The Ojai Valley Land Conservancy
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
WE WORK TO PERMANENTLY PROTECT AND RESTORE THE OPEN SPACE, NATURAL SCENIC BEAUTY, WILDLIFE, HABITAT, AND WATERSHED OF THE OJAI VALLEY FOR CURRENT, AND FUTURE GENERATIONS, TO ENJOY FOREVER.
- Income
- $5.6 million
- Spending
- $3.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 68%
- Reserves
- 49.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 59%
- Employees
- 24
- Volunteers
- 532
- Highest pay
- $129,087, 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 86% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 49.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 43% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 4% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1568% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 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 60% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 13 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 (1)
- $2.1 million spent. OVLC'S CONSERVATION ACTION CONTINUES TO EVOLVE. CLIMATE CHANGE IS FUELING LANDSCAPE-SCALE SHIFTS IN OUR WILDLANDS. REVERSING THESE TRENDS REQUIRES PROACTIVE WORK AT ALL SCALES. WHILE CLIMATE CHANGE IS GLOBAL, CLIMATE RESILIENCE REQUIRES A LOCAL STRATEGY. RESTORING NATIVE ECOSYSTEMS ENHANCES NATURE'S ABILITY TO REBOUND FROM EXTREME CLIMATE EVENTS (HEAT, FIRE, DROUGHT, FLOOD). WHILE OVLC HAS DONE EXTENSIVE WORK PROTECTING AND RESTORING NATIVE OAK WOODLAND AND RIPARIAN HABITATS, WE REALIZE THAT THESE EFFORTS NEED TO EXPAND TO ENHANCE HABITAT AND BUILD CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN PROTECTED LANDS. IT IS THIS UNDERSTANDING THAT HAS LED OVLC TO CONTINUE TO GROW THE REWILD OJAI PROGRAM. OUR GOAL IS TO EMPOWER PRIVATE LANDOWNERS ACROSS A MOSAIC OF LAND-USE TYPES TO RESTORE THEIR LAND FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE. BY TAKING STRATEGIC STEPS TODAY, OVLC CAN BENEFIT THE ECOLOGY OF THE VALLEY FOREVER. INVESTMENTS IN OUR NATURAL CAPITAL ARE NO-REGRETS ACTIONS THAT PROTECT THE ATTRIBUTES THAT MAKE THE OJAI VALLEY SUCH A SPECIAL PLACE.TODAY, OVLC HAS PROTECTED ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF THE VENTURA RIVER AND MANAGES OVER 2,600 ACRES OF OPEN SPACE IN THE OJAI VALLEY. WITHIN THIS GEOGRAPHY, 2,000 ACRES ARE OPEN FOR FREE PUBLIC ACCESS. ON THESE LANDS, OVLC MAINTAINS 27 MILES OF TRAILS, GUIDES HUNDREDS OF VISITORS, AND HOSTS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SCHOOLCHILDREN, HIKERS, EQUESTRIANS, BIKERS, AND MORE EACH YEAR.NOW, NEW THREATS FROM A CHANGING CLIMATE THREATEN THE ECOLOGY, LIVABILITY, AND CHARACTER OF THE OJAI VALLEY. AS THE LEADING CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION IN THE VALLEY, OVLC IS TURNING TO NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS TO RESPOND TO THESE THREATS.WATER:IN THE OJAI VALLEY, WATER IS SCARCER THAN LAND. THE CITY OF VENTURA'S THREATENED ADJUDICATION OF WATER USES AND THE NEW FOCUS ON GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY (TWO ACTIVE GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY AGENCIES HAVE BEEN FORMED) ARE EVIDENCE THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS ALTERING WATER REGIMES AND THREATENING WATER SUPPLIES. THE UNCERTAINTY AROUND OUR ONGOING DROUGHT COUPLED WITH THE COST OF WATER ARE CAUSING FARMERS AND LARGE LANDOWNERS TO CEASE OR CURTAIL THEIR ORCHARD OPERATIONS. OVLC HAS GROWN ITS ABILITY TO INTERVENE IN THE ADJUDICATION WITH LEGAL REPRESENTATION. OVLC IS ACTIVELY SUPPORTING THE MEDIATION PROCESS TOWARDS A PHYSICAL SOLUTION OF THE THREATENED ADJUDICATION.OVLC IS ALSO EXPANDING ITS ROLE IN SUPPORT OF THE REMOVAL OF THE MATILIJA DAM. OVLC ACQUIRED A PARCEL THAT MAY BE INSTRUMENTAL IN MITIGATING DOWNSTREAM RISK TO PRIVATE AND PUBLIC PROPERTY AFTER DAM REMOVAL. OVLC'S COUNSEL IS PLAYING AN INCREASING ROLE IN IDENTIFYING WAYS TO EXPEDITE DAM REMOVAL BY IDENTIFYING NON-STRUCTURAL MEANS TO MITIGATE RISK TO LANDOWNERS.IN ADDITION TO THE SCARCITY OF WATER, THE CHANGING CLIMATE PRESENTS A POTENTIAL INCREASE IN EXTREME RAIN EVENTS WITH HIGH POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING. FOR FLOOD MITIGATION, WE ARE "PLANNING FOR FLOOD DURING THE TIME OF DROUGHT" WITH A FOCUS ON PURSUING SOLUTIONS TO RETAIN WATER AND ATTENUATE FLOWS FROM HEAVY CLIMATE EVENTS. AT OVLC'S PARKWAY PRESERVE WE RECEIVED GRANT FUNDS TO CREATE A PLAN THAT COMBINES FLOOD PROTECTION WITH HABITAT RESTORATION AND PUBLIC ACCESS OBJECTIVES. OVLC WILL SEEK FUNDS TO CONTINUE THE PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION.FOR CENTURIES, BROAD CANOPIES OF NATIVE OAKS SLOWED AND DISPERSED DRENCHING RAINS, REDUCING EROSION AND RUNOFF, WHILE THEIR DEEP ROOTS SANK WATER INTO OUR AQUIFERS. BY RESTORING OAK WOODLANDS IN OUR PRESERVES AND WORKING WITH PRIVATE LANDOWNERS TO RESTORE LAND BACK TO NATIVE HABITAT, WE HOPE TO SHIFT THE ECOSYSTEM BALANCE BACK TOWARD ONE THAT IS BETTER SUITED TO HANDLE EXTREME WATER EVENTS. OVLC HAS ENGAGED WITH SEVERAL PRIVATE LANDOWNERS ON THE RESTORATION OF THEIR LANDS.HABITATS & BIODIVERSITY:OVLC HAS BECOME THE OJAI VALLEY'S LEADER IN RESTORING OUR RIVER AND CREEK HABITATS. OVLC HAS RECEIVED SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDING TO LEAD EFFORTS TO ERADICATE NON-NATIVE GIANT REED AND OTHER INVASIVE PLANTS FROM THE VENTURA RIVER WATERSHED. AS PART OF THIS EFFORT, OVLC HAS RECEIVED FIRST-OF-THEIR-KIND STATE GRANTS TO EXPEDITE RESTORATION PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS. REMOVING NON-NATIVE GIANT REED AND RESTORING NATIVE RIPARIAN VEGETATION RESTORES WATER TO OUR CREEKS, PROVIDES VITAL HABITAT, AND ENHANCES NATURAL FIREBREAKS. OVLC INTENDS TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND ITS ROLE AS THE LEADING ORGANIZATION FOR ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION IN THE OJAI VALLEY.FIRE:OVLC CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THE ADOPTION OF PRESCRIBED FIRE TECHNIQUES IN THE OJAI VALLEY. OVLC HOSTED A 20-ACRE TRAINING AND RESEARCH BROADCAST PRESCRIBED FIRE AT ITS VENTURA RIVER STEELHEAD PRESERVE.OVLC PRESERVESOJAI MEADOWS PRESERVE - ESTABLISHED IN 1999/2000, THIS 58-ACRE PRESERVE CONSISTS OF OAK WOODLAND, GRASSLANDS, AND WETLANDS. THE MEADOWS HAD BEEN HEAVILY DISTURBED BY FARMING, BUT THE OVLC HAS DONE EXTENSIVE RESTORATION TO THE WETLAND AND SURROUNDING LAND. WALKING TRAILS ARE OPEN DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS, THUS CREATING AN IN-TOWN PARKLAND FOR THE PUBLIC. FOUR SCHOOLS ARE ADJACENT TO OR WITHIN A SHORT WALKING DISTANCE OF THE PRESERVE AND TEACHERS USE THE AREA FOR OUTDOOR AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION. SAN ANTONIO CREEK PRESERVE THIS CONSISTS OF TWO SEPARATE PARCELS. A NINE-ACRE PRESERVE ALONG SAN ANTONIO CREEK THAT BOASTS DRAMATIC VIEWS OF SULPHUR MOUNTAIN. THE PROPERTY IS VISITED BY WRITTEN PERMISSION.THE SECOND PARCEL IS A 9.55-ACRE TRACT OF LAND 2.5 MILES DOWNSTREAM ON SAN ANTONIO CREEK. THIS PROPERTY FURTHER PROTECTS THE CREEK FROM INCOMPATIBLE USES. ACCESS IS ALSO LIMITED TO "BY PERMISSION ONLY."VENTURA RIVER-CONFLUENCE PRESERVE - THE VENTURA RIVER CONFLUENCE PRESERVE IS A 13-ACRE PARCEL NAMED FOR ITS LOCATION AT THE MERGING OF THE VENTURA RIVER AND SAN ANTONIO CREEK. LARGE STATURE COTTONWOOD AND SYCAMORES TOWER OVER LUSH UNDERGROWTH, PROVIDING ONE OF THE BEST LOCAL EXAMPLES OF RIPARIAN FOREST. THE RICH RIPARIAN HABITAT IS HOME TO A WIDE VARIETY OF WILDLIFE SUCH AS THE FEDERALLY ENDANGERED CALIFORNIA RED-LEGGED FROG AND SOUTHERN STEELHEAD TROUT. WHILE THIS PRESERVE DOES NOT HAVE AN OFFICIAL TRAIL NETWORK, IT
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 1988.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 2026.
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