Huron Pines Resource Conservation and Development Council Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
IT IS OUR MISSION AT HURON PINES TO CONSERVE AND ENHANCE NORTHERN MICHIGAN'S NATURAL RESOURCES TO ENSURE HEALTHY WATER, PROTECTED PLACES AND VIBRANT COMMUNITIES. FOR ALOMST 50 YEARS, OUR WORK ACROSS THE FORESTS, LAKES AND STREAMS OF NORTHERN MICHIGAN HAS HELPED IMPROVE ECONOMIC, ENVIRONMENTAL, EDUCATIONAL AND RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. WHEN WE ENGAGE PEOPLE IN CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP, WE SUPPORT SUSTAINABLE, EMPOWERED COMMUNITIES RICH WITH PROTECTED NATURAL RESOURCES.
- Income
- $6.0 million
- Spending
- $5.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- -4.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 74%
- Employees
- 30
- Volunteers
- 135
- Highest pay
- $161,998, executive di
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
Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 30% 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
20 of 20It owes 12% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 42% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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 60% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 16 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, 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 (4)
- $3.4 million spent. HEALTHY WATER PROGRAM: THE PRIORITIES OF OUR HEALTHY WATER PROGRAM ARE ALIGNED WITH THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF THE PLACES AND COMMUNITIES WE SERVE. WE INSPIRE STEWARDSHIP THROUGH EDUCATION, RECREATION AND ACCESS; PROMOTE ECONOMIC GROWTH THROUGH INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT; AND ENSURE CLEAN WATER THROUGH MONITORING, PROTECTION AND RESTORATION. HURON PINES HAS INVENTORIED EVERY WATERWAY IN OUR 4.5-MILLION-ACRE SERVICE AREA TO ASSESS STREAM HEALTH, PRIORITIZE CRITICAL NEEDS AND SHARE DATA FOR PUBLIC USE BY INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE STATE. CONNECTED WATERWAYS RESTORE NATURAL RIVER FLOW, CONTROL EROSION, PROVIDE FISH WITH ACCESS TO THE UPSTREAM HABITAT THEY NEED TO FLOURISH AND IMPROVE TOURISM AND ECONOMIC VIABILITY BY PROMOTING RECREATION. THE FUTURE HEALTH OF OUR RIVERS AND LAKES ALSO DEPENDS ON PROTECTING THE QUALITY OF WATER THAT DRAINS INTO THEM. THAT IS WHY HURON PINES IS WORKING WITH COMMUNITIES TO REDUCE POLLUTION CAUSED BY STORMWATER RUNOFF THROUGH EDUCATION, CITY PLANNING, AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE. HEALTHY WATER PROGRAM: THE PRIORITIES OF OUR HEALTHY WATER PROGRAM ARE ALIGNED WITH THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF THE PLACES AND COMMUNITIES WE SERVE. WE INSPIRE STEWARDSHIP THROUGH EDUCATION, RECREATION AND ACCESS; PROMOTE ECONOMIC GROWTH THROUGH INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT; AND ENSURE CLEAN WATER THROUGH MONITORING, PROTECTION AND RESTORATION. HURON PINES HAS INVENTORIED EVERY WATERWAY IN OUR 4.5-MILLION-ACRE SERVICE AREA TO ASSESS STREAM HEALTH, PRIORITIZE CRITICAL NEEDS AND SHARE DATA FOR PUBLIC USE BY INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE STATE. CONNECTED WATERWAYS RESTORE NATURAL RIVER FLOW, CONTROL EROSION, PROVIDE FISH WITH ACCESS TO THE UPSTREAM HABITAT THEY NEED TO FLOURISH AND IMPROVE TOURISM AND ECONOMIC VIABILITY BY PROMOTING RECREATION. THE FUTURE HEALTH OF OUR RIVERS AND LAKES ALSO DEPENDS ON PROTECTING THE QUALITY OF WATER THAT DRAINS INTO THEM. THAT IS WHY HURON PINES IS WORKING WITH COMMUNITIES TO REDUCE POLLUTION CAUSED BY STORMWATER RUNOFF THROUGH EDUCATION, CITY PLANNING, AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.
- $743,999 spent. PROTECTED PLACES PROGRAM: THROUGH CAREFUL PRIORITIZATION, PLANNING AND EXECUTION HURON PINES PROTECTS AND RESTORES SOME OF NORTHERN MICHIGAN'S MOST ICONIC PLACES INCLUDING THE JACK PINE PLAINS OF THE AU SABLE RIVER, THE DUNES OF NEGWEGON STATE PARK, THE SHORES OF LAKE HURON AND THE FORESTS OF PIGEON RIVER COUNTRY. THESE WILD PLACES PROVIDE THE IDEAL HABITAT FOR THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES LIKE HINES' EMERALD DRAGONFLY, PIPING PLOVER, PITCHER'S THISTLE, EASTERN MASSASAUGA RATTLESNAKE AND KIRTLAND'S WARBLER. HURON PINES ENGAGES COMMUNITIES AND CONSERVATION PARTNERS ACROSS THE REGION TO SUPPORT THESE THREATENED SPECIES. ONE WAY WE DO THIS IS BY LEADING THE HURON COASTAL AND HURON HEARTLAND INVASIVE SPECIES NETWORKS, WHICH BRING TOGETHER REGIONAL PARTNERS TO IMPROVE WILDLIFE HABITAT THROUGH INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT AND NATIVE HABITAT RESTORATION. HURON PINES ALSO ENGAGES IN DIRECT LAND PROTECTION THROUGH CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, OWNERSHIP OF OUR OWN NATURE PRESERVES AND BY ASSISTING COMMUNITIES AND PARTNERS WITH THE ACQUISITION OF LAND FOR PROTECTION AND PUBLIC USE. PROTECTED PLACES PROGRAM: THROUGH CAREFUL PRIORITIZATION, PLANNING AND EXECUTION HURON PINES PROTECTS AND RESTORES SOME OF NORTHERN MICHIGAN'S MOST ICONIC PLACES INCLUDING THE JACK PINE PLAINS OF THE AU SABLE RIVER, THE DUNES OF NEGWEGON STATE PARK, THE SHORES OF LAKE HURON AND THE FORESTS OF PIGEON RIVER COUNTRY. THESE WILD PLACES PROVIDE THE IDEAL HABITAT FOR THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES LIKE HINES' EMERALD DRAGONFLY, PIPING PLOVER, PITCHER'S THISTLE, EASTERN MASSASAUGA RATTLESNAKE AND KIRTLAND'S WARBLER. HURON PINES ENGAGES COMMUNITIES AND CONSERVATION PARTNERS ACROSS THE REGION TO SUPPORT THESE THREATENED SPECIES. ONE WAY WE DO THIS IS BY LEADING THE HURON COASTAL AND HURON HEARTLAND INVASIVE SPECIES NETWORKS, WHICH BRING TOGETHER REGIONAL PARTNERS TO IMPROVE WILDLIFE HABITAT THROUGH INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT AND NATIVE HABITAT RESTORATION. HURON PINES ALSO ENGAGES IN DIRECT LAND PROTECTION THROUGH CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, OWNERSHIP OF OUR OWN NATURE PRESERVES AND BY ASSISTING COMMUNITIES AND PARTNERS WITH THE ACQUISITION OF LAND FOR PROTECTION AND PUBLIC USE.
- $403,336 spent. VIBRANT COMMUNITIES PROGRAM: THE HEALTH OF OUR REGION DEPENDS ON ESTABLISHING STRONG ADVOCATES FOR NATURAL RESOURCE PROTECTION. IN ORDER TO SUPPORT CONSERVATION THAT IS DRIVEN BY ENGAGED AND EMPOWERED COMMUNITIES, WE MUST BUILD CONNECTIONS BETWEEN PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT. BY WORKING DIRECTLY WITH LOCAL RESIDENTS, MUNICIPALITIES AND CONSERVATION PARTNERS, HURON PINES WILL HELP COMMUNITIES BUILD THE INFRASTRUCTURE, BEST PRACTICES AND FUNDING MECHANISMS NEEDED TO SUPPORT THE LONG-TERM HEALTH OF THE REGION FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. WITH PROGRAMS LIKE HURON PINES AMERICORPS AND ONGOING EFFORTS TO CONNECT WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS OF ALL AGES, WE ARE DEVELOPING TOMORROW'S COMMUNITY LEADERS, INDUSTRY EXECUTIVES AND POLICY MAKERS, RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF MICHIGAN'S NATURAL RESOURCES. VIBRANT COMMUNITIES PROGRAM: THE HEALTH OF OUR REGION DEPENDS ON ESTABLISHING STRONG ADVOCATES FOR NATURAL RESOURCE PROTECTION. IN ORDER TO SUPPORT CONSERVATION THAT IS DRIVEN BY ENGAGED AND EMPOWERED COMMUNITIES, WE MUST BUILD CONNECTIONS BETWEEN PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT. BY WORKING DIRECTLY WITH LOCAL RESIDENTS, MUNICIPALITIES AND CONSERVATION PARTNERS, HURON PINES WILL HELP COMMUNITIES BUILD THE INFRASTRUCTURE, BEST PRACTICES AND FUNDING MECHANISMS NEEDED TO SUPPORT THE LONG-TERM HEALTH OF THE REGION FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. WITH PROGRAMS LIKE HURON PINES AMERICORPS AND ONGOING EFFORTS TO CONNECT WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS OF ALL AGES, WE ARE DEVELOPING TOMORROW'S COMMUNITY LEADERS, INDUSTRY EXECUTIVES AND POLICY MAKERS, RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF MICHIGAN'S NATURAL RESOURCES.
- MANAGEMENT AND GENERAL
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
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 September 1986.
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.
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