The Public Trust Environmental Legal Institute of Florida Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The Public Trust uses the law to protect the conservation lands waters trees wildlife and other imperiled natural resources of Northeast Florida.
- Income
- $359,868
- Spending
- $404,448
- Spent on programs
- 63%
- Reserves
- 13.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 90%
- Employees
- 2
- Volunteers
- 25
- Highest pay
- $111,950, 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: 67 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 13.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 12% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 50% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1563% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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: 91 out of 100. Higher than 71% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 5 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
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (3)
- $90,265 spent. The Public Trusts Wastewater Stormwater Facility Monitoring Program helped keep hundreds of industrial and municipal facilities in compliance with their permits. The Program created revenue through legal settlements with facilities violating the terms of their permits. There were some expenses in paying consultants to assist in developing best management practices for these facilities and also an extensive amount of staff time to perform the work for this initiative.
- $63,889 spent. The Public Trusts Tree Stewardship Program helped to continue revolutionizing the way in which the City of Jacksonville and nonprofits plant trees all across Duval County and strengthened the citys urban forestry programs. The Public Trust continued work with the Citys Tree Commission to coordinate programs that will help create a more robust tree canopy program. For example we developed a tree-planting project at University of North Florida. We will be receiving administrative fees as a government grant from the City of Jacksonville for this project but they have not yet been received and we received a grant of $50,000 to support this work related to tree planting.
- $101,404 spent. The Public Trusts Revive Initiative works to create and sustain beautiful green spaces in Jacksonville that can prove so important in creating community. Our intent is to help support transformative and sustainable change in the heart of Jacksonvilles urban core within communities that historically have been marginalized and underserved. For example in 2024 we continued our initiative to support the development of a new urban farm in the New Town Neighborhood.
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 October 13, 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 November 6, 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 October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since October 2006.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 November 4, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.