For the Land Publishing Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
844353118
IRS 990 coverage
2020–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Corinth, VT, USA
Rating
55
Verdict
MIXED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Environmental Education and Outdoor Survival Programs

Reported finances

Revenue
$42,171
Expenses
$75,987
Assets
$107,173
Liabilities
$19,352

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

Leadership & pay

6 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • MARJORIE RYERSON (PRESIDENT)

People named in this filing

  • MARJORIE RYERSON (PRESIDENT)
  • TREVOR MANCE (VP TREASURER)
  • CHARLES WOOSTER (SECRETARY)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

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

Overview

Mission

To publish the Vermont almanac, a handbook for rural living.

What it reported doing in 2024

During 2024 the organization published its fifth volume of the Vermont almanac. 4500 copies of volume v were printed and 2,125 sold. There were also continued sales of volumes iv, iii, ii, and i. In additon the organization is commited to donating grant-supported copies of the almanac to nonprofits. Numerous copies of the almanac have been provided to the vt national guard deployed soldiers, vt public schools, vt public libraries, all vt conservation commissions and immigrant refugee members of new farms for new americans. The almanac is a record of the year and a handbook for rural living in the 21st centruy. The mission of the organization is to help foster a land ethic that's reflective of current times and the unique attributes of the rural northeast. The areas of focus include working land (agriculture and forests), weather and our changing climate, rural living and communities, phenology, wildlife, rural writers, artists and craftspeople, history, innovative new practices that promote ecological sustainability and all other manner of stories that promote a genuine connection to the land. The mission is accomplished primarily through the publication of the Vermont almanac. The organization is active on social media platforms to further build connections with our readership.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 65% 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.

The verdict

MIXED - 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: 27
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 70
  • Sustainability: 28
  • Growth: 20

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 25.6%; rating input score 26
  • Program expense ratio: 20.8%; rating input score 21
  • Fundraising efficiency: $9.36 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 52; 52nd 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; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 2 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 29
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -80.2%; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.41; rating input score 29; 29th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.18; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 60; 60th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -53.9% per year; rating input score 0; 5th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -23.3% per year; rating input score 0; 17th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 10% per year; rating input score 100; 80th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 25.6% of revenue deployed · 20.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 6 of 6 board members independent · 2 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $16K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 6 people listed
  • Consistency: 21 of 21 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 5 filing years from 2020 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • 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.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 26/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 21/100.
  • High — Accountability: Governance controls: 4 of 6 not reported.
  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 52/100.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 23/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 29/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 16/100.