Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Bomazeen Land Trust

EIN 85-3049448 · Portland, ME

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood71 out of 100GovernanceGood86 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE BOMAZEEN LAND TRUST ENABLES DIRECT DESCENDANTS OF THE ABENAKI/WABANAKI PEOPLE TO RENEW AND RESUME THEIR CARETAKING AND STEWARDSHIP ROLES FOR LANDS AND WATERS WITH HISTORICAL, SPIRITUAL, AND ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE TO THE ABENAKI/WABANAKI PEOPLE.

Income
$297,541
Spending
$307,288
Spent on programs
69%
Reserves
8.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
4
Volunteers
155
Highest pay
$45,604, co-executive director/board member

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: 71 out of 100. Higher than 44% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 8.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 3% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 57% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    69% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 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: 86 out of 100. Higher than 73% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    4 of 6 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • 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 (4)
  1. $70,918 spent. THE LAND RETURN PROGRAM SERVES THE WABANAKI COMMUNITY BY FACILITATING PROPERTY TRANSFERS BACK TO THE WABANAKI NATIONS AND/OR COMMUNITY, WHICH OCCUR SOMETIMES AS DIRECT TRANSFERS TO BOMAZEEN LAND TRUST, AND OTHER TIMES AS REDIRECTED TRANSFERS TO THE TRIBAL NATIONS THEMSELVES. IN LIEU OF A PROPERTY TRANSFER, BOMAZEEN LAND TRUST OCCASIONALLY FACILITATES LAND MANAGEMENT AGREEMENTS WITH LANDHOLDERS. SUCCESSFUL TRANSFERS HAVE INCLUDED THREE PROPERTIES IN WABANAKI TERRITORY. SUCCESSFUL LAND USE AGREEMENTS INCLUDE OUR PLANTING GROUNDS WHERE OUR FOOD SOVEREIGNTY PROGRAM OPERATES ON THE SANDY RIVER.
  2. $66,644 spent. THE FOOD SOVEREIGNTY PROGRAM SAW DOZENS OF VOLUNTEERS AND SEVERAL COMMUNITY PLANTING DAYS THROUGHOUT THE WARM SEASON. THE PROGRAM PRODUCED ENOUGH CORN TO HAND OUT FREE CORNMEAL TO THE COMMUNITIES AT SEVERAL COMMUNITY GATHERINGS THROUGHOUT 2024 AND INTO THE SPRING. OTHER CROPS WERE DISTRIBUTED ACCORDING TO NEED.
  3. $36,136 spent. THE CULTURAL TRANSMISSION PROGRAM BROUGHT THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER REPEATEDLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR INCLUDING TWO OUTDOOR WORKSHOPS, TWO SEASONAL CEREMONIES THAT BROUGHT TOGETHER DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND WABANAKI COMMUNITIES, AND MULTIPLE DIPLOMATIC GATHERINGS AMONG COMMUNITY LEADERS.AS A PART OF OUR CULTURAL TRANSMISSION PROGRAM, WE STARTED THE ANCESTRAL KNOWLEDGE INSTITUTE (AKI) GUARDIAN PROGRAM WAS STARTED IN 2024. THE AKI GUARDIAN PROGRAM INITIATIVE SERVES AND EDUCATES LAND STEWARDS THROUGH INTERGENERATIONAL AND INTERTRIBAL COLLABORATION. ITS STRUCTURE IS A COMBINATION OF PEER-TO-PEER MENTORSHIP, ELDER-YOUTH MENTORSHIP, AND GENERAL WORKSHOPS/EXCURSIONS.
  4. $36,855 spent. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAM: EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS TO THE WABANAKI COMMISSION ON LAND AND STEWARDSHIP, EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS TO THE FIRST LIGHT LEARNING JOURNEY COHORT, ONLINE EDUCATION FOR GRANTORS, PARTICIPATION IN FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE GREATER PUBLIC AND THE WABANAKI COMMUNITY, TO FACILITATE BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WABANAKI HISTORY.

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 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 December 2024.

    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 March 2021.

    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.