2025-10-22T06:06:47-07:00 2024-12-31 202571677 CORLISS & SOLOMON PLLC 242 CHARLOTTE ST SUITE 1 ASHEVILLE NC 28801 990 2024-01-01 562142199 Mainspring Conservation Trust Inc MAIN 8285242711 PO Box 1148 Franklin NC 287441148 David Adams Board Chair 8285242711 2025-10-22 true true Todd Oldenburg P02281691 8282360206 2025-10-22 2024 2025-03-06 01:10:19Z David Adams PO Box 1148 Franklin NC 287441148 7556860 false X www.mainspringconserves.org X 1999 NC To conserve unique and special places in the heart of the Southern Blue Ridge for the benefit of all. 16 16 19 185 876 0 3098664 6638268 26690 310718 166817 -283026 18389 18098 3310560 6684058 0 0 770627 890431 0 63429 1575684 4919641 2346311 5810072 964249 873986 18367629 19870845 1423067 1939837 16944562 17931008 To conserve unique and special places in the heart of the Southern Blue Ridge for the benefit of all. false false 5508146 0 310718 LAND In 2024, Mainspring completed sixteen land transactions, protecting 1528 acres in Western North Carolina. - Two fee simple donations of property received & three fee simple land acquisitions - Three sales of conserved land, one to the USFS and two to the NC Wildlife Resources Commission - Four CEs donations received & two CEs purchased with grant and private funding - Two CEs sold to the NC Land and Water Fund By the end of 2024, Mainspring was responsible for monitoring 105 conservation easements totaling 16,184 acres. It owned 32 properties in fee simple, or 3,468 acres; 1,946 acres on 14 Mainspring properties were also under conservation easement. Volunteers contributed more than 725 hours to help improve the landscape through habitat management and recreational improvements. WATER As part of Mainsprings restoration program, Mainspring finished construction on a large wetland-complex project and conducted a feasibility study on six sites for potential restoration. Mainspring also held about 60 events around water, targeted at either youth education, citizen science, or community engagement. CULTURAL HERITAGE Mainspring continued its efforts to conserve significant cultural heritage areas and to facilitate enhanced management and non-invasive research to better understand these resources. Through partnership with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Western Carolina University, the Cherokee Preservation Foundation, the NC Trail of Tears Association, and others, work continues to identify culturally significant unprotected sites and ensure they are conserved. 5508146 true true false false false false true false false true true false false true true true true false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false true true false false true false false false false false true 28 0 true 19 true true true false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false X 16 16 false false false false false false false true true false false true true true true true true true false false NC GA FL X X X Ben Laseter 8285242711 557 E Main St Franklin NC 28734 Jordan Smith Executive Director 40.00 X 96302 0 13015 David Adams Chair 3.00 X X 0 0 0 James Stork Vice Chair 2.00 X X 0 0 0 Hope Huskey Secretary 2.00 X X 0 0 0 Jim Garner Treasurer 3.00 X X 0 0 0 Jason P Love Former Chair 2.00 X 0 0 0 Chris Brouwer Board Member 2.00 X 0 0 0 Amanda Clapp Board Member 2.00 X 0 0 0 Barry Clinton Board Member 2.00 X 0 0 0 Fred Crawford Board Member 2.00 X 0 0 0 Anita Finger-Smith Board Member 2.00 X 0 0 0 Connie Haire Board Member 2.00 X 0 0 0 Bill Gibson Board Member 2.00 X 0 0 0 Ed Haight Board Member 2.00 X 0 0 0 Terrie Kelly Board Member 2.00 X 0 0 0 Lisa Leatherman Board Member 2.00 X 0 0 0 Ben Steere Board Member 2.00 X 0 0 0 96302 0 13015 false false false Fluvial Solutions Inc PO Box 28749 Raleigh NC 27611 Contracted Wetland Work 116525 Jim Byrd Construction Inc 264 Patton Downs Rd Franklin NC 28734 Contract Work for Siler Jones Project 171956 McMillen Inc 1471 Shoreline Dr Suite 100 Boise ID 83702 Design/Build Engineering for Ela Dam Project 162757 Water and Power Law Group PC 2140 Shattuck Ave Suite 801 Berkeley CA 94704 Legal Council for Ela Dam Project, LLC 184624 4 1895327 4742941 692714 6638268 Stewardship Contracts 541990 13012 0 0 Program Services 541990 18070 0 0 Shade Your Stream Program 541990 26715 0 0 Macroinvertebrate Study 541990 10753 0 0 Ela Dam Project 541300 233776 0 0 8392 0 0 310718 139480 0 139480 15375 11124 4251 4251 3375 876 436491 858997 -422506 -422506 0 0 -422506 3169 2681 488 488 Miscellaneous 900099 13359 0 0 13359 13359 6684058 314093 876 -269179 109317 92919 12025 4373 641509 576643 34615 30251 32435 21792 7597 3046 47319 33288 10283 3748 59851 50634 6584 2633 173273 173273 0 0 20340 0 20340 0 2087 0 2087 0 764400 730975 33340 85 181 126 55 0 26467 15785 3134 7548 6747 6004 468 275 34460 21455 12123 882 48637 40861 3944 3832 9445 2114 7239 92 7215 7215 0 0 76200 59608 16592 0 50525 41526 6641 2358 Land Valuation Changes 459578 459578 0 0 Easement and Land Purchase Expenses 2491106 2491106 0 0 Contingency Refund 588547 588547 0 0 Supplies and Materials 52279 48810 2636 833 108154 45887 58794 3473 5810072 5508146 238497 63429 36128 142056 2230601 2646625 207964 151744 32925 31061 14271116 302399 13201128 13968717 663887 600488 75260 74266 1919736 2255888 18367629 19870845 86807 245623 1020107 152529 145975 124810 142000 142000 28178 1274875 1423067 1939837 X 15498344 16439230 1446218 1491778 16944562 17931008 18367629 19870845 873986 112460 X X false true X true false X 0 2218607 7952452 5178744 3098664 6638268 25086735 0 0 2218607 7952452 5178744 3098664 6638268 25086735 581217 24505518 62101 62069 50489 105810 154855 435324 0 4463 15705 100 5786 13357 39411 25561470 435840 0.95870 0.95360 X 0 0 0 Pt II Ln 10 Other Income Part II, Line 10 Description: Other Revenue 2020: 4463. 2021: 15705. 2022: 100. 2023: 5786. 2024: 13357. RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED X X X X 78 9627.00 0 2 true 1289.00 50933 true 1403092 187734 139472 37818 2087 1690393 1245100 18859 163399 22575 1691 1403092 1463733 33114 -219102 30828 1817 1245100 1296302 37175 169645 27337 12052 1463733 1069446 115473 154262 32720 10159 1296302 0.22170 0.50220 0.27610 true false 80000 12301122 12381122 654576 57422 597154 99243 14967 84276 82313 29101 53212 1053862 200909 852953 13968717 Options and Escrow Deposits 35500 Endowment held by Community Foundation of WNC 1690393 Conservation Land Subject to Life Estate, Net 529995 Security Deposit 0 2255888 Fiscal Agent Funds Held 27491 Contingency Payable 588547 EBCI Contract Retainer 658837 1274875 X 6754469 112460 13805 126265 6628204 2087 53767 55854 6684058 5362212 13805 13805 5348407 2087 459578 461665 5810072 Pt II, Line 5 CEs are monitored by Mainsprings conservation easement monitoring staff at least annually with a report to Mainsprings files and the landowner. The handling of violations, monitoring and enforcement are covered in Mainsprings Stewardship Policy Manual. Pt II, Line 9 Conservation easements purchased are expensed at cost. Conservation easements received by donation are not recorded in the organizations books.(See Schedule O for further information.) Pt V, Line 4 Mainspring has three accounts at the Community Foundation of WNC. Two are for stewardship purposes (The Permanent and nonpermanent funds) and the income generated from those funds is for conservation easement stewardship, land acquisition and other conservation purposes consistent with the purpose and terms of the fund. The third account is the Mainspring Endowment Fund and funds generated from that fund can be used for operations. Pt X, Line 2 Mainspring is exempt from federal income taxes under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Under the Code, however,income from certain activities not related to the organizations tax-exempt purpose may be subject to taxation as unrelated business income. Mainspring had income from unrelated business activities in the 2024 fiscal year and was, therefore, required to file Federal Form 990-T (Exempt Organization Business Income Tax Return). Management anticipates that taxes payable, if any, will not be material to the financial statements. The organization believes that it has appropriate support for all tax positions taken, and as such, does not have any uncertain tax positions that are material to the financial statements. Pt XI, Line 2d Rental Expenses $11,124, COGS $2,681 Pt XI, Line 4b Life Estate Contributions $22,001; Land Contributions $454,272. Pt XII, Line 2d Rental Expenses $11,124, COGS $2,681 Pt XII, Line 4b Easement Devaluation $459,578 X 6 114141 Sales Price 0 X 5 578573 Appraisal 6 false true false Pt I Line 30b Mainspring does not carry conservation easements as assets on its books. Donated conservation easements are not recognized in revenue. Other Line 17 Real estate - Other - Land donations are reported on this line. Other Per the Bylaws, the Executive Committee may exercise the powers of the Board between Board meetings, except as may be limited by the North Carolina Nonprofit Corporation Act, or may make recommendations to the Board with respect to any matters that come before it. All actions taken by the Executive Committee shall be reported to the Board of Directors at the meeting following such action. Pt VI, Line 11b The 990 is initially reviewed by the Finance Manager and the Executive Director. A draft is emailed to the board and presented at the Finance Committee and the Board meetings. The final is also shared once it is filed. Pt VI, Line 12c A conflict of interest statement is handed out to the Board of Directors in attendance at the first board meeting of the new year and are asked to complete it and hand it in at that time. The statement is mailed to any board members who misses that meeting. To ensure all the completed forms are returned within one month, a designated staff member follows up with anyone who has not submitted the signed form. Staff is given a Conflict of Interest statement to complete each January, or if new to the organization at their time of hire. The Finance Manager reviews the statements. In addition, the Executive Director monitors the statements for any possible conflicts of interest. Pt VI, Line 15a Mainsprings Executive Committee does an annual performance evaluation of the E.D. and uses LTA and industry benchmarks to determine salary increase. The Board of Directors uses an executive session at its February board meeting to present & discuss the E.D. performance review and vote on an annual increase. Pt VI, Line 18 Form 1023 is available upon request. Forms 990 are available on the IRS website, the websites of many charity watch organizations, such as Guidestar, and MCTs website. Pt VI, Line 19 Governing documents, Conflict of Interest policy and audited financial statements are available upon request. Pt XII, Line 2c The Audit Committee directly reviews the audit. Other Sch D, Ln 3&5 - Since U.S. GAAP does not provide specific guidance on the accounting treatment for conservation easements, land trust organizations in the U.S. use several different methods to account for the easements they hold. Mainspring has adopted one such method which is widely used by other land trusts. Under this method, conservation easements are not recognized as assets. Accordingly, easements received by donation are not recorded in income and easements purchased by the organization are recorded as expenses. Management believes that this method results in financial statements that most accurately reflect the organizations financial activities. Form 990, Part IX, Line 11g Contract Labor 178616. 173472. 5144. 0. Form 990, Part IX, Line 11g Professional Fees - Land Steward & Annual Report 32667. 32667. 0. 0. Form 990, Part IX, Line 11g Professional Fees - Strategic Planning 26290. 72. 26218. 0. Form 990, Part IX, Line 11g Professional Fees - Other 4709. 2646. 1978. 85. Form 990, Part IX, Line 11g Project Management Pass-through Expense 92064. 92064. 0. 0. Form 990, Part IX, Line 11g Design/Engineering 64244. 64244. 0. 0. Form 990, Part IX, Line 11g Ela Dam - Project Management 69393. 69393. 0. 0. Form 990, Part IX, Line 11g Ela Dam - Design/Build 218157. 218157. 0. 0. Form 990, Part IX, Line 11g Ela Dam - Consulting 78260. 78260. 0. 0. Ela Dam Project LLC 557 E Main St Franklin NC 28734 991910016 River restoration NC 615015 889247 Mainspring Conservation Trust Inc