The purpose of Headwaters Land Conservancy is to protect the natural beauty of northeast michigan by preserving significant lands and scenic areas, advancing stewardship of Land held as preserves and in conservation easements, and fostering appreciation and understanding of the environment. Headwaters Land Conservancy holds 97 conservation easements.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
68¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$4K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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FY2021 · 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
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $38K a year · 7% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
68%
of spending
Fine: 68% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$4K
to officers and key staff · 2% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 2% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
51 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 50.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
6
named funders · $136K
Looks good: 6 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$18K
0.9% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 1% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
10
of 10 voting members
Looks good: 10 of 10 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$515K
+4% vs prior year
Spent
$273K
To programs
68%
Net assets
$2.0M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$515K
FY2021▲ +4%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$497K
FY2021$515K
FY2022$651K
FY2023$694K
FY2024$257K
FY2025$792K
Expenses
$273K
FY2021▲ +9%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$252K
FY2021$273K
FY2022$762K
FY2023$782K
FY2024$320K
FY2025$788K
Net assets
$2.0M
FY2021▲ +14%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$1.7M
FY2021$2.0M
FY2022$1.9M
FY2023$1.9M
FY2024$1.9M
FY2025$2.0M

From the FY2021 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2021 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jun 1994.

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

Where the money goes

68 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 68% · $186K Management & general 13% · $34K Fundraising 19% · $53K

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

11 people listed on the 990; $4K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$4,125Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chairperson
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Chairperson
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Julie Rubsam’s $90K as Executive Director is at the 72nd percentile of top reported officer pay among 1990 $100K–1M 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

NameFY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Laura Justin———$97,790
Julie Rubsam$89,872$84,721$4,125—

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.

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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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Preserves natural lands and scenic areas, fostering environmental appreciation in Northeast Michigan.

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2 programs · $186K · in their own filed words · FY2021
01

Headwaters land conservancy monitored the 90 conservation easements and 6 nature preserves we hold in our 11 county service area of northeast michigan. These properties protect over 12,000 acres of land and 37 miles of waterfront. In many cases, we worked with the property owners to educate and encourage responsible stewardship.

$93Kprogram expense
02

The conservancy held a limited number of events due to COVID-19. Events focused on educating the public about the environment and the importance of protecting natural land. Several site visits to high priority parcels were also completed in 2021, which we hope will lead to permanent land protection in the future.

$93Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
See all 6 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$515K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$406K
Investment incomeLn 3$109K
Money outPt IX
$273K
Ln 25
Programscol B$186K
Managementcol C$34K
Fundraisingcol D$53K
Owns and owesPt X
$2.0M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.2M
Total assetsLn 16$2.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$18K
PeoplePt VI, VII
11
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a10
IndependentVI 1b10
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$406K
Government grantsLn 1e$36K
Investment incomeLn 3$109K
Gains on assetsLn 7$86K
Total revenueLn 12$515K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$187K
SavingsLn 2$966K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.2M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$777
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$845K
Total assetsLn 16$2.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$18K
Net assetsLn 32$2.0M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 55
VolunteersI 674
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 FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$900K$1.2M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$381$777
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$849K$845K
Total assetsLn 16$1.8M$2.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$13K$18K
Net assetsLn 32$1.7M$2.0M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$4K$3K$1K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$181K$126K$17K$37K
Payroll taxesLn 10$21K$14K$2K$4K
Accounting feesLn 11c$6K$5K$1K
Investment management feesLn 11f$5K$5K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$85$85
Advertising and promotionLn 12$304$304
Office expensesLn 13$4K$3K$413$825
Information technologyLn 14$3K$2K$259$518
OccupancyLn 16$3K$2K$267$536
TravelLn 17$9K$2K$2K$5K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$4K$3K$383$769
InsuranceLn 23$5K$4K$529$1K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$24K$20K$2K$2K
All other expensesLn 24e$5K$2K$1K$1K
Total functional expensesLn 25$273K$186K$34K$53K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $792K$788K$4K$2.0M 990 PDF
FY2024 $257K$320K−$63K$1.9M 990 PDF
FY2023 $694K$782K−$88K$1.9M 990 PDF
FY2022 $651K$762K−$111K$1.9M 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $515K$273K$242K$2.0M 990 PDF
FY2020 $497K$252K$246K$1.7M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $514,913 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $413,257$405,662
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $84,104$109,251
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $497,361$514,913
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $195,753$205,491
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $55,951$67,833
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $251,704$273,324
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $245,657$241,589
Part VI · Governance 10 of 10 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body10
VI-1b Independent voting members10
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $514,913 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$36,480
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$369,182
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$405,662
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $23,231$23,231
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $86,020$86,020
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $109,251$514,913
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $273,324 across 15 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $2,888 · Management $1,237$4,125
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $126,468 · Management $17,242 · Fundraising $36,959$180,669
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $14,488 · Management $2,070 · Fundraising $4,139$20,697
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $5,000 · Management $1,250$6,250
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $4,879$4,879
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $85$85
IX-12 Advertising and promotionFundraising $304$304
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $2,887 · Management $413 · Fundraising $825$4,125
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $1,814 · Management $259 · Fundraising $518$2,591
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $1,872 · Management $267 · Fundraising $536$2,675
IX-17 TravelPrograms $2,262 · Management $2,263 · Fundraising $4,524$9,049
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $2,687 · Management $383 · Fundraising $769$3,839
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $3,700 · Management $529 · Fundraising $1,057$5,286
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $19,773 · Management $2,099 · Fundraising $1,993$23,865
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $2,229 · Management $1,428 · Fundraising $1,228$4,885
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $186,153 · Management $34,319 · Fundraising $52,852$273,324
Part X · Balance sheet $1,999,161 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $110,419$187,486
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $789,501$966,052
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $4,341$0
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $848,685$844,846
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $381$777
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,753,327$1,999,161
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $13,390$17,635
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $13,390$17,635
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $781,678$962,598
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $958,259$1,018,928
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,739,937$1,981,526
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,753,327$1,999,161
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,981,526 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$514,913
XI-2 Total expenses$273,324
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$241,589
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,739,937
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,981,526

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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