Whidbey-Camano Land Trust
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF THE WHIDBEY CAMANO LAND TRUST IS TO PROTECT, RESTORE AND CREATE ACCESS TO FORESTS, SHORELINES, FARMLANDS AND OTHER HABITATS IN ISLAND COUNTY AND THE SALISH SEA, FOR ECOLOGICAL AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE AND THE BENEFIT OF ALL LIVING THINGS.
- Income
- $9.5 million
- Spending
- $6.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 93%
- Reserves
- -31.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 53%
- Employees
- 21
- Volunteers
- 558
- Highest pay
- $148,561, executive director
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
Fair: 55 out of 100. Higher than 18% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 29% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 24% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1593% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 60% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2510 of 10 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 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)
- $5.4 million spent. LAND PROTECTION:OUR EFFORTS TO PROTECT LAND IN 2024 RESULTED IN EIGHT COMPLETED PROJECTS CONSISTING OF TEN TRANSACTIONS TOTALING 418 ACRES THAT CONSERVED FARMLAND, FOREST, COASTAL BLUFF, SHORELINE AND FORMER ESTUARY. OF THOSE EIGHT PROJECTS, TWO WERE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, FIVE FEE LAND ACQUISITIONS AND ONE FACILITATED FEE LAND ACQUISITION PROJECT. THE LAND TRUST CONTINUED ITS COLLABORATION WITH THE TULALIP TRIBES, ASSISTING WITH A 21-ACRE ADDITION TO TWO PROPERTIES ACQUIRED IN 2023, NOW A CONTIGUOUS 150 ACRES TARGETED FOR FUTURE ESTUARY RESTORATION BENEFITING SALMON RECOVERY. OTHER NOTABLE PROJECTS INCLUDE THE PURCHASE OF 79 ACRES RESULTING IN THE FIRST ACQUISITION IN THE LAND TRUST'S HOLMES HARBOR COMMUNITY FOREST VISION ALONG WITH ACCEPTING A DONATION OF AN 88-ACRE CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON AN EXCEPTIONAL COASTAL PROPERTY ON SOUTH WHIDBEY. THE LAND TRUST ALSO SUBMITTED EIGHT LAND ACQUISITION GRANT APPLICATIONS TOTALING NEARLY $11.5 MILLION, WITH OVER $8 MILLION EXPECTED TO BE APPROVED FOR PROJECTS SLATED FOR COMPLETION IN 2025.
- $539,055 spent. STEWARDSHIP:KEYSTONE PRESERVE WAS A LARGE STEWARDSHIP FOCUS IN 2024 INCLUDING THE CONSTRUCTION OF A VISITOR PARKING LOT AND TRAIL CONSTRUCTION TO FACILITATE FUTURE PUBLIC ACCESS. THE SITE ALSO HAD EXTENSIVE RESTORATION WORK WITH THE GRADING OF A NEW STREAM CHANNEL AND REMOVAL OF SHORELINE BULKHEAD. INITIAL WORK ON ALMOST 15 ACRES OF NATIVE PLANTS BEGAN IN THE FALL AND WILL COMPLETE IN THE WINTER OF 2025. THE STEWARDSHIP TEAM ALSO INSTALLED NEW SIGNS AND KIOSKS AT SEVERAL PUBLIC ACCESS SITES AS WE CONTINUE TO IMPROVE INTERPRETIVE MATERIAL ON OUR PROPERTIES. MONITORED, MAINTAINED, AND ENHANCED TRAILS ACROSS ALL LAND TRUST PUBLIC ACCESS SITES. CONTROLLED NOXIOUS WEEDS ON MANY LAND TRUST NATURAL AREAS WITH DEDICATED STEWARDSHIP STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS. SUCCESSFUL CONTROLLED BURN AT ADMIRALTY INLET PRESERVE TO IMPROVE NATIVE PRAIRIE ECOSYSTEMS AND PROMOTE THE PREVIOUSLY ENDANGERED GOLDEN PAINTBRUSH; AND CONTINUED PRAIRIE PLANTING AT ADMIRALTY INLET PRESERVE. FOREST RESTORATION WORK THROUGH VARIABLE DENSITY THINNING OCCURRED AT TRILLIUM COMMUNITY FOREST TO IMPROVE SITE HEALTH AND BIODIVERSITY. ANNUAL MONITORING WAS COMPLETED ON ALL CONSERVATION EASEMENT PROPERTIES. 558 VOLUNTEERS COMPLETED 7,988 HOURS OF SERVICE THOUGH WORK PARTIES AND INDEPENDENT PROJECTS.
- $389,230 spent. COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH:MEMBERS RECEIVED ELEVEN E-NEWS WITH CONSERVATION UPDATES AND 42+ OTHER DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS. WE PRODUCED AND DISTRIBUTED FOUR PRINTED NEWSLETTERS, INCLUDING OUR ANNUAL REPORT AND 21 ADDITIONAL PRINT PROJECTS LIKE INVITATIONS, CARDS, FLYERS, ACTIVITIES, AND POSTERS. WE PUT ON 76 EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES CONNECTING PEOPLE TO THE LAND, INCLUDING OUR SEA, TREES AND PIE BIKE RIDE WHERE WE INTRODUCE A NEW SOUTH-END ROUTE, TWO MEET & MINGLES, ONE MEMBER PICNIC, ONE VOLUNTEER BBQ, A LEGACY CIRCLE BRUNCH, HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE, A BIO BLITZ AT KEYSTONE, AND A FUN TRIVIA NIGHT. WE TABLED AT 10 PUBLIC EVENTS AND PUBLISHED A 2024 CALENDAR SOLD AT 15 LOCAL RETAIL LOCATIONS. OUR BIGGEST IMPACT HAPPENED WITH CONNECTING KIDS TO CONSERVATION WHERE WE HELD 20 SCHOOL RELATED OUTREACH EVENTS, SERVING OVER 870 STUDENTS. THESE EVENTS INCLUDED FIELD-BASED LEARNING ON PRESERVES, HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES IN AND OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM, GUIDED WALKS, WORK PARTIES AND STUDENT DISCUSSION PANELS.
- $527 spent. ACCREDITATION: EVERY FOUR YEARS, SINCE BECOMING ACCREDITED IN 2012, WE RE-APPLY FOR ACCREDITATION WITH THE LAND TRUST ACCREDITATION COMMISSION, AN INDEPENDENT PROGRAM OF THE NATIONAL LAND TRUST ALLIANCE. AS PART OF THE RENEWAL, WE ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT UPDATED POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, AS WELL AS DETAILED DOCUMENTATION ON SELECT PROJECTS. THESE SUBMISSIONS ARE USED TO ILLUSTRATE OUR COMPLIANCE WITH THE STANDARDS AND PRACTICES ESTABLISHED BY THE LAND TRUST ALLIANCE, SHOW THAT WE ADHERE TO OUR OWN POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, AND EMPHASIZE OUR COMMITMENT TO PROTECTING IMPORTANT NATURAL PLACES AND WORKING LANDS FOREVER.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since March 1985.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 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.