Peninsula Open Space Trust
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
POST PROTECTS OPEN SPACE ON THE PENINSULA AND IN THE SOUTH BAY FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL. POST IS CREATING A NETWORK OF PROTECTED LANDS WHERE PEOPLE AND NATURE CONNECT AND THRIVE. THESE LANDS ARE PRESERVED FOREVER SO PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS BENEFIT FROM THE CAREFUL... BALANCE OF RURAL AND URBAN LANDSCAPES THAT MAKE OUR REGION EXTRAORDINARY.
- Income
- $62.3 million
- Spending
- $43.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 92.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 86%
- Employees
- 79
- Volunteers
- 277
- Highest pay
- $470,570, president
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 88% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 92.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 4% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 30% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 105% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% 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 35% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2515 of 15 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 (3)
- $21.1 million spent. LAND ACQUISITION & TRANSFER:IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, POST COMPLETED AND ASSISTED A TOTAL OF 9 TRANSACTIONS THAT PROTECTED 5,538 ACRES. PURCHASED 2,467 ACRES OF SARGENT RANCH IN SOUTHERN SANTA CLARA COUNTY, A KEY WILDLIFE LINKAGE AND PART OF THE JURISTAC TRIBAL CULTURAL LANDSCAPE. PURCHASED THE 1,340-ACRE PESCADERO RANCH ADJACENT TO SARGENT RANCH, RICH IN BIODIVERSITY AND CULTURAL IMPORTANCE. PURCHASED 503 ACRES THROUGH TWO TRANSACTIONS IN THE UPPER PAJARO VALLEY ACROSS SANTA CLARA AND SAN BENITO COUNTIES, ENHANCING WILDLIFE CONNECTIVITY IN THIS VITAL REGION... PURCHASED 207 ACRES ON THE NORTHWESTERN RIDGE OF COYOTE VALLEY, ADDING TO A NETWORK OF PROTECTED LANDS THAT WILL HELP WILDLIFE MOVE BETWEEN MOUNTAIN RANGES. CONSERVED AN ADDITIONAL 365 ACRES OF ESTRADA RANCH THROUGH A COMPLEX TRANSACTION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LAND TRUST OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY AND THE ESTRADA FAMILY. ASSISTED THE CONSERVATION FUND'S PURCHASE OF THE 586-ACRE SAN ANTONIO RANCH IN SAN BENITO COUNTY, HELPING SECURE AN ESSENTIAL CONNECTION WITH THE GABILAN RANGE. ACCEPTED A DONATION OF 70 ACRES ADJACENT TO BEAR CREEK REDWOODS FOR EVENTUAL INCORPORATION INTO THE PRESERVE. TRANSFERRED 517 ACRES IN COYOTE VALLEY TO THE SANTA CLARA VALLEY OPEN SPACE AUTHORITY, INCLUDING 376 ACRES OF THE LAGUNA SECA WETLAND. TRANSFERRED A SMALL BUT IMPORTANT PROPERTY AT WAVECREST TO THE COASTSIDE LAND TRUST, OPENING THE POSSIBILITY OF A LINK IN THE CALIFORNIA COASTAL TRAIL.
- $10.7 million spent. LAND MANAGEMENT:POST CURRENTLY HOLDS 18,444 ACRES IN FEE OWNERSHIP AND HOLDS CONSERVATION EASEMENTS AND DEED RESTRICTIONS ON 15,024 ACRES. THE ORGANIZATION HAS AN ESTABLISHED STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM FOR THE LANDS IT OWNS THAT INCLUDES RESOURCE CONSERVATION PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT, ALONG WITH ACTIVE USES OF LAND FOR CONSERVATION GRAZING AND AGRICULTURE, SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT AND RESTORATION WHERE APPROPRIATE, AND DEVELOPMENT OF COMPATIBLE RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. POST WORKS TO PROTECT AND MANAGE LANDS IN ITS POSSESSION THROUGH SITE-SPECIFIC STEWARDSHIP PLANS FOR THE NATURAL RESOURCES ON EACH... PROPERTY AS WELL AS HAVING BROADER COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL IMPACTS. POST STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS ACTIVELY MONITOR THE ACREAGE ON WHICH POST HOLDS EASEMENTS OR RESTRICTIONS. VOLUNTEERS ALSO ASSIST WITH STEWARDSHIP PROJECTS ON POST-OWNED LAND. IN TOTAL, POST LAND VOLUNTEERS CONTRIBUTED AN IMPRESSIVE 1,634 HOURS OF WORK TIME ON POST-PROTECTED LAND INCLUDING CONSERVATION EASEMENT MONITORING, PARTICIPATING IN HIGHWAY CLEAN-UPS, AND MAPPING AND TREATING INVASIVE PLANTS THAT DEGRADE NATURAL SYSTEMS. THESE ARE SOME OF THE MOST IMPACTFUL PROJECTS WE IMPLEMENTED DURING FY25 TO CARE FOR THE LANDS WE PROTECT:- FIRE RECOVERY AND FOREST RESILIENCE AND RESTORATION:- IN COLLABORATION WITH TRIBAL PARTNERS, PREPARED 54 ACRES OF TRADITIONALLY STEWARDED MAJESTIC OAK WOODLANDS AT SAN VICENTE REDWOODS (SVR) THROUGH TARGETED PRUNING AND BURNING OF 60 BURN PILES TO CREATE CONDITIONS FOR FUTURE PRESCRIBED BURNS. - COMPLETED A 9 MILE LONG COMPLETE FIRE STREET AT SVR WITH IMPROVED ROAD SURFACE AND A 400 FOOT WIDE SHADED FUEL BREAKS AROUND THE ROAD BY REMOVING DEAD AND DYING TREES FROM THE 2020 CZU LIGHTNING FIRE.- PROCESSED EXCESS BIOMASS BY: 1) 15,000 TONS OF LOGS IN A CARBONATOR/AIR CURTAIN BURNER AND 2) 500 BURN PILES OF BRANCHES AND SMALL TRUNKS.- THINNED AN UNHEALTHY STAND OF MONTEREY PINES ON A POST-PROTECTED PROPERTY IN BURNS VALLEY, FOSTERING A SAFER COMMUNITY AND IMPROVED HABITAT- PARTNERED WITH THE SAN MATEO RCD TO CONSTRUCT A 16 ACRE-FOOT RESERVOIR AT BUTANO FARMS, PROVIDING WATER TO SUPPORT AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.- BROKE GROUND ON POST'S FOURTH AGRICULTURAL WORKFORCE HOUSING PROJECT, WHICH WILL PROVIDE EIGHT BEDROOMS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR FARMWORKERS.- ENTERED INTO A PARTNERSHIP AT CLOVERDALE BLUFFS WITH A CERTIFIED ORGANIC FARMER.
- $3.4 million spent. COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION:POST CONTINUED OUR COMMUNITY GROWTH AND ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS IN FISCAL YEAR 2025 GROWING THE LIST OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS BY 36.4K NEW CONTACTS. THESE CONTACTS WERE GATHERED VIA CONTENT, GENERAL AWARENESS PAID ADVERTISING, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND EVENTS. POST'S COMMUNITY DATABASE NOW INCLUDES 146K COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THIS IS 9% LARGER THAN THE PREVIOUS YEAR. CONTENT MARKETING CAMPAIGNS (GUIDES, BLOGS, GENERAL AWARENESS, AND ANNUAL GIVING) GENERATED 67% OF ALL NEW CONTACTS, FOLLOWED BY OUTREACH EVENTS AT 28%. CONTACTS ENGAGE WITH THE POST WEBSITE VIA THE MONTHLY EMAIL NEWSLETTER, WHICH FEATURED ABOUT 40 NEW STORIES OVER THE YEAR, AS WELL AS ANNUAL GIVING CAMPAIGNS. THE WEBSITE SAW 644K TOTAL... USERS IN FY 2025.POST'S SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWING GREW SIGNIFICANTLY DUE TO PAID ADVERTISING, CONTENT PRODUCTION, AND EXPERIMENTATION. COLLECTIVELY, OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS GREW FROM 78K TO 99K FOLLOWERS (+27% YOY). OVERALL THERE WERE 12% MORE IMPRESSIONS, 13% MORE REACH, AND 30% MORE "CLICKS" FROM PAID SOCIAL MEDIA WHICH IN TURN LED TO INCREASED ENGAGEMENT ON POST'S WEBSITE FOR DOWNLOADS, INFORMATIONAL VISITS, DONATIONS, AND THE LIKE. POST HOSTED 100 PUBLIC EVENTS THAT GENERATED 9,303 NEW CONTACTS (+23% YOY). ROUGHLY 11,500 PEOPLE ATTENDED POST'S PUBLIC ONLINE AND IN-PERSON EVENTS IN FY 2025 (+20% YOY). IN ADDITION, POST STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS INTERACTED WITH ABOUT 5,400 PEOPLE BY TABLING AT LARGE REGIONAL FESTIVALS AND PARTNER EVENTS, DOUBLING OUR IN-PERSON OUTREACH.IN THE MEDIA, POST WAS MENTIONED IN A TOTAL OF 517 ARTICLES WITH AN ESTIMATED REACH (TOTAL SUBSCRIBERS ACROSS ALL OUTLETS) OF 3.5B. DUE TO THE INCREASED NUMBER OF TRANSACTIONS IN FY25, WE INCREASED PRESS COVERAGE 136% YOY. OUR LARGEST STORIES WITH THE HIGHEST AD EQUIVALENCY VALUE (AEV) WERE SARGENT RANCH ($3.4M), PESCADERO RANCH ($1.1M), SAN GREGORIO RANCH ($1.13M), AND THE MOUNTAIN MEADOW PROPERTY SALE ($1M). IMPORTANTLY, WE ACHIEVED STRONG MESSAGE PULL-THROUGH ALIGNED WITH OUR MISSION AND STRATEGIC PLAN. THESE MESSAGES INCLUDED WILDLIFE CORRIDOR AND HABITAT PROTECTION, PUBLIC ACCESS AND COASTAL PRESERVATION, CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND WATER RESOURCE PROTECTION, AND PARTNERSHIPS//COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, TRIBAL GROUPS, AND OTHER NONPROFITS.THE POST MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS TEAM ALSO ENGAGED IN A VARIETY OF INNOVATIONS AND LONGER-TERM PROJECTS SUCH AS A PLAN TO OVERHAUL POST'S PRIMARY WEBSITE, REFRESH OF POST'S MONTHLY EMAIL NEWSLETTER, AND EXPANSION OF SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS AND PAID MEDIA.
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 April 1977.
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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