Arc of Appalachia
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Our Mission: Arc of Appalachia protects the rich diversity of life within North America's Great Eastern Forest. Our Work: We acquire and steward wildlands in the Appalachian heartland. We create sanctuaries where people can connect with the natural world. We teach about our forest heritage to inspire a global conservation ethic.
- Income
- $8.1 million
- Spending
- $1.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 85%
- Reserves
- 59.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 69%
- Employees
- 20
- Volunteers
- 480
- Highest pay
- $81,577, 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 90% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 59.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 81% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 66% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1585% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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 82% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 13 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)
- $825,504 spent. Land Acquisition & Nature Preservation - In 2024, the Arc of Appalachia (Arc) expanded its nature preserve holdings by 11 properties and 795 acres. The Arc also supported a partner nonprofit, Wilderness East, in its purchase of four properties totaling 1294 acres. The Arc will purchase these properties from Wilderness East once grant and public funding have been achieved. All of these acquisitions further the Arc's mission of wildlands preservation. Over the organization's 30-year history, 173 separate land acquisitions have been consummated, establishing 33 preserve regions, nearly all of which remain actively stewarded by the Arc. The Arc acquired three properties by donation in Ohio: 37 acres in Hocking Hills (Grow donation), 25 acres in Knox County (Hellbender Preserve Expansion), 167 acres in Gallia County (Howell-Koeler Preserve), and one donation in Kentucky: 110 acres in Carter County (Chegeree Cliffs). One conservation easement was acquired by donation: 27 acres in Hocking County (Fry Easement). Through a combination of grants and private donations, the Arc acquired in Ohio: 80 acres in Perry County (Gailen Forest Reserve), 205 acres in Pike and Ross Counties (two projects expanding Tobacco Barn Hollow Preserve), 101 acres in Jackson County (two projects composing Sylvan Deep Preserve), and 43 acres in Scioto County that expanded the Gladys Riley Golden Star Lily Preserve. One of Wilderness East's four holdings in 2024 included a 1200-acre property in Greenbrier County, WV that will be transferred to the Arc in 2025. Land Stewardship & Hiking Trails - In 2024, Arc's Land Stewardship staff stewarded nearly 80 miles of hiking trails in the Arc preserve system. Trails newly opened to the public this year include the Resilience and Honeycomb Rock trail systems in Hocking County, a third firefly-viewing trail at Gladys Riley Preserve, and two new trails at Tobacco Barn Hollow in Pike & Ross Counties. The development of these new hiking trails was largely funded by the Clean Ohio grant program. Non-native invasive plant control continued to be a year-round task across the preserve system in 2024, with special focus on bush honeysuckle, multiflora rose, autumn olive, and Chinese lespedeza. Arc staff continue to monitor and treat hemlock woolly adelgid, a non-native invasive insect in preserves with stands of Canadian hemlock. Research - Arc of Appalachia staff and volunteers continued to engage in several research studies across its preserves. These included an annual week-long bird survey in the Arc preserves; an ongoing timber rattlesnake habitat study at its Tobacco Barn Hollow preserve; and two bioblitzes, one in Killbuck Swamp Preserve in Holmes County, OH, and one at Wild Rock Canyon in Greenbrier County, WV.
- $486,134 spent. Education - In 2024, the Arc of Appalachia was committed to teaching nature literacy through workshops, courses, and educational articles provided to the general public, through a monthly series of free workshops for youths called "Nature is Neat," through maintaining nearly 80 miles of public hiking trails which facilitates direct learning, and through interpretive murals and one-on-one contact in the Appalachian Forest Museum at the Arc's headquarters. In 2024, the Arc attracted 140,542 visitors, a 45% increase from 2023's attendance. Numbers were calculated with the aid of headcounts, registration data, and car counters.
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 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 August 1995.
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.