Montezuma Land Conservancy

Tax-deductible

Cortez, CO501(c)(3)EnvironmentEIN 31-1632961

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Changing lives through Land conservation by connecting people to place, forever.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
63¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 60 volunteers and 10 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2024 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
5 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $206K a year · 23% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 5 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
63%
of spending
Worth a look: 63% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$91K
to officers and key staff · 10% of spending
Top officer’s pay lower than 80% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 10% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
15 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 15.2 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $130K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$75K
2% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 2% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
9
of 9 voting members
Looks good: 9 of 9 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.0M
+29% vs prior year
Spent
$911K
To programs
63%
Net assets
$3.7M
By yearFY2018–FY2024
Revenue
$1.0M
FY2024▲ +29%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2018$593K
FY2020$774K
FY2021$789K
FY2022$1.4M
FY2023$784K
FY2024$1.0M
Expenses
$911K
FY2024▲ +8%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2018$417K
FY2020$493K
FY2021$649K
FY2022$782K
FY2023$842K
FY2024$911K
Net assets
$3.7M
FY2024▲ +9%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2018$2.1M
FY2020$2.9M
FY2021$3.0M
FY2022$3.3M
FY2023$3.4M
FY2024$3.7M

From the FY2024 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Mar 1999.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

63 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 63% · $570K Management & general 23% · $206K Fundraising 15% · $135K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

10 people listed on the 990; $91K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Directo
$91,204Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer/ President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Travis Custer’s $91K as Executive Directo is at the 20th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1851 $1–10M environment nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020FY2018
Travis Custer$91,204—$81,197$71,252$66,183$53,910
Travis Custer—$81,194————

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Montezuma Land Conservancy executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Conserves land to connect people with nature, changing lives permanently.

Provided by the organization

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3 program services account for $570K of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2024.
01

Programs

MLC continued to expand its community outreach efforts and programs for engagement. Youth internships and K-12 programs continued through Fozzies Farm and the Montezuma Inspire Coalition. MLC continues to expand community-centered programs with an increased focus on engaging local tribal and Spanish speaking youth.

$441Kprogram expense
02

Land Protection and Conservation

During 2024, MLC continued working with local landowners on conservation projects throughout the Southwest. MLC closed two new conservation easements in 2024, one 1760 acre easement in January, and one 302 acre easement in November 2024.

$98Kprogram expense
03

Stewardship

In 2024, the organization was responsible for stewardship and monitoring of 92 conservation easements totaling over 49,000 acres. No easement restrictions were decreased or terminated, and the organization successfully monitored all conservation easements in its portfolio thereby ensuring the continued protection of these important…

$32Kprogram expense

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Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$130K
Grants paid · 1 grant · $6K · 2022–2022

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.0M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$881K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$60K
Investment incomeLn 3$49K
Money outPt IX
$911K
Ln 25
Programscol B$570K
Managementcol C$206K
Fundraisingcol D$135K
Owns and owesPt X
$3.7M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.2M
Total assetsLn 16$3.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$75K
PeoplePt VI, VII
10
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b9
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$881K
Government grantsLn 1e$256K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$60K
Investment incomeLn 3$49K
Other incomeLn 4–11$24K
Gains on assetsLn 7$9K
Total revenueLn 12$1.0M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$123K
SavingsLn 2$1.0M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.2M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$972K
Total assetsLn 16$3.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$75K
Net assetsLn 32$3.7M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 510
VolunteersI 660
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$803K$1.2M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.8M$1.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$596K$972K
Total assetsLn 16$3.4M$3.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$29K$75K
Net assetsLn 32$3.4M$3.7M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$91K$16K$36K$39K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$402K$309K$43K$50K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$63K$42K$10K$11K
Payroll taxesLn 10$41K$27K$7K$7K
Legal feesLn 11b$12K$0$12K$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$8K$0$8K$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$6K$0$6K$0
Office expensesLn 13$10K$0$55$10K
Information technologyLn 14$565$0$565$0
OccupancyLn 16$12K$0$12K$0
TravelLn 17$7K$0$6K$1K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$17K$0$17K$0
InsuranceLn 23$19K$0$19K$0
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$195K$166K$13K$15K
All other expensesLn 24e$26K$10K$16K$858
Total functional expensesLn 25$911K$570K$206K$135K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $1.0M$911K$103K$3.7M 990 PDF
FY2023 $784K$842K−$57K$3.4M 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.4M$782K$593K$3.3M 990 PDF
FY2021 $789K$649K$140K$3.0M 990 PDF
FY2020 $774K$493K$281K$2.9M 990 PDF
FY2019 Not on file
FY2018 $593K$417K$176K$2.1M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2024 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,014,412 across 10 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$255,824
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$625,532
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$881,356
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$60,007
VIII-3 Investment incomeUnrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$39,884
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossRelated to mission $6,455$6,455
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission $8,744 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$8,744
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsUnrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $6,304$6,304
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $11,662 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$11,662
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $126,752 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $6,304$1,014,412
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $910,915 across 15 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $16,417 · Management $35,570 · Fundraising $39,218$91,205
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $309,410 · Management $43,418 · Fundraising $49,644$402,472
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $41,688 · Management $10,106 · Fundraising $11,370$63,164
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $26,898 · Management $6,521 · Fundraising $7,336$40,755
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $0 · Management $12,274 · Fundraising $0$12,274
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $0 · Management $8,222 · Fundraising $0$8,222
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $0 · Management $6,017 · Fundraising $0$6,017
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $0 · Management $55 · Fundraising $10,062$10,117
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $0 · Management $565 · Fundraising $0$565
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $0 · Management $12,170 · Fundraising $0$12,170
IX-17 TravelPrograms $0 · Management $5,512 · Fundraising $1,180$6,692
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $0 · Management $16,776 · Fundraising $0$16,776
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $0 · Management $19,471 · Fundraising $0$19,471
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $165,974 · Management $13,347 · Fundraising $15,312$194,633
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $9,835 · Management $15,689 · Fundraising $858$26,382
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $570,222 · Management $205,713 · Fundraising $134,980$910,915
Part X · Balance sheet $3,773,602 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $12,603$122,522
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $790,831$1,030,802
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $250,095$168,891
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $5,479$11,192
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $596,487$972,321
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $1,751,990$1,467,874
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $3,407,485$3,773,602
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $26,702$74,681
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $28,823$74,681
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,537,014$3,698,921
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $3,378,662$3,698,921
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $3,407,485$3,773,602
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $3,698,921 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,014,412
XI-2 Total expenses$910,915
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$103,497
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$3,378,662
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$127,559
XI-7 Investment expenses−$16,064
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$105,267
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$3,698,921

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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