Falmouth Conservation Trust Dba Falmouth Land Trust

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
010372429
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Falmouth, ME, USA
Phone
2072005488
Rating
81
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Land Resources Conservation

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$769,502
Expenses
$514,680
Assets
$4,184,234
Liabilities
$43,791

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

Leadership & pay

19 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • MILA PLAVSIC (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
  • Michael Vance (President)
  • Phelps Peeler (Vice President)

Highest reported compensation

  • MILA PLAVSIC (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $73,030 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

The mission of the Falmouth Land Trust is to preserve and care for natural and agricultural lands in perpetuity, to enhance habitat for plants and wildlife, to advance the quality of life for all in our community, and to educate the public on the history and stewardship of protected lands.

What it reported doing in 2024

Education & Outreach: FLT offered monthly nature hikes for the public led by a Maine Master Naturalist, led educational field trips for all many classes at the Falmouth Elementary School, Falmouth Middle School and other area preschools, schools, and after-care programs.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 76% 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 available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered 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: 84
  • Sustainability: 78
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 59.7%; rating input score 60
  • Program expense ratio: 87.2%; rating input score 87
  • Fundraising efficiency: $30.4 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 69; 69th 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: 5 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 62
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • 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: Fail
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 33.1%; rating input score 86; 86th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 8.13; rating input score 90; 90th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 68; 68th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 14.2%; rating input score 25; 25th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 25.5% per year; rating input score 100; 87th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 11.7% per year; rating input score 100; 71st percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 14.2% per year; rating input score 100; 71st percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 59.7% of revenue deployed · 87.2% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 18 of 18 board members independent · 5 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $449K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $73K · 19 people listed
  • Consistency: 33 of 33 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2011 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • 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 — Accountability: Governance controls: 3 of 8 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 25/100.