At Eagle Pond Inc

“Two directors are sisters and two directors are married.”

“A complete copy of Form 990 is provided to all board members for review. They indicate their acceptance of it by signed email statement.”

“Members of the Board review the conflict of interest policy at the annual meeting and submit signed copies disclosing any conflicts of interest and they understand that they must inform the Board of any conflicts that develop.”

“The Organization makes its governing documents, conflict of interest policy and financial statements available upon request.”

“Form 990, Part III, Line 4a Stewardship and ownership of Eagle Pond Farm are central to carrying out the literary and educational purposes of the nonprofit. The work of Donald Hall (1928-2018) and Jane Kenyon (1947-1995)--who in their years at the farm became nationally and internationally recognized as major American poets--is infused with reference to the farmhouse and barn, the wrap of farm, and an attendant sense of place. This was not only the locus of their lives but also what daily inspired their poetry and other writing. Hours and expertise donated by board members, colleagues, and other supporters of the nonprofit's endeavor--who contribute their professional experience in historic preservation, museum education, curatorial practice, public programming, and from some the perspective of poets and writers--allow the organization, at this stage, to carry out its stewardship program with no paid staff, administrative expense, or consultant fees. Sole stewardship expenses in 2024 were those of ownership, maintenance, and associated costs (Part IX, Line 16 and Line 22). Curatorship At the time of the nonprofit's 2021 purchase of the property from buyers who acquired it in 2019, the farmhouse had been almost emptied by two auctions and an estate sale occurring when the farm was sold to those buyers. Restoring original furnishings to the house (along with furnishings similar to those) became, then, an important aspect of the nonprofit's stewardship, most of all to preserve the story the house tells but also to accommodate visitors. When Donald Hall and Jane Kenyon came to live at the farm, they discarded little from previous generations and filled the farmhouse still further with bookshelves, books, and art. Because the farm was the very ground of their lives and work, it has, more than anything besides their work, come to represent them, what they wrote, and their commitment to writing and to this place. Refurnishing has been, and continues to be, accomplished through purchase and donation (including items returned by buyers who acquired them at the auctions or estate sale) as well as discovery of items remaining at the farm after the estate sale. Together, these help to depict both the earlier life of the farm and the lives Donald Hall and Jane Kenyon brought there and lived there. This curatorial effort will continue as items become available, but the house interior now evokes for visitors an authentic sense of what Donald Hall's and Jane Kenyon's days at the farm looked like and felt like. The rooms and furnishings also allow visitors to more fully appreciate the poetry and prose that mention the house, its layers of memory, and its contents. The absence of 2024 expense for curatorial acquisitions and effort does not reflect the nonprofit's impressive progress in this area. Donated items and expertise have allowed this accomplishment without what would otherwise be the corresponding expense. Preservation of the farmhouse and barn The passage of time has compromised the condition of the 19th century house and barn, and deferred maintenance for some 20 years prior to the 2019 sale compounded wear and deterioration. Assessment of structural condition and history, underway in 2024 and expected to be complete in 2025, will be followed by determination of what repairs or alterations to, or updating of, the house or barn may be required to keep them stable--and also adequate to carry out the activities of the nonprofit--while preserving their historic appearance, integrity, significance, and detail. All work will be done in accordance with the standards for historic preservation set by the U.S. Department of the Interior. When sufficient funds are in hand, this work can proceed. Costs will be estimated after assessments are completed. In 2024, substantial progress on research and documentation regarding the history of the farm and its architectural, cultural, and literary significance has helped bring nomination as a National Hi”