Nuestra Tierra Conservation Project

Overview

Mission

Nuestra tierra conservation project's core mission is to ensure that historically and deliberately excluded communities have access to the outdoors and that our people, history and values are authentically reflected in public land and conservation management decision making.

What it reported doing in 2024

Other program achievements include, 1) the david soules conservation memorial scholarship, 2) promotion of america the beautifil coalition that incorporates a diverse assembly of leaders committed to preserving us landscapes and advocating for justice, 3)protecting New Mexico's cultural resources, wildlife, and public lands by actively participating in the bureau of land management's public meeting on the proposal of oil and gas leasing rules in New Mexico to advocate for stricter regulations and 4) stewardship responsibilities of the la mancha wetland restoration project which aims to restore the ecological richness of the rio grande (river) and protect this space as a place where the public can come to gain an understanding and appreciation of the history of the river.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 97% 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.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
842294981
IRS 990 coverage
2020–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Headquarters
Las Cruces, NM, USA
Phone
9152173688
Rating
66
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of total spending goes to programs.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 43
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 74
  • Sustainability: 35
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 41.4%; rating input score 41
  • Program expense ratio: 40.3%; rating input score 40
  • Fundraising efficiency: $24.8 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 64; 64th 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: 3 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 38
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Fail
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -2.3%; rating input score 29; 29th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.88; rating input score 39; 39th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.07; rating input score 47; 47th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 10.1%; rating input score 36; 36th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 37.3% per year; rating input score 100; 93rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 17.3% per year; rating input score 100; 82nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 20.6% per year; rating input score 100; 82nd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 41.4% of revenue deployed · 40.3% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 7 of 7 board members independent · 3 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $478K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $120K · 8 people listed
  • Consistency: 29 of 29 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 5 annual filings from 2020 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
  • 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.

Leadership & pay

8 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • ANGEL PENA (Executive Dir.): $119,977 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.