For over 50 years Five Valleys has successfully protected western Montana's natural legacy through the generosity of our supporters, the confidence of our community, and the trust of our partners. By maintaining a commitment to transparently conducting our work we believe we best honor those who contribute to our success. Here are few ways we do that:
In 2008 Five Valleys was among the nation's first land trusts accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission. This independent third party ensures the credibility and integrity of land trusts throughout the country. If you're considering working with a land trust, look for the accreditation seal.
In accordance with Montana law, Five Valleys reports all of our new conservation easements to the County Clerk and Recorder. That information is then passed on to the State, becoming part of the publicly accessible CADASTRAL geographic information database. Note that there can be a delay of up to one year before new conservation easements are incorporated into this database.
Five Valleys undergoes an annual independent financial audit that is presented directly to our Finance Committee and Board of Directors. The information derived from this audit is summarized in our annual report and presented in detail in our annual IRS Form 990. You can view a public copy of our IRS Form 990 via Guide Star.
Five Valleys provides a list of our annual financial supporters in our Annual Report. We respect the wishes of those who wish to make their charitable gifts anonymously.
To be informed of Five Valleys’ mission, of the way that Five Valleys intends to use donated resources, and of its capacity to use donations effectively for their intended purposes.
To be informed of the identity of those serving on Five Valleys’ governing board, and to expect the board to exercise prudent judgment in its stewardship responsibilities.
To have access to Five Valleys’ most recently audited financial statements.
To be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given.
To receive appropriate acknowledgement and recognition.
To be assured that information about their donations is handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extent provided by law.
To expect that all relationships with individuals representing Five Valleys to the donor will be professional in nature.
To be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of Five Valleys, or hired solicitors.
To have the opportunity for their names to be deleted from mailing lists that Five Valleys may intend to share.
To feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful, and forthright answers.
