Skip to main content

Nonprofit · EIN 56-1216642

HIGHLAND-CASHIERS LAND TRUST INC

Tax-exempt · HIGHLANDS, NC 28741

Financials

$773K$581K2023$1.8M$769K2024
Revenue Expenses · by fiscal year end
Financials of HIGHLAND-CASHIERS LAND TRUST INC by year, from its e-filed returns
Year endedFormRevenueExpensesNet incomeTotal assetsLiabilitiesNet assets
December 31, 2024990$1,765,118$769,496$995,622$31,648,302$15,091$31,633,211
December 31, 2023990$773,125$580,742$192,383$30,431,544$1,380$30,430,164
Financial details: 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024

Revenue

Contributions, gifts and grants
$1,691,622
Program service revenue
$12,423
Investment income
$60,235
Net gain from sales of assets
-$63,160
Other revenue
$838

Expenses

Grants and similar amounts paid
$0
Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
$105,797
Other salaries and wages
$237,610
Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
$395,943
Professional fundraising fees
$57,510
Legal fees
$21,182
Accounting fees
$20,058
Occupancy
$17,432
Depreciation
$20,285
Program services (functional)
$446,615
Management and general (functional)
$152,757
Fundraising (functional)
$170,124

Balance sheet and other

Total assets, start of year
$30,431,544
Total assets, end of year
$31,648,302
Total liabilities, end of year
$15,091
Net assets, end of year
$31,633,211
Land, buildings and equipment
$27,603,447
Publicly traded securities
$3,430,375
Net assets without donor restrictions
$13,787,331
Net assets with donor restrictions
$17,845,880
Gross receipts
$1,828,278
Employees
7
Volunteers
70
Year formed
1883
State of legal domicile
NC

From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.

Officers, directors and key employees

As listed on the 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024, highest compensation first.

NameTitleHours / weekCompensationOther / benefits
Lance HardinExecutive Director
Officer
40$96,000$9,797
F Carlton KingDeparting President
Trustee or director, Officer
5$0$0
Ann HuckstopIncoming President
Trustee or director
5$0$0
Bill MauldinVice President
Trustee or director, Officer
3$0$0
Martha WrightSecretary
Trustee or director, Officer
3$0$0
Karen PattersonTreasurer
Trustee or director, Officer
3$0$0
Brad ArmstrongBoard Member
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Chuck AusterBoard Member
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Lawrence DimmittBoard Member
Trustee or director
1$0$0
Wally EvansBoard Member
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Hugh FitzpatrickBoard Member
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Rick HildboldBoard Member
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Chris HohlsteinBoard Member
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Walter WingfieldBoard Member
Trustee or director
1$0$0
Russ McLauchlanBoard Member
Trustee or director
1$0$0
5 more people on this return
NameTitleHours / weekCompensation
Amy PattersonBoard Member
Trustee or director
2$0
Tom HolmesBoard Member
Trustee or director
1$0
Victoria StephensBoard Member
Trustee or director
1$0
Bill StiefelBoard Member
Trustee or director
1$0
Jeffrey ZahnerBoard Member
Trustee or director
1$0
990 for the year ended December 31, 2023: 21 people
NameTitleHours / weekCompensationOther / benefits
Lance HardinExecutive Director
Officer
40$79,927$4,800
F Carlton KingPresident
Trustee or director, Officer
5$0$0
Bill MauldinVice President
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0$0
Martha WrightSecretary
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0$0
Karen PattersonTreasurer
Trustee or director, Officer
2$0$0
Brad ArmstrongBoard Member
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Chuck AusterBoard Member
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Wally EvansBoard Member
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Russ McLauchlanBoard Member
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Hugh FitzpatrickBoard Member
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Sharon Jones ColeBoard Member
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Lawrence DimmittBoard Member
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Rick HildboldBoard Member
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Chris HohlsteinBoard Member
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Walter WingfieldBoard Member
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Ann HuckstepBoard Member
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Amy PattersonBoard Member
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Tom HolmesBoard Member
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Victoria StephensBoard Member
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Bill StiefelBoard Member
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Jeffrey ZahnerBoard Member
Trustee or director
2$0$0

Address and contacts

Address (IRS master file)
348 S 5TH ST STE 213, HIGHLANDS, NC 28741-7002
Principal officer (990 for 2024)
Ann Huckstep, PO Box 1703, Highlands, NC 28741
Signed the 990
Ann Huckstep, President
Phone
(828) 526-1111
Return prepared by
CORLISS & SOLOMON PLLC

Mission

The mission of the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust is to safeguard the unique and irreplaceable landscape of our area through conservation of ecologically valuable land and protection of the biodiversity dependent on such landscapes.

990 for the year ended December 31, 2024

Program accomplishments

  • In 2024 the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust (HCLT) completed three land projects (1) the fee simple acquisition of 100 acres of ecologically sensitive forestland containing some of the headwaters of the Chattooga River, (2) the fee simple acquisition via donation of more than 55 acres of biodiverse habitat, including almost a mile of Overflow Creek, the primary source of Glen Falls, and via transfer the fee simple acquisition of an 8 acre tract within the Cashiers Township, protecting it from development. HCLT also provided stewardship of conserved land by completing 100% monitoring of all conservation easements and fee simple lands held by HCLT. HCLTs commitment to stewardship is perpetual. Worked with conservation easement landowners to ensure protection of conservation values, rare habitat types, and plant communities. Built trails and expanded community access to conserved lands. Engaged the Highlands and Cashiers communities for involvement with trail maintenance and improvements, invasive species mitigation, and habitat restoration.
    Expenses $446,615 · revenue $12,423
  • HCLTs education and outreach efforts focus on educating the public about conservation and the natural world by providing opportunities for children, families, and adults to engage in hands-on environmental education and exploration activities at no cost. Our programming generally encompasses three types of outreach (1) guided events for adults and families, such as hikes and clinics, (2) youth- focused environmental education programs, and (3) community speaker events. In 2024 we hosted more that 60 events open to the public, including on such topics as forest bathing, fungi identification, pollinator habitats, wildflower identification, and so on; more than 40 youth events, including programming for organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club, local schools and preschools, and local day camps; and several speaker events, including 6 Village Nature Series lectures. In 2024 HCLT created more than 1,800 individual interactions with youth and adults through our various outreach and environmental education programming.
  • HCLT continues to ensure that it operates ethically and morally, and proactively complies with all legal and statutory requirements. HCLT is an accredited organization by the Land Trust Alliance and in 2024 successfully participated in the re-accreditation process, a complete and thorough review, undertaken every five years, of all HCLTs policies and practices. HCLT has stringent requirements for board members, maintains robust by-laws and policies that are reviewed regularly, engages the services of a third-party bookkeeper, and maintains all appropriate insurance coverages. HCLT completed an independent audit of its 2024 financial statements and received an unqualified opinion.

What it must file and when

IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.

Tax yearYear endedDueIRS public records
2025December 31, 2025May 15, 2026Not on file
2024December 31, 2024May 15, 2025990 on file
2023December 31, 2023May 15, 2024990 on file

IRS record

EIN
56-1216642
Tax-exempt status
501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
Foundation status
Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
Donations deductible (Pub 78)
Public charity, 50% deduction limit
Exempt since
1985
Accounting year ends
December
Files
Form 990 or 990-EZ
Category (NTEE)
Environment (C340)
Assets (IRS master file)
$31,648,302
Income (IRS master file)
$1,828,278

Filing history

FormYear endedRevenueExpensesAssetsReturn
990December 2024$1,765,118$769,496$31,648,302XML
990December 2023$773,125$580,742$30,431,544XML
990December 2022$518,104$524,466$30,007,475IRS
990December 2021–––IRS
990December 2020–––IRS

990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 56-1216642).

Questions about HIGHLAND-CASHIERS LAND TRUST INC

What is the EIN of HIGHLAND-CASHIERS LAND TRUST INC?
The employer identification number (EIN) of HIGHLAND-CASHIERS LAND TRUST INC is 56-1216642.
Is HIGHLAND-CASHIERS LAND TRUST INC tax-exempt?
Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 1985.
Are donations to HIGHLAND-CASHIERS LAND TRUST INC tax-deductible?
Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
Which annual return does HIGHLAND-CASHIERS LAND TRUST INC file?
Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
When is the next return of HIGHLAND-CASHIERS LAND TRUST INC due?
The return for tax year 2025 (the year ending December 31, 2025) is due May 15, 2026. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
When did HIGHLAND-CASHIERS LAND TRUST INC last file with the IRS?
The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2024.
Who is the principal officer of HIGHLAND-CASHIERS LAND TRUST INC?
The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024 names Ann Huckstep.
Who are the officers and directors of HIGHLAND-CASHIERS LAND TRUST INC?
The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024 lists 20 people; 1 received compensation from the organization, the highest $96,000 (Lance Hardin, Executive Director).
How much revenue does HIGHLAND-CASHIERS LAND TRUST INC have?
On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024 it reported revenue of $1,765,118, expenses of $769,496 and total assets of $31,648,302 at year end.

Other nonprofits in HIGHLANDS

All nonprofits in HIGHLANDS · North Carolina · Environment