EIN 77-0566099

Eastern Sierra Land Trust (ESLT)

IRS 501(c) type
501(c)(3)
Num. employees
12
City
Bishop
Year formed
2001
Most recent tax filings
2022-12-01
Description
Eastern Sierra Land Trust works with willing landowners to preserve vital lands in the Eastern Sierra region for their scenic, agricultural, natural, recreational, historical, and watershed values.
Total revenues
$778,046
2022
Total expenses
$805,152
2022
Total assets
$13,324,210
2022
Num. employees
12
2022

Program areas at ESLT

Established in 2001, and recognized as a nationally-accredited land trust in 2011,underwent our first successful renewal accreditation in 2016, with a recent renewal of accreditation in 2022, we hold ourselves to rigorous standards of excellence in order to uphold your trust and ensure that our conservation efforts are permanent.Eastern Sierra Land Trust (ESLT) works to permanently safeguard the Eastern Sierras treasured landscapes for generations to come. Through conservation partnerships with willing landowners, we protect Eastern Sierra lands for their scenic, agricultural, natural, recreational, historic, and watershed values. In our 22 years of service to our community, ESLT has protected nearly 22,000 acres of critically-important wildlife habitat, scenic marvels, and agricultural resources against the threat of poorly-planned development and sprawl through our working farms and ranches, critical habitats, and stewardship programs. Through our Community Connections Program, we offer people of all ages the opportunity to connect with the land, encouraging a spirit of stewardship in residents and visitors alike. The program pivoted from a hybrid format back to in-person, helping to bring the hope of being in nature and land ethic conservation concepts to a broad community. The sunflower garden project (local third-graders learn about pollinators, native plants, and gardening) and Earth Day Youth Art Contest both continued in 2022, and a fourth grade class from Big Pine had the opportunity to attend a new grant-supported Native Plants and Art Field Trip. Our Eastside Pollinator Garden Project (a certification process to create pollinator-friendly gardens with native plants) certified 17 new gardens in 2022. ESLT held events in the spring and summer including the Mule Deer Migration Corridor Field Trip, a Bi-State Sage-Grouse field trip, the Deep Roots Pollinator Garden Workshop, GardenFest, and World Migratory Bird Day. We organized several Highway Cleanups in addition to the Great Sierra River Cleanup, and held a Lands & Legacy Bioblitz.Our Land Conservation Program (working farms and ranches, critical habitats and stewardship), worked with federal, state, and local conservation partners to help protect private lands containing agricultural, ecological, historical, and cultural value. In 2022, ESLT completed the Centennial Point conservation easement, protecting 1,741 acres of working lands and Bi-State sage grouse habitat utilizing funding from the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP-ALE) and Californias Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB). Additionally, ESLT worked to progress another conservation easement on a 1,228-acre cattle ranch in Nevada, protecting working lands and Bi-State sage-grouse habitat utilizing funding from the NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) and the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW). Finally, ESLT carried out annual easement monitoring efforts on nearly 22,000 acres of land in our service area, and completed stewardship activities on lands our organization owns in fee title.
In October 2020, Californias Governor Newsom signed the Nature Based Solutions Executive Order which committed California to combat climate change and protect biodiversity by conserving 30% of lands and waters by 2030.By conserving large areas of Californias land and waters, the goal is to stabilize our states climate and protect both rural and urban areas from climate impacts, insuring a more resilient future.The Sierra Nevada is a critical area to protect, and ESLT is a strong supporter of the initiative. Our Executive Director/CEO Kay Ogden has been actively working alongside a large network of environmental protectors including California Council of Land Trusts, the Sierra Cascade Land Trust Council, The Sierra Consortium to gain statewide support for funding and implementation of 30x30s strategies. She has recently been appointed to Californias Natural Resource Services (CRNA) 30x30 Partnership Coordinating Committee for a one-year term.Over the next eight years, efforts will be led by CRNA through the 30x30 Partnership. Inclusive collaborative and voluntary actions among communities, landowners, Californias Native American tribes, non-profits like ESLT, scientists and government agencies must translate its goals into action. Key are the protection of Californias unique biodiversity, expansion of equitable access to nature and its benefits to all and conservation of places that help California achieve carbon neutrality.Regionally-led conservation is a 30x30 goal. At this pivotal time in history, there is urgency to meet global conservation targets. Together, we can build upon state-wide and national policy advocacy and capacity building programs to leverage increased funding for conservation so that our efforts to safeguard Californias unique biodiversity and lands in the midst of emerging climate challenges are collaborative and compelling. To be able to work on conservation at such a large scale, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that we need to grab ahold of, Kay Ogden, ESLT Executive Director/CEO, emphasizes.

Grants made by ESLT

GranteeGrant descriptionAmount
Sierra Nevada AllianceEducation$23,875

Who funds Eastern Sierra Land Trust (ESLT)

Grants from foundations and other nonprofits
GrantmakerDescriptionAmount
Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift FundFor Grant Recipient's Exempt Purposes$22,150
Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding TrustUnrestricted General Support$10,000
Schlinger Family FoundationGeneral & Unrestricted$10,000
...and 6 more grants received

Personnel at ESLT

NameTitleCompensation
Kay OgdenExecutive Director$153,634
Carissa GospodinoffOperations Director
Amy SturgillLand Conservation Program Director
Emmalyn SneadLand Stewardship Program Director
Robert SharpTreasurer$0
...and 4 more key personnel

Financials for ESLT

RevenuesFYE 12/2022
Total grants, contributions, etc.$492,399
Program services$0
Investment income and dividends$148,888
Tax-exempt bond proceeds$0
Royalty revenue$0
Net rental income$0
Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets$0
Net income from fundraising events$114,933
Net income from gaming activities$0
Net income from sales of inventory$0
Miscellaneous revenues$21,826
Total revenues$778,046

Form 990s for ESLT

Fiscal year endingDate received by IRSFormPDF link
2022-122023-10-30990View PDF
2021-122022-11-04990View PDF
2020-122021-10-15990View PDF
2019-122021-04-02990View PDF
2018-122019-11-22990View PDF
...and 9 more Form 990s

Organizations like ESLT

OrganizationLocationRevenue
Lower Shore Land TrustSnow Hill, MD$542,774
Lookout Mountain ConservancyLookout Mountain, TN$1,056,673
Bitter Root Land TrustHamilton, MT$1,533,262
The Valley Land FundMcallen, TX$782,940
Parklands FoundationNormal, IL$333,444
Nantucket Land CouncilNantucket, MA$1,163,343
Willistown Conservation TrustNewtown Square, PA$2,500,063
Barnstable Land Trust (BLT)West Barnstable, MA$1,186,389
Thousand Islands Land Trust (TILT)Clayton, NY$2,592,551
Island Heritage TrustDeer Isle, ME$630,819
Data update history
December 30, 2023
Posted financials
Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2022
December 26, 2023
Received grants
Identified 2 new grant, including a grant for $1,000 from Kirsonis Family Foundation
September 19, 2023
Updated personnel
Identified 4 new personnel
July 28, 2023
Posted financials
Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2021
June 27, 2023
Received grants
Identified 4 new grant, including a grant for $15,000 from Land Trust Alliance Incorporated
Nonprofit Types
Social advocacy organizationsEnvironmental organizationsCharities
Issues
Land and water conservationEnvironment
Characteristics
Conservation easementFundraising eventsTax deductible donations
General information
Address
250 N Fowler St
Bishop, CA 93514
Website URL
eslt.org/ 
Phone
(760) 873-4554
Facebook page
easternsierralandtrust 
IRS details
EIN
77-0566099
Fiscal year end
December
Taxreturn type
Form 990
Year formed
2001
Eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions (Pub 78)
Yes
Categorization
NTEE code, primary
C34: Land Resources Conservation
NAICS code, primary
813312: Environment, Conservation, and Wildlife Organizations
Parent/child status
Independent
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