Little Traverse Conservancy
Little Traverse Conservancy reported $11.2 million in revenue and $4.3 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $86.31 went to program services, $5.42 to management and general costs and $8.27 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 76.7% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $138,920 (Executive Dir.). 1 person received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 60% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $4.3MFor context, the median across 371 covered environment charities: $85.82 programs, $10.80 management, $3.38 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $11M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$76.34 $8.6M
- Program service revenue$3.49 $393K
- Investment income$20.17 $2.3M
Other revenue was negative: −$53,374. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 86.3% | 83.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 5.4% | 10.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 8.3% | 3.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.04 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 76.7% | 87.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 4.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 3.5% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $138,920 | $293,532 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 3.25% | 1.74% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 1 | 7 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 435.1 | 18.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 26 of 26 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseThe Conservancy's Stewardship Program cares for the nearly 30,000 acres owned as nature preserves and working forest reserves. Primary stewardship activities on these properties include monitoring, trail creation and maintenance, and ecological restoration work. In 2024, our Stewardship work included planting 7,627 trees, building nearly 9 miles of new trail, and improving 15 parking areas. Our ECAR (Ecological Conditions and Response) program inventoried over 17,000 acres and documented 1,334 species on our preserves
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
The Conservancy's Environmental Education Program offers free field trips, lessons, and activities to foster a greater understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment of the natural environment. Students can learn all year long through school field trips, weekend programs, and summer programs on Conservancy lands. In 2024, we led environmental education programs with 21 schools across our service area, impacting over 2,500 students. Additionally, we held bi-monthly programs with seniors
Highest reported compensation
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Dir. Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $138,920 | $0 | $0 | $138,920 |
| CFO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $71,000 | $0 | $0 | $71,000 |
1 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Little Traverse Conservancy (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $210K (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2024 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b26 · 26 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2Yes
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 528
- Volunteers Part I, line 6200
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| Flowtrack Mountain Bike Trails Trail Construction | $188,375 |
| Spierling Truck & Excavating Trail Construction | $100,985 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 2 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
73 private foundations reported grants to Little Traverse Conservancy totaling $3.0M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Little Traverse Conservancy's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Little Traverse Conservancy, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Little Traverse Conservancy spent in 2024, $86.31 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
Embed on your site
Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Georgia-Alabama Land TrustPiedmont, AL · revenue $11M · programs 92.8% · 2024
- North Florida Land TrustJacksonville, FL · revenue $11M · programs 58.7% · 2024
- Quail Botanical Gardens FoundationEncinitas, CA · revenue $11M · programs 76.1% · FY2025
- Urban Sustainability Directors NetworkSanford, NC · revenue $11M · programs 86.4% · 2024
- Western Climate InitiativeSacramento, CA · revenue $11M · programs 80.5% · 2025
Questions people ask
How much of Little Traverse Conservancy's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Little Traverse Conservancy reported that 86.3% of its $4.3 million in expenses went to program services, 5.4% to management and general and 8.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Little Traverse Conservancy pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Little Traverse Conservancy reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $138,920, for the role of Executive Dir. (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Little Traverse Conservancy get its money?
Of $11.2 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 76.7% came from contributions and grants and 3.5% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Little Traverse Conservancy a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 23-7267810 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202502709349300850 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202402539349301270 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202331959349300208 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202242739349300434 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202142309349300334 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202031889349301723 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 23-7267810: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.