Triangle Land Conservancy Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TRIANGLE LAND CONSERVANCY (TLC) STRIVES TO CREATE A HEALTHIER AND MORE VIBRANT TRIANGLE REGION BY SAFEGUARDING CLEAN WATER, PROTECTING NATURAL HABITATS, SUPPORTING LOCAL FARMS, AND CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH NATURE THROUGH LAND PROTECTION AND (CONT. ON SCHED. O) STEWARDSHIP, CATALYZING COMMUNITY ACTION, AND COLLABORATION. SINCE 1983, TLC HAS PROTECTED OVER 25,195 ACRES, INCLUDING 170 MILES OF STREAMS, THROUGH ACQUISITIONS AND CONSERVATION EASEMENTS IN CHATHAM, DURHAM, JOHNSTON, LEE, ORANGE, AND WAKE COUNTIES IN NORTH CAROLINA. TLC OWNS AND MANAGES 8 PRESERVES WITH 54 MILES OF TRAIL ACROSS THE REGION OPEN TO THE PUBLIC DAILY.
- Income
- $26.1 million
- Spending
- $5.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 68%
- Reserves
- Over 10 years of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 73%
- Employees
- 42
- Volunteers
- 553
- Highest pay
- $152,854, executive director
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
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover more than ten years of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 79% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 25% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1568% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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. Higher than 36% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2517 of 17 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 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 (3)
- $1.6 million spent. FOUNDED IN 1983, TRIANGLE LAND CONSERVANCY (TLC) IS AN ACCREDITED LAND TRUST THAT CONSERVES LAND IN THE SIX-COUNTY TRIANGLE REGION OF NORTH CAROLINA THROUGH LAND PURCHASES, CONSERVATION EASEMENTS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS. IN 2018, TLC SET A GOAL TO STRATEGICALLY AND PERMANENTLY PROTECT AND STEWARD 25,000 ACRES OF LAND ACROSS THE TRIANGLE BY 2025, WHICH IMPLIED DOUBLING THE PACE OF OUR CONSERVATION WORK. WE EXCEEDED THIS GOAL A YEAR EARLY AND TLC HAS NOW PROTECTED 26,557 ACRES. DESPITE LAND BECOMING MORE EXPENSIVE AND DISAPPEARING QUICKLY, WE ARE NOT SLOWING DOWN OUR WORK TO CONSERVE AND CARE FOR LAND. AS THE NORTH CAROLINA POPULATION CONTINUES TO GROW, TLC WILL CONTINUE TO CONSERVE THE ECONOMIC, ECOLOGICAL, AND SOCIAL BENEFITS THAT OUR OPEN SPACES AND NATURAL LANDS PROVIDE. TLC IS PROUD TO BE PART OF THE NETWORK OF ACCREDITED LAND TRUSTS ACROSS THE COUNTY THAT WORK TO CONSERVE AND PROTECT LAND AND MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES MORE CLIMATE RESILIENT. CONSERVATION STRATEGIES:IN FY 2025, TLC PROTECTED 1,447 ACRES OF PRIORITY CONSERVATION LAND, BRINGING OUR TOTAL TO 26,557 ACRES, SURPASSING OUR 2025 GOAL BY 1,557 ACRES. TLC NOW STEWARDS OVER 7,800 ACRES ACROSS 96 OWNED PROPERTIES AND PROTECTS 11,170 ACRES THROUGH 193 CONSERVATION EASEMENTS. EACH OF THESE CONSERVATION PROPERTIES SUPPORT AT LEAST TWO OF THE FOUR BENEFITS THAT TLC PRIORITIZES: SAFEGUARDING CLEAN WATER, LOCAL FARMS AND FOODS, NATURAL HABITAT, AND CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH NATURE. CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ARE LEGAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN A LANDOWNER AND A LAND TRUST THAT LIMIT USES OF THE LAND IN ORDER TO PROTECT ITS CONSERVATION VALUES IN PERPETUITY. SPECIFIC TERMS OF INDIVIDUAL EASEMENTS VARY, BUT IN GENERAL THEY LIMIT FUTURE DEVELOPMENT. IN FY25 TLC CLOSED 13 EASEMENTS THAT PROTECT 631 ACRES, INCLUDING SIX AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION EASEMENTS WHICH PROTECT A MIX OF TRADITIONAL ROW CROPS, PRODUCE PRODUCTION AND SUSTAINABLY MANAGED FORESTS. TLC CONTINUED TO DEVELOP THE GOOD GROUND INITIATIVE (GGI) PROGRAM THROUGH COLLABORATIONS WITH PARTNERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND IS WORKING TO TRANSFER PROPERTIES IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
- $1.4 million spent. STEWARDSHIP: AS TLC PROTECTS MORE LAND, OUR STEWARDSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES CONTINUE TO INCREASE. AS OF FY25 TLC HOLDS 193 CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ON 11,170 ACRES AND OWNS 7,873 ACRES OF LAND. AS AN ACCREDITED LAND TRUST, ALL 19,043 ACRES MUST BE MONITORED AND STEWARDED BY TLC STAFF ANNUALLY TO ENSURE THAT THE EASEMENT TERMS ARE NOT VIOLATED AND THE CONSERVATION VALUES OF OWNED PROPERTIES ARE BEING MAINTAINED. IN ADDITION TO OVER 240 HOURS OF STAFF TIME SPENT MONITORING, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE ENLISTED AND TRAINED VOLUNTEERS THAT HELP TO MONITOR PROPERTIES. AFTER COMPLETING A TRAINING PROGRAM, VOLUNTEERS USE A MONITORING AND MAPPING APP AND GO ON AT LEAST ONE MONITORING VISIT WITH A TLC STAFF MEMBER BEFORE BEING ELIGIBLE TO MONITOR EASEMENTS ON THEIR OWN. IN FY25 TRAINED VOLUNTEERS CONTRIBUTED 223 HOURS TO MONITOR 53 OF TLCS EASEMENTS. TLC CONTINUES TO MAINTAIN 54 MILES OF TRAIL (28 FOR HIKING AND 26 MULTI-USE TRAILS) AT OUR PUBLIC NATURE PRESERVES, WHICH WERE USED BY ROUGHLY 120,000 PEOPLE IN FY25. BRUMLEY AND WILLIAMSON PRESERVES CONTINUED TO SEE INCREASED USAGE, WITH AROUND 75,000 AND 30,000 ANNUAL VISITORS, RESPECTIVELY. TLC'S STEWARDSHIP STAFF ALSO WORK TO MAINTAIN, RESTORE AND IMPROVE HABITAT ON TLC LAND BY REMOVING INVASIVE SPECIES, PLANTING NATIVE PLANTS, AND CONDUCTING PRESCRIBED BURNS. IN FY25 TLC CARRIED OUT THREE PRESCRIBED BURNS, AND CONTINUED TO WORK WITH A NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS TO MAINTAIN TRAILS AND REMOVE INVASIVE PLANTS, AS WELL AS HELP WITH STORM CLEANUP FOLLOWING A SET OF DAMAGING SUMMER STORMS INCLUDING TROPICAL STORM CHANTAL. TLC CONTINUED IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FARM PLAN AT WILLIAMSON PRESERVE AND HOSTS FIVE FARM PARTNERS, WHO USE REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE TECHNIQUES TO SUPPORT PERENNIAL AND ANNUAL CROPS, LIVESTOCK, AND A NATIVE TREE NURSERY. IN FY25, THE KAREN COMMUNITY FARM, WHO TLC HAS BEEN PARTNERING WITH FOR THREE YEARS AS PART OF A REFUGEE AGRICULTURAL PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM GRANT, BEGAN TRANSITIONING THEIR OPERATIONS TO WILLIAMSON.
- $579,189 spent. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: STARTED AS A VOLUNTEER-LED ORGANIZATION, TLC PRIDES ITSELF ON CONTINUING TO WORK WITH VOLUNTEERS WHO HELP WITH ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS FOR OUR ORGANIZATION. THESE VOLUNTEERS LEVERAGE STAFF EFFORTS AND HELP US REACH OUR GOALS TO CONSERVE WILD AND WORKING LANDS, AND WORKING WITH THEM ALSO ALLOWS US TO ENGAGE MORE PEOPLE OUTDOORS. IN FY25, WE LOGGED 553 VOLUNTEERS WHO DEDICATED 4,461 HOURS TO HELP US MAINTAIN OUR TRAILS, LEAD AND ASSIST WITH EVENTS AND TRAIL HIKES; THEY SERVED ON OUR BOARD AND MULTIPLE COMMITTEES, PULLED INVASIVE PLANTS, HELPED REPAIR BRIDGES, AND SO MUCH MORE!TLC HELD 91 EVENTS IN FY25, ENGAGING 2,683 PEOPLE. IN ADDITION TO GUIDED TRAIL HIKES AND THEMED HIKES (BIRDING, PLANT ID, ETC), THESE INCLUDED EVENTS HELD IN TANDEM WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS, LIKE OUR "FRIDAY UNDER THE STARS AND "MOTH NIGHT" SERIES HELD AT TLC PRESERVES WITH THE RALEIGH ASTRONOMY CLUB AND BACKYARD BUTTERFLIES, RESPECTIVELY. IN FY25 WE ALSO HELD A WILD IDEAS EVENT AT THE NC BOTANIC GARDEN, WITH "HABITATS: OUR HOME" AS THE THEME. THE WILD IDEAS SERIES PROVIDES AN ENGAGING VENUE FOR EXPERTS AND THE COMMUNITY TO SHARE INNOVATIVE IDEAS TO IMPROVE LIVES THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION BY SAFEGUARDING CLEAN WATER, PROTECTING WILDLIFE HABITAT, SUPPORTING LOCAL FARMS AND FOOD, AND CONNECTING PEOPLE TO NATURE.IN FY25, TLC'S PATHWAYS INTO NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS AND SCIENCE (PINES) FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM COMPLETED ITS FOURTH SUCCESSFUL YEAR, WELCOMING A COHORT OF 11 FIRST-TIME AND RETURNING STUDENTS FROM KNIGHTDALE HIGH SCHOOL TO LEARN ABOUT AND EXPLORE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN THE OUTDOORS. TO DATE, 22 STUDENTS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE PINES FELLOWSHIP, AND ALL 14 WHO HAVE FINISHED THE PROGRAM HAVE ALSO GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND GONE ON TO PURSUE STEM STUDIES. IN FY25 WE CONTINUED LAST YEAR'S SUCCESSFUL STEWARDSHIP INTERN PROGRAM FOR TWO PINES GRADUATES WHO WORKED WITH TLC STAFF OVER THE SUMMER AT OUR PRESERVES.
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
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 June 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 July 1983.
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.
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