Riverkeeper Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE O
- Income
- $5.7 million
- Spending
- $5.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 67%
- Reserves
- 1.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 80%
- Employees
- 45
- Volunteers
- 2,503
- Highest pay
- $235,707, fmr vice president of development
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: 75 out of 100. Higher than 45% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 7% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 9% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1566% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 22 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 42% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2520 of 20 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
0 of 10Did not give 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 (4)
- $1.4 million spent. HABITAT RESTORATION AND WATER QUALITY RIVERKEEPER'S HABITAT RESTORATION AND WATER QUALITY PROGRAM FOCUSES ON RESTORING LIFE AND VITALITY TO THE HUDSON, AND CAREFULLY MONITORING THE CONTINUED HEALTH OF THE RIVER. WE DO THIS BY COORDINATING COMMUNITY SCIENCE EFFORTS TO GATHER ENVIRONMENTAL DATA FROM THE HUDSON AND ITS TRIBUTARIES; ENGAGING GRASSROOTS AND COMMUNITY-LEVEL PARTNERS IN THE MONITORING AND PROTECTION OF WATER RESOURCES AND AQUATIC SPECIES; ADVOCATING FOR POLLUTION REDUCTION AND ECOLOGICAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS LOCALLY AND STATEWIDE, ESPECIALLY THE REMOVAL OF OBSOLETE DAMS; AND ADVOCATING FOR PROTECTING DRINKING WATER AT ITS SOURCE THROUGH EFFECTIVE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT. THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR, WE PLANTED NATIVE TREES AND SHRUBS AT SITES ACROSS THE HUDSON VALLEY TO HELP STABILIZE STREAMBANKS AND PROVIDE HABITAT FOR AQUATIC AND TERRESTRIAL SPECIES. OUR TEAM CONDUCTED SEDIMENT SAMPLING AT MULTIPLE DAMS TARGETED FOR REMOVAL. BIOLOGICAL SURVEYS OF FISH COMMUNITIES UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM OF DAMS OF INTEREST WILL BE CONDUCTED IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR AS WELL. THROUGH THESE EFFORTS, WE ARE BEGINNING TO BUILD A COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF THE TOXIC LEGACY LEFT ON OUR WATERSHED BY THESE OUTDATED AND ECOLOGICALLY DAMAGING PIECES OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND WHAT WILL NEED TO BE DONE TO RESTORE THE AFFECTED HABITATS TO THEIR PRIOR NATURAL STATE. IN ADDITION TO SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND SUPPORT IS ESSENTIAL FOR HABITAT RESTORATION WORK TO MOVE FORWARD. THIS PAST YEAR, WE PLANNED AND EXECUTED A NUMBER OF PUBLIC OUTREACH EVENTS ON THIS ISSUE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO CREEK TOURS, A COMMUNITY KAYAK EVENT, AS WELL AS TREE PLANTING AND MAINTENANCE DAYS. HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WERE DIRECTLY SERVED BY OUR HABITAT RESTORATION OUTREACH OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR. HABITAT RESTORATION PROGRESS CONTINUES AS WE HAVE BOTH SHOVEL-READY PROJECTS, AND BARRIERS IN THE DESIGN AND PERMITTING PHASE, AS WELL AS MULTIPLE 'RIGHT TO REMOVE AGREEMENTS' WITH PROPERTY OWNERS FOR FUTURE DAM REMOVALS. ON THE WATER QUALITY SIDE, THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY SCIENCE PROGRAM WE COLLECTED AND ANALYZED SAMPLES FROM OVER 247 HUDSON RIVER AND TRIBUTARY SITES, IN COLLABORATION WITH ACADEMIC PARTNERS AND RIVERKEEPER VOLUNTEERS. THIS WORK ALLOWS US TO BUILD A HOLISTIC PICTURE OF THE HEALTH OF OUR WATERSHED, AND SPOT TRENDS AND POINTS OF VULNERABILITY. ALL OF THE DATA WE COLLECT IS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE VIA OUR WATER QUALITY PORTAL. WE ALSO WORKED WITH OUR HUDSON RIVER WATER QUALITY MONITORING COLLABORATIVE TO CARRY OUT SEVERAL SPECIAL PROJECTS RELATED TO WATER QUALITY WITH THE HELP OF PARTNER GROUPS. WE ARE BUILDING ON THE SUCCESS OF THE SOURCE TO ESTUARY PROGRAM, A FIELD TRIP BASED CURRICULUM WHERE YOUTH ARE ABLE TO LEARN ABOUT THEIR DRINKING WATER SOURCES, WHERE THEY COME FROM, WHERE THEY GO, AND WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM ALONG THEIR ROUTE. WE NOW RUN THIS COURSE IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR LAB BASED JOB TRAINING PROGRAM FOR YOUTH IN TROY, NY, AND BROUGHT THE COURSE TO KINGSTON WITH THE KINGSTON YMCA FARM PROJECT. STUDENTS CAN ALSO NOW RECEIVE COLLEGE CREDIT FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE COURSE. IN ADDITION, WE SAMPLED IN THE ESOPUS CREEK WATERSHED TO ASSIST WITH REOPENING A BEACH AND SHAPING THE LOWER ESOPUS CREEK STREAM MANAGEMENT PLAN TO INCLUDE A SEPTIC SYSTEM ASSESSMENT TO ADDRESS WATER QUALITY CONCERNS RELATED TO OUR SAMPLING RESULTS. BUILDING ON OUR WORK IN THE MOHAWK RIVER WATERSHED WITH OUR ACADEMIC PARTNERS WE PARTNERED WITH DEC FOR A JOINT SAMPLING PROGRAM FOR FECAL INDICATOR BACTERIA TO HAVE TRIBUTARIES TO THE MOHAWK RIVER LISTED FOR ANY IMPAIRMENTS THAT ARE FOUND. TO CONDUCT THE SAMPLING WE HIRED AN INTERN OUT OF UNION COLLEGE WHO WORKED WITH OUR ACADEMIC PARTNERS AT UNION COLLEGE AND SUNY COBLESKILL, PROVIDING VALUABLE JOB TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE. WE ALSO WORKED WITH THE HUDSON 7 TO DEVELOP SOURCE WATER MONITORING PROGRAMS AND WITH THE CITY OF PEEKSKILL TO BETTER UNDERSTAND IMPAIRMENTS TO THE DRINKING WATER SUPPLY.
- $1.1 million spent. ADVOCACY AND PATROLS: RIVERKEEPER'S ADVOCACY AND PATROLS PROGRAM ADVANCES OUR WATER, HABITAT AND PUBLIC HEALTH PROTECTION AND RESTORATION EFFORTS THROUGH PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND POLICY MAKING. OUR PRESENCE AS A 'WATCHDOG ON THE WATER' PROVIDES A PLATFORM TO INVESTIGATE POLLUTION CONCERNS AND GIVE DECISIONMAKERS PERSPECTIVE FROM THE WATER. OUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS IDENTIFY LEGISLATION, REGULATION, ENFORCEMENT, BUDGET ALLOCATIONS AND PROGRAMS THAT CAN ADDRESS RESTORATION AND PROTECTION GOALS IN THE HUDSON RIVER WATERSHED AND ITS COMMUNITIES. WE ADVOCATE FOR PRIORITY POLICIES THROUGH GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY, COLLABORATION WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND GOVERNMENTS AT ALL LEVELS, AND LOBBYING. OUR PATROL BOAT, THE R. IAN FLETCHER, WAS UNDERGOING AN ENGINE REBUILD AND RELATED MAINTENANCE AND UPGRADES THROUGH MOST OF FY25. RIVERKEEPER MAINTAINED ITS LONG STANDING PRESENCE ON THE HUDSON RIVER, MOHAWK RIVER AND NY-NJ HARBOR THROUGH SCIENTIFIC MONITORING WITH THE BOB BOYLE, WHICH WAS LAUNCHED IN MAY 2024, AND SUN HILL, A SMALLER TRAILERED VESSEL; PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER VESSEL OWNERS; AND SHORELINE-BASED OBSERVATIONS. RIVERKEEPER'S GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS EFFORTS INCLUDED FREQUENT MEETINGS WITH STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATORS AND THEIR STAFF MEMBERS, THE STAFF OF GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL, NGOS AND OTHERS ENGAGED IN STATE LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS. RIVERKEEPER ORGANIZED ONE "ADVOCACY DAY" FOR STAFF, BOARD AND PARTNERS TO ENGAGE IN LOBBYING, AND A BIPARTISAN LOBBYING TRIP TO WASHINGTON, D.C., WHERE RIVERKEEPER STAFF MET WITH THE OFFICES OF 11 U.S. REPRESENTATIVES. RIVERKEEPER'S EFFORTS SUPPORTED THE REAUTHORIZATION OF STATE CLEAN WATER INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING AND IMPORTANT WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS, AND AN AUTHORIZATION FOR SEWER CONSOLIDATION FOR THE NEW ROCHELLE, NY SEWER DISTRICT. IN ADDITION, WE SECURED BIPARTISAN SUPPORT IN THE STATE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY FOR FURTHER REMEDIATION OF PCBS IN THE HUDSON RIVER SUPERFUND SITE. RIVERKEEPER ALSO LAUNCHED A NEW YORK CITY POLICY AGENDA IN FY25, FOCUSING ON ACTIONS CITY AND STATE GOVERNMENTS CAN TAKE TO PROMOTE RECREATIONAL WATER QUALITY, STORMWATER MANAGEMENT, FLOOD RESILIENCE AND DRINKING WATER PROTECTIONS. OUR GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS INFLUENCED FEDERAL, STATE, REGIONAL AND LOCAL DECISIONS RELATED TO RECREATIONAL WATER QUALITY, DRINKING WATER SOURCE PROTECTIONS AND WILDLIFE AND HABITAT MANAGEMENT. THESE EFFORTS INCLUDED ADVOCACY FOR REDUCING THE IMPACTS OF ROAD SALT POLLUTION; MORE PROTECTIVE REGULATIONS FOR PFAS "FOREVER CHEMICALS; REDUCING SEWAGE LEAKS AND OVERFLOWS ESPECIALLY IN NEW YORK CITY AND WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY; PROMOTING RESTORATION OF AMERICAN EELS BY IMPROVING MANAGEMENT OF HYDROELECTRIC FACILITIES; PROMOTING THE CREATION OF NEW SWIMMING AREAS ON THE HUDSON RIVER; STOPPING THE MIGRATION OF INVASIVE SPECIES THROUGH THE ERIE CANAL; ADVANCING REMEDIATION AT HAZARDOUS WASTE SITES INCLUDING NEWTOWN CREEK, GOWANUS CANAL AND STEWART AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE; DRAFTING OR IMPLEMENTING DRINKING WATER SOURCE PROTECTION PLANS FOR MULTIPLE COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING THE SEVEN MUNICIPALITIES THAT RELY ON THE HUDSON RIVER, PEEKSKILL, NEWBURGH AND KINGSTON; AND INFLUENCING NEW OR FORTHCOMING GOVERNMENTAL PLANS FOR MANAGING THE HUDSON RIVER ESTUARY AND NY-NJ HARBOR. RIVERKEEPER'S WATCHDOG EFFORT RESPONDED TO A RANGE OF POLLUTION CONCERNS FROM THE PUBLIC, LEADING TO A NUMBER OF SUCCESSFUL INVESTIGATIONS AND/OR RESPONSES BY RESPONSIBLE AGENCIES.
- $724,100 spent. LEGAL AND ENERGY: RIVERKEEPER'S LEGAL PROGRAM ADVANCES THE CAUSE OF CLEAN WATER THROUGH PURSUING LITIGATION AGAINST POLLUTERS, HELPING TO SHAPE FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL ACTIONS, AND EDUCATING THE PUBLIC. BROADLY SPEAKING, OUR LEGAL PROGRAM IS DEDICATED TO REMEDIATING HISTORIC POLLUTION AND ENSURING THAT NEW SOURCES OF POLLUTION ARE PREVENTED FROM FURTHER CONTAMINATING THE HUDSON. WE PURSUE LAWSUITS AGAINST POLLUTERS FOR UNLAWFUL DISCHARGES OF POLLUTED INDUSTRIAL STORMWATER, ALONG WITH OTHER VIOLATIONS. WE ALSO HAVE ONGOING LAWSUITS AGAINST GOVERNMENTS FOR FAILING TO PROTECT THE HEALTH OF PEOPLE WHO SWIM, BOAT AND FISH IN NEW YORK WATERS. ASIDE FROM THESE CASES, OUR TEAM OF IN-HOUSE LAWYERS WORKS WITH OTHERS ON OUR STAFF ON MANY OTHER FAR-REACHING CAMPAIGNS. WE PUSH FOR THE FULL REMEDIATION OF PCB CONTAMINATION IN THE HUDSON RIVER CAUSED BY GENERAL ELECTRIC; WATCHDOG THE DECOMMISSIONING OF THE INDIAN POINT NUCLEAR POWER FACILITY THROUGH OUR SEAT ON THE STATE'S DECOMMISSIONING OVERSIGHT BOARD; FIGHT FOR NEW SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE TO REDUCE POLLUTION FROM STORMWATER RUNOFF AND COMBINED SEWER OVERFLOWS; PREVENT THE SITING OF NEW, UNSUSTAINABLE POLLUTING FACILITIES THAT WOULD DISCHARGE TO THE HUDSON OR ITS TRIBUTARIES; PROVIDE POSITIVE COMMUNITY TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITIES TO ENSURE THOROUGH SUPERFUND CLEANUPS, AND HELP IMPROVE STATE AND LOCAL PROGRAMS FOR SOURCE WATER PROTECTION AND ADAPTION PLANNING FOR DRINKING WATER SUPPLIES.
- $300,928 spent. ANY OTHER PROGRAMS OR WORK THAT FALL OUTSIDE OF THE ABOVE THREE PROGRAMS.
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 November 6, 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 June 1984.
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 November 4, 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.