Alachua Conservation Trust Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

Land protection: in 2024, act continued its robust land protection efforts. In january 2024, act closed on a first of its kind project with watson farm, where the landowner agreed to place a conservation easement on the property as well as reduce agricultural impacts to the land through a de-intensification schedule over the next ten years. Act also transferred 289 acres adjacent to manatee springs to the Florida division of state lands expanding the state park boundary and protecting land above the manatee springs cave system. Act's ongoing partnership with alachua county forever through the wild spaces & public places (wspp) program led to the protection of 614 acres through a conservation easement in january as well as an additional 478 acres in land protection from january through march. In june, act accepted the donation of 420 acres in madison county, which act will continue to manage long-term through prescribed fire and other techniques. Act also closed on a 261-acre tract in july along the northern portion of orange lake in alachua county further expanding efforts to protect land in the orange lake corridor, which includes other act-held nature preserves. This new addition will support water-based recreation along the lake. Throughout 2024, act facilitated several conservation projects for the state of Florida through its Florida forever program, including 290 acres in levy county in the watermelon pond conservation area, a 200-acre conservation easement in union county, a 1,500-acre conservation easement in columbia county, and a 538-acre conservation easement in gilchrist county. In august, act received a donated conservation easement on 55 acres nearby to its existing fox pen preserve. Through its partnership with alachua county forever, act staff assisted with a 120-acre acquisition in an area of high conservation priority known as lochloosa slough as well as a 40-acre conservation easement in the watermelon pond conservation area in september. At the end of 2024, act received several conservation easement donations including 26-acres within the ocala national forest in marion county, 22 acres in alachua county, and 94-acres in levy county which will provide for the perpetual protection of piney prairie. Act also continued to work with agricultural producers to protect their land through numerous state and federal programs including the usda-nrcs regional conservation partnership program, usda-nrcs acep-ale program, and the Florida department of agriculture and consumer services rural and family lands protection program (rflpp).

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 48.6%; rating input score 49
• Program expense ratio: 94.5%; rating input score 94
• Fundraising efficiency: $93.01 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 86; 86th 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: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
• 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: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • 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: 48.6%; rating input score 92; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 8.19; rating input score 89; 89th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.06; rating input score 68; 68th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 1.9%; rating input score 76; 76th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 23.3% per year; rating input score 100; 88th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 16.5% per year; rating input score 100; 84th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 9.5% per year; rating input score 100; 56th percentile among comparable filings