Lowcountry Land Trust
Lowcountry Land Trust reported $12.6 million in revenue and $11.3 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $91.81 went to program services, $3.11 to management and general costs and $5.08 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 90.8% of the total. Government grants made up 71.2%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $161,223 (PRESIDENT, C). 1 person received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 804% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $11MFor 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
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $13MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 91.8% | 83.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 3.1% | 10.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 5.1% | 3.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.05 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 90.8% | 87.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 71.2% | 4.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 1.4% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $161,223 | $293,532 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.43% | 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 | 29.9 | 18.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 18 of 18 | 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
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseLand protection: during FY25, Lowcountry Land Trust participated in fifteen conservation transactions. This includes ten new conservation easements protecting 1,295 acres, four fee-simple purchases protecting 146 acres, and one deed restriction on a .7-acre property. Fy25 land protection projects expanded across coastal south carolina, from the ace basin to the santee basin. On the outskirts of walterboro, a 561- acre tract was placed under a conservation easement, demonstrating the commitment of private landowners, nonprofits, and state government agencies to preserving cultural history and…
Land stewardship: in FY25, Lowcountry Land Trust monitored 100% of its over 550 protected properties, including conservation easements, deed restrictions, and fee simple projects. Lowcountry Land Trust staff utilizes various monitoring methods, including on-the-ground, drone, satellite, and aerial monitoring, to meet its stewardship obligations. Lowcountry Land Trust staff continue to communicate with landowners and property managers during monitoring visits as well as throughout the year to maintain strong working relationships and provide them with relevant educational, land management, and…
Community outreach: Lowcountry Land Trust, as part of its soul of the lowcountry program, hosted a series of community outreach events in FY25 that encouraged all ages of environmental enthusiasts to engage in conservation. Free opportunities to immerse oneself in nature and learn about the importance of land protection and stewardship included events such as cleanups and yoga at the future angel oak preserve, wildlife samplings and oyster reef builds with the scdnr, nature walks and birding outings on protected and stewarded sites, and a kayak cleanup along the banks of the Land Trust's…
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here1 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Lowcountry Land Trust (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $161K (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
FY2025 · 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–1b18 · 18 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 2No
- 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 524
- Volunteers Part I, line 6128
Private foundation grants it received
26 private foundations reported grants to Lowcountry Land Trust totaling $916K 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 Lowcountry Land Trust's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Lowcountry Land Trust, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Lowcountry Land Trust spent in FY2025, $91.81 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- The Natomas Basin Conservancy a Calif Non-Profit Public Benefit CorpSacramento, CA · revenue $13M · programs 93.4% · 2025
- Friends of AcadiaBar Harbor, ME · revenue $13M · programs 82.8% · 2025
- Sempervirens FundLos Altos, CA · revenue $13M · programs 66.9% · FY2025
- Forterra NwSeattle, WA · revenue $13M · programs 79.8% · 2024
- The Rose Foundation for Communities the EnvironmentOakland, CA · revenue $13M · programs 90.0% · 2024
All environment charities · Largest charities in South Carolina
Questions people ask
How much of Lowcountry Land Trust's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Lowcountry Land Trust reported that 91.8% of its $11.3 million in expenses went to program services, 3.1% to management and general and 5.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Lowcountry Land Trust pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Lowcountry Land Trust reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $161,223, for the role of PRESIDENT, C (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Lowcountry Land Trust get its money?
Of $12.6 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 90.8% came from contributions and grants (including 71.2% from government grants) and 1.4% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Lowcountry Land Trust a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 57-0809313 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
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, object 202533569349300133 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202403209349303975 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202333189349314398 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202233199349310953 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202211319349301601 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202111379349302331 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 57-0809313: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.