Open Space Institute Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
OSI PROTECTS LAND FOR CLEAN DRINKING WATER, PUBLIC RECREATION, HEALTHY COMMUNITIES, AND WILDLIFE HABITAT; AND TO CONSERVE INTACT FORESTS AND FLOODPLAINS THAT CAPTURE AND STORE CARBON AND PROTECT AGAINST INCREASINGLY DANGEROUS WEATHER EVENTS.
- Income
- $6.9 million
- Spending
- $3.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 60%
- Reserves
- -1.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 90%
- Employees
- 86
- Volunteers
- 27
- Highest pay
- $403,844, executive vice president
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
Weak: 43 out of 100. Higher than 7% 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
5 of 20It owes 68% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 47% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 17% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1560% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 18 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 2527 of 27 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 (2)
- $2.1 million spent. CONSERVATION COMMUNITIES: OPEN SPACE INSTITUTE, INC. (OSI) SUPPORTS GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS AND PROMOTES THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS WITHIN THE FIELD OF CONSERVATION. ITS CITIZEN ACTION PROGRAM SUPPORTS NEWLY FORMED LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS, 31 GROUPS IN 2024. THE MALCOLM GORDON CHARITABLE FUND AWARDS GRANTS TO NONPROFITS WITHIN THE HUDSON VALLEY REGION AND PROVIDED NINE GRANTS IN 2024. WHILE THE GEOGRAPHIC AND MISSION ALIGNED BARNABAS MCHENRY HUDSON RIVER VALLEY AWARDS PROGRAM PROVIDES GRANTS TO STUDENTS WHO ARE ACTIVELY WORKING TO IMPROVE THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES, SIX GRANTS WERE AWARDED IN 2024. LIKEWISE, OSI'S CONSERVATION FELLOWSHIP ENCOURAGES YOUNG LEADERS TO PURSUE CAREERS IN CONSERVATION.
- $72,292 spent. THROUGH ITS SUPPORTING ORGANIZATION, THE OPEN SPACE INSTITUTE LAND TRUST (OSILT), OSI SAVES LAND TO PROTECT WATER SOURCES; CREATE AND MAKE PUBLIC LAND MORE INVITING FOR ALL; MAINTAIN HEALTHY FORESTS; MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF EXTREME WEATHER; PROVIDE WILDLIFE HABITAT; AND STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES. WORKING ACROSS THE EASTERN UNITED STATES, OSILT ACHIEVES THESE GOALS THROUGH FACILITATED LARGE-SCALE CONSERVATION PROJECTS; DIRECT ACQUISITION AND CONSERVATION EASEMENTS; AND GRANTS AND LOANS. IN 2024, OSILT PROTECTED 12,084 ACRES WITH A FAIR MARKET VALUE OF $80.59 MILLION AND MADE 23 CAPITAL GRANTS TOTALING $3.7 MILLION, PROTECTING 6,878 ACRES IN SEVEN STATES WITH A FAIR MARKET VALUE OF $37.9 MILLION. FURTHER, OSI DIRECTLY APPROVED EIGHT GRANTS FOR CONSERVATION PLANNING TOTALING $109,275.
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 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 October 13, 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 December 2024.
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 January 1966.
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 October 21, 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.