Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE PURPOSE OF FRIENDS OF HOPEWELL VALLEY OPEN SPACE IS TO PROMOTE CONSERVATION IN THE HOPEWELL VALLEY REGION THROUGH OPEN SPACE PRESERVATION, INFORMED LAND USE, WISE STEWARDSHIP, EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.
- Income
- $1.4 million
- Spending
- $702,001
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- -84.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 36%
- Employees
- 19
- Volunteers
- 240
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 30% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
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 51% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 92% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 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 60% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 16 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.
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 (3)
- $362,708 spent. COMMUNITY CONSERVATION LAND STEWARDSHIP PROGRAMS - GUIDED BY ITS PRIMARY MISSION TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT LAND THROUGHOUT HOPEWELL VALLEY, FOHVOS NOT ONLY PERFORMS LAND STEWARDSHIP WORK ON FOHVOS PRESERVES, BUT ALSO ON OTHER PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LANDS. THESE PROGRAMS ARE FUNDED THROUGH CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION GRANTS, INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS, AND FEES-FOR- SERVICE. CORPORATE, COMMUNITY AND STUDENT VOLUNTEERS HELP FOHVOS STEWARDSHIP STAFF WITH PLANTING, TRAIL WORK AND RESTORATIONS. PRIVATE LANDOWNERS IN THE COMMUNITY CONSERVATION PROGRAM RECEIVED GUIDANCE ON NATIVE PLANTS, INVASIVE SPECIES, AND DEER MANAGEMENT AND MAY PURCHASE NATIVE PLANTS AT COST. FOHVOS COMMUNITY CONSERVATION EXTENDS THE ECOLOGICAL LAND STEWARDSHIP BENEFITS TO OVER 3,000 ACRES OF LAND AND RESULTS IN IMPROVED BIODIVERSITY AND WATER QUALITY, INCREASED HABITATS FOR DECLINING WILDLIFE POPULATIONS, AND A COMMUNITY THAT IS MORE CONNECTED TO THE LAND. COMMUNITY CONSERVATION LAND STEWARDSHIP PROGRAMS - GUIDED BY ITS PRIMARY MISSION TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT LAND THROUGHOUT HOPEWELL VALLEY, FOHVOS NOT ONLY PERFORMS LAND STEWARDSHIP WORK ON FOHVOS PRESERVES, BUT ALSO ON OTHER PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LANDS. THESE PROGRAMS ARE FUNDED THROUGH CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION GRANTS, INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS, AND FEES-FOR- SERVICE. CORPORATE, COMMUNITY AND STUDENT VOLUNTEERS HELP FOHVOS STEWARDSHIP STAFF WITH PLANTING, TRAIL WORK AND RESTORATIONS. PRIVATE LANDOWNERS IN THE COMMUNITY CONSERVATION PROGRAM RECEIVED GUIDANCE ON NATIVE PLANTS, INVASIVE SPECIES, AND DEER MANAGEMENT AND MAY PURCHASE NATIVE PLANTS AT COST. FOHVOS COMMUNITY CONSERVATION EXTENDS THE ECOLOGICAL LAND STEWARDSHIP BENEFITS TO OVER 3,000 ACRES OF LAND AND RESULTS IN IMPROVED BIODIVERSITY AND WATER QUALITY, INCREASED HABITATS FOR DECLINING WILDLIFE POPULATIONS, AND A COMMUNITY THAT IS MORE CONNECTED TO THE LAND.
- $168,302 spent. FOHVOS NEW JERSEY INVASIVE SPECIES STRIKE TEAM - FOUNDED IN 2008 WITH A MISSION TO PROTECT NEW JERSEY'S NATURAL LANDS, THE STRIKE TEAM SERVES AS A STATEWIDE RESOURCE FOR CONSERVATION THROUGH ITS DEDICATED FOCUS ON MITIGATING THREATS POSED BY INVASIVE SPECIES. THE STRIKE TEAM SERVES AS A CLEARINGHOUSE OF INFORMATION ON INVASIVE SPECIES AND OFFERS TOOLS, TRAINING AND OUTREACH THAT REACH 2,000 PROFESSIONALS AND LAYMEN EVERY YEAR. ITS PARTNERS INCLUDE FEDERAL, STATE, COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS, CONSERVATION GROUPS, PRIVATE LANDOWNERS, VOLUNTEER GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS DEDICATED TO PROTECTING PRIVATE PROPERTY AND LOCAL PARKS. TOGETHER, THEY DETECT, TRACK, AND ELIMINATE INVASIVE SPECIES BY MAPPING THEM AND MAINTAINING A STATEWIDE DATABASE. SINCE INCEPTION, THE STRIKE TEAM HAS SEARCHED 800,000 ACRES, DOCUMENTED 20,000 INVASIVE POPULATIONS, AND ELIMINATED 4,000 OF THEM. FOHVOS NEW JERSEY INVASIVE SPECIES STRIKE TEAM - FOUNDED IN 2008 WITH A MISSION TO PROTECT NEW JERSEY'S NATURAL LANDS, THE STRIKE TEAM SERVES AS A STATEWIDE RESOURCE FOR CONSERVATION THROUGH ITS DEDICATED FOCUS ON MITIGATING THREATS POSED BY INVASIVE SPECIES. THE STRIKE TEAM SERVES AS A CLEARINGHOUSE OF INFORMATION ON INVASIVE SPECIES AND OFFERS TOOLS, TRAINING AND OUTREACH THAT REACH 2,000 PROFESSIONALS AND LAYMEN EVERY YEAR. ITS PARTNERS INCLUDE FEDERAL, STATE, COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS, CONSERVATION GROUPS, PRIVATE LANDOWNERS, VOLUNTEER GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS DEDICATED TO PROTECTING PRIVATE PROPERTY AND LOCAL PARKS. TOGETHER, THEY DETECT, TRACK, AND ELIMINATE INVASIVE SPECIES BY MAPPING THEM AND MAINTAINING A STATEWIDE DATABASE. SINCE INCEPTION, THE STRIKE TEAM HAS SEARCHED 800,000 ACRES, DOCUMENTED 20,000 INVASIVE POPULATIONS, AND ELIMINATED 4,000 OF THEM.
- $32,374 spent. LAND PRESERVATION - AS AN ACCREDITED LAND TRUST, FOHVOS ACQUIRES LAND FOR PERMANENT PRESERVATION PURSUANT TO THE RECOMMENDATION OF ITS LAND PRESERVATION COMMITTEE. SELECTION IS BASED ON A PRIORITIZATION SYSTEM BASED ON LAND EVALUATION CRITERIA THAT EVALUATES ECOLOGICAL VALUE INCLUDING PROTECTION OF WILDLIFE, BIODIVERSITY, SCENIC VIEWS, CONTRIBUTIONS TO WATER QUALITY, OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC ACCESSIBILITY, AND CONNECTING TRAILS. THE MAJORITY OF PROTECTED LANDS AND CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ARE PURCHASED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GOVERNMENTAL AND/OR OTHER CONSERVATION NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WITH THE PURPOSE OF OPEN SPACE PRESERVATION AND LAND STEWARDSHIP. FOHVOS PROVIDES A PUBLIC BENEFIT BY CONTRIBUTING TO A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT, OFFERING RECREATIONAL VENUES AND IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR AREA RESIDENTS AND VISITORS. LAND PRESERVATION - AS AN ACCREDITED LAND TRUST, FOHVOS ACQUIRES LAND FOR PERMANENT PRESERVATION PURSUANT TO THE RECOMMENDATION OF ITS LAND PRESERVATION COMMITTEE. SELECTION IS BASED ON A PRIORITIZATION SYSTEM BASED ON LAND EVALUATION CRITERIA THAT EVALUATES ECOLOGICAL VALUE INCLUDING PROTECTION OF WILDLIFE, BIODIVERSITY, SCENIC VIEWS, CONTRIBUTIONS TO WATER QUALITY, OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC ACCESSIBILITY, AND CONNECTING TRAILS. THE MAJORITY OF PROTECTED LANDS AND CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ARE PURCHASED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GOVERNMENTAL AND/OR OTHER CONSERVATION NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WITH THE PURPOSE OF OPEN SPACE PRESERVATION AND LAND STEWARDSHIP. FOHVOS PROVIDES A PUBLIC BENEFIT BY CONTRIBUTING TO A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT, OFFERING RECREATIONAL VENUES AND IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR AREA RESIDENTS AND VISITORS.
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 October 13, 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 December 1987.
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 October 21, 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.