Little Traverse Conservancy Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
237267810
IRS 990 coverage
2012–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
Location
Harbor Springs, MI, USA
Phone
2313470991
Rating
80
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Land Resources Conservation

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$11,225,910
Expenses
$4,269,006
Assets
$155,084,777
Liabilities
$296,172

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

Leadership & pay

28 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • Kieran Fleming (Executive Dir.): $138,920 total reported compensation
  • Joe Graham (CFO): $71,000 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Little Traverse Conservancy protects land in northern Michigan by owning it as Nature Preserves and Working Forest Reserves, and through Conservation Easements (perpetual, voluntary agreements that guard the conservation values of the property).

What it reported doing in 2024

The Conservancy's Land Protection Program works with landowners on a voluntary basis to acquire properties that further our mission of preserving scenic and significant lands. This is accomplished through acquisitions, conservation easements, and transfer and assist projects with local governments or the State of Michigan. Through this work, the Conservancy has protected over 70,254 acres since 1972. In 2024, we protected 1,186 acres. This included six projects in Emmet County, five projects in Charlevoix County, four projects in Cheboygan County, and five projects in the Upper Peninsula.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 76% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Hybrid. The nonprofit split its reported program spending across 61% for direct work, and 39% for grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - 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 some filed totals do not add up.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 59
  • Transparency & Controls: 90
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 92
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 42.7%; rating input score 43
  • Program expense ratio: 86.3%; rating input score 86
  • Fundraising efficiency: $24.4 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 62; 62nd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 94.4%; rating input score 94; 22nd 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; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 62%; rating input score 96; 96th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 36.33; rating input score 99; 99th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 96; 96th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 4.9%; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 6.9% per year; rating input score 100; 55th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 8% per year; rating input score 100; 65th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 4.8% per year; rating input score 100; 34th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 42.7% of revenue deployed · 86.3% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 26 of 26 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $3.7M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $139K · 28 people listed
  • Highest-paid contractors: 2 contractors listed · $289K reported
  • Consistency: 37 of 38 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 9 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 13 filing years from 2012 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 4 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 3 filed related-organization links
  • 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.

  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 43/100.
  • Review — Transparency & Controls: Schedule G fundraiser detail did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 51/100.