7 Lakes Alliance

Legal name: 7 Lakes Alliance Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
043047156
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Official website data refreshed
Aug 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Belgrade Lakes, ME, US
Phone
(207) 495-6039
Rating
85
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Natural Resources Conservation and Protection

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$3,088,264
Expenses
$2,110,142
Assets
$9,173,132
Liabilities
$77,626

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

19 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • DR CHRIS MONZ (PRESIDENT/CE)

Highest reported compensation

  • DR CHRIS MONZ (PRESIDENT/CE): $113,445 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Conserving the lands and waters of the Belgrade Lakes region for all.

What it reported doing in 2024

7 lakes alliance, an accredited land trust, aims to protect the quality of the belgrade lakes watershed from degradation due to the impact of unsustainable development within the watershed. To accomplish this, 7 lakes alliance's land conservation program identifies and permanently conserves lands that provide high value habitats, recreational opportunities, and water quality protection and restoration to benefit the public. 7 lakes alliance also operates a land stewardship program through which 7 lakes' staff and dedicated volunteers protect and enhance conservation properties through robust monitoring, trail maintenance and communication and education about the values of land conservation to the public to ensure that conservation values are sustained. Additionally, 7 lakes alliance also provides educational, informational and communications programs to support the local lake associations and other water partners. These include numerous and wide-ranging conservation lectures, events and opportunities for all ages. 7 lakes alliance seeks to connect people with nature through educational programs, trainings, events, digital and printed newsletters and other activities. Events and activities include numerous presentations by experts on forestry, fisheries, hiking, conservation lands, water quality, hiking, erosion control workshops, and natural history programs that attract hundreds of participants. 7 lakes' newsletter the conservationist provides information on our diverse programs and conservation issues impacting the belgrade lakes region.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 75% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of total spending goes to programs and the filed numbers largely add up. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and reported officer compensation is a large share of total spending, which may reflect staffing concentration.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 70
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 80
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 58.9%; rating input score 59
  • Program expense ratio: 84.1%; rating input score 84
  • Fundraising efficiency: $76.83 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 84; 84th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • 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: 8 of 8 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: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 31.7%; rating input score 85; 85th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 4.35; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 86; 86th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 5.4%; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 12.4% per year; rating input score 100; 71st percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 15.1% per year; rating input score 100; 82nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 13.7% per year; rating input score 100; 71st percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: 11 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 1 operating location identified
  • Where the money goes: 58.9% of revenue deployed · 84.1% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 19 of 19 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $1.8M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $113K · 19 people listed
  • Consistency: 32 of 32 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 59/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 51/100.