About JRS / Facts & Financials
Our Financials
We are committed to following the best practices in financial accounting and disclosure for private U.S. foundations. We invite you to contact us if you have questions or suggestions for how we can improve upon the presentation of our finances or our approach to financial reporting.
Over the last five years, we average annual management expenses of $389,400, program expenses of $242,200, and grant expenses of $1,408,000.
Our Endowment
The JRS endowment is managed by a financial advisor to balance growth and risk in order to maintain the purchasing power of the endowment and meet distribution requirements. Our total unrestricted net assets at the end of 2018 were $42,611,000.
The JRS distribution ratio for 2013-2017 of qualifying charitable distributions to net non-charitable use assets was 4.3%.
Overview
- The JRS endowment is approximately $48 million as of July 2022. Our goal is to spend about 5% of our endowment annually. We invite you to read our Investment Policy Statement.
- Our 2019 grant commitments were $2.80 million. In the next several years, annual grant commitments may average about $1.8 million. This will vary depending upon strategic decisions, emergent opportunities and the impact of the economy on our endowment.
- Our average grant award is about $230,000 over three years.
- About 10 grants are awarded each year.
Financial Statements
Total Annual Grant Awards ($ Millions)
Since our grantmaking began in 2007, we have invested greater than $20.0 million in biodiversity informatics projects. In 2016, we began making commitments according to our five-year foundation Strategy. Our goals is to achieve a stable level of grant commitments of about $2.0 million per year.
Glass Pockets
JRS is proud to join the Foundation Center’s Glasspockets initiative that champions philanthropic transparency in an online world. – See more at: http://glasspockets.org and the JRS Biodiversity Foundation Glasspockets Profile.
Divest Invest
JRS has joined over 180 other foundations and charitable trusts who are divesting from the fossil fuel industries that deepen the climate crisis and are investing instead in climate solutions. Read more about our Social Investment Policy.
Carbon Offset
The JRS Biodiversity Foundation purchases certified carbon offsets from CarbonFund.org for the climate impact of our operations and travel by investment in the Russas Project.