Nonprofit · EIN 47-4653401
MERWIN CONSERVANCY INC
Tax-exempt · HAIKU, HI 96708
Financials
| Year ended | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Total assets | Liabilities | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 31, 2025 | 990 | $1,420,584 | $696,506 | $724,078 | $3,476,899 | $36,780 | $3,440,119 |
| December 31, 2024 | 990 | $732,222 | $635,609 | $96,613 | $2,604,276 | $22,283 | $2,581,993 |
| December 31, 2023 | 990 | $665,213 | $508,387 | $156,826 | $2,427,822 | $11,608 | $2,416,214 |
Financial details: 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025
Revenue
- Contributions, gifts and grants
- $781,370
- Program service revenue
- $574,394
- Investment income
- $64,820
- Net gain from sales of assets
- $1,105
- Other revenue
- $0
Expenses
- Grants and similar amounts paid
- $0
- Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
- $147,610
- Other salaries and wages
- $186,145
- Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
- $366,188
- Professional fundraising fees
- $0
- Legal fees
- $3,086
- Accounting fees
- $9,240
- Occupancy
- $20,827
- Travel
- $9,452
- Depreciation
- $24,688
- Program services (functional)
- $494,133
- Management and general (functional)
- $103,078
- Fundraising (functional)
- $99,295
Balance sheet and other
- Total assets, start of year
- $2,604,276
- Total assets, end of year
- $3,476,899
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $36,780
- Net assets, end of year
- $3,440,119
- Land, buildings and equipment
- $492,483
- Publicly traded securities
- $2,219,183
- Net assets without donor restrictions
- $1,296,167
- Net assets with donor restrictions
- $2,143,952
- Gross receipts
- $1,588,893
- Employees
- 6
- Volunteers
- 24
- Year formed
- 2016
- State of legal domicile
- HI
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 December 31, 2025, highest compensation first.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SONNET K COGGINS | EXECUTIVE DI Officer | 40 | $132,663 | $14,948 |
| MARY LOCK | PRESIDENT Trustee or director, Officer | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| RICHARD ANDREWS | VICE PRESIDE Trustee or director, Officer | 3 | $0 | $0 |
| AMBER STRONG MAKAIAU | VICE PRESIDE Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| JAMES PICKREL | TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 3 | $0 | $0 |
| MICHAEL MOORE | SECRETARY Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| JEANNE HERBERT | ASST SECRETA Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| BREEZE GIANNASIO | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| MARK HAMILTON | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| LI HAY | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| VILSONI HERENIKO | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| GABBY AHULI'I FERREIRA HOLT | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| JORDAN KANDELL | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| GEOFF LEWIS | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| LILY JAMES OLDS | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
5 more people on this return
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CATHERINE ST GERMANS | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| MATTHEW CARLOS SCHWARTZ | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| MOLLY TAYLOR | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| SEVERINE VON TSCHARNER FLEMMING | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| MICHAEL WIEGERS | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2024: 19 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SONNET K COGGINS | EXECUTIVE DI Officer | 40 | $129,566 | $8,110 |
| ROBERT BECKER | PRESIDENT Trustee or director, Officer | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| RICHARD ANDREWS | VICE PRESIDE Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| AMBER STRONG MAKAIAU | VICE PRESIDE Trustee or director, Officer | 3 | $0 | $0 |
| JAMES PICKREL | TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 3 | $0 | $0 |
| MICHAEL MOORE | SECRETARY Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| JEANNE HERBERT | ASST SECRETA Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| MARK HAMILTON | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| LI HAY | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| VILSONI HERENIKO | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| GABBY AHULI'I FERREIRA HOLT | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| CATHERINE ST GERMANS | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| MATTHEW CARLOS SCHWARTZ | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| MOLLY TAYLOR | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| SEVERINE VON TSCHARNER FLEMMING | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| MICHAEL WIEGERS | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| SUSAN KEAN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| MARY LOCK | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| JOSELYN ROMERO DEMIRBAG | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2023: 19 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonnet K Coggins | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer, Key employee, Highest-paid employee | 40 | $129,419 | $6,954 |
| Robert Becker | PRESIDENT Trustee or director, Officer | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| Amber Strong Makaiau | VICE PRESIDENT Trustee or director, Officer | 3 | $0 | $0 |
| Richard Andrews | VICE PRESIDENT Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| James Pickrel | TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 3 | $0 | $0 |
| Mary Lock | ASSISTANT TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| Michael Moore | SECRETARY Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Jeanne Herbert | ASSISTANT SECRETARY Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Matthew Carlos Schwartz | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Susan Conway Kean | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Molly Taylor | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Catherine St Germans | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Michael Wiegers | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Jocelyn Romero Demirbag | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Mark Hamilton | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Vilsoni Hereniko | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Gabby Ahuli'i Ferreira Holt | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Li Hay | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| Severine von Tcharner Fleming | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
Address and contacts
- Address (IRS master file)
- PO BOX 809, HAIKU, HI 96708-0809
- In care of
- % JASON DENHART
- Principal officer (990 for 2025)
- SONNET K COGGINS, PO BOX 809, HAIKU, HI 96708
- Signed the 990
- SONNET K COGGINS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
- Phone
- (808) 579-8876
- Return prepared by
- WIKOFF COMBS & CO LLC
Mission
PART III, LINE 1 - ROOTED IN THE CONVICTIONS OF RENOWNED AMERICAN POET W.S. MERWIN, THE MERWIN CONSERVANCY IMAGINES WAYS OF ENGAGING WITH PLACE, POETRY, AND PRACTICE. WE CARE FOR THE THRIVING, INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED PALM GARDEN ON MAUI THAT WILLIAM MERWIN AND HIS WIFE PAULA PLANTED ON LAND DEPLETED BY EXTRACTIVE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES; OFFER A RESIDENCY PROGRAM IN THE MERWINS' HOME TO WRITERS AND ARTISTS WHO MAKE NEW POSSIBILITIES FOR LANGUAGE AND LAND; AND FOSTER ATTENTION TO NATURE AND THE IMAGINATION THROUGH PROGRAMMING AND STORYTELLING.
Program accomplishments
- TENDING THE MERWIN PALM TREE COLLECTION: SINCE ASSUMING STEWARDSHIP OF THE MERWIN PALM TREE COLLECTION IN 2020, THE MERWIN CONSERVANCY HAS CONTINUED TO CARE FOR, PROTECT, AND CATALOG ONE OF THE WORLDS MOST SIGNIFICANT AND DIVERSE PALM COLLECTIONS. IN 2025, WE ADVANCED ONGOING GARDEN CARE THROUGH THE WORK OF CONTRACT GARDENERS, STAFF, AND VOLUNTEERS, FURTHER REFINING INFRASTRUCTURE, PATHWAYS, AND CONSERVATION PRACTICES TO SUPPORT THE LONG- TERM HEALTH OF THE GARDEN. IN PARALLEL, WE ASSESSED LONG-TERM STAFFING NEEDS FOR THE DEDICATED, EXPERT OVERSIGHT OF THE COLLECTION, ENGAGING IN PLANNING AND RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT TOWARD THE HIRING OF A HORTICULTURALIST. WE CONTINUED OUR EFFORTS TO PROPAGATE NATIVE LOULU (PRITCHARDIA) PALMS FOR FUTURE PLANTING WITHIN THE GARDEN AND FOR POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTION TO BROADER RECOVERY AND CONSERVATION EFFORTS ON MAUI. OUR RESIDENTS MAINTAINED THE TRADITION OF PLANTING A NATIVE LOULU PALM, DEEPENING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN ARTISTIC PRACTICE AND ECOLOGICAL STEWARDSHIP.Expenses $149,297
- ARTS AND ECOLOGY PROGRAMMING: THROUGH OUR PUBLIC PROGRAM SERIES THE GREEN ROOM, THE MERWIN CONSERVANCY PRESENTED THE WORK OF POETS, WRITERS, AND ARTISTS TO LOCAL, NATIONAL, AND INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCES. WE HOSTED IN- PERSON PROGRAMS ON MAUI AND O'AHU FEATURING CURRENT AND FORMER RESIDENTS AND OFFERED VIRTUAL PROGRAMS TO EXTEND ACCESS TO OUR GLOBAL COMMUNITY. WE CONTINUED OUR OPEN GARDEN DAYS PROGRAM, WELCOMING VISITORS TWICE MONTHLY FOR GUIDED, CONTEMPLATIVE EXPERIENCES THAT CENTER THE ECOLOGICAL AND LITERARY LEGACY OF THIS PLACE. IN ADDITION, WE HOSTED EDUCATIONAL GROUPS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AND INDIVIDUAL VISITORS, AND LAUNCHED OUR EDUCATOR AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, CONNECTING TEACHERS AND STUDENTS ACROSS MAUI WITH THE CONSERVANCY THROUGH VISITS, PROGRAM ATTENDANCE, AND TEACHING RESOURCES. THESE PROGRAMS ADVANCED OUR MISSION TO FOSTER MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS BETWEEN NATURE, LANGUAGE, AND THE IMAGINATION. IN 2025, THE MERWIN CONSERVANCY ADVANCED ITS STEWARDSHIP OF W.S. MERWINS LITERARY LEGACY THROUGH ARCHIVAL PRESERVATION AND PUBLIC ACCESS. DURING THE YEAR, THE CONSERVANCY COMPLETED THE TRANSFER OF W.S. MERWINS REMAINING PAPERS TO THE HARRY RANSOM CENTER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, ENSURING LONG-TERM PRESERVATION AND ACCESS FOR SCHOLARSHIP.Expenses $121,348
- RESIDENCY PROGRAM:THE MERWIN CONSERVANCYS RESIDENCY PROGRAM, LAUNCHED IN 2021, CONTINUED IN 2025 TO OFFER THE MERWINS HOME AND GARDEN AS A SANCTUARY FOR WRITERS, ARTISTS, AND THINKERS WHO MAKE NEW POSSIBILITIES FOR LANGUAGE AND LAND. RESIDENTS ARE SELECTED THROUGH A NOMINATION PROCESS INVOLVING ADVISORS WORKING ACROSS DISCIPLINES. DURING THE YEAR, THE CONSERVANCY CONTINUED TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE HOUSE AND RESIDENCY EXPERIENCE TO SUPPORT COMFORT, ACCESSIBILITY, AND THE PRACTICAL NEEDS OF RESIDENTS. IN 2025, WE HOSTED TWO RESIDENTS, SUPPORTING THEIR CREATIVE PRACTICES WHILE INVITING MEANINGFUL EXCHANGE WITH OUR BROADER COMMUNITY THROUGH PUBLIC PROGRAMS.Expenses $49,399
- CONTINUED KEY REPAIRS & RESTORATION OF THE MERWINS' HOME: AS WE BECAME STEWARDS OF THE PROPERTY, WE CONTINUED REPAIRS TO THE TWO-STORY HOME, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 40 YEARS OLD, READYING THE HOME AS THE SITE OF OUR RESIDENCY AND ARTS AND ECOLOGY PROGRAMMING. ARCHIVALS: WE PLACED A PORTION OF W.S. MERWIN'S LATE ARCHIVES WITH THE RENOWNED LITERARY ARCHIVE, THE HARRY RANSOM CENTER. THE PLACEMENT ENSURES THE PRESERVATION OF THIS IMPORTANT MATERIAL AND FACILITATES BROAD AND DEEP ACCESS BY SCHOLARS, STUDENTS, RESEARCHERS, WRITERS, AND OTHERS.Expenses $174,089
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 December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.
| Tax year | Year ended | Due | IRS public records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | December 31, 2025 | May 15, 2026 | 990 on file |
| 2024 | December 31, 2024 | May 15, 2025 | 990 on file |
| 2023 | December 31, 2023 | May 15, 2024 | 990 on file |
IRS record
- EIN
- 47-4653401
- 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
- December
- Files
- Form 990 or 990-EZ
- Category (NTEE)
- Environment (C41)
- Assets (IRS master file)
- $3,476,899
- Income (IRS master file)
- $1,588,893
Filing history
| Form | Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990 | December 2025 | $1,420,584 | $696,506 | $3,476,899 | XML |
| 990 | December 2024 | $732,222 | $635,609 | $2,604,276 | XML |
| 990 | December 2023 | $665,213 | $508,387 | $2,427,822 | XML |
| 990 | December 2022 | $378,801 | $619,473 | $2,484,360 | IRS |
| 990 | December 2021 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2020 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2019 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 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 47-4653401).
Questions about MERWIN CONSERVANCY INC
- What is the EIN of MERWIN CONSERVANCY INC?
- The employer identification number (EIN) of MERWIN CONSERVANCY INC is 47-4653401.
- Is MERWIN CONSERVANCY INC tax-exempt?
- Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 2015.
- Are donations to MERWIN CONSERVANCY INC tax-deductible?
- Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
- Which annual return does MERWIN CONSERVANCY INC 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 MERWIN CONSERVANCY INC due?
- The return for tax year 2026 (the year ending December 31, 2026) is due May 17, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
- When did MERWIN CONSERVANCY INC last file with the IRS?
- The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2025.
- Who is the principal officer of MERWIN CONSERVANCY INC?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 names SONNET K COGGINS.
- Who are the officers and directors of MERWIN CONSERVANCY INC?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 lists 20 people; 1 received compensation from the organization, the highest $132,663 (SONNET K COGGINS, EXECUTIVE DI).
- How much revenue does MERWIN CONSERVANCY INC have?
- On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 it reported revenue of $1,420,584, expenses of $696,506 and total assets of $3,476,899 at year end.
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