The Land Trust for Tennessee

What it reported doing in 2024

Conservation success: during fiscal year 2025, the organization completed 9 new projects, protecting 938 additional acres of land in Tennessee. Six of these properties were protected with conservation easements, the organization's primary tool for conserving land, and two were amendments to add 22.91 and 86 acres of land to existing conservation easements. One was a fee-simple acquisition to expand an existing property the organization owns. Three of the nine projects are located in one of the organization's ten conservation opportunity regions (cors), which are the priority areas established through the organization's strategic conservation plan forever Tennessee. Two of the nine are within five miles of one of the organization's cors. The permanent protection of these properties resulted in the preservation of 2.4 miles of public road frontage as well as 7.3 miles of Tennessee's rivers and streams. At the end of fy25, the organization had protected a total of 136,981.14 acres of land through 457 projects. Stewardship: the organization fulfilled its annual monitoring responsibilities in fy25 through both in-person visits and through satellite imagery. This includes over 350 on-the ground visits completed during the period of april 2024-march 2025. Monitoring is a critical part of the organization's commitment to uphold its promise of protecting land in perpetuity. The organization's stewardship staff also handled hundreds of other stewardship items including activity requests, approvals, easement interpretations, and property transfers. Fundraising: lttn built upon prior years of strong fundraising event successes, enjoying record levels of net income from two key events: our 25th anniversary once in a blue moon event and forever Tennessee. Once in a blue moon hosted nearly 700 guests who gathered to celebrate our governor phil bredesen 25 years after he and a group of thought-leaders founded the land trust for Tennessee. The event raised $280,000 in net income, exceeding the budgeted net income goal by $75,000. Our most recent event, forever Tennessee, held in march 2025, had a net income goal of $80,000, and the final amount raised more than doubled our goal, raising a total of $165,000 in net income for the organization. Outreach and engagement: the organization reached over 1 million people through various social media channels and other virtual outreach methods such as e-newsletters, presentations, and webinars. In addition, the organization engaged in-person audiences by attending and presenting at conferences, tabling events, and hosting programs and volunteer events at glen leven farm. This includes free monthly community days, volunteer opportunities for individuals and companies, and tours for students and groups.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 35.1%; rating input score 35
• Program expense ratio: 55.3%; rating input score 55
• Fundraising efficiency: $10.26 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 38; 38th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 94.1%; rating input score 94; 24th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • 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: 53.9%; rating input score 93; 93rd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 11.48; rating input score 92; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 87; 87th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 19%; rating input score 13; 13th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: -5.6% per year; rating input score 0; 4th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: -0.4% per year; rating input score 0; 10th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 4.1% per year; rating input score 100; 30th percentile among comparable filings