Purpose

The Land Hermit Crab Owners Society (LHCOS) publishes Transparency Reports to provide public insight into our governance practices, policy oversight, and organizational accountability.

These reports are designed to demonstrate responsible nonprofit management without compromising volunteer privacy, internal operations, or organizational security.

What Transparency Reports Are

Transparency Reports are high-level summaries that confirm:

  • Active Board oversight
  • Ongoing policy management
  • Responsible community moderation
  • Mission-aligned program activity
  • Compliance with nonprofit disclosure obligations

They are not financial statements, audits, or annual reports.

Annual Transparency Statement

Each reporting year, LHCOS publishes an Annual Transparency Statement summarizing governance and oversight activity.

An Annual Transparency Statement may include:

  • Confirmation of continued 501(c)(3) status
  • Confirmation of Board governance and oversight
  • High-level summary of policy reviews or updates
  • Confirmation of active community moderation
  • Overview of program areas operated during the year

Detailed financial information, donor data, and internal records are not included.

Policy Change Log

LHCOS maintains a public log of significant policy changes to provide context and continuity.

The Policy Change Log includes:

  • Date of policy change
  • Policy name
  • High-level description of the change
  • Reference to the updated policy or archived notice

This log exists to demonstrate that policies are intentional, reviewed, and Board-authorized.

Policy Change Notices (Archive)

When appropriate, LHCOS issues formal policy change notices to communicate updates affecting community participation or platform management.

Archived notices are retained for transparency and historical reference. Inclusion in the archive does not imply current applicability unless otherwise stated.

Financial & Legal Transparency

In accordance with federal law, LHCOS makes certain documents available for public inspection upon request, including:

  • IRS Form 990
  • IRS determination letter recognizing 501(c)(3) status

Availability and request procedures are described in the Policies & Governance section of this website.

What We Do Not Publish

To protect the organization and the individuals who support it, LHCOS does not publish:

  • Detailed financial breakdowns or budgets
  • Donor lists or contribution amounts
  • Board meeting minutes
  • Internal votes or deliberations
  • Individual moderation actions or cases

Transparency is balanced with responsibility and safety.

Continuous Review

Transparency practices are reviewed periodically to ensure they remain appropriate, accurate, and aligned with nonprofit best practices.

Updates to reporting structure or content may be reflected in future Transparency Reports.

Learn More

Additional information about how LHCOS operates can be found on:

Questions

Questions regarding Transparency Reports may be submitted through the official contact channels listed on this website.