Inland Northwest Land Trust

What it reported doing in 2024

Over the last 30+ years, inland northwest land conservancy has worked to conserve, care for, and connect with lands and waters essential to life in the inland northwest. Inlc envisions a future of interconnected natural habitats throughout the inland northwest, supporting thriving populations of native plants and wildlife, respected, and enjoyed by all who call this region home. The conservancy has protected nearly 28,000 acres, including 12,000 acres of partner projects, 1,000 acres of preserve land, 15,000 acres of private conservation easements, and 50 miles of protected waterways.our projects are mostly donated conservation easements, with a few easement purchases funded by a third party. Since we were first accredited, we have started acquiring conservation land as bridge owners until the appropriate government agency can find funding to buy it from us. We own and manage waikiki springs nature preserve as a public preserve, welcoming over 20,000 visitors in 2024.major accomplishments include: pinebluff easement: in partnership with inland northwest land conservancy, peggy clemons and mary foutz recently preserved their cherished 60-acre pine bluff property as open space in perpetuity. Bordering riverside state park near nine mile falls, the land features stunning views, diverse plant life, and critical wildlife habitat, including moose, deer, and raptors. Concerned about increasing development and shrinking habitat, clemons and foutz placed a conservation easement on the property to ensure its protection for future generations. Inlc will monitor the land annually, safeguarding their vision of preserved forest for wildlife. "we hope others are inspired to preserve their land," clemons shared.schlepp easement: once heavily contaminated with legacy mining wastes, the schlepp ranch now has nearly 400 acres of healthy wetlands along the coeur d'alene river, forever protected by a conservation easement with inlc. The usfws and epa handled the remediation of heavy metal contamination in the floodplains and enlisted ducks unlimited to restore vibrant wetlands for countless migratory birds, including tundra swans. The agencies sought out inlc to be the permanent holder of a conservation easement on the property, and in march 2024 inlc took on that responsibility. The inlc stewardship director, visits and monitors the property and the conservation easement annually and communicates closely with the schlepps and the us fish and wildlife service.native plant nursery: in the summer of 2024, inland northwest land conservancy completed a native plant nursery at the glen tana property to support regional conservation efforts with partners like spokane tribe and Washington state agencies. Despite setbacksincluding construction delays and equipment theftthe project moved forward thanks to community support. Preserve manager steven eddington led the effort, leveling the site, building a hoop house, installing irrigation, and constructing an exclusion fence to protect plants from wildlife. Now home to thousands of native plants, the nursery will provide essential vegetation for restoration projects across the region. Many of these plants will be used in a nawca-funded restoration project, in partnership with us fish and wildlife at the waikiki springs nature preserve.capital campaign: in 2024, the philanthropy team managed a $4m capital campaign, "it's in our nature," to complete the protection of the glen tana conservation area on the little spokane river. The campaign, meant to help cover bridge ownership costs and replenish funds the conservancy invested in the land, had raised over $3.8m by the end of the year and will celebrate its successful completion in june of 2025.2025-2030 strategic plan: several members of the conservancy board, in partnership with the leadership staff, worked with bernuth and williamson to craft a strategic plan that will guide conservation work for the next five years. The plan includes bold goals, such as prot

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 32.5%; rating input score 33
• Program expense ratio: 65.2%; rating input score 65
• Fundraising efficiency: $8.22 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: 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: 6 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 75
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • 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: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 57.2%; rating input score 94; 94th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 11.96; rating input score 92; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.16; rating input score 49; 49th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 6.9%; rating input score 42; 42nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 13.2% per year; rating input score 100; 74th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 14.9% per year; rating input score 100; 81st percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 15.4% per year; rating input score 100; 75th percentile among comparable filings