Lawrence - Hopewell Trail Corporation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE LAWRENCE HOPEWELL TRAIL CORPORATION, THROUGH COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY, GOVERNMENT, CORPORATE AND NONPROFIT PARTNERS, PROMOTES AND GUIDES THE CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE, USE, AND ENJOYMENT OF A 22-MILE PEDESTRIAN/BICYCLE TRAIL LOOP CONNECTING LAWRENCE AND HOPEWELL TOWNSHIPS IN MERCER COUNTY, NEW JERSEY, AND ACTIVELY ENCOURAGES CONNECTIONS TO ADJACENT AREAS AND REGIONAL TRAIL NETWORKS TO ENSURE AN ENDURING AMENITY SUPPORTED BY THE PEOPLE IT SERVES.
- Income
- $176,023
- Spending
- $134,144
- Spent on programs
- 65%
- Reserves
- 39.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 86%
- Employees
- 2
- Volunteers
- 40
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
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 70% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, under $250k).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 39.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 24% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 19% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1565% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 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 96% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 2515 of 15 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.
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 (1)
- $87,504 spent. THE AWARD-WINNING LAWRENCE HOPEWELL TRAIL (LHT) IS A 22-MILE, MULTIPURPOSE, MOSTLY OFF-ROAD, ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE TRAIL DEVELOPED BY A CITIZEN-LED VOLUNTEER BOARD OF TRUSTEES. IT IS DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE HEALTH AND FITNESS,ENJOYMENT OF THE OUTDOORS, AND ACCESS TO PRESERVED OPEN SPACE WHILE LINKING COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS AND PROVIDING AN ALTERNATIVE TO AUTOMOBILE TRANSPORTATION, THEREBY CONTRIBUTING TO A MORE SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY. THE LHT'S PRIMARY PROGRAMMATIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE: (1) MANAGING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TRAIL THAT TRAVERSES CORPORATE CAMPUSES, A PRIVATE SCHOOL, PRESERVED OPEN SPACE, PARKS, NEIGHBORHOODS, AND A MAIN STREET. THIS REQUIRES ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING RELATIONSHIPS WITH MULTIPLE LANDOWNERS; DESIGNING SEGMENTS THAT MEET ENVIRONMENTAL, SAFETY, AND CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS; RAISING FUNDS FOR TRAIL CONSTRUCTION AND SUPPORT OF THE NONPROFIT CORPORATION; AND COORDINATING EFFORTS WITH LOCAL AND COUNTY GOVERNMENTS. AS OF 2022, 95% OF THE TRAIL HAS BEEN COMPLETED. PLANS ARE UNDERWAY FOR THE FUNDING, DESIGN, AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE REMAINDER. WHAT IS NOT REFLECTED IN THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS IS THE FACT THAT IN COLLABORATION WITH COUNTY AND TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS, OVER 17 MILLION HAS BEEN RAISED FOR TRAIL CONSTRUCTION OVER THE YEARS. IN THE SECOND CATEGORY OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE ACTIVITIES TO ENCOURAGE AND PROMOTE THE USE OF THE TRAIL THROUGH PUBLICITY, PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND THE SPONSORSHIP OF COMMUNITY-BUILDING ACTIVITIES. IN ADDITION TO CREATING THE MONTHLY SATURDAY MORNING WALKING CLUB, THE LHT HOLDS TWO ANNUAL SIGNATURE EVENTS. THE FIRST IS THE LHT FULL MOON BIKE RIDE JOINTLY SPONSORED BY THE MERCER COUNTY PARK COMMISSION. THE SECOND EVENT, TRAIL AND TREAT, A FUN AFTERNOON FOR CHILDREN AND THEIRIR FAMILIES. IN 2019 THE LHT ARTWALK WAS INTRODUCED. THIS PROGRAM COUPLES TRAIL FANS WITH A PROFESSIONAL ARTIST WHO TEACHES TECHNIQUES FOR CAPTURING NATURE ON PAPER, CANVAS OR FILM. AS A RESULT OF THE LHT'S EFFORTS AND EXTENSIVE WORD-OF-MOUTH, THE TRAIL IS ENJOYED BY MORE THAN 400,000 WALKERS, JOGGERS, BIKERS, SNOWSHOERS AND CROSS-COUNTRY SKIERS EACH YEAR AND THE NUMBER IS GROWING. THE THIRD CATEGORY OF ACCOMPLISHMENT INCLUDES TRAIL MAINTENANCE AND ENHANCEMENT THROUGH THE ADDITION OF ADDITIONAL DIRECTIONAL SIGNAGE AND AMENITIES SUCH AS BENCHES AND KIOSKS. THE LHT SERVES AS A MODEL FOR PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS AND A RESOURCE FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT WANT TO EMULATE THE UNIQUE SUCCESS OF THE LAWRENCE HOPEWELL TRAIL. THE AWARD-WINNING LAWRENCE HOPEWELL TRAIL (LHT) IS A 22-MILE, MULTIPURPOSE, MOSTLY OFF-ROAD, ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE TRAIL DEVELOPED BY A CITIZEN-LED VOLUNTEER BOARD OF TRUSTEES. IT IS DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE HEALTH AND FITNESS,ENJOYMENT OF THE OUTDOORS, AND ACCESS TO PRESERVED OPEN SPACE WHILE LINKING COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS AND PROVIDING AN ALTERNATIVE TO AUTOMOBILE TRANSPORTATION, THEREBY CONTRIBUTING TO A MORE SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY. THE LHT'S PRIMARY PROGRAMMATIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE: (1) MANAGING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TRAIL THAT TRAVERSES CORPORATE CAMPUSES, A PRIVATE SCHOOL, PRESERVED OPEN SPACE, PARKS, NEIGHBORHOODS, AND A MAIN STREET. THIS REQUIRES ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING RELATIONSHIPS WITH MULTIPLE LANDOWNERS; DESIGNING SEGMENTS THAT MEET ENVIRONMENTAL, SAFETY, AND CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS; RAISING FUNDS FOR TRAIL CONSTRUCTION AND SUPPORT OF THE NONPROFIT CORPORATION; AND COORDINATING EFFORTS WITH LOCAL AND COUNTY GOVERNMENTS. AS OF 2022, 95% OF THE TRAIL HAS BEEN COMPLETED. PLANS ARE UNDERWAY FOR THE FUNDING, DESIGN, AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE REMAINDER. WHAT IS NOT REFLECTED IN THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS IS THE FACT THAT IN COLLABORATION WITH COUNTY AND TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS, OVER 17 MILLION HAS BEEN RAISED FOR TRAIL CONSTRUCTION OVER THE YEARS. IN THE SECOND CATEGORY OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE ACTIVITIES TO ENCOURAGE AND PROMOTE THE USE OF THE TRAIL THROUGH PUBLICITY, PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND THE SPONSORSHIP OF COMMUNITY-BUILDING ACTIVITIES. IN ADDITION TO CREATING THE MONTHLY SATURDAY MORNING WALKING CLUB, THE LHT HOLDS TWO ANNUAL SIGNATURE EVENTS. THE FIRST IS THE LHT FULL MOON BIKE RIDE JOINTLY SPONSORED BY THE MERCER COUNTY PARK COMMISSION. THE SECOND EVENT, TRAIL AND TREAT, A FUN AFTERNOON FOR CHILDREN AND THEIRIR FAMILIES. IN 2019 THE LHT ARTWALK WAS INTRODUCED. THIS PROGRAM COUPLES TRAIL FANS WITH A PROFESSIONAL ARTIST WHO TEACHES TECHNIQUES FOR CAPTURING NATURE ON PAPER, CANVAS OR FILM. AS A RESULT OF THE LHT'S EFFORTS AND EXTENSIVE WORD-OF-MOUTH, THE TRAIL IS ENJOYED BY MORE THAN 400,000 WALKERS, JOGGERS, BIKERS, SNOWSHOERS AND CROSS-COUNTRY SKIERS EACH YEAR AND THE NUMBER IS GROWING. THE THIRD CATEGORY OF ACCOMPLISHMENT INCLUDES TRAIL MAINTENANCE AND ENHANCEMENT THROUGH THE ADDITION OF ADDITIONAL DIRECTIONAL SIGNAGE AND AMENITIES SUCH AS BENCHES AND KIOSKS. THE LHT SERVES AS A MODEL FOR PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS AND A RESOURCE FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT WANT TO EMULATE THE UNIQUE SUCCESS OF THE LAWRENCE HOPEWELL TRAIL.
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 2024.
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 March 2004.
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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