Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE O. DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATIONS MISSION: THTLT WAS FORMED FOR TWO PURPOSES, TO HELP INCREASE AWARENESS AND APPRECIATION OF THE TUG HILL REGION THROUGH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, FIELD TRIPS AND SPECIAL EVENTS, AND THROUGH THEIR VOLUNTARY LAND PROTECTION PROGRAMS WORKING WITH PRIVATE LANDOWNERS AND OTHER PARTNERS. ITS MISSION IS TO PROTECT THE WILDLANDS, WORKING FORESTS AND FARMS OF THE TUG HILL REGION AND SURROUNDING AREAS, AND TO PROMOTE APPRECIATION OF THE REGION'S NATURAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE, FOR PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.
- Income
- $1.3 million
- Spending
- $1.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- -6.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 80%
- Employees
- 9
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $88,266, 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
Weak: 40 out of 100. Higher than 5% 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
10 of 20It owes 40% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 15% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 59% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 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 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.
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 (2)
- $115,431 spent. SEE SCHEDULE O FOR DESCRIPTION. TUG HILL TOMORROW LAND TRUST (THTLT) IS COMMITTED TO CONNECTING WITH PARENTS AND CHILDREN, FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE. WE KNOW IT IS IMPORTANT TO INSTILL A LOVE OF CONSERVATION AT AN EARLY AGE IF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO CARE FOR THE LAND AS ADULTS. TO THAT END, THTLT HOLDS A VARIETY OF FIELD TRIPS, PROGRAMS AND EVENTS TO GET PEOPLE OUT ON THE LAND AND EXPERIENCING A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN A VARIETY OF LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE TUG HILL REGION. THTLT ALSO WORKS WITH LOCAL DAY CARE CENTERS AND SUMMER SCHOOL-AGED PROGRAMS TO PRESENT ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS THAT GET KIDS EXCITED ABOUT BEING OUTSIDE. THTLT HAS PRODUCED A FIELD GUIDE FOR THE TUG HILL REGION WHICH PROVIDES DETAILED INFORMATION IN A FRIENDLY WAY SO PEOPLE CAN EASILY FIND OUT MORE ABOUT WHERE THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY ARE SEEING. THTLT ULTIMATELY HOPES THESE PROGRAMS AND MATERIALS WILL FOSTER A LOVE OF THE LAND AND THE DESIRE TO TAKE CARE OF IT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. THTLT ULTIMATELY HOPES THESE PROGRAMS AND MATERIALS WILL FOSTER A LOVE OF THE LAND AND THE DESIRE TO TAKE CARE OF IT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
- $1.2 million spent. SEE SCHEDULE O FOR DESCRIPTION.THTLT WORKS WITH PRIVATE LANDOWNERS TO PROTECT WORKING FOREST, FARMS, RECREATION, AND WILD LANDS IN NORTHERN NEW YORK'S 2,100 SQUARE MILE TUG HILL REGION AND SURROUNDING AREAS. THE TUG HILL REGION COVERS PART OF JEFFERSON, LEWIS, ONEIDA, AND OSWEGO COUNTIES. IN 2024, THTLT CLOSED ON ONE EASEMENT - TON KA WA ROD & HUNT CLUB IN HERKIMER COUNTY, AND ACQUIRED THE STONE HOUSE PRESERVE IN THE TOWN OF VIENNA IN ONEIDA COUNTY.WE WORKED WITH THE DEC AND THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TO CREATE A PROGRAM IN PLACE OF THE FORMER ACUB PROGRAM. THE NEW NATURAL RESOURCE PROTECTION PROGRAM AROUND FORT DRUM WILL BE LAUNCHED IN 2025 AND FUNDED WITH APPROXIMATELY $7.5 MILLION FROM THTLT-EARMARKED FUNDS OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST 10 YEARS IN THE STATE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION FUND. WE CONTINUED TO WORK ON 14 CONSERVATION EASEMENT PROJECTS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE TUG HILL REGION THAT, WHEN COMPLETED, WILL CONSERVE MORE THAN 5,718 ACRES OF LAND. AT THE END 2024, WE WILL HAVE PROTECTED 21,810 ACRES WITH CONSERVATION EASEMENTS THROUGHOUT TUG HILL. IN ADDITION TO OUR CONSERVATION EASEMENT HOLDINGS, THTLT ALSO OWNS FIVE PUBLIC CONSERVATION AREAS, THE 140- ACRE JOSEPH BLAKE WILDLIFE SANCTUARY IN THE TOWN OF RUTLAND, JEFFERSON COUNTY, THE 120-ACRE FRENCH SETTLEMENT ROAD PUBLIC CONSERVATION AREA IN THE TOWN OF LORRAINE, JEFFERSON COUNTY, THE 416-ACRE DAVID S. SMITH PUBLIC CONSERVATION AREA IN THE TOWN OF LERAY, AND THE NEWEST PROPERTY, THE MOHAWK HILL PUBLIC CONSERVATION AREA, 77.57 ACRES IN THE TOWN OF WEST TURIN LERAY. THTLT ADDED THE STONE HOUSE PRESERVE, 434 ACRES, IN THE TOWN OF VIENNA IN LATE 2024. THTLT IS CONTINUOUSLY WORKING TO OPEN ALL 1,192 ACRES OF OUR FEE-OWNED PROPERTY, NOT ALREADY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, BY CREATING PARKING AREAS, TRAILS, AND INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE AS FUNDING AND STAFF TIME ALLOW.
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 August 1991.
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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