Natural Resources Council of Maine Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

Sustainable Maine: Tapping into the state's strong tradition of local action, NRCM takes a practical, collaborative approach to addressing environmental problems faced by Maine people, businesses, and communities, particularly to prevent and better manage waste. NRCM seeks to achieve systemic changes in policies and practices at the local and state levels to reduce the environmental impacts of daily living. NRCM has helped achieve many first-in-the-nation policies to reduce plastic, packaging, and difficult-to-manage materials and works to ensure that corporations responsible for generating waste become part of the solution for recycling, reduced packaging, and design changes in products. Healthy Waters: NRCM plays a critical role in preventing pollution to Maine waterways and advocating for policies to improve the health of our rivers, lakes, and streams, as well as the communities, wildlife, and fisheries that depend upon those waters. NRCM focuses on removal of obsolete dams that block fish migration, preventing toxic pollution such as mineral mining, and watchdogging permit applications and policy proposals that could threaten Maine waters.State House Advocacy: NRCM is Maine's leading environmental advocate at the State House, using its policy advocates and outreach staff to track and influence dozens of bills each legislative session. NRCM drafts legislation and amendments, testifies before multiple committees, works with coalitions on legislative strategies, and provides education to elected officials as they seek passage of important legislative proposals across a range of issues.Forests & Wildlife: NRCM works to protect Maine's natural areas, wildlife habitat, and the undeveloped character of Maine's North Woods. We support responsible land development and sustainable forest practices that protect sensitive ecosystems and habitat. We also advocate for increased public ownership of Maine lands to improve access to the natural world for Maine people and visitors. While development pressures and the loss of public access continue to intensify, NRCM remains a leading voice for balancing economic development with conservation, especially in Maine's iconic North Woods.Federal: Decisions made in Washington, D.C., have lasting effects on Maine's clean air and water, thriving forests and wildlife, and on the health of Maine people, its economy, and its way of life. NRCM works directly with Maine's Congressional delegation and with a broad coalition of national environmental organizations and in-state allies to help ensure that policy decisions in Washington contribute to the protection of Maine's environment.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 85%; rating input score 85
• Program expense ratio: 74.9%; rating input score 75
• Fundraising efficiency: $9.93 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 37; 37th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 93.3%; rating input score 93; 17th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -12.5%; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 4.97; rating input score 83; 83rd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.03; rating input score 76; 76th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 11%; rating input score 27; 27th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 4.7% per year; rating input score 100; 37th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 4.6% per year; rating input score 100; 38th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 9.5% per year; rating input score 100; 56th percentile among comparable filings