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Door County Land Trust Inc

EIN 39-1561423 · Sturgeon Bay, WI

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair60 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE DOOR COUNTY LAND TRUST IS A LOCAL, NON-GOVERNMENTAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION WHOSE MISSION IS TO PRESERVE DOOR COUNTY'S EXCEPTIONAL LANDS AND WATERS FOREVER.

Income
$5.7 million
Spending
$3.0 million
Spent on programs
80%
Reserves
-85.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 59%
Employees
16
Volunteers
208
Highest pay
$136,200, 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: 60 out of 100. Higher than 23% 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 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 47% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 0% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    80% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 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

    13 of 13 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. $364,298 spent. OUTREACH - DCLT'S ROBUST VOLUNTEER PROGRAM ENGAGES MORE THAN 200 VOLUNTEERS THAT ENABLE FREE TRAILS, GUIDED HIKES, AND OTHER PUBLIC PROGRAMS FOR OUTDOOR RECREATION AND LEARNING. DCLT COORDINATED CITIZEN SCIENCE PROGRAMS, NEST BOX MONITORING, BUMBLE BEE BRIGADE, AND POLLINATOR OBSERVATION RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY TRAINED VOLUNTEERS; THE PRESERVE STEWARD PROGRAM, BOUNDARY MARKING, AND STEWARDSHIP WORKDAYS ENGAGED MORE THAN 90 VOLUNTEERS. DCLT PROVIDED FREE GUIDED WALKS AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES TO MORE THAN 400 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS. 75,000 EDUCATIONAL NEWSLETTERS AND TRAIL MAPS WERE DISTRIBUTED ACROSS THE SERVICE AREA. VIDEO, WEBSITE, AND SOCIAL MEDIA OFFERED RESOURCES FOR THE PUBLIC TO LEARN AND ENGAGE.
  2. $1.5 million spent. ACQUISITION - DCLT COMPLETED 8 CONSERVATION PURCHASES, 3 LAND DONATIONS, AND 6 CONSERVATION EASEMENT AGREEMENTS, PROTECTING A TOTAL OF OVER 426 ACRES OF LAND IN 2024. THE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS PROTECT A POPULATION OF FEDERALLY THREATENED DWARF LAKE IRIS AND OVER 1500 FEET OF STREAMBANK. THE PURCHASED PROPERTY CONTAINS A VARIETY OF RICH, BIODIVERSE HABITAT, INCLUDING RIDGE & SWALE COMPLEXES, BOREAL FOREST, AND OVER 1 MILE OF STREAMBANK. THE THREE DONATIONS PROTECT COASTAL WETLANDS IN STURGEON BAY AND WASHINGTON ISLAND.
  3. $598,656 spent. STEWARDSHIP WITH THE AID OF VOLUNTEERS, DCLT MAINTAINED MORE THAN 30 MILES OF NATURE PRESERVE TRAILS, INCLUDING A NEW TRAIL AT BEAR CREEK NATURE PRESERVE. STAFF COMPLETED ANNUAL MONITORING OF EACH OF THE 43 NATURE PRESERVES AND NATURAL AREAS AND EACH OF THE 84 CONSERVATION EASEMENT PROPERTIES. TREATMENT OF INVASIVE SPECIES WAS COMPLETED ACROSS 242 ACRES OF WETLANDS, SHORELINE, FIELDS, SAND DUNES, AND FORESTED HABITATS. NEW POPULATIONS OF STATE-LISTED THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES WERE DOCUMENTED. DOZENS OF BLUEBIRDS, TREE SWALLOWS, AND KESTRELS FLEDGED FROM NEST BOXES MONITORED WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF VOLUNTEERS.

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 November 1986.

    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.

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