Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

High Country Conservation Advocates

EIN 84-0772688 · Crested Butte, CO

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood81 out of 100GovernanceGood75 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

HIGH COUNTRY CONSERVATION ADVOCATES IS A GRASSROOTS NON-PROFIT DEDICATED TO PROTECTING THE HEALTH, INTEGRITY, AND BEAUTY OF THE PUBLIC LANDS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE OF COLORADOS GUNNISON COUNTRY.

Income
$292,270
Spending
$237,196
Spent on programs
63%
Reserves
11.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 97%
Employees
5
Volunteers
10

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

Good: 81 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 11.7 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 19% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 8% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    63% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 75 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 7 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no 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.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 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 (5)
  1. $7,784 spent. WATER PROGRAM Preserving the quantity and quality of water flowing in the rivers and streams of the Upper Gunnison River Basin is critical to maintaining clean drinking water, healthy riparian ecosystems, aquatic life, and recreational and aesthetic values. The High Country Conservation Advocates (HCCA) water program has worked for over thirty years to protect and enhance the water resources of the Gunnison River Basin against threats from trans-mountain diversion, mining pollution, overuse and mismanagement. We engage with water users at the local level to generate good water management and regulations to protect water quality.
  2. $110,217 spent. PUBLIC LANDS PROGRAM From high rugged mountain faces to rolling sage brush flats, HCCA works to ensure that these special places are protected and conserved. For nearly 50 years, the Public Lands Program has played a key role in local and regional stakeholder groups,advocating for conservation within forest management, watershed planning, wildfire protection, tourism, and drought resilience efforts. HCCA advocates for conservation solutions to elected officials, government decisions makers and staff, other interested organizations, and the local community using a spectrum of tools from direct relationships, to participation in community planning processes, writing formal letters, and by publishing essays in local newspapers. We also lead collaborative efforts like the Gunnison Public Lands Initiative, which has resulted in broad stakeholders consensus to recommend protections for thousands of acres of public land-recommendations now advancing in Congress as part of the Gunnison Outdoor Resources Protection Act.
  3. $31,411 spent. SAVING RED LADY ON AUGUST 29,2024, HCCA achieved a final and historic victory in its 47 year fight to save Mt Emmons (locally known to locals as the Red Lady) from mining. With cooperation Mt Emmons Mining Company(MEMC) and the community, HCCA secured the following (1) an Extinguishment Agreement for the Mineral and Development Rights on 885 acres of MEMC private land on Red Lady; (2) MEMC relinquished over 1100 mining claims on public lands in Gunnison County; (3)in a Land Exchange, MEMC exchanged several properties with the USFS that would be intergral for any future mine and those properties are now public lands; (4) the Thompson Divide/Mt Emmons Mineral Withdrawal prohibits new mining for twenty years on Red Ladys public land.
  4. $920 spent. STEWARDSHIP-HCCAs Stewardship Program works collaboratively with land management agencies and community organizations to address climate resiliency through the coordination of on the ground stewardship projects. These volunteer driven projects connect and educate the local community through restoring the health and ecological resiliency of our shared public lands.
  5. STEWARDSHIP-HCCAs Stewardship Program works collaboratively 920. 0. 21220.

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 November 6, 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 2024.

    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 October 1979.

    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 November 4, 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.