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295 WATER ST STE 9
Augusta ME 04330-4643
Augusta ME | IRS ruling year: 2001 | EIN: 01-0541478
Maine Conservation Alliance protects Maine's environment and quality of life by engaging Maine people in their communities, building diverse coalitions, and educatin ... (More)
Maine Conservation Alliance protects Maine's environment and quality of life by engaging Maine people in their communities, building diverse coalitions, and educating candidates, officials and the public on policy solutions to meet Maine's environmental challenges. (Less)
Great
This charity's score is 97%, earning it a Four-Star rating. If this organization aligns with your passions and values, you can give with confidence.
This overall score is calculated from multiple beacon scores: 90% Accountability & Finance, 10% Leadership & Adaptability. Learn more about our criteria and methodology.
We recognize that not all metrics and beacons equally predict a charity’s success. The percentage each beacon contributes to the organization’s overall rating depends on the number of beacons an organization has earned.
Use the tool below to select different beacons to see how the weighting shifts when only one, two, or three beacons are earned.
Rating histories are available for a growing number of rated organizations. Check back later to see if this organization has a rating history!
The IRS is significantly delayed in processing nonprofits' annual tax filings (Forms 990). As a result, the Accountability & Finance score for Maine Conservation Alliance is outdated and the overall rating may not be representative of its current operations. Please check with the charity directly for any questions you may have.
Maine Conservation Alliance has earned a 97% for the Accountability & Finance beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of a charity's financial health (financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness) and its commitment to governance practices and policies.
This Accountability & Finance score represents IRS Form 990 data up until FY 2020, which is the most recent Form 990 currently available to us.
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Full Credit
Partial Credit
No Credit
Not ApplicableBoard Composition - 9/9 - 25/25 ptsBoard Composition - 9/9 - 25/25 pts
Charity Navigator looks for at least 3 board members, with more than 50% of those members identified as independent (not salaried).
The presence of an independent governing body is strongly recommended by many industry professionals to allow for full deliberation and diversity of thinking on governance and other organizational matters.
Source: IRS Form 990
Independent Audit or Financial Review - Has Audit/Review - 20/20 ptsIndependent Audit or Financial Review - Has Audit/Review - 20/20 pts
An Audit, Review, or Compilation provides important information about financial accountability and accuracy. Organizations are scored based on their Total Revenue Amount:
| Total Revenue Amount | Expectation to Receive Credit |
|---|---|
| $1 million or higher | Expected to complete an audit |
| $500,000 - $1 million | Expected to complete an audit, review, or compilation |
| Less than $500,000 | No expectation (removed from scoring methodology) |
Source: IRS Form 990
Conflict of Interest Policy - Listed - 3/3 ptsConflict of Interest Policy - Listed - 3/3 pts
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a conflict of interest policy on the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.
This policy protects the organization and by extension those it serves, when it is considering entering into a transaction that may benefit the private interest of an officer, director and/or key employee of the organization.
Source: IRS Form 990
Board Meeting Minutes - Documented - 3/3 ptsBoard Meeting Minutes - Documented - 3/3 pts
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990 that the organization has this process in place as an accountability and transparency measure.
An official record of the events that take place during a board meeting ensures that a contemporaneous document exists for future reference.
Source: IRS Form 990
Document Retention and Destruction - Missing - 0/3 ptsDocument Retention and Destruction - Missing - 0/3 pts
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a document retention and destruction policy per the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.
This policy establishes guidelines for the handling, backing up, archiving and destruction of documents. These guidelines foster good record keeping procedures that promote data integrity.
Source: IRS Form 990
Whistleblower Policy - Listed - 3/3 ptsWhistleblower Policy - Listed - 3/3 pts
Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a whistleblower policy per the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.
This policy outlines procedures for handling employee complaints, as well as a confidential way for employees to report financial or other types of mismanagement.
Source: IRS Form 990
Website - Listed - 3/3 ptsWebsite - Listed - 3/3 pts
Charity Navigator looks for a website on the Form 990 as an accountability and transparency metric.
Nonprofits act in the public trust and reporting publicly on activities is an important component.
Source: IRS Form 990
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot ApplicableLiabilities to Assets Ratio - 7.19% - 15/15 ptsLiabilities to Assets Ratio - 7.19% - 15/15 pts
The Liabilities to Assets Ratio is determined by Total Liabilities divided by Total Assets (most recent 990). This ratio is an indicator of an organization’s solvency and/or long-term sustainability.
| Liabilities to Assets Ratio | Amount of Credit Received |
|---|---|
| Less than 50% | Full Credit |
| 50% - 59.9% | Partial Credit |
| 60% or more | No Credit |
Source: IRS Form 990
Program Expense Ratio - 86.87% - 25/25 ptsProgram Expense Ratio - 86.87% - 25/25 pts
The Program Expense Ratio is determined by Program Expenses divided by Total Expense (average of most recent three 990s). This measure reflects the percent of its total expenses a charity spends on the programs and services it exists to deliver.
| Program Expense Percentage | Amount of Credit Received |
|---|---|
| 70% or higher | Full Credit |
| 60% - 69.9% | Partial Credit |
| 50% - 59.9% | Zero Points for Program Expense Score |
| Below 50% | Zero Points for Both Program Expense AND Liabilities to Assets Scores |
Source: IRS Form 990
This chart displays the trend of revenue and expenses over the past several years for this organization, as reported on their IRS Form 990.
No Data Available
Key Persons data is currently unavailable for this organization. This data is only available if this charity has at least one year of electronically-filed Form 990 data filed within the last six years.
Below are some key data points from the Exempt Organization IRS Business Master File (BMF) for this organization. Learn more about the BMF on the IRS website
Activities:
Activity data not reported from the IRS
Foundation Status:
Organization which receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or the general public 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) (BMF foundation code: 15)
Affiliation:
Independent - the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations). (BMF affiliation code: 3)
The Form 990 is a document that nonprofit organizations file with the IRS annually. We leverage finance and accountability data from it to form Encompass ratings. Click here to search for this organization's Forms 990 on the IRS website (if any are available). Simply enter the organization's name (Maine Conservation Alliance) or EIN (010541478) in the 'Search Term' field.
This organization was impacted by COVID-19 in a way that effected their financial health in 2020. This normally would have reduced their star rating. Due to the unprecedented nature of the pandemic, we give charities such as this one the opportunity to share the story of COVID's impact on them, and doing this pauses our revision of their rating. Charities may submit their own pandemic responses through their nonprofit portal.
Maine Conservation Alliance reported being impacted by COVID-19 in the following ways:
Program Delivery
Administrative Capacity
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's operations financially:
Some joint funding was interrupted as coalition partners assessed where they were financially. Thanks to solid long-term support, we did not see a dip in our revenue.
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's delivery of programs:
Large coalition meetings and in-person meetings with decision makers at the State House stopped. We were able to pivot quickly to primarily virtual meetings.
How this organization adapted to changing conditions caused by COVID-19:
We launched a weekly lunch and learn webinar series with outside experts. We went to fully remote staffing.
Innovations the organization intends to continue permanently after the pandemic:
The weekly virtual programs have been received by great enthusiasm and we will continue them far into the future.
Not Currently Scored
Maine Conservation Alliance cannot currently be evaluated by our Impact & Results methodology because either (A) it is eligible, but we have not yet received data; (B) we have not yet developed an algorithm to estimate its programmatic impact; (C) its programs are not direct services; or (D) it is not heavily reliant on contributions from individual donors.
Note: The absence of a score does not indicate a positive or negative assessment, it only indicates that we have not yet evaluated the organization.
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Maine Conservation Alliance reported its largest program on its FY 2020 Form 990 as:
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
Maine's Environmental Priorities Coalition: MCA brings people together to achieve our shared environmental, racial equity, and climate goals through the Environmental Priorities Coalition (EPC). MCA m ... (More)
Maine's Environmental Priorities Coalition: MCA brings people together to achieve our shared environmental, racial equity, and climate goals through the Environmental Priorities Coalition (EPC). MCA manages the EPC, which is a collaboration of 36 conservation, environmental, racial equity, and public health organizations. In 2020, MCA worked with the EPC to advance innovative state policies that protect Maine's air, land, water, wildlife, public health, and climate future. We did this by developing a shared environmental and climate agenda, education, communications, and organizing. MCA also worked with a new coalition called Climate Maine to engage people in the state's Climate Council process to write a new 4-year state Climate Action Plan.Continued on Schedule OCivic Engagement: It is our belief that the more Maine people get involved in the decisions affecting our communities, the better our future will be for everyone. Increasing the number of Mainers who vote is at the core of our strategy to promote a strong and healthy democracy. By conducting both public education and advocacy around common-sense voter reforms, we work to safeguard our democratic ideals. In 2020, we were part of a coalition working to ensure Maine people had access to safe and secure elections during the COVID-19 pandemic. MCA promoted the use of absentee ballots and options for returning them, encouraged early voting, and recruited poll workers.Education and Outreach: MCA works to increase the number of Maine people who are advancing conservation and acting on climate in their communities, growing as leaders, and engaging in the civic process. In 2020, MCA held a series of virtual events that were structured to educate attendees about timely environmental concerns and subsequently empower them to be grassroots advocates and leaders. (Less)
Maine Conservation Alliance cannot currently be evaluated by our Culture & Community methodology because we have not received data from the charity regarding its Constituent Feedback or Equity Practices strategies.
Note: The absence of a score does not indicate a positive or negative assessment, it only indicates that we have not yet evaluated the organization.
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Maine Conservation Alliance has earned a 100% for the Leadership & Adaptability beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of the organization's leadership capacity, strategic thinking and planning, and ability to innovate or respond to changes in constituent demand/need or other relevant social and economic conditions to achieve the organization's mission.
Learn more
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot ApplicableMission - 10/10 ptsMission - 10/10 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization's mission
Maine Conservation Alliance protects Maine’s environment and our democracy through education, collaboration, and advocacy.
Vision - 10/10 ptsVision - 10/10 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
In our vision for the future, Maine has become a national model for how a rural state can take bold action to tackle the climate crisis while ensuring a fair and equitable economic transition for our communities. We have identified systemic barriers to full participation in Maine's clean energy economy and people in every corner of our state are benefiting from affordable clean energy both as consumers and for their livelihoods. We are making transformational change to ensure that equity, inclusion, and racial justice actions are prioritized in our organization, in Maine’s conservation and voting rights movements, and by our elected officials. Our waters will be less polluted and more public land than ever will be preserved for wildlife habitat and future generations.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Goals - 20/20 ptsGoals - 20/20 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking and goal setting through sharing their most important strategic goals.
Goal One: Leading collective initiatives that build power and momentum to achieve bold conservation and climate wins.
Goal Type: This goal reflects our commitment to further our advocacy work for our organization and or cause area.
Goal Two: Advance equity, inclusion, and racial justice actions within our organization, in Maine’s conservation and voting rights movements, and by our elected officials.
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Goal Three: Pass and defend climate action, pro-environment, and pro-democracy policies, programs and legislation at all levels of government.
Goal Type: This goal reflects our commitment to further our advocacy work for our organization and or cause area.
Leadership Development - 15/15 ptsLeadership Development - 15/15 pts
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
Over the last year, MCA has provided professional development opportunities to equip its team with new skills to be successful at moving our work forward during the middle of a global pandemic. Some of the workshops and trainings that staff have attended have focused on Online Communications and Events, Managing for Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Results, and Establishing Monthly Giving Programs.
Mobilizing for Mission - 15/15 ptsMobilizing for Mission - 15/15 pts
The nonprofit provides evidence of leadership through focusing externally and mobilizing resources for the mission.
Strategic Partnerships
Networks of Collective Impact Efforts
Thought Leadership
Raising Awareness
Community Building
Policy Advocacy
MCA leverages the power of Maine people and the conservation community to advance policies that protect our land and water, act on climate change, and grow Maine's natural resource-based economy. We accomplish our advocacy work by: • Serving as the backbone organization for the 37-member Environmental Priorities Coalition to advocate for policies that tackle climate change and protect Maine's natural legacy. Please visit: www.MaineEPC.org. • Implementing strategies to dramatically increase the number of Maine people who are advancing conservation and acting on climate in their communities, growing as leaders, and engaging in the democratic process. • Educating elected officials, candidates, and the public about the policies, programs and safeguards needed to tackle climate change, build a clean energy future, and conserve our air, land, water and wildlife for future generations.
Adaptability Story - 30/30 ptsAdaptability Story - 30/30 pts
The nonprofit has an opportunity to tell the story of how the organization adapted to tremendous external changes in the last year.
Throughout the year, Covid 19 cases ebbed and flowed in our state (like the rest of the nation). We followed the most up-to-date CDC guidelines and implemented our own stringent guidelines to keep our staff and the public safe. After vaccinations became widely available and the number of Covid cases dropped, our frontline staff were able to move back into the State House to talk directly with decision makers. We held an impromptu staff/board day to connect with as many legislators as possible. We also held an in-person, outside event to connect with activists directly about the work that we are doing. Yet, when the number of Covid-19 cases climbed again we adeptly moved our work back to connecting with decision makers and the public solely through virtual webinars, phone, social media, and email. We never stopped - and never will - communicating remotely and electronically but we are ready to jump into action when meeting in-person is safe to do so again.
Impact & Results
Accountability & Finance
Culture & Community
Leadership & Adaptability
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