Adirondack Land Trust Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

Land conservation program: the adirondack land trust's (alt) conservation program focuses on the efficient and effective conservation of lands that further our mission and ensure their long-term stewardship and well-being. Our program area covers nearly seven million acres centered in the adirondack park and includes northern clinton and franklin counties, the upper black river valley to the west, and the upper champlain basin to the east. Land protection efforts include the acquisition of lands for alt preserves or as additions to the public lands of the adirondack park as well as the acquisition of conservation easements to permanently protect private farms, forests and natural areas. (continued on schedule o) (continued) during the year ended june 30, 2025, the trust completed four fee simple land protection projects including the acquisition of a 67-acre tract on willsboro point in partnership with the town of willsboro, ny marking the organizations first municipal park partnership project. In addition, alt added an 80-acre tract to its preserve in westport, ny and purchased a 41-acre tract in wells, ny along the scenic griffin gorge as future addition to ny's forest preserve. The trust also worked with paul smith's college to protect 2,800 acres in the northern adirondacks, home to the college's visitor interpretive center (vic), a hub for education and outdoor recreation. The permanent conservation easement recorded in december 2025 limits development and other land uses to ensure that the vic forestlands remain forests forever. Total land and conservation easement stewardship responsibilities for fiscal year 2025 included management of 15 fee simple title lands totaling 1,249 acres, and 56 conservation easements that protect 16,788 acres. Stewardship of the conservation easement portfolio included assisting several easement landowners to better manage their lands and working with others to correct conservation easement violations. Stewardship on fee owned lands included planning to make improvements to our glenview and high meadow preserves in preparation for opening them to public access, and the oversight of several properties in preparation for their transfer to New York state for inclusion in the forest preserve.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 84.8%; rating input score 85
• Fundraising efficiency: $8.3 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 31; 31st percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • 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: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -27.2%; rating input score 5; 5th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 7.52; rating input score 88; 88th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 85; 85th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 9.1%; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 24.6% per year; rating input score 100; 89th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 14.5% per year; rating input score 100; 81st percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 4.2% per year; rating input score 100; 30th percentile among comparable filings