Ozarks heritage preserve was formed, in part, to operate top of the rock lost canyon cave and nature trail ("the cave trail"). The cave trail is a two-and-a-half mile trail where visitors can experience nature while they learn about the geology and landscape of the ozark mountains. The trail opened in 2014 after hundreds of hours were spent walking the land and painstakingly cutting the cave trail for visitors to be able to immerse themselves yearround (weather permitting) in the dramatic features of the ozarks, such as stunning rock formations, beautiful views of table rock lake, waterfalls,…
Johnny Morris' Ozarks Heritage Preserve
Johnny Morris' Ozarks Heritage Preserve: CEO salary, finances and where donations go
“To educate and inspire conservation by celebrating the unique beauty and history of the ozarks.”
Data only Figures straight from the filing, screened by our rules. Not yet reviewed in depth by a CPA.
Methodology by Amir Arani, CPA, CA · Updated
- Top pay
- $181K John Mikolajczyk, 1.3% of spending
- Revenue
- $168.0M 82% from donations and grants
- Spent
- $13.6M 90.7% on programs, as reported
- Net assets
- $505.3M end of 2024
- Savings
- 444.4 months of spending, net assets ÷ spending
2 things to look at.
We screen every filing against twelve rules. A flag is a prompt for a closer look, not a finding of wrongdoing.
No audited financial statements despite large revenue
Financial statements not audited on $167,956,538 of revenue.
Form 990 Part XII, line 2Business transactions with insiders or their companies
Part IV line 28a answered yes.
Form 990 Part IV, lines 28a–28c; Schedule L Part IVOf each dollar it spent, 90.7¢ went to programs, as reported.
For each dollar donated, Johnny Morris' Ozarks Heritage Preserve spent 0¢ on fundraising.
Fundraising ÷ $137.7M contributions · Form 990 Parts VIII, IXWhat it told the IRS it spent on.
The charity's own description of its largest programs, with what each cost.
Ozarks heritage preserve was formed, in part, to operate ancient ozarks natural history museum ("the museum"). The museum houses over 75,000 pieces, mostly from private collections, including artifacts from native American tribes such as the local osage, portraits, historical photographs of archeological digs, ancient stoneware, weapons, and clothing. In addition to documenting human history, the museum includes exhibits on wildlife and ecology in the ozarks that predates human arrival.
Net assets: $285.2M to $505.3M in 5 years.
Net assets at each fiscal year end, 2019 to 2024.
The 5 highest-paid people.
Reportable pay in 2024, from the charity and related organizations.
| Contractor | Service | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Barrow's Excavating | Construction/excavat | $3,745,395 |
| Opie's Landscaping LLC | Landscaping services | $1,474,626 |
| Rws Entertainment Group | Ent. & event service | $937,440 |
| Big Cedar LLC | Landscape/sec/transp | $646,288 |
| Service Systems Associates Inc | Catering & f&b serv | $386,637 |
The questions people ask about the Johnny Morris' Ozarks Heritage Preserve.
Short, sourced answers. Each one stands on its own.
How much does the Johnny Morris' Ozarks Heritage Preserve CEO make?
John Mikolajczyk, Director of Operations, received $181,026 in reportable compensation in 2024, 1.3% of Johnny Morris' Ozarks Heritage Preserve's $13.6M in spending.
Form 990 (2024), Part VIIWhat percentage of Johnny Morris' Ozarks Heritage Preserve donations go to programs?
Johnny Morris' Ozarks Heritage Preserve reported 90.7% of 2024 spending as programs, 0% as fundraising and 9.3% as management.
Form 990 (2024), Part IXHow much money does Johnny Morris' Ozarks Heritage Preserve have?
Net assets were $505.3M at the end of 2024, about 444.4 months of spending.
Form 990 (2024), Part XDoes Johnny Morris' Ozarks Heritage Preserve have any red flags in its filing?
Its latest Form 990 triggered 2 of our twelve screening rules: no audited financial statements despite large revenue; business transactions with insiders or their companies. A flag is a prompt for a closer look, not a finding of wrongdoing.
Form 990 (2024)Every number, traced.
- Johnny Morris' Ozarks Heritage Preserve Form 990, 2024 (IRS e-file)
- Johnny Morris' Ozarks Heritage Preserve Form 990 history (ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer)
Amir Arani, “Johnny Morris' Ozarks Heritage Preserve: CEO salary, finances and where your dollar goes,” Charity Math, updated 2026-11-07. https://charitymath.com/charities/johnny-morris-ozarks-heritage-preserve/