Appalachian Mountain Club

According to the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) consolidated audit of December 31, 2018 (Note M, Subsequent Event):

"In December 2018, the AMC received a leadership gift of $10 million from the Richard King Mellon Foundation supporting the planned purchase of 26,740 acres of working forestland in Maine for conservation and sustainable forestry purposes. Partnering with a nationally recognized nonprofit, The Conservation Fund ('TCF'), a purchase and sale agreement was executed in January 2019 that provides for the AMC to purchase the land from TCF on or before December 30, 2022. In February 2019 TCF closed on the land purchase with the seller for $18.5 million and the AMC paid TCF $10 million as an advance payment under the AMC-TCF purchase and sale agreement. During the holding period prior to the AMC's purchase, TCF will own and oversee the property. The AMC's purchase price will be TCF's net purchase price from the seller plus closing, interest, carrying and other costs incurred by TCF, less sustainable forestry net proceeds during the period of TCF's ownership. The AMC has undertaken a campaign to raise $25 million, including the $10 million contribution received in 2018, to fund the purchase and provide for long-term stewardship of AMC's Maine Woods Initiative, LLC land holdings that will total more than 100,000 acres with this purchase."

[NOTE: CharityWatch's current rating of AMC is based on our analysis of the charity's financial activities for the fiscal year-ended 12/31/2017, which is the most recent fiscal year for which both an IRS Form 990 and audited financial statements are available (as of 9/16/2019).]

According to the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) consolidated audit of December 31, 2017 (Note G, Property and Equipment):

"The AMC has permits with Federal, State and municipal agencies to operate and maintain facilities and campsites within the boundaries controlled by the various governmental entities. These permits range in term from one to forty years, and have expiration dates from 2018 to 2055.

"During 2016, the AMC purchased 4,358 acres of land in Maine surrounding Silver Lake, adjacent to AMC's Katahdin Iron Works property, for approximately $3,900,000. As a condition of the contribution received in support of the purchase, a conservation easement was placed on a significant portion of the land, which resulted in a $1,540,476 reduction in the carrying value...

"As part of its Maine Woods Initiative, a 75,000 acre conservation and recreation project in the 100-mile Wilderness region of Maine, the AMC reconstructed Medawisla Lodge and Cabins... This facility opened to the public in July 2017. The AMC spent approximately $6,600,000 and $4,800,000 on the facilities through December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

"On September 22, 2016, the AMC executed agreements to sell properties in Boston, Massachusetts for $15,000,000, and received $11,000,000 of the purchase price. AMC received a non-interest bearing note for the remaining $4,000,000... The note was paid in full on September 21, 2017...

"On December 5, 2016, the AMC executed agreements to purchase property for approximately $13,400,000, including a commercial building valued at approximately $9,200,000, and land of $4,200,000. This property serves as the AMC's current organizational headquarters...as well as providing income through leasing of retail and office space..."