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Center for Snow and Avalanche Studies

EIN 04-3737768 · Silverton, CO

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood88 out of 100GovernanceWeak22 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

research and education

Income
$255,702
Spending
$241,292
Spent on programs
79%
Reserves
10.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 98%
Employees
0

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

Good: 88 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 10.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 2% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    79% 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

Weak: 22 out of 100. Higher than 1% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    5 of 25

    0 of 9 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    0 of 5

    Reports that it does not keep minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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)
  1. $189,681 spent. Colorado Dust on Snow (CODOS) programCSAS provided regional field monitoring and analysis services regarding the effects of desert dust deposition in Colorado mountain snowpacks to ten regional water management agencies (units of state and local government), Colorado Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Geologic Survey, National Weather Service and other stakeholders throughout the winter and spring of 2024/2025. Executive Director Derry devoted 41.4 % to CODOS activities in FY2425.
  2. Research SupportCSAS provided direct field research support services to researchers from Boise State University, NASA-SnowEx campaign, Utah State, USGS, CRREL, CU, CSU, and NASA Jet Propulsion Lab team during FY2425. CSAS provided data and operated field instrumentation for these hosted researchers. CSAS also provided data for research projects and scientific articles to other teams in the US and abroad. Executive Director Derry devoted 5.7% to CSAS Research Program activities during FY2425.
  3. EducationCSAS typically supports an undergraduate field course for the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, SUNY-Geneseo, Minnesota University, and conducts its own field class for four Colorado water management professionals. We also hosted a snow/dust conference this year. The Executive Director spent 1.7% on education efforts in FY2425.
  4. Mountain System MonitoringCSAS maintained its Mountain System Monitoring infrastructure and program activities at the Senator Beck Basin Study Area at Red Mountain Pass throughout FY2425, continuously collecting weather, snowpack, soils, radiation, and stream flow measurements 24/7/365 and publishing those data, as archived datasets, on its open access website for K-12 schools, undergraduate and graduate student, researcher, agency, and other researchers investigating the effects of climate change on mountain systems. Public, open access to near-real-time hourly data from the Senator Beck Basin was also maintained in FY2425 on the CSAS website and used by the Colorado Avalanche Information Center highway safety program, the National Weather Service, other regional snow safety professionals, local water management agencies, and the general public. Executive Director Derry devoted 39.3% to monitoring operations and MSM program activities in FY2425.

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2026.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since September 2003.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.