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Swan Conservation Trust

EIN 62-1533892 · Summertown, TN

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthNot ratedToo small or too little detailGovernanceStrong91 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

To preserve, protect and restore native hardwood forests and scenic natural areas, biodiversity, wildlife habitat, and water quality on the Western Highland Rim of Tennessee. Each of its 3 programs are based on this mission statement.

Income
$92,476
Spending
$27,677
Spent on programs
63%
Reserves
99.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 76%
Employees
0
Volunteers
36

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

We do not score finances when yearly spending is very small or the return has too little detail. The ratios stop meaning much at that size.

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: 91 out of 100. Higher than 83% of charities in its peer group (environment, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 10 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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)
  1. $12,862 spent. Swan Trusts Preservation Program includes land acquisitions, accepting gifts of land, and the preparation, filing, and monitoring of conservation easements. Swan Trust holds three conservation easements, which are monitored annually by volunteers. Volunteers perform all the work on grant proposals, easements, stewardship, and monitoring of the 1,500-acre Big Swan Headwaters Preserve and the 100-acre Highland Woods Preserve. The 25-acre Langford Branch State Natural Area is cooperatively managed with the State of Tennessee. In 2024, Swan Trust began work on the Nashville Highland Rim Forest project (NHRF). The NHRF project promotes conservation easements to link a 50,000-acre forest corridor between existing parks in Nashville, Tennessee to protect water and air quality in Nashville and promote wildlife conservation. This included promoting conservation easements with landowners, and preparing/funding conservation easements.
  2. $3,367 spent. Swan Trusts Protection Program includes educational outreach to promote protection of Tennessees Western Highland Rim through plant, bird, arthropod, and amphibian identification hikes, annual newsletters, and childrens environmental programs. It also includes scientific research by colleges and universities. In 2024, Tennessee State University graduate students began surveying creeks on Big Swan Headwaters Preserve for the State-endangered Hellbender Salamander. Swan Trust provided 8 events between April and September with experts in botany, biology, ecology, ornithology, and biodiversity for public education. A calendar of these events was printed and mailed to 600 residents of Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama and posted on the website. Two additional events were held to pick up litter in order to keep it out of streams and the Langford Branch State Natural Area. In 2024, Swan Trusts volunteer biologist met with students in a local school on fifteen occasions to perform fall seed collections and spring seed planting, to explore a wetland, to sample creek macroinvertebrates, and to begin birdwatching skills. Swan Trust volunteers provided tubs of macroinvertebrates from Big Swan Creek at the Hohenwald October Heritage Festival to teach children about biodiversity and water quality.
  3. $1,165 spent. Swan Trusts Restoration Program includes elimination of invasive plant species and stewardship of all its properties. In 2024, volunteers worked on the Star Branch land purchased in 2022 to eliminate invasive plant species on August 8 and September 19, 2024. All labor and equipment were provided free of charge.

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since March 1994.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.