Land Stewardship Project
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE LAND STEWARDSHIP PROJECT (LSP) WAS ORGANIZED ON JUNE 1, 1982, AS A DIVISION OF THE NATIONAL CATHOLIC RURAL LIFE CONFERENCE AND IN 1983 WAS INCORPORATED UNDER THE MINNESOTA (MN) NONPROFIT CORPORATION ACT. LSP IS SUPPORTED PRIMARILY BY CONTRIBUTIONS AND GRANTS FROM INDIVIDUALS, FOUNDATIONS, CORPORATIONS, GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES AND MEMBERSHIP REVENUE. LSP WHOLLY OWNS LAND STEWARDSHIP LEGACY LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY (LLC). THE PURPOSE OF THE LLC IS TO OWN AND OPERATE THE BUILDING IN MINNEAPOLIS WHERE LSP CURRENTLY LEASES OFFICE SPACE. TO SUPPORT OTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WHOSE MISSIONS SUPPORT THE BROADER WORK OF LSP, WE FISCALLY SPONSOR THE MIDWEST FARMERS OF COLOR COLLECTIVE.LSP FOSTERS AN ETHIC OF STEWARDSHIP TOWARD FARMLAND IN THE UNITED STATES, PROMOTES SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, AND DEVELOPS HEALTHY COMMUNITIES. LSP IS DEDICATED TO CREATING TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE IN OUR FOOD
- Income
- $3.4 million
- Spending
- $4.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- 0.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 75%
- Employees
- 33
- Volunteers
- 250
- Highest pay
- $158,136, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 45 out of 100. Higher than 9% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.3 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 30% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 22% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 8% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 2510 of 10 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 June 30, 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 (3)
- $995,701 spent. POLICY AND ORGANIZINGTHE LAND STEWARDSHIP PROJECT'S POLICY ORGANIZING STARTS FROM VALUES LIKE STEWARDSHIP AND JUSTICE AND THEN ORGANIZES PEOPLE, RESOURCES, AND IDEAS TO BUILD THE POWER TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. LSP WORKS AT THE LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL LEVELS TO CHANGE CORPORATE, GOVERNMENTAL, AND INSTITUTIONAL POLICIES AND PRACTICES. KEY HIGHLIGHTS GRASSROOTS ENGAGEMENT: ENGAGED 897 FARMERS AND THEIR RURAL NEIGHBORS IN POLICY AND ORGANIZING CAMPAIGNS THAT ADVANCE OUR COMMUNITY'S VALUES OF STEWARDSHIP AND JUSTICE. STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS: DROVE A NARRATIVE EXPOSING THE ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL HARMS OF INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE AND THE BENEFITS OF A REGENERATIVE FOOD SYSTEM CENTERED ON SMALL AND MID-SIZED FARMERS THROUGH LSP COMMUNICATIONS AND EARNED MEDIA. LSP WAS FEATURED IN LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL NEWS OUTLETS 48 TIMESRAISING PUBLIC AWARENESS OF OUR ISSUE AREAS AND PERSPECTIVESAND GENERATED DOZENS OF COMMUNICATIONS PIECES INCLUDING 33 PODCASTS AND 2 ISSUES OF THE LAND STEWARDSHIP LETTER.
- $777,340 spent. MEMBERSHIP AND COMMUNICATION THE MEMBERSHIP AND COMMUNICATIONS TEAM, WHICH CONDUCTS ONGOING OUTREACH, RECRUITMENT, RENEWAL, FUNDRAISING, AND ENGAGEMENT OF LSP'S MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS. KEY HIGHLIGHTS SUPPORT FOR FARMERS: SUPPORTED 757 FARMERS AT ALL STAGES OF THEIR CAREERS THROUGH WORKSHOPS, FIELD DAY EVENTS, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. THIS INCLUDED PROVIDING SUPPORT AND EDUCATION TO 299 ESTABLISHED FARMERS AND LANDOWNERS TO HELP THEM TRANSITION LAND, IMPLEMENT SOIL HEALTH PRACTICES, AND DEVELOP LEADERSHIP SKILLS. WE ALSO HELPED 458 NEW FARMERS, INCLUDING 24 BIPOC PARTICIPANTS, REACH THEIR FARMING GOALS INCLUDING ACCESSING LAND AND ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE. BASE BUILDING & LEADERSHIP: WELCOMED 529 NEW SUPPORTERSFARMERS, RURAL RESIDENTS, AND FOOD SYSTEM ADVOCATES. MANY BECAME ACTIVE CAMPAIGN LEADERS: 214 TESTIFIED AT THE CAPITOL, SPOKE TO MEDIA, LED LOCAL MEETINGS, AND SHARED THEIR STORIES TO SPOTLIGHT ISSUES. WE SUPPORTED 52 EMERGING FARMER SPOKESPEOPLE TO BUILD CONFIDENCE AND PUBLIC SPEAKING SKILLS.
- $736,142 spent. SOIL HEALTHTHE SOIL HEALTH PROGRAM WORKS WITH FARMERS, LANDOWNERS, NATURAL RESOURCE PROFESSIONALS, AND SCIENTISTS TO PROMOTE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS THAT TREAT SOIL AS A LONG-TERM INVESTMENT THAT CAN RESULT IN A MORE RESILIENT LANDSCAPE, THRIVING FARMS, AND VIBRANT COMMUNITIES. LSP'S FARMER-LED MODEL SUPPORTS LANDSCAPE-LEVEL CHANGE BY DIRECTLY SUPPORTING THE ADOPTION OF REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES THAT REDUCE RUNOFF, REDUCE EMISSIONS, IMPROVE SOIL FERTILITY AND FARM VIABILITY, AND INCREASE THE LAND'S RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF THE EXISTING IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. KEY HIGHLIGHTS FARMER-TO-FARMER LEARNING: FOSTERED PEER LEARNING NETWORKS WHERE REGENERATIVE PRACTICES GROW OUT OF LIVED EXPERIENCE AND MUTUAL TRUST. THESE GROUPS BRING FARMERS TOGETHER TO VISIT EACH OTHER'S OPERATIONS, TROUBLESHOOT CHALLENGES, AND SHARE PRACTICAL, HANDS-ON INSIGHTS. WE SUPPORT FIVE GROUPS, WITH A NEW SMALL GRAINS GROUP LAUNCHING IN FY26. FARMERS REPORT THESE CONVERSATIONS WOULDN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT LSP'S FACILITATION. RESEARCH CONFIRMS PEER NETWORKS ARE ONE OF THE STRONGEST PREDICTORS OF SUSTAINABLE PRACTICE ADOPTION.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 November 6, 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 June 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 December 1984.
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 November 4, 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.