Ice Age Trail Alliance
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF THE ALLIANCE IS TO CONSERVE, CREATE, MAINTAIN, AND PROMOTE THE ICE AGE NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL.
- Income
- $5.0 million
- Spending
- $3.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- -7.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 82%
- Employees
- 27
- Volunteers
- 2,000
- Highest pay
- $140,519, executive director & ceo
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.
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 33% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 21% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 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.
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, 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)
- $1.1 million spent. TRAILS - THE ALLIANCE HAS BUILT AND MAINTAINSED MORE THAN 700 MILES OF THE ICE AGE NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL. ALLIANCE STAFF COORDINATE THIS EFFORT AMONG 19 VOLUNTEER CHAPTERS AND VOLUNTEERS FROM ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST. IN ADDITION TO TRAIL CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE, STEWARDSHIP, AND OUTREACH AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES, THE ALLIANCE ADDED APPOXIMATELY 6.7 MILES OF NEW TRAIL AND STARTED THE PROCESS TO BUILD ANOTHER 15 NEW MILES IN THE FUTURE. ALL TOLD, THE ALLIANCE'S 1,986 VOLUNTEERS CONTRIBUTED 103,439 HOURS - A NEW RECORD.
- $859,958 spent. LANDS - THE ALLIANCE COMPLETED ELEVEN LAND TRANSACTIONS WHILE HELPING PARTNERS COMPLETE THREE ADDITIONAL ACQUISITIONS AND THEREBY PROTECTED 188 ACRES OF LAND AND ADDED AN ESTIMATED 3.2 MILES OF FUTURE TRAIL. PROPERTIES WERE PROTECTED IN BOTH FEE AND EASEMENT. ALL THESE LANDS WILL HOST A VARIETY OF PUBLIC RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT INCLUDE THE ICE AGE NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL. THE ALLIANCE ALSO HOSTED 3 HABITAT IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, DESIGNED TO REMOVE INVASIVE SPECIES, COLLECTED 308 POUNDS OF NATIVE SEEDS, AND BURNED MORE THAN 300 ACRES.
- $749,269 spent. OUTREACH - THE ALLIANCE CONTINUES TO ENGAGE NEW MEMBERS AND TRAIL USERS. 2024 INCLUDED THE 5TH MAMMOTH HIKE CHALLENGE WITH MORE THAN 9,000 REGISTRANTS WITH 78% BEING NEW. OUR SAUNTERS AND THINK OUTSIDE YOUTH EDUCATION WORK DREW MORE THAN 10,000 YOUTH TO THE TRAIL. WE INCREASED THE NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES DESIGNATED AS ICE AGE TRAIL COMMUNITIES TO 24. MEMBERSHIP CONTINUED TO GROW TO 6,945 MEMBERS. ICE AGE TRAIL LICENSE PLATES CONTINUE TO GENERATE REVENUE AND MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE ALLIANCE.
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 August 1961.
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.
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.