The GCT is one of the oldest and most successful town-focused, not for profit land trusts in the Commonwealth, in a very vibrant land protection community. The GCT was founded because Groton is such a special place to live, environmentally and recreationally.

The Trust’s mission is to protect and steward land in Groton in perpetuity and make that land available for the enjoyment and education of the public. The Trust stewards 1450 acres and enforces use restrictions on another 430 acres in town. The Trust remains committed to protecting more land, but our primary focus has shifted to stewardship and public education. We have also become accredited with a greater emphasis on best financial, risk reduction, and management practices. We strive to coordinate and cooperate with other organizations to protect and steward more land. Our protected land helps to mitigate climate change and foster climate resilience. The Groton Conservation Trust (EIN: 04-6169832) is a 501(c)(3) public charity, and all donations of any type are fully tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

 GCT by the Numbers (click on the graph for a larger view)

• Our fundraising involves about 10% of our costs and our yield has been improving. We have 300 members, and we reach about 900 people with our emails. Our social media presence is good and improving.
• Our GCT investment policies, developed in coordination with the Land Trust Association, guide our asset management. Please contact us if you have any questions about our financial management systems. Our current IRS 2022 Groton Conservation Trust 990 is available for review.

• Our costs are various including projects, land stewardship, legal defense, insurance, accounting services, fundraising, programs, office rent, and staff. We manage our costs by using our volunteers, particularly for tasks that are essential but do not provide direct service.
• Our service includes direct stewardship, providing programs, interacting with stakeholders and other conservation organizations, and, most importantly, protecting and providing access to our land.

Our complete financial picture can be found on our Charity Navigator listing.