Methow Conservancy

“One of the ways the organization accomplishes its land conservation objectives is by purchasing or accepting donations of interests in real property. The organization accepts donations or purchases conservation easements on qualifying properties. Conservation easements accepted or purchased by the organization are not recognized as assets on the statements of financial position because the organization does not have fee title to the properties and there are no expected future economic benefits. If purchased, the costs of conservation easements are expensed when the easements are acquired and are recorded as direct land program expenses on the statements of activities and changes in net assets. Conservation easements purchased and/or accepted by the organization had fair market values, as determined by qualified appraisal, of $2,265,000 for the year ended march 31, 2023. Of the values accepted, $1,200,000 was donated by landowners. Conservation easements are perpetual agreements between the organization and private landowners through which the landowners agree to abide by certain restrictions designed to preserve the open space or conservation value of their land; these agreements are binding on all future landowners. The organization accepted 4 new conservation easements during the fiscal year, bringing the total number of easements in favor of the organization to 120, protecting 10,409 acres of land and 33 riverfront miles. Upon accepting a conservation easement, the organization assumes a perpetual obligation to monitor, normally on an annual basis, the affected property to ensure that the landowners comply with the restrictions of the easement. Further, the organization is perpetually obligated to enforce provisions of the easements in the event of a violation to the terms of the easement. Enforcing an easement violation could involve costly legal or other expenses. Although conservation easements are real property rights, they possess little or no market value due to a resale market that is essentially limited to the owner of the fee title of the restricted property.”

“The organization maintains two endowment funds. The stewardship fund totaling $1,298,035 at year end, is maintained to assist with annual costs of monitoring conservation easements and running their stewardship program, and serves as a legal defense fund should the need to enforce a conservation easement arises. The organizational sustainability fund totaling $1,088,845 at year end, represents an endowment fund to help sustain basic daily administration costs and staffing.”

“The organization operates as a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code, therefore, no provision for federal income tax is presented. The organization has adopted the provisions of fasb asc 740-10. Management has evaluated the organization's tax positions and concluded the organization has taken no uncertain tax positions requiring adjustment to the financial statements to comply with these provisions. With few exceptions, the organization is no longer subject to income tax examinations by u.s. Federal tax authorities for the years before 2019.”

“Direct rental expenses report in part viii -1,409. Direct fundraising expenses reported on schedule g -28,456.”

“Direct fundraising expenses reported on schedule g -1,409. Direct rental expenses report in part viii -28,456.”