Adirondack Council Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE O
- Income
- $3.1 million
- Spending
- $2.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 76%
- Reserves
- 44.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 77%
- Employees
- 24
- Volunteers
- 50
- Highest pay
- $214,339, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 86% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 44.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 4% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 34% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1576% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 60% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2523 of 23 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 June 30, 2025, 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 (1)
- $2.1 million spent. CLEAN WATER: PROTECTING THE PRISTINE WATERS OF THE ADIRONDACKS AND SAFEGUARDING THE HEALTH OF BOTH OUR NATURAL WORLD AND HUMAN COMMUNITIES. - SURVEY OF CLIMATE AND ADIRONDACK LAKE ECOSYSTEMS (SCALE): SECURED $2 MILLION IN 2025 BUDGET AND $6.5 MILLION OVER LAST 4 YEARS TO FUND SCIENTIFIC MONITORING THAT WILL TRACK THE RESPONSE OF ADIRONDACK LAKES TO CLIMATE CHANGE.- ROAD SALT REDUCTION COUNCIL LEGISLATION: DURING THE 2025 NY LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THE COUNCIL LED EFFORTS TO DEVELOP, INTRODUCE, AND ADVOCATE FOR LEGISLATION THAT WILL ADVANCE CRITICAL ROAD SALT REDUCTION EFFORTS IN THE PARK AND ACROSS NYS. - SEE SCHEDULE O FOR CLEAN WATER INFRASTRUCTURE. - CLEAN WATER INFRASTRUCTURE: COUNCIL ADVOCACY WAS CRITICAL TO RAISING THE MATCHING CAPS ON CLEAN WATER INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS FROM 25% TO 50%, DRASTICALLY REDUCING THE COSTS FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES TO UNDERTAKE OTHERWISE UNAFFORDABLE WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. APPROXIMATELY $194 MILLION IN CLEAN WATER FUNDING HAS BEEN GRANTED TO ADIRONDACK TOWNS AND VILLAGES SINCE 2016, LEVERAGING MORE THAN $350 MILLION.CLEAN AIR & CLIMATE: ADVANCING BOLD CLEAN AIR AND CLIMATE SOLUTIONS TO PRESERVE OUR GLOBALLY SIGNIFICANT LANDSCAPE AND PROTECT ADIRONDACK COMMUNITIES.- FEDERAL DEREGULATION: THE COUNCIL IS A MEMBER OF A COALITION OF 60 NATIONAL AND REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TO DEFEND EXISTING EPA POLLUTION REDUCTION AND MONITORING PROGRAMS AND PROTECT STANDARDS THAT LIMIT PUBLIC HEALTH HAZARDS LIKE MERCURY CONTAMINATION AND OZONE EXPOSURE AT HIGH ELEVATIONS. - RENEWABLE ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE: THE COUNCIL CONDITIONALLY SUPPORTED PERMIT APPROVAL FOR A 40 MW SOLAR PROJECT IN THE SOUTHERN REGION OF THE PARK. THIS PROJECT DEMONSTRATES HOW UTILITY-SCALE RENEWABLE ENERGY AND AGRICULTURAL USES CAN BE FEASIBLE WITHOUT COMPROMISING CRUCIAL ECOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS.WILDLANDS: CHAMPIONING ADIRONDACK PARK CONSERVATION AND ADVOCATING FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR OUR MOST WILD PLACES.- FUNDING SECURED FOR SARANAC CHAIN OF LAKES STUDY: THE COUNCIL HELPED SECURE $1 MILLION TO FUND AN INAUGURAL STATE-FUNDED WATERBODY CARRYING CAPACITY STUDY THAT WILL PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO THE STATE ON DATA-INFORMED BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR ADIRONDACK WATERBODIES. - INCREASED THE STATE'S ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION FUND (EPF): THE COUNCIL HELPED SECURE A RECORD $425 MILLION FOR THE EPF THAT PROVIDES TENS OF MILLIONS FOR OPEN SPACE PROTECTION AND INVASIVE SPECIES PREVENTION EACH, AND $60 MILLION FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF STATE LANDS, INCLUDING VISITOR SAFETY AND WILDERNESS PROTECTION.- ADIRONDACK PARK STATE LAND MASTER PLAN PROTECTIONS: THE COUNCIL SUCCESSFULLY WORKED TO BLOCK PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE STATE LAND MASTER PLAN THAT WOULD HAVE PERMITTED MOTORIZED VEHICLE ACCESS IN WILDERNESS AREAS, WHERE IT IS CURRENTLY PROHIBITED. TO ACHIEVE THIS END, THE COUNCIL MOBILIZED A BROAD COALITION OF STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING THE ACCESSIBILITY COMMUNITY, STATE AGENCIES, AND THE PUBLIC, GENERATING OVER 1,000 COMMENTS URGING THE STATE TO UPHOLD WILDERNESS PROTECTIONS WHILE ENSURING APPROPRIATE PUBLIC ACCESS.WORKING LANDS & STRONG COMMUNITIES: PROMOTING PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS FOR FARMING AND FORESTRY THAT SUSTAIN OUR LANDS AND STRENGTHEN ADIRONDACK COMMUNITIES.- GREEN JOBS: THE COUNCIL HAS HELPED SECURE AN ADDITIONAL $1.7 MILLION IN FUNDS ($7.1 MILLION TOTAL OVER FOUR YEARS) FOR THE TIMBUCTOO INSTITUTE. THIS MULTI-ORGANIZATION EFFORT BRINGS STUDENTS FROM URBAN COMMUNITIES TO THE ADIRONDACKS TO LEARN ABOUT JOBS IN WILDERNESS PRESERVATION, FOREST MANAGEMENT, AND CLEAN ENERGY.- ESSEX FARM INSTITUTE: AFTER A DECADE, THE COUNCIL HAS CONCLUDED ITS AGRICULTURAL MICRO-GRANTS PROGRAM, WHICH AWARDED OVER $265,000 TO FARMERS AND PRODUCERS ACROSS THE ADIRONDACKS. A FINAL REPORT, RELEASED IN APRIL 2025, HIGHLIGHTS ITS IMPACT ON ADVANCING CLIMATE-FRIENDLY FARMING AND ENERGY-EFFICIENT INFRASTRUCTURE.- ADIRONDACK PARK AGENCY APPOINTMENTS: THE COUNCIL WORKED AGGRESSIVELY TO SECURE A FULL SLATE OF APPOINTMENTS TO THE ADIRONDACK PARK AGENCY. THIS IS THE FIRST FULL SLATE OF APPOINTMENTS TO THE AGENCY IN OVER FIVE YEARS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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 June 2025.
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 April 1978.
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.
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