Aquidneck Land Trust

What Aquidneck Land Trust does

Aquidneck Island Land Trust (AILT), founded in 1990 and headquartered in Middletown, Rhode Island, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust that permanently conserves open space on Aquidneck Island across Newport, Middletown, Portsmouth, and Naval Station Newport. As of fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, the Trust has protected 2,854 acres across 106 properties, including 1,297 acres of farmland, 527 acres of wetlands, 4.3 miles of coastline, and 22% of land within drinking watersheds, while maintaining 13.6 miles of free public trails across 42 public access properties that receive approximately 60,000 annual visits.

The Trust's product surface consists of conserved landholdings (Sakonnet Greenway Trail, Little Creek Preserve, Spruce Acres Farm, Oakland Forest and Meadow, Town Pond, Carol C. Ballard Park and Wildlife Preserve), engagement platforms (an Interactive Trail Map and an Interactive GIS Water Map embedded on ailt.org), and the Aquidneck Resilience program launched in April 2025 as the host initiative for a four-year, nearly $2 million NOAA Climate Resilience Regional Challenge grant. Operational technology relies on standard web-based GIS mapping, the third-party iNaturalist citizen-science application for biodiversity surveys at four public properties, and conventional nonprofit fundraising and CRM infrastructure. The Trust maintains research partnerships (Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories for Beech Leaf Disease studies at Oakland Forest) and consulting partnerships (Pare Corporation for engineered wetland design, Cascadia Consulting Group for climate resilience planning).

AILT's revenue model is a hybrid nonprofit structure combining individual donations and appeals ($947,035 in FY2025, the largest source), federal and state grants ($597,864 combined including NOAA), net special events income ($297,171 from signature fundraisers such as Evening at Home and the AILT Golf Tournament), membership dues across eight tiers ranging from $20 (Student/Military) to $2,500 (Conservationist), net investment income ($902,135 from a $12M stewardship and preservation fund portfolio), land acquisition gifts and pledges ($37,630), vehicle donations via the Cars for Charity partnership, and planned giving through the Green Island Society. Total Support Revenue reached $2,987,432 in FY2025, supported by Total Net Assets of $24,523,088 and a cumulative conservation spend of $56,096,600 to protect the 2,854-acre portfolio.

Name

Aquidneck Land Trust

Legal name

Aquidneck Island Land Trust

Website

https://ailt.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Aquidneck Island Land Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1990, that permanently conserves 2,854 acres of open space on Aquidneck Island, Rhode Island, maintaining public trails, protecting watersheds and farmland, and hosting the Aquidneck Resilience climate program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Land Conservation Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

Keywords

• Land conservation services
• Conservation easement programs
• Climate resilience planning
• Public trail management
• Watershed protection services

Headquarters

HQ city

Middletown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Tiered membership program with eight levels ranging from $20 (Student/Military) to $2,500 (Conservationist), generating recurring annual revenue. Members receive newsletter, discounts at partner farms, and access to annual meeting and special events.
2. Individual Donations and Appeals: Individual giving through annual appeals, online donations, and the 'Good Dirt' weekly email. Donations & Appeals totaled $947,035 in FY2025, the largest revenue source. Includes recurring and one-time gifts.
3. Federal and State Grants: Competitive and formula grants from federal agencies (NOAA) and state agencies (RI Department of Environmental Management). Federal grants totaled $386,706 and other grants $211,158 in FY2025. Includes the $2M NOAA Climate Resilience Regional Challenge grant.
4. Special Events Income: Fundraising events including signature Evening at Home summer clambake and Golf Tournament. Net Special Events Income was $297,171 in FY2025.
5. Investment Income: Returns from investment portfolio including stewardship investment funds ($9M) and land preservation fund ($3M). Net Investment Gain was $902,135 in FY2025.
6. Land Acquisition Donations and Pledges: Direct gifts of land, conservation easements, and pledges toward land acquisition projects. Land Acquisition Donations & Pledges totaled $37,630 in FY2025.
7. Vehicle Donation Program: Partnership with Cars for Charity to accept donated vehicles (cars, boats, RVs, motorcycles) with free towing nationwide; donors receive tax deduction.
8. Planned Gifts and Bequests: Estate planned gifts recognized through the Green Island Society, including bequests, IRA charitable rollovers, beneficiary designations, and gifts of appreciated securities and real property.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Aquidneck Land Trust permanently conserves open space on Aquidneck Island, Rhode Island, through conservation easements and fee-simple land acquisition, then stewards the protected properties with public trails, biodiversity monitoring, and educational programs. It also operates the Aquidneck Resilience climate adaptation program, coordinating nature-based infrastructure projects (rain gardens, engineered wetlands) across Newport, Middletown, Portsmouth, and Naval Station Newport under a $2M NOAA federal grant.

Product overview

Aquidneck Island Land Trust operates as a unified conservation organization with a portfolio of preserved properties, public trails, education and engagement programs, and a separately branded climate resilience initiative rather than a discrete software product suite. Its core offerings are the trail-and-preserve network (the 11-mile Sakonnet Greenway Trail, Little Creek Preserve, Spruce Acres Farm, Oakland Forest and Meadow Trail, Town Pond, and the Carol C. Ballard Park and Wildlife Preserve), supported by the Interactive Trail Map and Interactive GIS Water Map platforms for public exploration. The Aquidneck Resilience program functions as a platform-plus-modules layer for climate adaptation, hosting nature-based-solution projects such as the Almy Pond engineered wetland and the Marble House and Spruce Acres rain gardens, while the Membership Program, Green Island Society planned-giving program, Evening at Home and AILT Golf Tournament fundraisers, and the AILT Art & Writing Contest form the civic-engagement and funding backbone. Together these modules support a single mission: to conserve Aquidneck Island's lands and waters while connecting the community to the natural environment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Aquidneck Resilience: An emerging initiative hosted by the Aquidneck Island Land Trust that coordinates regional climate resilience work across Aquidneck Island (Newport, Middletown, Portsmouth, and Naval Station Newport), implementing nature-based solutions and developing an Island-wide climate resilience plan.

Products and services

• Sakonnet Greenway Trail Aquidneck Island's longest continuous nature trail, stretching 11 miles through farmlands, woodlands, and wetlands across 16 properties from Linden Lane in Portsmouth to Wyatt Road in Middletown, with a recent extension connecting the Linden Lane trailhead to the Glen Pasture Loop off Glen Farm Road.
• Little Creek Preserve Preserve featuring a half-mile loop connected to the Sakonnet Greenway Trail, with a viewing platform over a marsh and parking on Bramans Lane; excellent for wildlife viewing.
• Spruce Acres Farm 20+ acre former Christmas tree farm with the 1.5-mile Gewirz Trail, a picnic pavilion, trailhead restroom, and interpretative signage; includes a 15-bed community garden and pollinator garden. A favorite for families with smaller children.
• Oakland Forest and Meadow Trail 0.6-mile loop trail running through a meadow and an old-growth American Beech Forest in Portsmouth; dogs are not permitted. The Land Trust is partnering with Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories on a Beech Leaf Disease treatment research study and forest recovery plan.
• Carol C. Ballard Park and Wildlife Preserve A 75-acre permanently protected open space in Newport, comprising a 17-acre park with 1.25 miles of hiking trails and a 58-acre wildlife preserve surrounding Gooseneck Cove. Managed by the City of Newport under a Land Trust-held conservation easement.
• Aquidneck Resilience Program Climate resilience initiative hosted by the Aquidneck Island Land Trust as a partnership between the City of Newport, the Town of Middletown, the Town of Portsmouth, and Naval Station Newport. Funded by a $2 million NOAA federal grant, the program is developing an Island-wide climate resilience plan, implementing nature-based solutions such as rain gardens and wetland restoration, and engaging the community on social and natural systems resilience.
• AILT Membership Program Tiered annual membership program ranging from Student/Military ($20) up to Conservationist ($2,500), including suggested minimum household levels (Trail Sponsor $35, Farmland Defender $70). Members receive annual meeting invitations, partner discounts at Almy-Thurston Farm, Escobar's Highland Farm, Newport Vineyards, Sweet Berry Farm, and Greenvale Vineyards, plus the Land Matters newsletter and Good Dirt weekly email.
• Green Island Society (Planned Giving Program) Planned giving recognition society for donors who include the Aquidneck Island Land Trust in their estate plans through bequests, IRA charitable rollovers, beneficiary designations, and gifts of appreciated securities and real property. Society members are acknowledged in the annual report and invited to Land Trust events throughout the year.
• Evening at Home (signature summer fundraiser) The Land Trust's signature summer fundraising event, hosted in 2026 by Co-Chairs Bettie Pardee, Charlotte Marshall, Kim Darden, and Betsy Vitton across multiple homes and settings on Aquidneck Island. The event features farm-to-table culinary dining experiences on July 14 and July 15.
• AILT Golf Tournament Annual fundraising golf tournament held by the Aquidneck Island Land Trust, offering registration and sponsorship opportunities.
• Vehicle Donation Program Partnership with Cars for Charity to accept donated vehicles (cars, boats, RVs, motorcycles) with free towing nationwide; donors receive a tax deduction.

Quantifiable outcome

• Conserved 2,854 acres of land on Aquidneck Island since 1990 (11.7% of the Island)
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Naval Station Newport (U.S. Navy)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore partner in the $2M NOAA Climate Resilience Regional Challenge grant. Cornelia Mueller (Community Planning Liaison Officer) represents the Navy, which recognizes climate change as a security threat to its installations. Naval Station Newport serves as the 'fourth community' on Aquidneck Island alongside Newport, Middletown, and Portsmouth. More than 3,000 people work at the base.
• City of NewportflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner in the NOAA Climate Resilience Regional Challenge grant. Patricia Reynolds (Director of Planning and Economic Development) coordinates city participation. The city is also a long-term landowner partner for conserved properties including the Carol C. Ballard Park.
• Town of MiddletownflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner in the NOAA Climate Resilience Regional Challenge grant. Ron Wolanski (Director of Planning and Economic Development) leads town participation. The town is also a landowner partner with conserved properties totaling 929 acres in Middletown.
• Town of PortsmouthflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner in the NOAA Climate Resilience Regional Challenge grant. Lea Hitchen (Town Planner) coordinates town participation. The town is also a landowner partner with 1,670 acres of conserved properties in Portsmouth, the largest portion of protected acreage.
• Cascadia Consulting GroupcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConsulting firm hired by Aquidneck Resilience to lead the development of the Aquidneck Island climate resilience plan. Working groups launched in 2026 with plan to be released in 2027.
• Pare CorporationcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerContracted engineering firm that designed the engineered wetland (wet-vegetated treatment system) for the Almy Pond green infrastructure project, with potential to reduce Phosphorus levels of stormwater leaving the system by up to 19%.
• Bartlett Tree Research LaboratoriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner for a study of Beech Leaf Disease treatments in a natural forest setting at Oakland Forest, as well as a forest recovery plan. Collaboration includes protecting seedlings from deer browse, re-planting native seedlings, and removing invasive species to aid forest recovery from large-scale beech mortality.
• Almy Pond Watershed ProtectorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExisting coalition including Salve Regina University, Newport Tree Conservancy, Newport Preservation Society, Save The Bay, Spouting Rock Beach Association Foundation, Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England, RI Department of Health, RI Department of Environmental Management, and the City of Newport. Partnered on the Almy Pond green infrastructure project.
• The Nature ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a landowner partner with the Land Trust, working together on conservation efforts across Aquidneck Island.
• Norman Bird SanctuarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a landowner partner with the Land Trust. The Peabody family farm conservation project is adjacent to Norman Bird Sanctuary, supporting connected habitat.
• The Preservation Society of Newport CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with the Land Trust to construct a large rain garden adjacent to the Marble House parking lot, capturing water in an underground crushed stone reservoir with hundreds of native plants; provides member discount at properties.
• Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RI DEM)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner on conservation easements, farmland preservation grants, landowner partnerships, and climate resilience initiatives. Listed as a 'Partner in Conservation' tier funder. Co-managed conservation of Greenvale Vineyards 13-acre parcel with USDA NRCS at end of 2024.
• RI Agricultural Land Preservation CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState commission that provides grant funding to support conservation easements on working farmland including Greenvale Vineyards (13 acres in Portsmouth) and Rocky Brook Orchard (planned for Spring 2026).
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency partner that co-managed conservation of the 13-acre Greenvale Vineyards parcel with RI Agricultural Land Preservation Commission at end of 2024.
• Cars for CharityminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational vehicle donation program based in Middletown that handles vehicle pickups, processing, auction or recycling, and tax receipt issuance nationwide for the Land Trust's vehicle donation program.
• Save The BaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Almy Pond Watershed Protectors coalition supporting green infrastructure project on Aquidneck Island.
• Behan Bros., Inc.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the Land Trust's 2026 Evening at Home event.
• Newport Restaurant GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the Land Trust's 2026 Evening at Home event and 'Naturalists' tier donor.
• Campo and CominorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the Land Trust's 2026 Evening at Home event.
• Almy-Thurston FarmminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMember benefit partner offering 10% off berries and Christmas trees to Land Trust members.
• Escobar's Highland FarmminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMember benefit partner offering 10% off Corn Maze admission and Christmas trees to Land Trust members.
• Greenvale VineyardsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMember benefit partner; also a landowner partner whose 13-acre portion was conserved at end of 2024.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Norman Bird Sanctuary: Adjacent conservation organization on Aquidneck Island listed as an AILT landowner partner with contiguous conserved lands (e.g., Peabody Family farm project is adjacent to Norman Bird Sanctuary). Operates a sanctuary and trails model that directly complements AILT's preserve network.
• Newport Tree Conservancy: Local Aquidneck Island nonprofit founded by AILT Board Chair Lilly Dick. Operates in an adjacent niche (urban forestry and tree stewardship) on the same geography, with overlapping board leadership and likely member/donor overlap.
• The Trustees of Reservations: Massachusetts-based regional land conservation nonprofit owning and stewarding 120+ properties with public trails — operates a comparable estate-of-properties model to AILT's 48 protected drinking watershed properties and 42 public-access preserves.
• Save The Bay: Narragansett Bay-focused environmental nonprofit listed as a partner in the Almy Pond Watershed Protectors coalition with AILT. Shares the water-quality protection and coastal resilience mission on overlapping Rhode Island geography.
• Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RI DEM): State agency partner that co-manages conservation easements with AILT (e.g., Town Pond property). Functions as a regulatory and funding counterpart rather than a direct competitor, but operates overlapping conservation, recreation, and drinking-water programs on Rhode Island lands.

Direct peers

• Vermont Land Trust: Statewide land trust with a heavy focus on farmland and forest conservation through conservation easements. Mirrors AILT's combination of working-land protection, public trail access, and donor-funded stewardship investment funds.
• Maine Coast Heritage Trust: Regional land trust conserving land in Maine through conservation easements, fee-simple acquisition, and trail networks — directly paralleling AILT's coastal-island-focused, easement-driven model. Statewide scale is larger, but operating mechanics (stewardship funds, farmland protection, trail systems) are highly comparable.

Broad incumbents

• Trust for Public Land: National land conservation nonprofit focused on creating parks and protecting land for public access. Uses similar conservation easement and land acquisition mechanisms and targets urban-adjacent conservation, paralleling AILT's mix of farmland, drinking water, and recreation protection.
• The Nature Conservancy: Largest global conservation nonprofit operating across all 50 US states and 70+ countries. Listed as a landowner partner with AILT on Aquidneck Island and shares the conservation easement and fee-simple land acquisition model, but operates at vastly greater scale and scope.
• Chesapeake Bay Foundation: Regional watershed-conservation nonprofit focused on water quality and habitat restoration across the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Shares AILT's emphasis on drinking water protection, stormwater management, and nature-based solutions (engineered wetlands, rain gardens).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AquidneckLand
• Facebookfacebook.com/aquidneckland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aquidneck-land-trust
• Instagraminstagram.com/aquidnecklandtrust

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Aquidneck Land Trust