Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Land Institute

EIN 48-0842156 · Salina, KS

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

WHEN PEOPLE, LAND, AND COMMUNITY ARE AS ONE, ALL THREE MEMBERS PROSPER; WHEN THEY RELATE NOT AS MEMBERS BUT AS COMPETING INTERESTS, ALL THREE ARE EXPLOITED. BY CONSULTING NATURE AS THE SOURCE AND MEASURE OF THAT MEMBERSHIP, THE LAND INSTITUTE SEEKS TO DEVELOP AN AGRICULTURE THAT WILL SAVE SOIL FROM BEING LOST OR POISONED, WHILE PROMOTING A COMMUNITY LIFE AT ONCE PROSPEROUS AND ENDURING.

Income
$10.1 million
Spending
$9.6 million
Spent on programs
78%
Reserves
12.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 76%
Employees
92
Volunteers
12
Highest pay
$218,585, president

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

Strong: 100 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 12.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 7% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 5% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 15% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    78% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 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.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    12 of 14 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 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 (2)
  1. $6.0 million spent. THE LAND INSTITUTE IS DEVELOPING A NEW FARMING SYSTEM, NATURAL SYSTEMS AGRICULTURE (NSA), INCLUDING DEVELOPING NEW PERENNIAL GRAIN CROPS AND DIVERSE CROPPING SYSTEMS THAT PROVIDE THEIR OWN FERTILITY, WEED CONTROL AND WATER MANAGEMENT AND HOLD THE SOIL YEAR-ROUND. NSA RESPONDS TO THE URGENT NEED TO STOP SOIL EROSION AND MITIGATE AND ADAPT TO CLIMATE CHANGE WORLDWIDE.
  2. $1.5 million spent. EDUCATION AND PUBLIC POLICY - WORK THAT FOCUSES ON ENCOURAGING OTHERS TO BECOME MORE ACTIVE IN WORK THAT PROMOTES ECOLOGY AND AGRICULTURE. INCLUDES PUBLICATIONS, COMMUNICATIONS, EDUCATIONAL CONVENING, EVENTS, AND RESEARCH INTO THE EDUCATION, PUBLIC POLICY, AND SOCIAL TRANSFORMATIONS REQUIRED FOR A JUST SOCIETY THAT THRIVES WITHIN ECOLOGICAL LIMITS

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

  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 November 6, 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 June 2025.

    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 February 1977.

    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 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.