BBB Wise Giving Report for
Wildlands Conservancy

BBB Wise Giving Report issued March 2012
BBB Wise Giving Report expires April 2013


Does not meet one or more standards
This charity does not meet one or more of the 20 standards for Charity Accountability. Find out more...


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Charity Contact Information

Name: Wildlands Conservancy
Address: 3701 Orchid Place
  Emmaus, PA 18049
Phone: 610-965-4397
Web Address: www.wildlandspa.org
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BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1973, Pennsylvania
Affiliates: None
Stated Purpose: "to protect and restore the critical natural areas and waterways, and educate the community to create a legacy of a healthy, sustainable environment for future generations."

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Evaluation Conclusions

              

Wildlands Conservancy (WC) does not meet the following 4 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Standard 1: Oversight of Operations and Staff - Organizations shall have a board of directors that provides adequate oversight of the charity's operations and its staff. Indication of adequate oversight includes, but is not limited to, regularly scheduled appraisals of the CEO's performance, evidence of disbursement controls such as board approval of the budget, fund raising practices, establishment of a conflict of interest policy, and establishment of accounting procedures sufficient to safeguard charity finances.

WC does not meet this Standard because its board of directors does not:

  • Review the performance of the chief executive officer at least once every two years.

Standard 8: Program Service Expense Ratio - Spend at least 65% of its total expenses on program activities.

WC does not meet this Standard because:

  • According to the audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2010, the organization spent $971,365 or 64% of its total expenses ($1,519,968) on program service activities.

Standard 12: Detailed Functional Breakdown of Expenses - Include in the financial statements a breakdown of expenses (e.g., salaries, travel, postage, etc.) that shows what portion of these expenses was allocated to program, fund raising, and administrative activities. If the charity has more than one major program category, the schedule should provide a breakdown for each category.

WC does not meet this Standard because, in the organization's financial statements, the detailed functional breakdown of expenses:

  • Only included one program service category. It did not include a detailed breakdown of expenses for each of its major program activities (i.e., Land Conservation and Planning, Rivers Conservation, Environmental Education, and Other Programs).

Standard 18: Privacy for Written Appeals & Internet Privacy - Address privacy concerns of donors by (a) providing in written appeals, at least annually, a means (e.g., such as a check off box) for both new and continuing donors to inform the charity if they do not want their name and address shared outside the organization, (b) providing a clear, prominent and easily accessible privacy policy on any of its websites that tells visitors (i) what information, if any, is being collected about them by the charity and how this information will be used, (ii) how to contact the charity to review personal information collected and request corrections, (iii) how to inform the charity (e.g., a check off box) that the visitor does not wish his/her personal information to be shared outside the organization, and (iv) what security measures the charity has in place to protect personal information.

WC does not meet this Standard because the privacy policy on this website, www.wildlandspa.org does not indicate:

  • What personal information is being collected and how it will be used.
  • How to contact the charity to review personal information that is collected and request corrections.
  • How to inform the charity that the visitor does not want his/her information shared with others.
  • What security measures are in place to protect personal information that is collected.
Wildlands Conservancy (WC) meets the remaining 16 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Programs

              

WC works on land-protection and stewardship strategies, science-informed water quality and ecological restoration projects, environmental education programs, comprehensive community planning efforts, and greenway and recreational trail development.

For the year ended December 31, 2009, WC's program expenses were:

  
Program services 971,365
Total Program Expenses: $971,365
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Governance

              

Chief Executive : Christopher M. Kocher, President
Compensation*:
$98,800

Chair of the Board: Stuart G. Rogers
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: President, Brookside Office Partners

Board Size: 18

Paid Staff Size: 17

*2009 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.
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Fund Raising

              

Method(s) Used:

Direct mail, telemarketing, special events, print advertisements, grant proposals, Internet appeals, planned giving, and membership appeals.
Fund raising costs were 22% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $1,112,088, are donations received as a result of fund raising activities.)
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Tax Status

              

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.
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Financial

              

The following information is based on WC's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2009.

Source of Funds  
Contributions 1,010,476
Fees from providing services 378,902
Land preservation 177,200
Special events 101,612
Other 35,499
Net gain on long-term investments 11,743
Investment income 7,761
Total Income $1,723,193


chart



Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 64%  Fund Raising: 16%  Administrative: 20% 

Total income   $1,723,193
  Program expenses $971,365
  Fund raising expenses 246,484
  Administrative expenses 302,119
 
Total expenses   $1,519,968
Income in Excess of Expenses   203,225
Beginning net assets   3,796,541
Ending net assets   3,999,766
Total liabilities   142,902
Total assets   $4,142,668


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An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc.

This report is not to be used for fund raising or promotional purposes.

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