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TOVREA CARRARO SOCIETY

Phoenix, AZ · EIN 275166774 · Form 990EZ · FY2022 · NTEE A80 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Small ($100K-$1M) · tovreacastletours.com
revenue
$191K
expenses
$181K
net assets
$432K
employees
mission · from form 990

The mission of Tovrea Carraro Society is to provide a unique experience for visitors to Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights; preserving, maintaining and restoring its historic structures, gardens and grounds.

profile · synthesized from sources

Nonprofit organization that operates public tours of the historic Tovrea Castle and surrounding 44-acre cactus gardens in Phoenix, Arizona. The Tovrea Carraro Society manages access through a lottery system due to high demand, offering guided tram tours of the grounds and main floors of the castle. Tours are open to the general public, with accommodations for accessibility and special events.

named programs · 4 · from sources

what they call their work

Group Tours
Scheduled tours for organized groups, held on Thursdays, with separate booking and pricing
Last Minute Tour Tickets
Opportunity to purchase unclaimed tour tickets released shortly before tour dates, priced at $25 per person
Regular Castle Tour
Guided tram tour of the 44-acre Carraro Cactus Gardens and Tovrea Castle main floor and basement, available Friday through Sunday during select months
Special Event Tours
Themed or evening tours offered on select days, including Twilight Evening Tours in June
activities · 5 groups

what they do

  • Cactus & Native Plant Rescue and Replanting 9 activities
    • Daily Site Operations and Management
      Manages daily operations of Tovrea Castle and its Cactus Gardens under an Operating & Management Agreement with the City of Phoenix, including fundraising, volunteer recruitment and training, tour scheduling, event bookings, promotion, and community outreach since March 2012.
    • Facility and Program Operations Management
      Manages daily operations of Tovrea Castle and its Cactus Gardens under an Operating & Management Agreement with the City of Phoenix, including fundraising, volunteer recruitment and training, scheduling public and special tours, event bookings, promotion, and community outreach since the first public tours began in March 2012.
    • Garden Restoration and Cactus Planting
      Conducts ecological restoration of the Carraro Cactus Gardens, including planting 400 saguaro cacti and 1,000 smaller cacti to enhance native plant populations and landscape integrity.
    • Garden Restoration and Maintenance
      Manages the restoration and ongoing maintenance of the 44-acre Carraro Cactus Gardens, including planting native species such as 400 Saguaros and 1,000 smaller cacti, and organizing volunteer events for weeding, caging plants, and moving earth and rock.
    • Garden Restoration and Maintenance
      Conducts garden restoration efforts, including planting saguaros and smaller cacti, and organizes volunteer events for ongoing garden maintenance such as weeding, caging plants, and moving earth and rock.
    • Maintenance and Restoration of Tovrea Castle and Cactus Gardens
      Maintains the Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights, including its structural integrity and the 44-acre cactus gardens. Restoration efforts include planting 400 Saguaros and 1,000 smaller cacti, and organizing volunteer events for garden maintenance such as weeding, caging plants, and moving earth and rock.
    • Operating and Maintaining Tovrea Castle and Gardens
      Manages the daily operations, maintenance, and preservation of Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights, including its cactus gardens and structural integrity, on behalf of the City of Phoenix.
    • Operational Management of Tovrea Castle
      Manages the daily operations of Tovrea Castle and its Cactus Gardens on behalf of the City of Phoenix, which includes fundraising, volunteer recruitment and training, scheduling and hosting public tours, special event bookings, promotion, and community outreach.
    • Volunteer-Led Garden Maintenance
      Organizes volunteer events for ongoing garden upkeep, including weeding, caging plants, and moving earth and rock, to support the preservation of the 44-acre cactus gardens.
  • Guided and Self-Guided Museum Tours 7 activities
    • Conducting Guided Tours
      Offers various guided tours of Tovrea Castle, its cactus gardens, and outbuildings, including regular tours, group tours, twilight tours, and special event tours, led by certified volunteer teams and docents. These tours have been offered since 2012 and are often booked years in advance.
    • Group Tours with Capacity and Frequency Restrictions
      Conducts group tours limited to 12 participants per group, with a policy restricting each group to one tour every two years. These tours are offered on Thursdays and are fully booked through December 2026.
    • Group and Special Event Tours
      Conducts group tours limited to 12 participants, with one tour per group allowed every two years, and hosts special event tours on Wednesdays and Twilight Tours exclusively in June. Also provides Tovrea Castle as a venue for private and public events such as social affairs, business meetings, and community fundraisers.
    • Public Guided Tours of Tovrea Castle and Cactus Gardens
      Offers 60-minute guided tours of Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights, including tram rides through the 44-acre Carraro Cactus Gardens and outer buildings, exploration of the Castle’s first floor and basement, and access to a gift shop. Tours are led by Certified Volunteer Team members and operate on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
    • Public Guided Tours of Tovrea Castle and Cactus Gardens
      Offers 60-minute guided tours of Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights, including the castle’s first floor and basement, the 44-acre Carraro Cactus Gardens, and outbuildings via tram, led by certified volunteer docents. Tours are available on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays as Regular Tours, with tram access starting from a Visitor Center and including a gift shop.
    • Public Tours of Tovrea Castle and Cactus Gardens
      Offers 60-minute guided tours of Tovrea Castle, including tram rides around the 44-acre Cactus Gardens and Outbuildings, and exploration of the Castle's first floor and basement. Tours are led by Certified Volunteer Teams and are available as Regular Tours (Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays), Group Tours (Thursdays), and Special Event Tours (Wednesdays), with Twilight Tours offered in June. Tickets are sold through a lottery system and a last-minute portal for cancellations, costing $30 per ticket.
    • Special and Seasonal Tours
      Hosts special event tours on Wednesdays and Twilight Tours exclusively in June. These tours supplement regular public programming and are part of the organization’s varied tour offerings.
  • Arts Event Ticketing & Access Programs 3 activities
    • Managing Tour Ticket Sales
      Operates a lottery system for tour tickets, sells a limited number of tickets online, resells canceled tickets, and processes refunds for tours.
    • Tour Ticketing and Refund Operations
      Manages a tour ticket lottery system for limited ticket availability, resells canceled tickets through a Last Minute Tour Tickets portal, processes refunds if requested at least 72 hours in advance, and facilitates online ticket purchases as the primary ticketing source.
    • Tour Ticketing and Reservation Management
      Manages tour ticket sales through multiple channels, including online direct sales, a Tour Ticket Lottery for limited availability, and a Last Minute Tour Tickets portal for resold canceled tickets. Processes refunds if requested at least 72 hours before the scheduled tour.
  • Comprehensive Environmental & Hygiene Safety Protocols 2 activities
    • Health and Safety Protocols
      Implements health and safety measures including optional face masks (as of March 11, 2022), daily self-screening for staff and volunteers, physical distancing, virtual meetings, enhanced cleaning with disinfectants, hand sanitizer availability, and hygiene signage to reduce virus transmission risks.
    • Implementing Health and Safety Protocols
      Implements health and safety measures, including optional face mask policies, encouraging sick individuals to stay home, providing sanitizers, increasing cleaning diligence, and requiring staff and volunteers to self-screen and maintain social distancing.
  • Uncategorized 3 activities
    • Event Venue Operations
      Operates Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights as a venue for private and public events, including social affairs, business meetings, and community fundraisers, contributing to site utilization and community engagement.
    • Event Venue Services
      Provides Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights as a venue for private and public events, including social affairs, business meetings, and community fundraisers.
    • Hosting Private and Public Events
      Provides Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights as a venue for various private and public events, such as social affairs, business meetings, and community fundraisers.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2022
revenue
Total revenue$191K
Contributions & grants$35K18%
Program service revenue$156K82%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$181K
Program expenses
Admin / overhead
Fundraising
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
balance sheet
Total assets$432K
Cash
Investments
Liabilities
Net assets$432K
3 years on record · 2020–2022 · YoY revenue +57.5%
relationships · 10

who they work with

  • Arizona Department of Health Services Government — Monitors and is in conversation with for ongoing information and current recommendations.
  • Arizona Governor’s Office Government — Monitors and is in conversation with for ongoing information and current recommendations.
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Government — Monitors and is in conversation with for ongoing information and current recommendations.
  • City of Phoenix Government — Monitors and is in conversation with for ongoing information and current recommendations.
  • City of Phoenix Government — Partnered with the City of Phoenix on the first phase of garden restoration beginning in 1998.
  • City of Phoenix Partner — Partners with the City of Phoenix to preserve, maintain, and restore Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights.
  • City of Phoenix Partner — Purchased the castle and 44-acre Cactus Gardens from the Tovrea Family Estate in 1993.
  • City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Board Partner — Approved an Operating & Management Agreement for the Society to operate Tovrea Castle.
  • The World Health Organization Government — Monitors and is in conversation with for ongoing information and current recommendations.
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Government — Monitors and is in conversation with for ongoing information and current recommendations.