irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $383KCOMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION: CLC WORKS TO COMMUNICATE ITS MISSION AND THE IMPORTANCE OF CONSERVATION THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY WITH AN ACTIVE AND DIVERSE PROGRAM OF PUBLIC INFORMATION AND ADVOCACY FOR CONSERVATION VALUES. AMONG OTHER THINGS, CLC PROVIDES NUMEROUS INFORMATIONAL PROGRAMS TO COMMUNITY GROUPS, ISSUES FREQUENT PRESS RELEASES ABOUT THEIR PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS, MAINTAINS A SUBSTANTIVE AND ACTIVE WEBSITE AND FACEBOOK PRESENCE. CLC ALSO OFFERS REGULAR OUTDOOR EDUCATION AND RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PUBLIC TO PROMOTE AN APPRECIATION FOR THE NATURAL RESOURCES AND LANDSCAPES WITHIN COLUMBIA COUNTY. IN 2024, CLC PROVIDED AN ARRAY OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING AND EVENTS AS WELL AS A VARIETY OF DIGITAL ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES VIA SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS AND OUR WEBSITE. CLC HELD 85 PROGRAMS SERVICING 3,294 INDIVIDUALS.
- #2 $2.79MLAND PROTECTION ACTIVITIES: CLC EMPLOYS A THREE-PRONGED PROGRAMMATIC APPROACH TO ITS LAND PROTECTION MISSION. CONSERVATION EASEMENTS: CLC HELPS FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS PROTECT PRIVATELY OWNED LAND WITH HIGH CONSERVATION VALUE BY CREATING, ACCEPTING, AND STEWARDING CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, ENSURING THE OWNER'S CONSERVATION VISION WILL BE UPHELD FOREVER. CLC CURRENTLY HAS 268 LANDOWNER RELATIONSHIPS UNDER THIS PROGRAM. SUPPORT OF LAND USE PLANNING & COMMUNITY PROJECTS: WORKING WITH MUNICIPALITIES, COMMUNITIES AND CONSERVATION GROUPS, CLC ENCOURAGES LAND USE PLANNING PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES THAT SUPPORT PROTECTION OF THE COUNTY'S RICH CONSERVATION RESOURCES AND HELPS TO IMPLEMENT LOCAL CONSERVATION EFFORTS, INCLUDING FUNDRAISING, ACQUISITION, SITE PLANNING, AND THE LIKE FOR CREATION OF PUBLIC OPEN SPACES, TRAINING OF LOCAL OFFICIALS AND VOLUNTEERS AND STEWARDSHIP OF LAND FOR HABITAT, RECREATION, AND EDUCATION. IN 2024, CLC'S OUTREACH EFFORTS SERVED APPROXIMATELY 507 INDIVIDUALS. SUPPORT FOR AGRICULTURE: CLC BELIEVES THAT A STRONG AND VIBRANT FARM SECTOR IS, AMONG OTHER THINGS, AN IMPORTANT CONSERVATION ASSET TO THIS AREA, WHERE CENTURIES OF FARMING HAVE LEFT AN INCREDIBLE MARK ON THE COUNTY'S LANDS, CONSERVATION RESOURCES, AND SCENIC ATTRIBUTES. CLC WORKS TO FIND WAYS TO SUPPORT AN ACTIVE AND RESURGENT AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES INCLUDING CONSERVATION MEASURES AND OTHER PROGRAMS TO HELP NEW FARMERS AND FARMERS WHO WANT TO EXPAND THEIR OPERATION ACCESS FARMLAND THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE BE UNACCESSIBLE TO THEM. THIS PROGRAM SERVED 541 PEOPLE IN 2024.
named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Community Outreach and Education
Offers public educational programs, outdoor recreation events, digital resources, and advocacy to promote conservation values. In 2024, hosted 85 programs serving 3,294 individuals.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Land Stewardship
Initiative to improve workplace culture, increase accessibility on public lands, support affordable housing through fiscal sponsorship, and build relationships with Indigenous communities, including redirecting property revenue to the Stockbridge-Munsee Community.
Land Protection Activities
Three-pronged program including conservation easements on private land, support for land use planning and public open space projects, and assistance for farmers to access and conserve farmland. In 2024, served over 1,000 individuals through these efforts.
Taghkanic Community Forest Initiative
Establishing Columbia County’s first community forest, including tree planting, volunteer management, and public access development. In 2025, nearly 1,000 native trees and shrubs were planted by volunteers.
The Plan to Conserve Columbia County
Countywide conservation planning effort integrating community input and ecological data to identify and protect high-priority landscapes, aiming to conserve 30% of priority areas by 2035.
activities · 11 groups
What they do
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Land Acquisition and Conservation Easements 2 activities
- Acquires and transfers land to advance regional conservation goalsPurchased 64 acres adjacent to Hand Hollow and transferred 152 acres to New York State to expand trail systems, create wildlife corridors, and support state park operations. Conserved Samascott Orchards, a 1,000+ acre working farm, through permanent protection.
- Maintains conservation easement relationships with private landownersCollaborates with 250 conservation easement landowners managing 29,984 acres of conserved land and maintains 268 landowner relationships through formal agreements.
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Nature Preserve Management and Public Access 2 activities
- Develops and implements land use planning and public lands visionCompleted a comprehensive public lands vision and developed site-specific management plans for multiple CLC conservation properties to guide stewardship and public use.
- Owns and manages public conservation properties with trails and visitor accessOwns and manages eleven public properties with nearly 30 miles of trails, receiving 90,000 visits annually. Provides front-desk staffing, trail condition updates, and accessibility features including assistive listening headsets and traction devices.
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Local Land Conservation Advocacy 1 activity
- Advances county-wide land conservation strategyDeveloped The Plan to Conserve Columbia County, completed its first phase, and promotes a strategic framework for conserving land across the region.
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Ecological Habitat Restoration 1 activity
- Conducts habitat restoration and ecosystem management projectsImplements habitat restoration at Schor and High Falls, including forest thinning, invasive species control, deer impact fencing, and native tree planting. Uses cattle grazing at Ooms to improve grassland bird habitat and constructs viewing platforms using sustainably harvested timber.
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Cultural Exchange and Community Integration Events 1 activity
- Implements diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiativesHosts quarterly DEI discussions and an annual day of service, and engages Spanish translation services to strengthen outreach to non-English-speaking farmers and communities.
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Facility Accessibility Improvements 1 activity
- Improves physical and programmatic accessibility at conservation sitesEnhances inclusivity through trail modifications, accessible furniture, viewing platforms, wayfinding signage, and partnerships to improve trails for wheelchair users. Offers multilingual resources and translation services to support non-English-speaking participants and farmers.
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Indigenous Land Acknowledgment Initiatives 1 activity
- Integrates Indigenous history and supports Tribal communitiesIncludes Indigenous history in interpretive materials for CLC-owned properties and rededicates all funds collected at these sites to the Stockbridge-Munsee Community starting in 2023.
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Volunteer Engagement and Capacity Support 1 activity
- Offers volunteer opportunities and promotes civic engagementHosts a summer-long volunteer hour challenge, organizes staff service days, and offers diverse volunteer roles designed to accommodate individuals of all abilities.
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Digital Visitor Engagement via Mobile App 1 activity
- Operates GoCoCo, a digital platform for outdoor recreation accessLaunched and operates GoCoCo, a multilingual online guide with accessibility features to help visitors discover and navigate outdoor spaces on CLC public properties.
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Agricultural Grantmaking and Funding Programs 1 activity
- Secures funding and supports agricultural land protectionSecured over $27 million to conserve more than 12,000 acres of farmland and served 541 people through support for agriculture initiatives, including partnerships with multi-generational family farms.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Provides educational programming and community engagement eventsHeld 85 educational programs serving 3,294 individuals, including 20 virtual Zoom events reaching 1,500 people. Organizes a community hiking challenge (40 miles across Columbia County) and recognizes participants who visit all eleven properties at an annual Volunteer Celebration.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$5.77M
Contributions & grants$5.51M95%
Program service revenue$8K0%
Investment income$243K4%
Other revenue$10K
expenses
Total expenses$4.93M
Program expenses83%
Admin / overhead9%
Fundraising7%
Salaries & benefits$1.52M
Grants paid out$19K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$31.09M
Cash$2.07M
Investments$17.99M
Liabilities$481K
Net assets$30.61M
Liquid reserves48.8 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +26.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 3
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| TROY WELDY | PRESIDENT | 40 | $171K |
| HEIDI BOCK | VP CONSERVAT | 40 | $101K |
| ANNE MARSHALL | VP FINANCE & | 40 | $98K |
board members · 19
- ALICE LEBLANC — TRUSTEE
- CALEB WHITE — TRUSTEE
- CARA BOYLE — TRUSTEE
- CARMEN EPSTEIN — TRUSTEE
- CHRIS CASHEN — TRUSTEE
- EDWARD HOE — TRUSTEE
- JIM KOCIS — TRUSTEE
- KERI LATIOLAIS — TRUSTEE
- MARK LEVY — TRUSTEE
- MEREDITH KANE — TRUSTEE
- MICHAEL GOLDEN — TREASURER
- PETER REED — V CHAIR & SE
- ROBIN ANDREWS — RESIGNED JAN
- SARA CASHEN — CHAIR
- SETH MASTERS — RESIGNED JUL
- THOMAS POTTER — TRUSTEE
- TIMOTHY BOOMER — TRUSTEE
- TRACY PENNEA — TRUSTEE
- WILL YANDIK — TRUSTEE
relationships · 17
Who they work with
- Berkshire Bird Observatory Partner — Partnered to collect data on bird habitat quality at Ooms following cattle grazing.
- Conservation Advisory Committees Partner — Collaborates with local Conservation Advisory Committees to develop a county-wide conservation vision.
- Conservation groups Partner — Partners on land use planning, public open space creation, and stewardship initiatives.
- Guidestar Government — Recognizes CLC with a Platinum rating for organizational transparency.
- Heather Bruegl Partner — Historian and contributor of history content and resources; member of Oneida Nation of Wisconsin and first-line descendant of Stockbridge-Munsee.
- Hudson Valley Alliance for Housing and Conservation Partner — Serves as fiscal sponsor for this organization working on affordable housing.
- Hunters of Color Partner — Partnered to provide hunting opportunities on CLC lands.
- Land Trust Accreditation Commission Government — Accredits CLC as a land trust meeting national standards for land conservation and organizational practices.
- LetsGoCoCo.org Partner — Partner website providing information about public properties in Columbia County, used to support the Hike 40 challenge.
- Lonely Worm Farm Partner — Collaborated on a staff service day to improve trail accessibility for wheelchair users.
- Municipalities in Columbia County Partner — Collaborates on land use planning and community conservation projects.
- New York Protected Areas Database Government — Public database where information about CLC-conserved properties can be accessed.
- New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historical Preservation Government — Received 152 acres of conserved land from CLC to expand state park infrastructure and wildlife corridors.
- Queers and Camo Partner — Partnered to provide hunting opportunities on CLC lands.
- Samascott’s Garden Market Partner — Collaborated on a bracket-style ice cream flavor competition to support conservation awareness.
- Stockbridge-Munsee Community Partner — Consulted in developing CLC's land acknowledgment and recipient of funds from CLC-owned properties.
- Trillium Community Land Trust Partner — Collaborates with CLC on affordable housing initiatives.
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Agriculture as Active Conservation Strategymethodology: agriculture_as_conservationBy supporting farmers—especially new and expanding ones—to access farmland through innovative conservation tools, the organization treats sustainable agriculture as a form of land protection, preserving working landscapes and promoting food systems aligned with ecological health.
- Community-Centered, Equity-Driven Conservationmethodology: community-centered_conservationBy integrating community perspectives, especially from historically excluded groups, and acknowledging historical harms in land conservation, the organization builds trust and advances social equity through inclusive partnerships, equitable access, and land use planning that links conservation to community well-being.
- Land as Living Classroom and Engagement Platformmethodology: land-as-demonstrationBy opening conserved lands for recreation, education, and cultural engagement, the organization fosters public connection to nature and demonstrates sustainable land stewardship in action, increasing support for conservation through lived experience.
- Permanent Conservation via Legal Easementsmethodology: conservation_easementBy placing conservation easements on privately owned land, the organization ensures permanent protection from development, aligning with landowners' long-term conservation goals and preserving high-value ecological and agricultural landscapes in perpetuity.
- Relationship-First Stewardship with Indigenous Communitiesmethodology: right_relationship_frameworkBy prioritizing right relationships and sustained partnerships with Indigenous communities, the organization grounds its conservation work in humility, ethical responsibility, and ongoing learning, ensuring stewardship practices are culturally respectful and restorative.