Public Lands Alliance
The Public Lands Alliance (PLA) connects, strengthens, and represents the nonprofit partners of America's public lands. Founded in 1977, PLA is the national organization serving the community of nonprofits that support public lands, including cooperating associations, friends groups, trail and watershed conservancies, historical associations, and community stewardship and advocacy organizations. PLA represents a network of nearly 150 member organizations supporting more than 750 public land sites across the united states. PLA builds the capacity and effectiveness of these nonprofit partners to leverage private philanthropy, engage volunteers and local communities, expand educational opportunities, and inspire stewardship of our nation's treasured landscapes and historic places. Strong nonprofit partners are essential to ensuring that one day America's public lands are understood and appreciated, preserved and conserved, and enjoyed by all.
Public Lands Alliance at a glance
In short: Public Lands Alliance gave $33K across 4 grants in 2025 (avg $8K), top state Tennessee. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $33,194
- +472.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 4
- +300.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $8,299
- +43.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $6,964
- Total assets
- $1,216,357
- +11.1% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (41% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Public Lands Alliance funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 4 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Friends of Tennessee ($14K). Together the top 4 received $33K.
Grant Size Distribution
6 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 6 grants of 6 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 4 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $4K (2021) to $33K (2025). In 2025 it made 4 grants totaling $33K.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Friends of Tennessee Springville, TN | Nature Education | $13,532 |
| Friends of Hakalua Forest National Hilo, HI | Native Wildlife | $7,007 |
| Friends of Balcones Canyonlands Largo Vista, TX | Native & Trail Grant | $6,920 |
| Friends of Steward B McKinney Westbrook, CT | Trail Grant | $5,735 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,216,357 | $1,655,416 | $1,554,977 | $33,194 | 4 | $35,146 |
| 2024 | $1,094,626 | $1,412,673 | $1,341,169 | $5,803 | 1 | $25,915 |
| 2023 | $1,000,634 | $1,324,296 | $1,204,782 | $7,311 | 1 | $10,194 |
| 2022 | $881,263 | $857,712 | $832,794 | $4,450 | Total only | $3,058 |
| 2021 | $1,047,743 | $663,904 | $539,858 | $4,100 | Total only | $880 |
| 2020 | $680,816 | $937,657 | $788,613 | $12,475 | Total only | $988 |
| 2019 | $670,203 | $757,226 | $789,412 | $7,850 | Total only | $1,265 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
About Public Lands Alliance
Based on IRS filings
Public Lands Alliance is a public charity focused on Recreation & Sports, based in Washington, DC. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $1.2M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 4 grants totaling $33K. Net investment income was $35K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Public Lands Alliance is led by Theresa McMullan - Interim, CEO & Director on the 2025 filing; 3 of 17 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Theresa McMullan - Interim
CEO & Director
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$21K (2025)
Daniel Puskar - Outgoing
President An
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$156K (2025)
Caroline Ward
Chair
Director → Treasurer, 2023
Treasurer → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rebecca Wang
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Arvind Manocha
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Heidi Doyle
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joann Van Aken
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Aileen Utterdyke
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ian Stafford
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ray Foote
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Meyer
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kevin Kissling - Outgoing
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sevag Kazanci - Outgoing
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amy Matthews
Vice President
Director of → Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$78K (2019) → $91K (2025)
Richard Page
Secretary
Director → Vice Chair, 2023
Vice Chair → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeff Gabriel
Vice Chair
Director → Secretary, 2024
Secretary → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Richard Cohen
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (28)
- Former: Daniel Puskar (2019–2024) — President An
- Former: Kevin Kissling (2019–2024) — Chair
- Former: Mark Preiss - Outgoing (2019–2024) — Past - Chair
- Former: Carlton Murrey - Outgoing (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Katie Nyberg - Outgoing (2023–2024) — Secretary
- Former: Sevag Kazanci (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Theresa McMullan (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Carolyn Ward - Outgoing (2024) — Director
- Former: Christine Muldoon - Outgoing (2024) — Director
- Former: Jim Salsbury - Outgoing (2024) — Director
- Former: Carolyn Ward (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Christine Muldoon (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Jim Salsbury (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Andy Hart (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Carlton Murrey (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Katie Nyberg (2019–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Mark Preiss (2019–2022) — Chair
- Former: David Poteet - Outgoing (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Peppino Persio - Outgoing (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Phil Francis - Outgoing (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Laurel Rematore - Outgoing (2021) — Director
- Former: David Poteet (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Laurel Rematore (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Peppino Persio (2020) — Director
- Former: Phil Francis (2020) — Director
- Former: Barbara Muhlbeier - Outgoing (2019) — Treasurer
- Former: Jerryne Cole - Outgoing (2019) — Director
- Former: Takeisha Walker - Outgoing (2019) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $156K, to Daniel Puskar - Outgoing (President an). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Public Lands Alliance
How much does Public Lands Alliance give each year?
Public Lands Alliance gave $33K across 4 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $6K across 1 grant.
What is Public Lands Alliance's typical grant size?
Public Lands Alliance's median grant in 2025 was $6,964, and its average grant was $8,299, across 4 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Public Lands Alliance give grants?
Public Lands Alliance's top state is Tennessee, with 41% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Hawaii (21%) and Texas (21%).
Does Public Lands Alliance give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 4 grants with a stated purpose on Public Lands Alliance's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
How large is Public Lands Alliance?
Public Lands Alliance reported $1.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.7M.
What is Public Lands Alliance?
Public Lands Alliance is a public charity focused on Recreation & Sports, based in Washington, DC. It holds $1.2M in total assets as of 2025.
What is Public Lands Alliance's EIN?
Public Lands Alliance's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-1123356. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 11, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 5, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 19, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 14, 2023)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 27, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Public Lands Alliance's focus areas in our free grants database
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