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Heritage Conservancy

EIN 23-6296515 · Doylestown, PA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak35 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

WE ARE A COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO THE PRESERVATION AND PROTECTION OF SIGNIFICANT OPEN SPACES, NATURAL RESOURCES, AND OUR HISTORIC HERITAGE.

Income
$3.0 million
Spending
$3.6 million
Spent on programs
68%
Reserves
-12.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 53%
Employees
58
Volunteers
349
Highest pay
$203,992, president

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 35 out of 100. Higher than 7% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 20% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 76% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    68% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 32 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    19 of 19 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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)
  1. $2.4 million spent. HERITAGE CONSERVANCY IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITIES, LANDOWNERS, BUSINESSES, GOVERNMENTS, AND OTHER MISSION- FOCUSED ORGANIZATIONS TO ENSURE THAT THE LANDSCAPES THAT MAKE THIS REGION SPECIAL ENDURE AND FLOURISH, FOR THE BENEFIT OF BOTH PEOPLE AND NATURE. FOUNDED IN 1958 AND BASED IN DOYLESTOWN, PA, THE CONSERVANCY HAS WORKED WITH PARTNERS TO PROTECT ABOUT 17,000 ACRES OF OPEN SPACE, FARMLAND, WILDLIFE HABITAT, AND IMPORTANT WATERSHED AREAS THROUGHOUT BUCKS COUNTY AND IN SURROUNDING AREAS. THE CONSERVANCY DIRECTLY OWNS AND MANAGES MORE THAN 50 PROPERTIES TOTALING MORE THAN 1500 ACRES, HOLDS CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ON MORE THAN 270 PROPERTIES TOTALING MORE THAN 8600 ACRES, AND ACTIVELY PURSUES HABITAT RESTORATION INITIATIVES ACROSS THE REGION. HERITAGE CONSERVANCY ALSO HOLDS HISTORIC PRESERVATION EASEMENTS AND MAINTAINS A REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES WITH MORE THAN 700 ENTRIES. IN ITS WORK TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND HISTORY OF OUR REGION, TO EDUCATE, AND TO INSPIRE ADVOCACY FOR LAND AND WATERSHED PROTECTION, THE CONSERVANCY INTERACTS WITH THOUSANDS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS EVERY YEAR, INCLUDING MORE THAN 2500 STUDENTS AND HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS. HERITAGE CONSERVANCY IS NATIONALLY ACCREDITED BY THE LAND TRUST ACCREDITATION COMMISSION. HERITAGE CONSERVANCY IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITIES, LANDOWNERS, BUSINESSES, GOVERNMENTS, AND OTHER MISSION- FOCUSED ORGANIZATIONS TO ENSURE THAT THE LANDSCAPES THAT MAKE THIS REGION SPECIAL ENDURE AND FLOURISH, FOR THE BENEFIT OF BOTH PEOPLE AND NATURE. FOUNDED IN 1958 AND BASED IN DOYLESTOWN, PA, THE CONSERVANCY HAS WORKED WITH PARTNERS TO PROTECT ABOUT 17,000 ACRES OF OPEN SPACE, FARMLAND, WILDLIFE HABITAT, AND IMPORTANT WATERSHED AREAS THROUGHOUT BUCKS COUNTY AND IN SURROUNDING AREAS. THE CONSERVANCY DIRECTLY OWNS AND MANAGES MORE THAN 50 PROPERTIES TOTALING MORE THAN 1500 ACRES, HOLDS CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ON MORE THAN 270 PROPERTIES TOTALING MORE THAN 8600 ACRES, AND ACTIVELY PURSUES HABITAT RESTORATION INITIATIVES ACROSS THE REGION. HERITAGE CONSERVANCY ALSO HOLDS HISTORIC PRESERVATION EASEMENTS AND MAINTAINS A REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES WITH MORE THAN 700 ENTRIES. IN ITS WORK TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND HISTORY OF OUR REGION, TO EDUCATE, AND TO INSPIRE ADVOCACY FOR LAND AND WATERSHED PROTECTION, THE CONSERVANCY INTERACTS WITH THOUSANDS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS EVERY YEAR, INCLUDING MORE THAN 2500 STUDENTS AND HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS. HERITAGE CONSERVANCY IS NATIONALLY ACCREDITED BY THE LAND TRUST ACCREDITATION COMMISSION.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since July 1960.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.