Overview
What is Bluff Lake Nature Center?
Bluff Lake Nature Center is a nonprofit organization located in Denver, Colorado, offering free and accessible nature experiences to the public. The center, open 365 days a year, attracts over 85,000 visitors annually, providing a tranquil haven for solace, exercise, and family activities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it continued its programming without interruption, underscoring its role as an essential community service. The center's primary mission is to educate individuals to be engaged, resilient, and curious. It achieves this through various initiatives, such as field trips for students from Title 1 schools, where over 80% of participants come from low-income families supported by grant funding and donations. These educational programs focus on topics like habitats and water quality. In addition, Bluff Lake Nature Center offers summer camps for children aged 5-15, providing scholarships for low-income families. Public programming includes family days, fireside chats, after-school programs, special events, and guided walks. The center collaborates with hundreds of volunteers, including scouts, corporate groups, families, and other nonprofit organizations, for site projects and education programs. Furthermore, the center is committed to conserving a natural area within the city, promoting equity in outdoor access, and nurturing the health and well-being of communities and ecosystems. With a dedicated workforce of 17 employees, Bluff Lake Nature Center continues to make a significant impact on its community and beyond.
Official website here: www.blufflake.org
What are the reviews and ratings of this charity?
Charity Navigator Rating: 97% (Four-Star out of Four Stars)
Bluff Lake Nature Center has achieved an impressive Four-Star rating from Charity Navigator, reflecting its strong commitment to accountability and community engagement. With a high Accountability & Finance Score of 96 and a perfect Culture & Community Score of 100, the organization demonstrates robust financial health and an effective governance structure, including a fully independent board.
The nonprofit excels in program spending, with a Program Expense Ratio of 73.40%, indicating that a significant portion of its resources is directed towards its mission-related programs. The organization has established comprehensive policies, including conflict of interest and whistleblower policies, contributing to its transparency and ethical practices. Additionally, it scores perfectly in feedback collection and usage, highlighting its responsiveness to community needs and input.
While the data showcases Bluff Lake Nature Center's strengths, it does not indicate any substantial limitations or challenges that could impact its operations. Overall, this high rating signifies a trustworthy organization that effectively utilizes its resources to support its mission of fostering ecological awareness and appreciation within the community.
This AI summary has been generated from information found on Charity Navigator.
Is Bluff Lake Nature Center legitimate?
Bluff Lake Nature Center is a legitimate nonprofit organization registered as a 501(c)(3) entity. Bluff Lake Nature Center submitted a form 990, which is a tax form used by tax-exempt organizations in the U.S., indicating its operational transparency and adherence to regulatory requirements. Donations to this organization are tax deductible.
Heare are some key statistics you may want to consider:
Executive Compensation: $77,002
Professional Fundraising Fees: $30,000
Other Salaries and Wages: $211,983
For more financial information, click here
Official website here: www.blufflake.org
What is the mission statement of Bluff Lake Nature Center?
The Bluff Lake Nature Center strives to educate individuals to be engaged, resilient, and curious, while also conserving a natural area within a city. Its mission extends to furthering equity in outdoor access and nurturing the health and well-being of communities and ecosystems. The center provides a free and accessible space for visitors to connect with nature, offering programming and services that cater to a wide range of age groups, including school-aged children and families. The center's activities include hosting educational field trips, summer camps, and public programming such as family days, guided walks, and special events. Volunteers play a significant role in the center's operations, contributing to site projects and facilitating education programs.
Official website here: www.blufflake.org
Who is the CEO of Bluff Lake Nature Center?
Rachel Hutchens is the Executive Di of Bluff Lake Nature Center.
Official website here: www.blufflake.org
What is the revenue of Bluff Lake Nature Center?
Bluff Lake Nature Center's revenue in 2022 was $868,347.
Official website here: www.blufflake.org
Who are the executives of Bluff Lake Nature Center and what are their salaries?
The average compensation at Bluff Lake Nature Center during 2022 was $16,999. There are 17 employees and 759 volunteers at Bluff Lake Nature Center.
Here are 11 key members and their salaries:
- Compensation: $72,580
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- Other: $4,422
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Official website here: www.blufflake.org
Where can I find the form 990 for Bluff Lake Nature Center?
Bluff Lake Nature Center's most recent form 990 was submitted in 2022 and can be accessed here.
Official website here: www.blufflake.org
Learn more at the official website: www.blufflake.org
Mission Statement of Bluff Lake Nature Center
The Bluff Lake Nature Center, a public institution open year-round, is dedicated to educating individuals to foster engagement, resilience, and curiosity, conserve a natural area within a city, advance equity in outdoor access, and nurture the health and well-being of communities and ecosystems. This organization provides a vital service to the community, maintaining its operations at pre-pandemic levels despite the challenges posed by the pandemic.
In 2022, over 85,000 visitors sought solace and connection to nature at Bluff Lake, engaging in various activities such as running, family outings, and educational programs. A significant portion of these visitors were students from Title 1 schools, many of whom benefited from grant funding and donations, allowing them to participate in STEM-based field trip programs free of charge. During these field trips, students gained knowledge about habitats, water quality, and other related topics.
Bluff Lake also offered summer camps for children aged 5-15, providing over 30 scholarship spots to low-income families. Additionally, the center hosted public programming such as monthly family days, fireside chats, after-school programs, special events, and guided walks, which included bird walks, mindfulness walks, and more. The Nature Center collaborates with hundreds of volunteers, including scouts, corporate groups, families, and other nonprofit organizations, for site projects and educational programs.
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Impact
June, 2024
Bluff Lake Nature Center's impact can be seen in the way it educates individuals to be engaged, resilient, and curious about nature. By conserving a natural area in the city of Denver, Colorado, it provides a much-needed opportunity for community members to connect with the outdoors. Additionally, the center furthers equity in outdoor access by welcoming over 85,000 visitors in 2022, offering a place of solace and connection to nature for people of all backgrounds.
One significant aspect of Bluff Lake Nature Center's impact is its educational programs, which reach over 8,000 students from ECE-12th grade annually. These programs, which include field trips and virtual STEM-based activities, provide students with hands-on learning opportunities about habitats, water quality, and more. Importantly, over 80% of these students come from Title 1 schools and are able to visit Bluff Lake for free, thanks to grant funding and donations.
Furthermore, the center's outreach extends to low-income families through summer camps, offering full and partial scholarship spots to campers aged 5-15. Public programming, such as monthly family days, fireside chats, after-school programs, and special events like Boo on the Bluff, provides additional avenues for community engagement.
By working with hundreds of volunteers annually and hosting various site projects and education programs, Bluff Lake Nature Center fosters a sense of stewardship and community involvement in environmental conservation. Overall, the center's efforts nurture the health and well-being of both communities and ecosystems, making a positive impact on the local area and beyond.
This information is meant to be a general summary of Bluff Lake Nature Center. Please take the time to review official sources before making any decisions based upon the content provided here.
Financials
This financial information is from Propublica.
Other financial information:
This information is from the most recently submitted tax form from this organization, which was in 2022.
- Investment Income: $3,397
- Program Service Revenue: $156,906
- Gross Receipts: $870,959
Assets and Liabilities:
- Total Assets: $7,715,800
- Total Liabilities: $168,833
- Net Assets: $7,546,967
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Programs
Programs are reported by nonprofits in their tax forms and are normally their tax-exempt activities.
PROGRAM FEES
Revenue
$156,906
Organization Details
Founding Year
1994
Phone
(720) 708-4147Principal Officer
Rachel Hutchens
Main Address
4760 OAKLAND STREET SUITE 200, DENVER, CO, 80239
Website
www.blufflake.orgNTEE Category
Code: C600 - Environment
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