The Weekapaug Foundation for Conservation

What it reported doing in 2024

During 2024 the weekapaug foundation for conservation worked to preserve the natural environment in our local pond communities. Our accomplishments include preserving and protecting open space, restoring our local barrier beaches, and working to ensure a healthy ecosystem in and around our ponds. During 2024, the foundation's activities included stewardship of the various properties in our conservation portfolio of fee-owned lands and conservation easement holdings. One new stewardship activity included working with volunteers to build over one hundred linear feet of much needed "bog bridges" for the trails at our noyes neck preserve. We connected our trail to a trail created by another land preserve creating the only pedestrian connection between the weekapaug and haversham communities. The new boardwalks create a more inviting and accessible path through the wooded area between our two communities. In addition to the noyes neck - haversham trail improvements, this area saw ongoing maintenance of its stone walls and further upgrades to the community and pollinator gardens. We continued our work on the fen, with professional guidance, for the continued removal of invasive species from this environmentally sensitive area. We included the community in informational meetings to learn more about the delicate process. The foundation was excited to receive a grant for the installation of three osprey nests on one of our properties. The process of permitting, construction and installation of those structures was well underway by end of the year. Throughout the course of 2024, the foundation continued to renew its community presence by generously funding its dumouchel and hoffman scholarships for the support of environmental studies students at the university of Rhode Island.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 72.9%; rating input score 73
• Program expense ratio: 80.8%; rating input score 81
• Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th 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: 3 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 43
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • 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: 46.1%; rating input score 90; 90th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 79.9; rating input score 99; 99th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 59; 59th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 5.6% per year; rating input score 100; 56th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 2.7% per year; rating input score 100; 39th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 1.7% per year; rating input score 100; 32nd percentile among comparable filings