The Watch Hill Conservancy

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
050506961
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Westerly, RI, USA
Phone
4013155399
Rating
78
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Natural Resources Conservation and Protection

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$804,931
Expenses
$739,616
Assets
$2,314,709
Liabilities
$55,084

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

Leadership & pay

19 people listed

People named in this filing

  • DENNIS ALGIERE (CHAIRMAN PRE)
  • PETER V AUGUST (DIRECTOR)
  • JOAN BETH BROWN (DIRECTOR)

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

The watch hill conservancy was incorporated in 1999 to promote the preservation of the natural and built environments of watch hill, ri; to conserve, maintain, and enhance the scenic, open space and historical values and the character of watch hill; to educate the public concerning the same; to acquire and preserve interests in real property; and any other purposes incidental to the aforesaid purpose whether accomplished within watch hill or in other nearby areas of the town of westerly, ri or stonington, ct.

What it reported doing in 2024

Conservation efforts - 2024 was the 19th year of the conservancy's involvement in napatree point conservation area programming, and the 12th year that the conservancy has been lead steward of napatree, assuming this role from the watch hill fire district in 2013. The conservancy conducts a variety of stewardship and environmental education programs in the conservation area. It also conducts environmental monitoring and ecological preservation on napatree. Our popular children's program, the napatree investigators had 75 youngsters participate in 2024. Our napatree conservation efforts include the stewardship of the properties currently identified in the napatree point conservation area conservation easement with the whfd, property the conservancy owns under conservation easement with ridem, and other parcels the conservancy owns on napatree point. Napatree point is the most pristine barrier beach ecosystem in the region and is highly valued by the public who visit the conservation area year- round. Conservation activities also include the maintenance of other parcels currently owned by the conservancy which are outside of the napatree point conservation area. In 2024 we increased the number and variety of outreach activities to inform the community of our stewardship and educational activities on napatree.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 62% 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

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and a large share of available resources goes toward mission work. Program spending has declined or grown slowly and revenue has declined or grown slowly.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 68
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 94
  • Sustainability: 66
  • Growth: 20

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 68%; rating input score 68
  • Program expense ratio: 71.8%; rating input score 72
  • Fundraising efficiency: $21.3 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 60; 60th 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 7 controls in place; rating input score 86
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 8.1%; rating input score 57; 57th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 3.13; rating input score 76; 76th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 61; 61st percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -16.8% per year; rating input score 0; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -5.7% per year; rating input score 0; 5th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 1.2% per year; rating input score 100; 22nd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 68% of revenue deployed · 71.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 18 of 18 board members independent · 6 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $531K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 19 people listed
  • Consistency: 29 of 29 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: Resolved incoming and outgoing counterparties from filed money flows.
  • 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.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
  • Review — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 57/100.