Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards
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.
Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards at a glance
- Total assets
- $771,664
- +113.8% vs 2024
- Revenue (2025)
- $2,019,905
- +66.0% vs 2024
- Net investment income (2025)
- $3,714
- +99.4% vs 2024
- Expenses (2025)
- $1,715,760
- +43.8% vs 2024
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
3 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 3 grants of 3 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
In 2024 it made 3 grants totaling $70K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Pisgah Conservancy Brevard, NC | Forest Conservation | $23,375 |
| Conservation Legacy Durango, CO | Forest Conservation | $23,375 |
| Wild South Spruce Pine, NC | Forest Conservation | $23,375 |
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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 | $771,664 | $2,019,905 | $1,715,760 | — | — | $3,714 |
| 2024 | $360,918 | $1,216,976 | $1,193,208 | $70,125 | 3 | $1,863 |
| 2023 | $264,775 | $1,034,257 | $1,031,898 | — | — | — |
| 2022 | $252,577 | $1,236,805 | $1,128,261 | — | — | — |
| 2021 | $134,823 | $1,067,088 | $1,043,097 | — | — | — |
| 2020 | $193,183 | $972,676 | $926,471 | — | — | — |
| 2019 | $101,805 | $935,536 | $1,019,904 | — | — | — |
About Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards
Based on IRS filings
Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards is a public charity focused on Environment & Animals, based in Asheville, NC. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $772K in total assets. Net investment income was $4K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards is led by Kaitlin de Varona, Executive Director on every filing since 2022; 3 of 15 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kaitlin de Varona
Executive Director
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$39K (2022) → $65K (2025)
Chris Sporl
Chair to Nov
Board Member → Chair, 2022
Chair → Chair to Nov, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Paul Dickens
Chair
Board Member → Treasurer, 2022
Treasurer → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tracy Harrell
Finance Director
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$51K (2024) → $53K (2025)
Rebekah Morrisson
Program Director
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$55K (2025)
Nealon DeVore
Secretary
Board Member → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bart Hawley
Treasurer
Board Member → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Aliya Naim
Board Member
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Anya Boyko
Board Member
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lornett Vestal
Vice Chair
Board Member → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Aubree Pierce
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Delie Wilkins
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Josh Burt
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lena Snyder
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Olive Toran
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (22)
- Former: Kim Smith Woodford (2021–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Hannah Malvin (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Mason Boring (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Veena Rangaswami (2021–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Charles Merritt (2022) — Board Member
- Former: Anders Reynolds (2019–2021) — Chair Emeritus
- Former: Camilla Simon (2019–2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Carl Rountree (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Jodie Goldberg (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Meryl Harrell (2019–2021) — Executive Director
- Former: Terence Morrison (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Tye Tavaras (2019–2021) — Chairman
- Former: Kayla Carter (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Aaron Sanford (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Anna Wlodarczyk (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Bill Meadows (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Jessica DeLoach (2019–2020) — Secretary
- Former: Samuel Owl (2019–2020) — Vice Chair
- Former: Will Skelton (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Ashley Perez (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Bill Hodge (2019) — Prior Executive Director
- Former: Dawson Wheeler (2019) — Board Member
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 $65K, to Kaitlin de Varona (Executive Director). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards
How large is Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards?
Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards reported $772K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $2.0M.
What is Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards?
Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards is a public charity focused on Environment & Animals, based in Asheville, NC. It holds $772K in total assets as of 2025.
Where does Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards operate?
Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards has awarded grants in Colorado, North Carolina.
What is Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards's EIN?
Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-2407669. 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 21, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 4, 2026)
Live grants for the work Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards funds
Environment & Animals Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards's focus areas in our free grants database
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Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards down — hundreds of funders to go?