Columbia Slough Watershed Council Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE COLUMBIA SLOUGH WATERSHED COUNCIL BRINGS COMMUNITY MEMBERS TOGETHER TO ENHANCE THE HEALTH OF THE COLUMBIA SLOUGH AND EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO ENJOY THIS URBAN GEM. WE WORK TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY, BUILD AND RESTORE FISH AND WILDLIFE HABITAT, INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS AND ACCESSIBILITY, EMPOWER YOUTH, AND ADVOCATE FOR A HEALTHY WATERSHED. EVERYTHING WE DO IS POSSIBLE THANKS TO THE COMMITMENT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ENGAGEMENT OF LOCAL AGENCIES, BUSINESSES, AND PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS.
- Income
- $1.0 million
- Spending
- $1.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 59%
- Reserves
- 2.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 63%
- Employees
- 13
- Volunteers
- 895
- Highest pay
- $121,513, executive director
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
Fair: 56 out of 100. Higher than 20% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 11% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 1% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 4% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1559% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 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
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 32% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2514 of 14 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
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (4)
- $96,806 spent. EDUCATION: THE COUNCIL'S EDUCATION PROGRAM PROVIDED LESSONS IN THE CLASSROOM AND IN THE FIELD ABOUT THE WATERSHED, NATIVE PLANTS, WATER CHEMISTRY, AQUATIC MACROINVERTEBRATES, SOIL ANALYSIS, ANIMAL HABITATS AND ADAPTATIONS, FLOODING, AND GROUNDWATER. THE PROGRAM HOSTED 159 CLASSROOM LESSONS, 60 WATERSHED FIELD TRIPS, AND 25 SLOUGH SCHOOL PADDLES. THIS YEAR THE PROGRAM MADE 5,120 STUDENT CONTACTS.
- $306,927 spent. STEWARDSHIP: THIS YEAR, THE COUNCIL'S STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM WORKED WITH 572 VOLUNTEERS TO INSTALL 5,034 NATIVE PLANTS ACROSS 25 ACRES IN THE WATERSHED. THE PROGRAM CONTINUED TO ENGAGE IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING WITH THE BLUEPRINT FOUNDATION, MULTNOMAH YOUTH COOPERATIVE, AND NORTHWEST YOUTH CORPS, FOR A TOTAL OF 967 HOURS OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
- $193,127 spent. EVENTS: THE COUNCIL HOSTED 99 FREE COMMUNITY EVENTS FOR 1,887 PARTICIPANTS THROUGH THE EVENT PROGRAM. EVENTS INCLUDED SLOUGH SCIENCE, BIRD WALKS, BIKE RIDES, AND PADDLING ON THE COLUMBIA SLOUGH.
- CSWC SERVES AS THE FISCAL SPONSOR OF PEOPLE OF COLOR OUTDOORS. A LOCAL GROUP WHOSE MISSION IS TO HELP BLACK, INDIGENOUS, AND ALL PEOPLE OF COLOR STRENGTHEN THEIR CONNECTION WITH NATURE BY SPENDING TIME OUTDOORS. DURING THIS YEAR POCO HELD 67 OUTINGS.
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since August 2003.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.