2018-08-21T12:58:43-07:00 2017-12-31 CORLISS & SOLOMON PLLC 242 CHARLOTTE ST SUITE 1 ASHEVILLE NC 288011434 990 2017-01-01 562142199 Mainspring Conservation Trust Inc MAIN 8285242711 PO Box 1148 Franklin NC 287441148 SHARON F TAYLOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 8285242711 2018-08-21 true STEPHEN C CORLISS P01333317 8282360206 2018-08-21 2017 2022-09-23 18:48:47Z SHARON F TAYLOR PO Box 1148 Franklin NC 287441148 4690206 false X www.mainspringconserves.org X 1999 NC LOCATED IN THE HEART OF THE SOUTHERN BLUE RIDGE, THE MISSION OF MAINSPRING CONSERVATION TRUST IS TO CONSERVE THE WATERS, FORESTS, FARMS AND HERITAGE OF THE UPPER LITTLE TENNESSEE AND HIWASSEE RIVER VALLEYS. 17 17 15 140 0 2673742 4327922 117398 286452 -63893 30146 40565 20951 2767812 4665471 0 0 535360 647199 0 126569 2041683 1673015 2577043 2320214 190769 2345257 8537163 10996016 315680 311616 8221483 10684400 The mission of Mainspring Conservation Trust is to conserve the waters, forests, farms and heritage false false 2004615 286452 IN 2017, MAINSPRING WORKED DILIGENTLY TO CONSERVE ITS NATIONALLY SIGNIFICANT PROJECT AREA, WHICH HAS INCREDIBLE LAND AND WATER RESOURCES OVERLAID WITH CULTURAL HERITAGE ASSETS DATING BACK THOUSANDS OF YEARS. CONSERVE: MAINSPRING CONSERVED 1136 ACRES IN NINE TRANSACTIONS, INCLUDING ONE CONSERVATION EASEMENT PROJECT AND EIGHT FEE ACQUISITIONS, INCLUDING PROJECTS TO EXTEND MACON COUNTY'S LITTLE TENNESSEE RIVER GREENWAY, PROTECT A LARGE TRACT OF WILDLAND ADJACENT TO THE UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE'S SNOWBIRD AREA, WHICH IS MANAGED AS A WILDERNESS STUDY AREA, AND A CONTAMINATED BROWNFIELD SITE NEAR THE HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT CHEROKEE NIKWASI TOWN SITE. RESTORE: MAINSPRING COMPLETED TWO STREAM RESTORATION PROJECTS. IN THOSE PROJECTS, THREE FISH BARRIERS WERE REMOVED TO CREATE CONNECTIVITY. A SINGLE REMOVED BARRIER CAN DELIVER IMPRESSIVE BENEFITS, IMPROVING FISH ACCESS FOR MILES BOTH UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM. WHEN RIVERS AND STREAMS ARE CONNECTED, FISH CAN BETTER ACCESS THE HABITAT THEY NEED. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF PROTECTING AND RESTORING FISH POPULATIONS, WHICH CAN IN TURN HAVE MULTIPLE BENEFITS - INCLUDING FOR RECREATIONAL FISHING W CONNECT: TO BETTER CONNECT PEOPLE TO NATURE, MAINSPRING BUILT 1.6 MILES OF NEW TRAIL AND MAINTAINED OVER 4 MILES OF TRAIL AT THREE OF ITS PROPERTIES. THESE TRAILS ARE LOCATED THROUGHOUT A VARIETY OF ECOSYSTEMS ALONG TESSENTEE CREEK, THE LITTLE TENNESSEE RIVER, AND THE VALLEY RIVER. ALSO, MAINSPRING ENGAGED 1,731 YOUTH IN ACTIVITIES TO HELP THEM APPRECIATE OUR NATURAL RESOURCES, INCLUDING SNORKELING AND BIRD BANDING EVENTS. IN TOTAL, MAINSPRING RECORDED THE ENGAGEMENT OF 2,576 PEOPLE IN 2017. MAI 2004615 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 false false false false false true 31 0 true 15 true false false false false false false false false false false true false false false false X 17 17 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 RAMELLE SMITH 8285242711 557 E Main St Franklin NC 28744 CONSTANCE HAIRE Chair 3.00 X X 0 0 0 JASON LOVE Vice Chair 3.00 X X 0 0 0 JOHN GLADDEN Secretary 3.00 X X 0 0 0 KENYON MURPHY Treasurer 3.00 X X 0 0 0 CHRIS BROUWER At-large Executive Committee seat 3.00 X X 0 0 0 DAVID ADAMS Board Member 3.00 X 0 0 0 RICHARD CLARK 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 HOPE HUSKEY Board Member 2.00 X 0 0 0 TERRIE KELLY Board Member 2.00 X 0 0 0 DOUG LANDWEHR Board Member 2.00 X 0 0 0 LISA LEATHERMAN Board Member 2.00 X 0 0 0 RITA SALAIN Board Member 2.00 X 0 0 0 JAMES STORK Board Member 2.00 X 0 0 0 JOHN STRAWN Board Member 2.00 X 0 0 0 JUANITA WILSON Board Member 2.00 X 0 0 0 SHARON TAYLOR Executive Director 40.00 X 74620 0 19540 74620 19540 false false false 970 4326952 1606354 4327922 Stewardship Contracts 541990 11924 Conservation Project Administration 541990 274528 286452 35646 35646 11860 11860 11860 11860 17500 23000 -5500 -5500 -5500 970 940 -940 -940 1870 795 1075 1075 819 819 819 Miscellaneous 900099 8137 8137 8137 4665471 306449 31100 94159 47080 23541 23538 454582 313022 82133 59427 20172 14089 3571 2512 38390 26914 6760 4716 39896 26350 7621 5925 13220 0 13220 0 377207 365606 3863 7738 253 253 0 0 19240 6166 8840 4234 11909 4914 4115 2880 22191 12061 9646 484 29253 21626 3871 3756 7229 3057 3653 519 12602 8323 2407 1872 23653 15622 4518 3513 Easement and Land Purchases 21158 21158 0 0 Below Book Value Land Sales 840140 840140 0 0 Supplies/Materials/Publications 22157 16040 3108 3009 Return of Contribution Funds 200000 200000 0 0 72803 62194 8163 2446 2320214 2004615 189030 126569 38515 73105 2638712 2790455 53916 75250 1812 7517 6978 5115 6896584 45684 4727748 6850900 6643 7336 1062839 1186338 8537163 10996016 60717 23860 68191 104195 167131 160928 19641 22633 315680 311616 X 7243020 9469579 523924 760282 454539 454539 8221483 10684400 8537163 10996016 2345257 117660 X X false true X true false X 1241093 1939682 1600371 2673742 4327922 11782810 1241093 1939682 1600371 2673742 4327922 11782810 2155464 9627346 15780 65457 45298 39300 47506 213341 8627 4146 7737 28736 8137 57383 12053534 904843 0.79870 0.80550 X 0 0 0 Pt II Ln 10 Other Income Part II, Line 10 Description: Other Revenue 2013: 8627. 2014: 4146. 2015: 7737. 2016: 28736. 2017: 8137. RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED X X X X 55 6715.1 1 2 true 465 17588 true 884752 9750 136642 19170 7263 1004711 831794 30500 56314 27300 6556 884752 821043 35000 2555 20477 6327 831794 716164 78032 46880 14000 6033 821043 577407 47660 95931 4834 716164 0.29640 0.45240 0.25120 true false 6199535 6199535 390420 12222 378198 58424 33462 24962 248205 248205 6850900 Options and Escrow Deposits 2000 Endowment held by Community Foundation of WNC 1004711 Conservation Land Subject to Life Estate, Net 179127 Security Deposit 500 1186338 Fiscal Agent Funds Payable 22633 22633 X 4795876 117660 5510 7235 130405 4665471 4665471 2332959 5510 7235 12745 2320214 2320214 Pt II, Line 5 CEs are monitored by Mainspring's conservation easement monitoring staff at least annually with a report to Mainspring's files and the landowner. The handling of violations, monitoring and enforcement are covered in Mainspring's Stewardship Policy Manual. Pt II, Line 9 Conservation easements purchased are expensed at cost. Conservation easements received by donation are not recorded in the organization's books.(See Schedule O for further information.) Pt II, Line 3 A corrective modification was made on one of the conservation easements held by Mainspring Conservation Trust. Pt V, Line 4 THE INTENDED USES OF THE ORGANIZATION'S ENDOWMENT FUNDS ARE TO GENERATE INCOME FOR CONSERVATION EASEMENT STEWARDSHIP, LAND ACQUISITION AND OTHER CONSERVATION PURPOSES CONSISTENT WITH THE PURPOSE AND TERMS OF EACH ENDOWMENT FUND. Pt X, Line 2 Mainspring is exempt from federal income taxes under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Under the Code, income from certain activities not related to the organization's tax-exempt purpose may be subject to taxation as unrelated business income. The organization had less than $1,000 of income from unrelated business activities in the 2017 fiscal year and was, therefore, not required to file Federal Form 990-T (Exempt Organization Business Income Tax Return). 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 Loss on Sale of Land $5,500, Fundraising Expenses $940, Raffle Expenses $795 Pt XII, Line 2d Loss on Sale of Land $5,500, Fundraising Expenses $940, Raffle Expenses $795 X 1 13900 Appraisal X 10 149849 Fair Market Value X 1 See Part II X 7 1431562 Appraisal X Office Supplies 2 275 Fair Market Value X Land Conservation 3 10768 Fair Market Value 3 false true false Pt I Line 30b Mainspring does not carry conservation easements as assets on the organization's books. Accordingly, donated conservation easements are not recognized in revenue. Other Line 17 Real estate - Other - Land donations are reported on this line. Pt VI, Line 1a 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. It is then provided to the Finance Committee for review and approval. Finally, the 990 is sent to the Board of Directors prior to filing. 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 of Director 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 In the annual budgeting process, the Board approves a budget line for aggregate salary expense. Thereafter, the Executive Director gives consideration to comparable salary information for land trust nonprofit organizations with similar budgets, as available, and local job markets. The Executive Committee sets the Executive Director salary after a performance review and a check of comparable salary information for related land trust nonprofit organizations with similar budgets. Pt VI, Line 18 Forms 1023 and 990 are available upon request. The Form 990 is also available on the organization's website. Pt VI, Line 19 Governing documents, Conflict of Interest policy and audited financial statements are available upon request. Other Net investment gains on Endowment held with the Community Foundation of Western NC amounted to $117,660. 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 organization's financial activities. Form 990, Part IX, Line 24e Program Event Expense 6074. 3591. 2453. 30. Form 990, Part IX, Line 24e Dues/Subscriptions 4951. 2350. 2281. 320. Form 990, Part IX, Line 24e Miscellaneous 12051. 10116. 1308. 627. Form 990, Part IX, Line 24e Field Equipment 459. 459. 0. 0. Form 990, Part IX, Line 24e Project Management 32150. 32150. 0. 0. Form 990, Part IX, Line 24e Property Tax-Lands 7562. 7562. 0. 0. Form 990, Part IX, Line 24e Staff Development 5508. 1918. 2121. 1469. Form 990, Part IX, Line 24e Land Disbursement Expense 4048. 4048. 0. 0.