. Through difficult conditions and extensive trail damage, our team remained committed to restoring access, protecting natural resources, and serving public lands with dedication and care. 2025 was also the largest field season in SAWS history, with more than 50,000 stewardship hours completed, 35 new jobs created, over 100 miles of trail maintained, and work carried out across 31 wilderness and wild areas in six states. A new multi-year Hurricane Helene recovery partnership will help us expand year-round conservation careers, providing greater stability, benefits, and opportunities for the next generation of public lands stewards.Expenses $1,381,456 · revenue $1,699,017
- Organization Wide Programmatic Work by the Numbers: 51,267 Stewardship Hours 35 New Job Created 121 Crosscut Saw Certification Awarded 31 Wilderness Areas Supported 13 Training Events 27 Volunteer Events 9 Community Outreach Events 306,113 Trail Corridor Feet Brushed 14,822 Tread Feet Maintained 5,960 New Trail Feet Constructed 2,218 Downed Trees Removed
- 3,123 Public Visitor Contacts 331 Drains Installed and Maintained 330 Rock and Log Steps Installed 1,561 Cribbing Wall Feet Installed May 2025 Wilderness Skills Institute by the Numbers: 26 Wilderness First Aid Certifications 33 Crosscut Certifications 268 Total Participants 62 New Participants 4 National Forests, 8 Ranger Districts, 8 Partner Orgs, 12 Volunteer Orgs Represented
What it must file and when
IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in September, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.
| Tax year | Year ended | Due | IRS public records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | September 30, 2026 | February 16, 2027 | Not due yet |
| 2024 | September 30, 2025 | February 17, 2026 | 990 on file |
| 2023 | September 30, 2024 | February 18, 2025 | 990 on file |
IRS record
- EIN
- 47-2407669
- Tax-exempt status
- 501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
- Foundation status
- Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
- Donations deductible (Pub 78)
- Public charity, 50% deduction limit
- Exempt since
- 2015
- Accounting year ends
- September
- Files
- Form 990 or 990-EZ
- Category (NTEE)
- Environment (C50)
- Assets (IRS master file)
- $771,664
- Income (IRS master file)
- $2,019,905
Filing history
| Form | Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990 | September 2025 | $2,019,905 | $1,715,760 | $771,664 | XML |
| 990 | September 2024 | $1,216,976 | $1,193,208 | $360,918 | XML |
| 990 | September 2023 | $1,034,257 | $1,031,898 | $264,775 | XML |
| 990 | September 2022 | $1,236,805 | $1,128,261 | $252,577 | IRS |
| 990 | September 2021 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | September 2020 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | September 2019 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | September 2018 | – | – | – | IRS |
990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 47-2407669).
Questions about SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN WILDERNESS STEWARDS
- What is the EIN of SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN WILDERNESS STEWARDS?
- The employer identification number (EIN) of SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN WILDERNESS STEWARDS is 47-2407669.
- Is SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN WILDERNESS STEWARDS tax-exempt?
- Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 2015.
- Are donations to SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN WILDERNESS STEWARDS tax-deductible?
- Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
- Which annual return does SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN WILDERNESS STEWARDS file?
- Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
- When is the next return of SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN WILDERNESS STEWARDS due?
- The return for tax year 2025 (the year ending September 30, 2026) is due February 16, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
- When did SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN WILDERNESS STEWARDS last file with the IRS?
- The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended September 2025.
- Who is the principal officer of SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN WILDERNESS STEWARDS?
- The 990 for the year ended September 30, 2025 names Paul Dickens.
- Who are the officers and directors of SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN WILDERNESS STEWARDS?
- The 990 for the year ended September 30, 2025 lists 15 people; 3 received compensation from the organization, the highest $64,618 (Kaitlin de Varona, Executive Director).
- How much revenue does SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN WILDERNESS STEWARDS have?
- On its 990 for the year ended September 30, 2025 it reported revenue of $2,019,905, expenses of $1,715,760 and total assets of $771,664 at year end.
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