Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Flathead Land Trust Inc

EIN 36-3479966 · Kalispell, MT

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair62 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

FLATHEAD LAND TRUST IS DEDICATED TO THE CONSERVATION OF NORTHWEST MONTANA'S LAND AND WATER LEGACY THROUGH VOLUNTARY AGREEMENTS WITH PRIVATE LAND OWNERS. FLT'S PRIMARY PROGRAM SERVICE IS PRIVATE LAND CONSERVATION THROUGH VOLUNTARY AGREEMENTS WITH LANDOWNERS (CONSERVATION EASEMENTS); WITHIN THAT PROGRAM SERVICE FLT DEVELOPS, NEGOTIATES, AND ACCEPTS DONATED CONSERVATION EASEMENTS. IN ADDITION WITH BOTH PRIVATE AND FEDERAL FUNDS, FLT PURCHASES CONSERVATION EASEMENTS.

Income
$9.4 million
Spending
$9.8 million
Spent on programs
98%
Reserves
0.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 97%
Employees
5
Volunteers
25
Highest pay
$73,804, 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

Fair: 62 out of 100. Higher than 26% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 5% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 175% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    98% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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 25

    10 of 10 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, 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)
  1. $9.6 million spent. CONSERVATION:A. IN JANUARY, WE PARTNERED WITH CHARLES AND RENATE JAQUETTE TO PLACE THEIR 497-ACRE FARM JUST EAST OF KALISPELL UNDER CONSERVATION EASEMENT. CONTAINING SOME OF THE RICHEST TOPSOIL IN THE VALLEY, THE EASEMENT ADDS TO A GROWING NETWORK OF CONSERVED FARMS IN THE HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE CRESTON AREA. ENCOMPASSING OVER A MILE OF EGAN SLOUGH, THE PROPERTY PROVIDES EXCELLENT BIRD HABITAT AND IS STRATEGICALLY LOCATED FOR BOTH BIRDS AND WILDLIFE AT A LANDSCAPE SCALE.B. IN FEBRUARY, WE COMPLETED A CONSERVATION EASEMENT WITH MONTANA DNRC TO PERMANENTLY PROTECT THE 405-ACRE OWEN SOWERWINE PROPERTY EAST OF KALISPELL. THIS BELOVED BLOCK OF SCHOOL TRUST LAND, WITH ITS INTACT FORESTED RIVER BOTTOM AND RIPARIAN HABITAT, HAS BEEN A COMMUNITY TREASURE ENJOYED BY THE PUBLIC FOR DECADES. C. IN APRIL, WE PARTNERED WITH LUCI YEATS TO PERMANENTLY PROTECT 76-ACRES OF HER FAMILY'S AGRICULTURAL LAND NEAR THE BAD ROCK CANYON WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA EAST OF COLUMBIA FALLS. THE "HEART ROCK RIDGE" CONSERVATION EASEMENT SAFEGUARDS A VITAL WILDLIFE CORRIDOR AS WELL AS SCENIC OPEN SPACE AND A LONG LEGACY OF WORKING FARMLAND.D. ALSO IN APRIL, A 122-ACRE RANCH AND WILDLIFE HAVEN IN THE MISSION VALLEY, ONCE PLATTED FOR SUBDIVISION, WAS PROTECTED IN PERPETUITY WITH A CONSERVATION EASEMENT. JOHN WEAVER, DISTINGUISHED RETIRED CONSERVATION BIOLOGIST AND LAND STEWARD, PARTNERED WITH FLT BY ADDED THIS PARCEL ALONG MISSION CREEK JUST EAST OF THE NATIONAL BISON RANGE TO HIS CONSERVATION PORTFOLIO WHICH IS ADJACENT TO ANOTHER 159-ACRES OF PROTECTED LAND. E. IN AUGUST, A 51-ACRE PRIME PARCEL OF FORESTED LAND WAS PROTECTED ALONG SWAN LAKE. FLT PARTNERED WITH PAUL JOHNSON AND CANDICE GREENE TO PLACE THE ECOLOGICAL GEM UNDER A CONSERVATION EASEMENT, FOREVER PROTECTING HABITAT FOR BIRDS, WILDLIFE AND SCENIC VIEWS AS WELL AS THE EXCEPTIONAL WATER QUALITY OF SWAN LAKE. F. IN NOVEMBER, FLT PARTNERED WITH TWO LANDOWNERS TO PROTECT A TOTAL OF 66-ACRES OF IMPORTANT RIVERFRONT LAND NEAR WHITEFISH. SALLY ERICSSON AND TOM GARWIN PLACED THEIR 36 ACRES ALONG THE STILLWATER RIVER UNDER CONSERVATION EASEMENT, FOLLOWED BY MARK SCHMIDT, WHO CONSERVED HIS 30-ACRE PARCEL ALONG THE WHITEFISH RIVER. BOTH PROPERTIES PROTECT PRIME AGRICULTURAL LANDS AND RIPARIAN HABITATS, PROVIDING WILDLIFE HABITAT SECURITY AND CONNECTIVITY.
  2. $37,322 spent. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH:OUR EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS WERE ESPECIALLY POPULAR AND REACHED MANY ACROSS THE FLATHEAD VALLEY. THE BIRD EDUCATION PROGRAM HELPED TO EDUCATE OVER 300 7TH AND 8TH GRADERS ABOUT BIRDS AND CONSERVATION FROM WEST VALLEY, BIGFORK, EVERGREEN AS WELL AS TWO EAGLE RIVER SCHOOL IN THE MISSION VALLEY.
  3. $22,138 spent. STEWARDSHIP:MONITORED ALL 79 CONSERVATION EASEMENTS (ENCOMPASSING 15,162 ACRES) AND ONE RESTRICTED COVENANT.

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

  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 2024.

    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 December 1987.

    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.