Upstate Forever
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
UPSTATE FOREVER IS A CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION WITH A MISSION TO PROTECT CRITICAL LANDS, WATERS, AND THE UNIQUE CHARACTER OF THE UPSTATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
- Income
- $7.3 million
- Spending
- $7.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 91%
- Reserves
- 5.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 67%
- Employees
- 32
- Volunteers
- 312
- Highest pay
- $143,670, executive di
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 74 out of 100. Higher than 43% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 6% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 84% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1591% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 42% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2518 of 18 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
0 of 10Did not give 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, 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 (5)
- $5.2 million spent. AS OF DEC 31, 2025, THE UPSTATE FOREVER LAND CONSERVATION PROGRAM IS ACCREDITED BY THE LAND TRUST ACCREDITATION COMMISSION AND HAS PROTECTED 34,872 ACRES THROUGH 183 CONSERVATION EASEMENTS IN THE UPSTATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 30% OF THE EASEMENTS PROVIDE PUBLIC ACCESS AND 24% ARE WORKING FARMS. IN 2025, UPSTATE FOREVER HELPED TO PRESERVE 12 PROJECTS TOTALING ABOUT 2,767 ACRES AND CONTINUES THEIR LAND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM TO HELP RESTORE HABITAT ON CONSERVATION EASEMENT PROPERTIES.
- $427,324 spent. IN 2025, THE CLEAN WATER PROGRAM COLLABORATED WITH DRINKING WATER UTILITIES AS WELL AS LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL PARTNERS TO INSTALL A VARIETY OF BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES TO REDUCE WATER POLLUTION AND PERMANENTLY PROTECTING LAND IN THE TYGER RIVER WATERSHED IN GREENVILLE AND SPARTANBURG COUNTIES AND THE THREE AND TWENTY CREEK WATERSHED IN ANDERSON AND PICKENS COUNTIES, SOUTH CAROLINA. THE PROGRAM ALSO INITIATED THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SOURCE WATER PROTECTION PLAN FOR THE ROCKY RIVER WATERSHED IN ANDERSON AND ABBEVILLE COUNTIES, SOUTH CAROLINA. THE CLEAN WATER PROGRAM ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE STATE WATER PLAN BY SERVING ON THE SALUDA AND UPPER SAVANNAH RIVER BASIN COUNCILS TO DEVELOP A SUSTAINABLE AND EQUITABLE WATER RESOURCE ALLOCATION PLANS FOR THESE BASINS. THE PROGRAM ALSO SERVED ON THE BOARDS OF THE ANDERSON WATER COUNCIL, LAKE KEOWEE SOURCE WATER PROTECTION TEAM, THE LAKE HARTWELL PARTNERS FOR CLEAN WATER AND PARTNERED WITH THE REEDY RIVER WATER QUALITY GROUP TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY THROUGH LOCAL ADVOCACY, EDUCATION, AND PROJECT ENGAGEMENT. IN 2025, THE CLEAN WATER PROGRAM COLLABORATED WITH DRINKING WATER UTILITIES AS WELL AS LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL PARTNERS TO INSTALL A VARIETY OF BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES TO REDUCE WATER POLLUTION AND PERMANENTLY PROTECTING LAND IN THE TYGER RIVER WATERSHED IN GREENVILLE AND SPARTANBURG COUNTIES AND THE THREE AND TWENTY CREEK WATERSHED IN ANDERSON AND PICKENS COUNTIES, SOUTH CAROLINA. THE PROGRAM ALSO INITIATED THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SOURCE WATER PROTECTION PLAN FOR THE ROCKY RIVER WATERSHED IN ANDERSON AND ABBEVILLE COUNTIES, SOUTH CAROLINA. THE CLEAN WATER PROGRAM ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE STATE WATER PLAN BY SERVING ON THE SALUDA AND UPPER SAVANNAH RIVER BASIN COUNCILS TO DEVELOP A SUSTAINABLE AND EQUITABLE WATER RESOURCE ALLOCATION PLANS FOR THESE BASINS. THE PROGRAM ALSO SERVED ON THE BOARDS OF THE ANDERSON WATER COUNCIL, LAKE KEOWEE SOURCE WATER PROTECTION TEAM, THE LAKE HARTWELL PARTNERS FOR CLEAN WATER AND PARTNERED WITH THE REEDY RIVER WATER QUALITY GROUP TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY THROUGH LOCAL ADVOCACY, EDUCATION, AND PROJECT ENGAGEMENT.
- $291,289 spent. IN 2025, LAND PLANNING AND POLICY STAFF ENGAGED WITH LOCAL ELECTED AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS AND GOVERNMENT STAFF ON ISSUES RELATED TO SMARTER LAND DEVELOPMENT, WITH A PRIMARY FOCUS ON ADVANCING POLICIES THAT IMPLEMENT CITY AND COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLANS.THEY PARTNERED ON EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY EFFORTS WITH TRANSIT AND HOUSING ADVOCATES AND FACILITATED A CITIZENS PLANNING ACADEMY TO EDUCATE RESIDENTS ON LOCAL LAND USE POLICIES AND AVENUES TO INFLUENCE DECISION-MAKING. SOCIAL MEDIA AND DEDICATED EMAIL LISTS WERE USED TO ENGAGE AND ACTIVATE RESIDENTS. THE ORGANIZATION SUPPORTED THE ADOPTION OF A NEW CITY OF GREENVILLE DEVELOPMENT CODE, A UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE IN THE CITY OF GREER, A NEW ZONING ORDINANCE IN THE CITY OF WOODRUFF, AND AN IMPROVED TREE AND LANDSCAPING ORDINANCE IN THE CITY OF ANDERSON. CITIZENS WERE MOBILIZED TO INFLUENCE THE CITY OF GREENVILLE'S PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT CODE AND TO ADVANCE STRENGTHENED REQUIREMENTS FOR RIPARIAN BUFFERS IN GREENVILLE COUNTY. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO PARTICIPATED IN OTHER LOCAL PLANNING AND POLICY EFFORTS IN THE CITY OF SPARTANBURG AND SPARTANBURG COUNTY. IN 2025, LAND PLANNING AND POLICY STAFF ENGAGED WITH LOCAL ELECTED AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS AND GOVERNMENT STAFF ON ISSUES RELATED TO SMARTER LAND DEVELOPMENT, WITH A PRIMARY FOCUS ON ADVANCING POLICIES THAT IMPLEMENT CITY AND COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLANS.THEY PARTNERED ON EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY EFFORTS WITH TRANSIT AND HOUSING ADVOCATES AND FACILITATED A CITIZENS PLANNING ACADEMY TO EDUCATE RESIDENTS ON LOCAL LAND USE POLICIES AND AVENUES TO INFLUENCE DECISION-MAKING. SOCIAL MEDIA AND DEDICATED EMAIL LISTS WERE USED TO ENGAGE AND ACTIVATE RESIDENTS. THE ORGANIZATION SUPPORTED THE ADOPTION OF A NEW CITY OF GREENVILLE DEVELOPMENT CODE, A UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE IN THE CITY OF GREER, A NEW ZONING ORDINANCE IN THE CITY OF WOODRUFF, AND AN IMPROVED TREE AND LANDSCAPING ORDINANCE IN THE CITY OF ANDERSON. CITIZENS WERE MOBILIZED TO INFLUENCE THE CITY OF GREENVILLE'S PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT CODE AND TO ADVANCE STRENGTHENED REQUIREMENTS FOR RIPARIAN BUFFERS IN GREENVILLE COUNTY. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO PARTICIPATED IN OTHER LOCAL PLANNING AND POLICY EFFORTS IN THE CITY OF SPARTANBURG AND SPARTANBURG COUNTY.
- $1.0 million spent. OTHER WORK OF UPSTATE FOREVER INCLUDES ADVOCACY FOR PROJECTS THAT IMPACT THE UPSTATE COMMUNITY INCLUDING THE PARTNERSHIP TO ADVANCE THE SALUDA GRADE RAIL TRAIL PROJECT, ADMINISTRATION OF THE UPSTATE LAND CONSERVATION FUND (ULCF), THE ENERGY AND STATE POLICY PROGRAM THAT MAINTAINS A LEGISLATIVE FOCUS OF KEEPING UPSTATE CITIZENS AWARE OF ISSUES THAT AFFECT DAILY LIFE, AND THE HEALTH OF THE UPSTATE COMMUNITY.
- OTHER WORK OF UPSTATE FOREVER INCLUDES ADVOCACY FOR PROJECTS THAT IMPACT THE UPSTATE COMMUNITY INCLUDING THE PARTNERSHIP TO ADVANCE THE SALUDA GRADE RAIL TRAIL PROJECT, ADMINISTRATION OF THE UPSTATE LAND CONSERVATION FUND (ULCF), THE ENERGY AND STATE POLICY PROGRAM THAT MAINTAINS A LEGISLATIVE FOCUS OF KEEPING UPSTATE CITIZENS AWARE OF ISSUES THAT AFFECT DAILY LIFE, AND THE HEALTH OF THE UPSTATE COMMUNITY.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 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 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 1998.
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.