Mountaintrue
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
MountainTrues Mission Statement: MountainTrue champions resilient forests, clean waters, and healthy communities across the Southern Blue Ridge.
- Income
- $5.1 million
- Spending
- $3.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 87%
- Reserves
- 5.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 70%
- Employees
- 24
- Volunteers
- 380
- Highest pay
- $94,409, director
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
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 59% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 9% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 30% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 108% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1587% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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 2513 of 13 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)
- $3.1 million spent. Public Lands Our Public Lands program protects and restores the commons of the Southern Blue Ridge for sustainable public use. We continue to fight to amend or revise the flawed forest plan for Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests while we organize and mobilize the public to protect public land. -MountainTrue, with other conservation groups, filed three lawsuits against the US Forest Service: 1) Southside Timber Project - We challenged a 15-acre stand as incompatible with the newly adopted Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Plan then reached an agreement that resulted in the Forest Service abandoning logging at that site. 2)Sued for violations of the Endangered Species Act related to endangered forest bats 3)We sued for not considering the carbon impacts related to timber targets. -Hosted our annual bioblitz in the Nolichucky Gorge. -Recruited volunteers to remove invasive plants from public land. -Re-treated 338 ash trees along the Appalachian Trail.
- Healthy Communities Our Healthy Communities Team advocates for patterns of growth that promote vibrant communities and protect the rural character and natural assets of the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains. We appreciate that the natural and built environments are interconnected. To keep our communities safe from pollution and protect our forests from sprawl, MountainTrue advocates for sustainable development. - The Neighbors for More Neighbors program is hitting its stride. - Implementing Buncombe Countys Comprehensive Plan. - Protecting Madison Countys residential communities and ridgetops. - Protecting water quality and reducing sprawl in Henderson County. . Creation Care Alliance of WNC (CCA) The Creation Care Alliance (CCA) unites people of faith from across the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains to care for Gods creation by fostering a deeper love for our planet and our neighbors. Our program educates and mobilizes congregations throughout the region, providing them with action alerts, lobbying opportunities, and avenues to address climate change.
- Water Our water team protects the French Broad, Watauga, New, Green, Broad, Little Tennessee, Savannah, and Hiwassee River basins by tracking and reporting sewer leaks, straight pipes, pollution sources, and negative impacts from agriculture and development. We fix water quality problems through policy advocacy, funding solutions, project-based approaches, and litigation when necessary. -We joined a petition asking the EPA to withdraw state authority over discharge permits. -Administered over $400,000 in funding from NC DHHS to repair 34 residential septic systems for low-income families across WNC. -Followed up on 62 pollution reports, identified 12 sources of pollution, monitored 96 Swim Guide sites, and collected 1,383 E. coli samples. -Secured over $40,000 in funding to establish additional real-time E. coli monitoring sites. -Improved and expanded the French Broad Paddle Trail to provide better recreation opportunities, deepen the publics connection to the outdoors, and foster more environmental advocates. -Continued building a broader coalition of environmental advocates by engaging communities of color in more outdoor activities. With continued support from Made X Mountains Outdoor Equity Fund, we led four no-cost paddling trips on the French Broad River. -Treated 62 hemlock trees in the Green River Gorge. -Conducted monthly water sampling and seasonal biomonitoring with volunteers. -Surveyed farmers about the impacts of climate change and created WNC Farmer Resource Guide. -In partnership with American Rivers and USFWS, the Watauga Riverkeeper led efforts to remove Shulls Mill Dam, restoring 78 miles of aquatic connectivity in the Watauga Basin. - Watauga Riverkeeper and researchers from Appalachian State University relocated 8 Eastern Hellbenders to the site of the Wards Mill Dam which was successfully removed in 2021. - Planted more than 20,000 livestakes. These livestakes will grow into trees and shrubs that prevent sediment and nutrient runoff into local waterways. Planting sites include the Wards Mill Dam Removal site. - Completely controlled a ~150-acre invasive parrot feather infestation in the south end of Lake Chatuge in Towns County, GA. - Expanded our Swim Guide and volunteer microplastics water quality monitoring programs again in the Little Tennessee River Basin. - Opposed plans by Macon County Commissioners to rollback protections in their Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control, Watershed Protection, and Flood Damage Prevention ordinances. Lobbying, Advocacy & Community Engagement A foundational aspect of our work is to increase civic engagement by conservation- minded people in WNC. To that end, we continue our full-time presence at the General Assembly and engage people through organizing and issue advocacy. - Lobbied the General Assembly during its short session for funding and legislation to benefit WNCs environment. - Generated 9,435 letters to decision-makers through 27 action alerts across our region and collected over 3,312 signatures on petitions. - Continued offering meaningful connections to the outdoors through our Guided Adventures. - Engaged 3,860 people to take action, sign petitions, and contact their representatives as part of our Plastic-Free WNC campaign.
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 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 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 1985.
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.