The Riverwoods Company at Exeter New Hampshire
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
TO ESTABLISH, OWN, AND MAINTAIN CHARITABLE CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES (CCRC) WHICH PROVIDE HOUSING, HEALTH CARE SERVICES, FOOD SERVICES, SECURITY, AND OTHER ANCILLARY SERVICES TO ELDERLY PERSONS.
- Income
- $56.3 million
- Spending
- $54.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 78%
- Reserves
- -42.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 81%
- Employees
- 671
- Volunteers
- 256
- Highest pay
- $548,637, ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 45 out of 100. Higher than 18% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 136% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 16% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1578% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 17 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $42.2 million spent. THE RIVERWOODS COMPANY AT EXETER NH (RWE) HAS ONE PRIMARY PROGRAM SERVICE, TO ESTABLISH, MANAGE, AND MAINTAIN A CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY (CCRC) WHICH PROVIDES HOUSING, HEALTH CARE SERVICES, FOOD SERVICES, SECURITY, AND OTHER ANCILLARY SERVICES TO OLDER ADULTS OVER AGE 62. ON JUNE 30, 2025, THE COMMUNITY HOUSED APPROXIMATELY 506 RESIDENTS IN INDEPENDENT APARTMENTS AND 107 RESIDENTS IN HEALTH CARE CENTERS. OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR THE HEALTH CARE CENTERS SERVED APPROXIMATELY 168 RESIDENTS ON A PERMANENT, TEMPORARY OR PER DIEM BASIS AT A SUBSTANTIALLY DISCOUNTED RATE. THE "CONTRACTUAL ALLOWANCE" (I.E. WRITE-OFF) RELATED TO THE LEVEL OF CARE PROVIDED FOR LIFECARE CONTRACT RESIDENTS WAS $14,256,993 FOR FY25. CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O. AS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT CCRC, RWE HAS A BENEVOLENCE FUND TO HELP RESIDENTS WHO HAVE OUTLIVED THEIR ASSETS OR HAVE FOUND THEMSELVES UNABLE TO MAKE THEIR FINANCIAL COMMITMENT, THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN. IF NEEDED, A RESIDENT CAN TURN TO THE RIVERWOODS BENEVOLENCE FUND, RATHER THAN PLACING FINANCIAL BURDEN ON SENIOR ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS OUTSIDE THE RIVERWOODS COMMUNITY. IN FY25, RWE DID NOT HAVE RESIDENTS REQUIRING THIS ASSISTANCE.RWE WAS FOUNDED IN 1983 AS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION, BY A GRASSROOTS GROUP OF SEACOAST AREA RESIDENTS WHOSE MISSION WAS TO CREATE AN ACTIVE AND ENGAGING CONTINUING CARE COMMUNITY THAT ENHANCED THE FREEDOM OF SENIOR LIVING WHILE EASING THE CHALLENGES OF AGING. WOVEN INTO THE FABRIC OF OUR FOUNDING PRINCIPLES IS A COMMITMENT TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY: "TO BE A RESPONSIBLE COMMUNITY THAT PARTICIPATES IN THE LIFE OF THE LARGER COMMUNITY AROUND IT." WE CONSIDER OURSELVES NEIGHBORS OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, AND WE ARE DEDICATED TO SERVING THE NEW HAMPSHIRE SEACOAST AREA BOTH WITH OUR TIME, KNOWLEDGE, AND THROUGH OUR RESOURCES. IN FY25, BOTH STAFF AND RESIDENTS FOUND MANY WAYS TO GIVE BACK, SERVE OTHERS, AND SUPPORT THE LOCAL COMMUNITY BY VOLUNTEERING THEIR TIME ON LOCAL NOT-FOR-PROFIT BOARDS, VOLUNTEERING HOURS IN THEIR COMMUNITY, COLLECTING PHYSICAL DONATIONS FOR TOY AND FOOD DRIVES AND MAKING KNITTED ITEMS TO DONATE TO LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS. RWE ENCOURAGES EMPLOYEES TO VOLUNTEER DURING WORK HOURS FOR SPECIAL NOT-FOR-PROFIT PROJECTS. PART OF OUR MISSION IS NOT ONLY TO HELP IMPROVE THE EXPERIENCE OF AGING FOR AS MANY ADULTS AS POSSIBLE, BUT ALSO TO SHARE THAT KNOWLEDGE WITH OTHERS, ESPECIALLY THE YOUNGER GENERATION. EMPLOYEES REGULARLY SHARE THEIR KNOWLEDGE BY INVITING STUDENTS INTO THE RWE COMMUNITY WHO CAN LEARN FROM THE VAST KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE OF THE STAFF. OVER THE YEARS WE HAVE HOSTED STUDENTS FROM A VARIETY OF SCHOOLS AND PROVIDED INTERNSHIPS IN A VARIETY OF COURSEWORK, FROM MARKETING TO FINANCE TO SOCIAL WORK AND HEALTH CARE. SINCE RIVERWOODS OPENED ITS DOORS IN 1994, A KEY OBJECTIVE HAS NOT ONLY BEEN TO SHARE OUR EXPERIENCES WITH OTHERS, BUT TO LEARN FROM OTHERS IN THE INDUSTRY AT THE SAME TIME. IN THIS WAY WE CONTINUE TO INNOVATE, TO REMAIN AT THE FOREFRONT OF NEW TRENDS IN OUR INDUSTRY, AND TO RESPOND TO CHANGING CONSUMER PREFERENCES, WHILE ALSO ADVANCING THE SENIOR LIVING INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE. OUR LEADERS REGULARLY ATTEND INDUSTRY SEMINARS, PARTICIPATE IN STUDY GROUPS, AND PRESENT ON NATIONAL AND INTERNALTIONAL PANELS WITHIN OUR INDUSTRY, AS WELL AS DRAFT ARTICLES FOR LEADING PUBLICATIONS. RWE IS A STRONG COMMUNITY PARTNER AND IN ADDITION TO RESIDENT AND STAFF TIME SPENT VOLUNTEERING, RWE HAS HELPED A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY-WIDE EVENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS WITH FINANCIAL SUPPORT. RWE HAS ALSO PROVIDED SMALL HONORARIUMS/DONATIONS TO A NUMBER OF GROUPS WHO HAVE PROVIDED SPEAKERS FOR OUR ON-CAMPUS EDUCATION PROGRAMS.EDUCATION IS A VALUE HIGHLY PRIZED BY RWE RESIDENTS. EIGHTEEN YEARS AGO, RESIDENTS ESTABLISHED SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS FOR STAFF AND THEIR FAMILIES. SINCE THEN, 204 SCHOLARSHIPS HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED, WORTH MORE THAN $592,500 TOWARD GOALS OF HIGHER EDUCATION. IN FY25, $95,000 WAS AWARDED TO 17 RECIPIENTS.IN JULY OF 2016, A GROUP OF RWE EMPLOYEES CREATED THE C.A.R.E. (CARING, AIDING AND RESPONDING TO EMPLOYEES) FUND TO ASSIST EMPLOYEES OF RWE WHO DEMONSTRATE A FINANCIAL EMERGENCY BEYOND THEIR CONTROL AND PROVIDE THEM WITH LIMITED ASSISTANCE. THIS FUND CONTINUES TO BE AVAILABLE TO EMPLOYEES WHO DEMONSTRATE A NEED FOR LIMITED EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.RIVERWOODS IS LOCATED IN A BEAUTIFUL RURAL AREA. THE RIVERWOODS LANDSCAPING TEAM, WITH THE HELP OF THE RESIDENT TRAILS COMMITTEE, MAINTAINS OVER FOUR MILES OF WALKING AND HIKING TRAILS THAT CIRCUMNAVIGATE OUR THREE RWE CAMPUSES. THESE TRAILS ARE ENJOYED BY RWE RESIDENTS AND STAFF ON A DAILY BASIS BUT ARE ALSO OPEN AND WIDELY USED BY THE LOCAL EXETER AREA COMMUNITY. THE TRAIL SYSTEM ALSO PROVIDES ACCESS TO A LARGE PORTION OF THE 165-ACRE RWE ARBORETUM. THIS PROJECT STARTED 17 YEARS AGO WHEN A SMALL GROUP OF RESIDENTS BEGAN PLANING A WIDE VARIETY OF TREES. TODAY IT INCLUDES AT LEAST 298 SPECIES OF TREES AND HAS ACHIEVED LEVEL I ARBORETUM ACCREDIATION FROM ARBNET, A CONSORTIUM OF ARBORETA AND TREE-FOCUSED PUBLIC GARDENS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since March 1997.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.