Tall Pines Conservancy Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
OUR MISSION IS TO PRESERVE OUR RURAL HERITAGE BY PROTECTING REMAINING FARMLAND, WATER RESOURCES, NATURAL AREAS AND OPEN SPACES IN THE LAKE COUNTRY REGION AND BEYOND.
- Income
- $1.9 million
- Spending
- $1.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 94%
- Reserves
- -9.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 54%
- Employees
- 5
- Volunteers
- 93
- Highest pay
- $105,525, executive director through 12/24
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: 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 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 12% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 312% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1594% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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 2511 of 11 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 (3)
- $1.3 million spent. LAND PROTECTIONIN 2022, TALL PINES CONSERVANCY PARTNERED WITH AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST (AFT) AND THE NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE (NRCS) TO OFFICIALLY LAUNCH THE WISCONSIN FARMLAND PROTECTION PARTNERSHIP PROJECT. BY 2024, TALL PINES SUCCESSFULLY UTILIZED ITS ALLOCATION OF FUNDING THROUGH THIS INITIATIVE TO PERMANENTLY PROTECT OVER 300 ACRES OF PRODUCTIVE FARMLAND ACROSS TWO FAMILY-OWNED OPERATIONS: THE OBERHAUS (COZY NOOK) FARM IN THE TOWN OF DELAFIELD AND THE MONIS FAMILY FARM IN THE TOWN OF ASHIPPUN, WHICH CLOSED IN JANUARY 2025.THE OBERHAUS FARM IS A MULTI-GENERATIONAL DAIRY AND SEASONAL PUMPKIN OPERATION LOCATED IN A RAPIDLY DEVELOPING AREA WITH SOARING LAND VALUES. THE MONIS FAMILY FARM, A DESIGNATED SESQUICENTENNIAL FARM, SPANS OVER 200 ACRESAND FEATURES A COMBINATION OF HIGH-QUALITY AGRICULTURAL SOILS AND VITAL WETLAND AND WILDLIFE HABITAT.IN 2024, TALL PINES ALSO COMPLETED THE FEE-SIMPLE ACQUISITION OF THE SAEGER CREEK PRESERVE, AN 80-ACRE NATURAL AREA IN THE VILLAGE OF LAC LA BELLE THAT PROVIDES CRITICAL WATER QUALITY BENEFITS TO THE ADJACENT LAKE. RESTORATION EFFORTS ARE NOW UNDERWAY ON BOTH ENDS OF THE PRESERVE: TRAIL BUILDING AND HABITAT ENHANCEMENT ON THE EASTERN SIDE, AND A LARGE-SCALE STREAM RESTORATION PROJECT ALONG SAEGER CREEK ON THE WESTERN SIDE. A CONSERVATION EASEMENT FOR THE PROPERTY, HELD BY THE LAC LA BELLE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, HELPS ENSURE ITS LONG-TERM PROTECTION.ADDITIONAL CONSERVATION SUCCESS IN 2024 INCLUDED THE COMPLETION OF A 26-ACRE CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON AN ORGANIC FARM IN STONE BANK, LOCATED ADJACENT TO A PREVIOUSLY PROTECTED PROPERTY AND ACROSS THE ROAD FROM A LOCALELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THE LANDOWNER INTENDS TO WORK WITH TALL PINES AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO DEVELOP EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOCUSED ON SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE.TALL PINES REMAINED A KEY PARTNER IN THE OCONOMOWOC WATERSHED PROTECTION PROGRAM (OWPP), WHICH EMPOWERS LANDOWNERS TO ADOPT CONSERVATION PRACTICES THAT REDUCE PHOSPHORUS RUNOFF AND IMPROVE WATER QUALITY. BUILDING ON THE SUCCESS OF THE MASON CREEK RE-MEANDERING PROJECTCOMPLETED IN 2022 AND ELEBRATED WITH A PUBLIC RIBBON-CUTTING IN 2023TALL PINES EXTENDED ITS WATERSHED RESTORATION EFFORTS IN 2024 THROUGH ITS SUPPORT OF THE COTTONWOOD CREEK PROJECT, A SIMILARLY MODELED INITIATIVE TARGETING A HIGH-PRIORITY WATERWAY IN THE OCONOMOWOC RIVER WATERSHED.TALL PINES ALSO CONTINUED ITS SUPPORT FOR FARMERS FOR LAKE COUNTRY (FFLC), A PRODUCER-LED GROUP ADVANCING REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES AND SOIL HEALTH ACROSS A LANDSCAPE NOW ENCOMPASSING MORE THAN 450,000 ACRES. IN 2024, TALL PINES CONTRIBUTED TO FFLC EFFORTS BY COORDINATING AERIAL SEEDING OF COVER CROPS, ENGAGING LANDOWNERS IN CONSERVATION PROGRAMS, AND HELPING SECURE COST-SHARE FUNDING FOR PRACTICES SUCH AS NO-TILL FARMING, PLANTINGGREEN, AND ROTATIONAL GRAZING.COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS REMAINED CENTRAL TO TALL PINES' LAND PROTECTION WORK IN 2024. THE CONSERVANCY PARTNERED WITH WAUKESHA COUNTY LAND CONSERVANCY, ROCK RIVER COALITION, THE NATURE CONSERVANCY, SAVANNA INSTITUTE, GATHERING WATERS, THE LAND TRUST ALLIANCE, AND OTHERS TO ADVANCE REGIONAL CONSERVATION PRIORITIES THROUGHOUT SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN.
- $205,896 spent. LAND MANAGEMENTIN 2024, TALL PINES CONSERVANCY CONTINUED TO PRIORITIZE THE ACTIVE STEWARDSHIP OF ITS PROTECTED LANDS. AT AUDLEY CREEK PRESERVE, NEAR LAPHAM PEAK, STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS CARRIED OUT INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT AND ENHANCED TRAIL INFRASTRUCTURE, HELPING TO CREATE MORE ACCESSIBLE AND ECOLOGICALLY RESILIENT SPACES FOR BOTH WILDLIFE AND VISITORS. SIGNIFICANT STEWARDSHIP PROGRESS WAS ALSO MADE AT RAVENSHOLME FARM PRESERVE, THE CONSERVANCY'S 260-ACRE FLAGSHIP PROPERTY IN THE VILLAGE OF WAUKESHA. IN ADDITION TO ONGOING SITE RESTORATION AND AGROFORESTRY DEMONSTRATION SPACE, RAVENSHOLME HOSTED MULTIPLE PUBLIC AND PARTNER EVENTS, INCLUDING RECURRING VOLUNTEER WORKDAYS. THE PRESERVE IS ALSO THE PLANNED FUTURE HOME OF A NATIVE SEED BANK, DEVELOPED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WAUKESHA COUNTY LAND CONSERVANCY AND OTHERS, TO SUPPORT NATIVE PLANT RESTORATION ACROSS THE REGION.TO GUIDE FUTURE CONSERVATION EFFORTS, TALL PINES BEGAN UPDATING ITS PROJECT SELECTION CRITERIA AND GIS-BASED PRIORITIZATION MODEL IN 2024. THE UPDATED FRAMEWORK INCORPORATES FACTORS SUCH AS ECOLOGICAL VALUE, CLIMATE RESILIENCE, LANDSCAPE CONNECTIVITY, AND ALIGNMENT WITH THE CONSERVANCY'S EVOLVING STRATEGIC PLAN. THIS TOOL WILL HELP IDENTIFY AND PRIORITIZE HIGH IMPACT OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUTURE LAND PROTECTION AND STEWARDSHIP INITIATIVES ACROSSTHE REGION.
- $122,300 spent. EDUCATION & OUTREACHTHE YEAR 2024 WAS FILLED WITH A VARIETY OF EVENTS ENTHUSIASTICALLY RECEIVED BY NEW AND LONG-STANDING SUPPORTERS OF TPC. THEY INCLUDED: A WINTER LUMINARY WALK AT CAMP QUAD IN FEBRUARY THE 10TH ANNUAL OWPP PADDLE IN JUNE, WAS HELD AT FOWLER PARK IN OCONOMOWOC. AN OPEN HOUSE AND TOUR AT LAKE FIVE FOR OUR STEWARDSHIP SOCIETY MEMBERS, ALSO HELD IN JUNE. THE 16TH ANNUAL RIDE TO THE BARNS, A SOLD-OUT SUCCESS IN AUGUST. A 25TH ANNIVERSARY GALA AND FUNDRAISING EVENT, WHICH WAS HELD IN SEPTEMBER AT FOLK SONG FARM IN RICHFIELD.WE CONTINUED TO PROMOTE OUR LAND PROTECTION WORK IN THE COMMUNITY THROUGH SPONSORSHIP OF THE CHAMBER'S SUMMER FARMERS MARKET IN OCONOMOWOC AND THE LAPHAM PEAK SKI CLUB. TALL PINES ALSO CONDUCTS PRESENTATIONS FOR VARIOUS CONFERENCES, GARDEN CLUBS AND COMMUNITY AND MUNICIPAL ORGANIZATIONS. TALL PINES STAFFED INFORMATIONAL TABLES AT THE WAUKESHA COUNTY LAND CONSERVANCY ANNUAL MEETING AND A FALL EVENT AT GWENYN HILL FARM. WE ALSO SUPPORTED THE EFFORTS OF OUR PARTNERS AT FARMERS FOR LAKE COUNTRY AND LAKE COUNTRY CLEAN WATERS IN PLANNING AND HOSTING THEIR OUTREACH ACTIVITIES.TALL PINES COMMUNICATES TO OUR SUPPORTERS THROUGH PRINT NEWSLETTERS PUBLISHED TWICE PER YEAR, A MONTHLY E-NEWSLETTER, FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, AND OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since January 2000.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 2026.
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