Southeast Land Trust of New Hampshire
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To protect and sustain the significant lands in our community for clean water, fresh food, outdoor recreation, healthy forests, and wildlife.
- Income
- $11.8 million
- Spending
- $8.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- -22.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 78%
- Employees
- 21
- Volunteers
- 189
- Highest pay
- $166,981, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 19% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 28% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 32% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1588% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 37% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2519 of 19 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (6)
- $6.4 million spent. LAND CONSERVATION SELT conserved or assisted in the protection of 1,338 acres of land through 14 projects. Conservation work continued to focus on four key areas Living Landscapes, Clean Drinking Water, the Pawtuckaway to Great Bay Greenway initiative, and Farmland for the Future. Projects include acquisition of fee lands and easements and three assists for partners. Under our Living Landscapes initiative, SELT completed nine projects. Highlights included the donation of 140 acres in Atkinson, with a completed trail system and covered bridge, known as the Schafer Woods, and the donation of conservation easements, one in Hampton on 21 acres and another on 32 acres known as Ardnaberry in Rye. In Barrington, SELT acquired 144 acres along the Isinglass River, now known as the O Connell Family Woods. In addition, SELT acquired three separate tracts from the Bedford family, all of which were critical wildlife habitat along Stonehouse Brook and Mallego Brook and adjacent to Stonehouse Forest. CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O LAND CONSERVATION CONTINUED SELT completed two projects under our Clean Drinking Water program one was the 557-acre Jones Brook conservation easement in Milton, helping consolidate a block of unfragmented lands. SELT also assisted the Town of Stratham with the acquisition of the Ross Tract, an in-holding in Stratham Hill Park that protects the drinking water wells for the Stratham Memorial School. Under our Farmland initiative, two farms were protected SELT conserved the Smith Great Bay Farm in Greenland, Newington and Portsmouth in partnership with the Town of Greenland, one of the last remaining dairy farms in the region. In Brentwood, SELT and the Town partnered to acquire a conservation easement on the Fuller land, which included an Option to Purchase at Agricultural Value OPAV, providing the best chance for the land to remain owned and operated as a farm.
- $463,305 spent. LAND MANAGEMENT At the end of 2024, SELT owned 45 distinct fee-owned properties, an increase of four year over year, and totaling 11,284 acres. SELT focused on installation of new trail systems, maintenance of existing trails, maintaining fields, invasive plant removal, wildlife habitat, forest health, and addressing trespasses and encroachments. Some of the projects completed include The Birch Ridge Community Forest in New Durham where 20 acres of early successional habitat was created and 35 acres of timber stand improvement was conducted. This work was the final phase of a larger scale management project that began in 2020 A wetlands crossing was replaced at Brown Brook Forest in Fremont. This replacement provided better access to the property for future management as well as re-established better connectivity of the wetland that is separated by the crossing a two-mile trail public trail system was maintained and signed, with a parking lot constructed, to welcome the public to Schafer Woods in Atkinson.
- $441,936 spent. OUTREACH EDUCATION In 2024, SELT continued the All-Terrain Learning Adventures ATLAS program, a nature-based education initiative designed to connect children aged 5-12 to the natural world through partnerships with the Epping and Raymond school districts and the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension. SELT provided 878 students from Epping Middle School and Lamprey River Elementary School opportunities for child-led wild play, allowing room to creatively discover a passion for the natural world while encouraging an evergreen love of nature and cultivating the next generation of conservationists. SELT also hosted the inaugural Camp ATLAS for two weeks serving 40 youth. SELT continued its intentional expansion of engagement programming with 1,933 attendees at the 92 volunteer workdays, field trips, programs, and major events hosted at SELT properties and the Mathey Center. Programming included Wildlife Wednesdays, Little SELTie Story Time, guest speakers, hikes, educational presentations, and more. CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O OUTREACH EDUCATION CONTINUED In April, SELT hosted the 14th annual Wild Scenic Film Festival at The Music Hall which had over 650 attendees. SELT also hosted a Conservation Celebration and Annual Meeting at Burley Farms in June with over 167 attendees. Finally, in October SELT hosted TrailFest which saw over 1,000 people attend for the third consecutive year, offering trail running, field trips, live animal presentations, rock splitting demos, and other nature-based education activities. Volunteers continued to make an immense impact with SELT. 188 volunteers helped with office work, trail work, habitat management, outreach events, and more. In total, volunteers contributed 6,418 hours of time, valued at 214,938 of donated services. Additional outreach is completed through direct engagement on our lands and easements, digital and print newsletters and social media, and partnerships with other organizations.
- Program Service Expenses 176,006, Grants and allocations 0, Revenue 6,867 EASEMENT STEWARDSHIP SELT monitored all 232 conservation easements held at the beginning of the year to ensure continued protection of the natural resources of these conserved lands. We also worked with our partners to support their monitoring of the 44 easements for which we hold the executory interest back up to the primary easement holder. Finally, we contracted with four municipalities to monitor town conserved lands. SELT completes this work through three full-time staff members and seasonal staff. Monitoring was completed primarily through site visits with monitoring using remote imagery conducted on 43 of the easements. SELT also hosted three tailored workshops and published a semi-annual Everlasting newsletter for easement landowners. SELT remains committed to addressing all trespasses or violations, no matter how small or large, in an amicable way to ensure a successful resolution where a positive relationship remains between us, the landowners and neighbors. No major violations were identified during 2024. In total, staff and volunteers spent 2,004 hours on easement
- Program Service Expenses 23,565, Grants and allocations 0, Revenue 0 FOREVER FARMS LLC Forever Farms LLC, a single member limited liability company for which SELT is the sole member, owns a house and 236-acres of farmland and forests in Northwood, NH which is leased to a long-term tenant and abutting farmer, and managed for agricultural and forest health.
- Program Service Expenses 2,766, Grants and allocations 0, Revenue 0 FLEXIBILITY FOR THE FUTURE LLC A single member limited liability company for which SELT is the sole member, is a real estate management and development company that owns an off-grid home and 647-acres of forestland with an undetermined use.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since April 1981.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
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