Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Sycamore Land Trust Incorporated

EIN 35-1830637 · Bloomington, IN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair65 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO PRESERVE THE BEAUTY, HEALTH, AND DIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN INDIANA'S NATURAL LANDSCAPE THROUGH STRATEGIC LAND CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION.

Income
$3.0 million
Spending
$1.3 million
Spent on programs
70%
Reserves
-91.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 56%
Employees
17
Volunteers
75
Highest pay
$104,907, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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 35

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

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 57% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 1% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    70% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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 25

    14 of 14 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 June 30, 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 (3)
  1. $380,006 spent. LAND STEWARDSHIP: ON LAND THAT WE OWN, WE MANAGE FOR ECOLOGICAL HEALTH. WITH INPUT FROM EXPERTS IN ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, AND THE HELP OF VOLUNTEER LAND STEWARDS, WE PLANT TREES, ELIMINATE INVASIVE PLANTS, AND REMOVE REFUSE. WE ALSO MANAGE OUR PUBLIC NATURE PRESERVES FOR ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PUBLIC USE BY PROVIDING TRAILS, PARKING AREAS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SIGNAGE. ON PRIVATE PROPERTIES FOR WHICH WE HOLD CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, WE THOROUGHLY MONITOR AND REPORT ON EACH PROPERTY THROUGH REGULAR SITE VISITS TO ENSURE THAT CONSERVATION PROTECTIONS ARE ENFORCED.
  2. $197,039 spent. LAND PROTECTION: SYCAMORE PERMANENTLY PROTECTS THE BEAUTIFUL NATURAL HERITAGE OF SOUTHERN INDIANA BY OWNING LAND AND HOLDING PERMANENT CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ON PRIVATE PROPERTIES. WE HAVE COMPLETED OVER 100 PROJECTS TO PROTECT A TOTAL OF OVER 11,000 ACRES. WE OWN, MANAGE AND RESTORE MORE THAN 6,000 ACRES OF FORESTS, WETLANDS AND GRASSLANDS, INCLUDING FORMERLY MINED OR FARMED LAND. WE HAVE BUILT AND MAINTAIN TRAILS FOR FREE PUBLIC USE AT 13 NATURE PRESERVES TO ENABLE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY RECREATION AND EDUCATION. SYCAMORE HOLDS CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ON OVER 4,000 ACRES OF PRIVATELY OWNED PROPERTIES TO PROTECT THEIR CONSERVATION VALUES. WE HAVE ALSO INVESTED RESOURCES TO PROTECT AN ADDITIONAL 10,000 ACRES OWNED BY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
  3. $157,249 spent. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION: BUILDING AN UNDERSTANDING OF AND APPRECIATION FOR NATURE IS CRITICAL TO OUR MISSION OF CONSERVING LAND AND CREATING A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS. IN THE PAST YEAR WE ALSO HAD OVER 5,000 PARTICIPANTS IN OUR INTERACTIVE PROGRAMS AT SCHOOLS, AT OUR PRESERVES AND OTHER PROPERTIES, AND WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN INDIANA. PARTNERING WITH SCHOOLS, WE BUILD NATIVE PLANT GARDENS AND OTHER HABITATS ON SCHOOLYARDS. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND ABILITIES ALSO VISIT OUR PUBLIC NATURE PRESERVES AND OTHER PROPERTIES TO HIKE, BIRDWATCH, PHOTOGRAPH, AND ENJOY THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL BENEFITS OF BEING IN NATURE.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 June 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 June 1992.

    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.