Cayucos Land Conservancy

What it reported doing in 2025

Through a land preservation agreement deeded in 1999, the Cayucos Land Conservancy CLC participates in the management of the 355 acre Estero Bluffs State Park, a four mile coastal terrace north of Cayucos and the crown jewel of CLC accomplishments. CLC offers a Bluffs Walks program with guides who are knowledgeable on some aspect of the valuable natural resources at the site. Additionally, periodic volunteer work days are held to address issues as CLC continually works to address access, resource, and visitor concerns. CLC continues to preserve hillside parcels in the antiquated subdivisions overlooking the community. The organization currently holds title to 431 of those parcels, approximately 45 acres, many of which are unbuildable. As all parcels are outside the Urban Reserve Line, with no utility services, the CLC goal is the preservation of the land as part of the greenbelt around Cayucos. A voluntary land owner agreement granted CLC a Conservation Easement CE, finalized in 2007, protecting the 865 acre San Geronimo Ranch as a working cattle ranch. CLC contributed over $120,000 towards the purchase price of this CE. This beautiful property cements the greenbelt to the north of Cayucos. After 10 years of planning, CLC entered into an agreement with other land conservation organizations to purchase almost 1,500 acres from the Chevron Corporation on the southern border of Cayucos. As land is acquired, it is deeded to the County of San Luis Obispo for the future Toro Coast Preserve TCP Regional Park. Two of the three Phases of land purchases have been successfully completed. To date CLC has contributed $825,000, money donated by our supporters, towards TCP land purchases in this special collaborative effort. CLC, and its partners, continue to plan for Phase 3 and work towards acquiring all of the Toro Creek Preserve land by 2030. As of December 31, 2025 the Cayucos Land Conservancy holds land Conservation Easements on 1,220 acres, holds land in Fee Title on 45 acres, and has helped secure a majority of the 1,500 acre Toro Creek Preserve for future generations. CLC continues to offer, and works to develop, additional programs to educate our community about the value of open spaces in improving the quality of our life on the California Central Coast. Most importantly, the Cayucos Land Conservancy continues to preserve our important places for future generations to enjoy.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 60.5%; rating input score 60
• Program expense ratio: 90.6%; rating input score 91
• Fundraising efficiency: $128.91 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 87; 87th 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; 78th 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; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 6 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 86
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • 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: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 39.4%; rating input score 87; 87th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 9.85; rating input score 91; 91st percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 78; 78th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 26.7% per year; rating input score 100; 86th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 14.1% per year; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 12.3% per year; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings