Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Land Trust for Tennessee Inc

EIN 62-1770549 · Nashville, TN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO CONSERVE THE UNIQUE CHARACTER OF TENNESSEE'S NATURAL AND HISTORIC LANDSCAPES AND SITES FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

Income
$5.0 million
Spending
$2.3 million
Spent on programs
55%
Reserves
37.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 90%
Employees
22
Volunteers
650
Highest pay
$186,318, president/ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 37.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 54% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 135% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    55% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, 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 25

    16 of 17 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

    7 of 7

    Has a 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.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 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 (1)
  1. $1.3 million spent. CONSERVATION SUCCESS: DURING FISCAL YEAR 2025, THE ORGANIZATION COMPLETED 9 NEW PROJECTS, PROTECTING 938 ADDITIONAL ACRES OF LAND IN TENNESSEE. SIX OF THESE PROPERTIES WERE PROTECTED WITH CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, THE ORGANIZATION'S PRIMARY TOOL FOR CONSERVING LAND, AND TWO WERE AMENDMENTS TO ADD 22.91 AND 86 ACRES OF LAND TO EXISTING CONSERVATION EASEMENTS. ONE WAS A FEE-SIMPLE ACQUISITION TO EXPAND AN EXISTING PROPERTY THE ORGANIZATION OWNS. THREE OF THE NINE PROJECTS ARE LOCATED IN ONE OF THE ORGANIZATION'S TEN CONSERVATION OPPORTUNITY REGIONS (CORS), WHICH ARE THE PRIORITY AREAS ESTABLISHED THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION'S STRATEGIC CONSERVATION PLAN FOREVER TENNESSEE. TWO OF THE NINE ARE WITHIN FIVE MILES OF ONE OF THE ORGANIZATION'S CORS. THE PERMANENT PROTECTION OF THESE PROPERTIES RESULTED IN THE PRESERVATION OF 2.4 MILES OF PUBLIC ROAD FRONTAGE AS WELL AS 7.3 MILES OF TENNESSEE'S RIVERS AND STREAMS. AT THE END OF FY25, THE ORGANIZATION HAD PROTECTED A TOTAL OF 136,981.14 ACRES OF LAND THROUGH 457 PROJECTS. STEWARDSHIP: THE ORGANIZATION FULFILLED ITS ANNUAL MONITORING RESPONSIBILITIES IN FY25 THROUGH BOTH IN-PERSON VISITS AND THROUGH SATELLITE IMAGERY. THIS INCLUDES OVER 350 ON-THE GROUND VISITS COMPLETED DURING THE PERIOD OF APRIL 2024-MARCH 2025. MONITORING IS A CRITICAL PART OF THE ORGANIZATION'S COMMITMENT TO UPHOLD ITS PROMISE OF PROTECTING LAND IN PERPETUITY. THE ORGANIZATION'S STEWARDSHIP STAFF ALSO HANDLED HUNDREDS OF OTHER STEWARDSHIP ITEMS INCLUDING ACTIVITY REQUESTS, APPROVALS, EASEMENT INTERPRETATIONS, AND PROPERTY TRANSFERS. FUNDRAISING: LTTN BUILT UPON PRIOR YEARS OF STRONG FUNDRAISING EVENT SUCCESSES, ENJOYING RECORD LEVELS OF NET INCOME FROM TWO KEY EVENTS: OUR 25TH ANNIVERSARY ONCE IN A BLUE MOON EVENT AND FOREVER TENNESSEE. ONCE IN A BLUE MOON HOSTED NEARLY 700 GUESTS WHO GATHERED TO CELEBRATE OUR GOVERNOR PHIL BREDESEN 25 YEARS AFTER HE AND A GROUP OF THOUGHT-LEADERS FOUNDED THE LAND TRUST FOR TENNESSEE. THE EVENT RAISED $280,000 IN NET INCOME, EXCEEDING THE BUDGETED NET INCOME GOAL BY $75,000. OUR MOST RECENT EVENT, FOREVER TENNESSEE, HELD IN MARCH 2025, HAD A NET INCOME GOAL OF $80,000, AND THE FINAL AMOUNT RAISED MORE THAN DOUBLED OUR GOAL, RAISING A TOTAL OF $165,000 IN NET INCOME FOR THE ORGANIZATION. OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT: THE ORGANIZATION REACHED OVER 1 MILLION PEOPLE THROUGH VARIOUS SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS AND OTHER VIRTUAL OUTREACH METHODS SUCH AS E-NEWSLETTERS, PRESENTATIONS, AND WEBINARS. IN ADDITION, THE ORGANIZATION ENGAGED IN-PERSON AUDIENCES BY ATTENDING AND PRESENTING AT CONFERENCES, TABLING EVENTS, AND HOSTING PROGRAMS AND VOLUNTEER EVENTS AT GLEN LEVEN FARM. THIS INCLUDES FREE MONTHLY COMMUNITY DAYS, VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND COMPANIES, AND TOURS FOR STUDENTS AND GROUPS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending March 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since April 1999.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.