Mainspring Conservation Trust Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To conserve unique and special places in the heart of the Southern Blue Ridge for the benefit of all.
- Income
- $6.7 million
- Spending
- $5.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 95%
- Reserves
- 5.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 71%
- Employees
- 19
- Volunteers
- 185
- Highest pay
- $109,317, executive 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 5.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 10% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 13% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 102% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1595% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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 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)
- $5.5 million spent. LAND In 2024, Mainspring completed sixteen land transactions, protecting 1528 acres in Western North Carolina. - Two fee simple donations of property received & three fee simple land acquisitions - Three sales of conserved land, one to the USFS and two to the NC Wildlife Resources Commission - Four CEs donations received & two CEs purchased with grant and private funding - Two CEs sold to the NC Land and Water Fund By the end of 2024, Mainspring was responsible for monitoring 105 conservation easements totaling 16,184 acres. It owned 32 properties in fee simple, or 3,468 acres; 1,946 acres on 14 Mainspring properties were also under conservation easement. Volunteers contributed more than 725 hours to help improve the landscape through habitat management and recreational improvements.
- WATER As part of Mainsprings restoration program, Mainspring finished construction on a large wetland-complex project and conducted a feasibility study on six sites for potential restoration. Mainspring also held about 60 events around water, targeted at either youth education, citizen science, or community engagement.
- CULTURAL HERITAGE Mainspring continued its efforts to conserve significant cultural heritage areas and to facilitate enhanced management and non-invasive research to better understand these resources. Through partnership with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Western Carolina University, the Cherokee Preservation Foundation, the NC Trail of Tears Association, and others, work continues to identify culturally significant unprotected sites and ensure they are conserved.
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 August 1999.
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.