Whitefish Lake Institute
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE WHITEFISH LAKE INSTITUTE (WLI) IS A SCIENCE AND EDUCATION BASED 501(C) (3) NON-PROFIT CORPORATION LED BY A VOLUNTEER BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND ASSISTED BY A VOLUNTEER SCIENCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE. WLI IS NOT AN ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION-WE WORK THROUGH THREE KEY PROGRAM AREAS, SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND AQUATIC RESOURCE INITIATIVES. WITHIN THESE THREE FOCUS AREAS, WE ESTABLISH PROGRAMS APPROPRIATE TO ACHIEVING THE GOALS OF OUR MISSION. WLI IS FUNDED BY A BROAD BASE OF MEMBERS, RESEARCH AND EDUCATION GRANTS, SPECIAL EVENTS, AND THROUGH PROGRAMMATIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND RESOURCE AGENCIES. TOGETHER, WE'RE INVESTING IN OUR CLEAN WATER LEGACY.
- Income
- $448,624
- Spending
- $442,817
- Spent on programs
- 95%
- Reserves
- 16.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- other income, 42%
- Employees
- 4
- Volunteers
- 60
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 92 out of 100. Higher than 72% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 16.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 10% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1595% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Weak: 22 out of 100. Higher than 1% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
0 of 2510 of 0 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Independent check of accounts
6 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 December 31, 2024, 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 (2)
- $420,307 spent. SEE SCHEDULE O
- PART III, LINE 4 (A) - FIRST ACCOMPLISHMENT WLI PARTNERS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO CREATIVELY FUND RESEARCH AND DEVELOP PROGRAMS THAT BENEFIT WHITEFISH LAKE AND OTHER LOCAL WATER RESOURCES. DATA RESULTING FROM OUR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PROGRAMS IS PROVIDED TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO RESOURCE MANAGERS TO ENABLE THEM TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT WATER QUALITY ISSUES. WLI FOCUSES MOST OF ITS RESEARCH WORK ON WHITEFISH LAKE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES, BUT ALSO RESEARCHES OTHER LAKES- THROUGH SPECIAL PROJECT FUNDING IN FLATHEAD, LAKE, LINCOLN AND MISSOULA COUNTIES. EFFORTS THROUGH OUR EDUCATION PROGRAM INCLUDE OUTDOOR EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR GRADES K-12, COLLEGE INTERNSHIPS, EDUCATOR IN-SERVICE TRAINING, AND PRESENTATIONS TO CIVIC GROUPS. THROUGH OUR AQUATIC RESOURCE INITIATIVES PROGRAM, WLI PARTICIPATES IN ACTIVITIES THAT PROTECT WHITEFISH LAKE AND ITS TRIBUTARIES IN COMMUNITY GROUPS AND EFFORTS THAT EXTEND OUR REACH. WLI ALSO TRAINS VOLUNTEER CITIZEN SCIENTISTS IN MONITORING LAKES THROUGH THE NORTHWEST MONTANA LAKES NETWORK. VOLUNTEERS CONTRIBUTE NEARLY 1,000 HOURS TO THE PROGRAM ANNUALLY. EACH YEAR, THESE PROGRAMS ALLOW US TO REACH OVER 1,000 CITIZENS OF ALL AGES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 December 2024.
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 June 2005.
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.