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Cayuga Lake Watershed Network

EIN 16-1556541 · Trumansburg, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceNot ratedThe short tax form does not cover thisImpact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

IDENTIFY KEY THREATS TO CAYUGA LAKE AND ITS WATERSHED, AND ADVOCATES FOR SOLUTIONS THAT SUPPORT A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT AND VIBRANT, SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES.

Income
$198,768
Spending
$161,006
Reserves
16.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 84%

Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 81% of charities in its peer group (environment, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 16.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 19% of income.

Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

This organization files the short tax form, which does not ask about boards, policies or audits. That is normal for a small charity and is not a mark against it.

Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 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. $32,022 spent. WATERSHED COMMUNICATIONS:THESE COMMUNICATION ACTIVITIES STRENGTHEN PARTNERSHIPS AND BROADEN PUBLIC ACCESS TO WATERSHED INFORMATION. OUR WATERSHED COMMUNICATIONS PROGRAM INCLUDES PUBLICATION OF OUR MONTHLY E-NEWS WATERSHED UPDATES AND PRINT EDITION NETWORK NEWSLETTERS SHARED ONLINE FOR FREE AND IN PRINT FOR OUR MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY; OUTREACH TABLING AND PRESENTATIONS AT COMMUNITY EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE WATERSHED TO SHARE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES ABOUT WATERSHED PROTECTION; WORK WITH OUR CAYUGA LAKE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH COMMITTEES ON JOINT EFFORTS; SERVING AS LIAISON OR VOTING MEMBER OF THE WATER QUALITY COORDINATING COMMITTEES FOR CAYUGA, SENECA, AND TOMPKINS COUNTIES; AND SERVICE AS THE CAYUGA LAKE REPRESENTATIVE TO THE FINGER LAKES REGIONAL WATERSHED ALLIANCE.
  2. $17,337 spent. COMMUNITY EDUCATION & STEWARDSHIP PROGRAMS:THESE PROGRAMS BUILD COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND STEWARDSHIP FOR CAYUGA LAKE. OUR COMMUNITY EDUCATION & STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM ACTIVITIES INCLUDED ORGANIZING AND HOSTING FREE, PUBLIC COMMUNITY CONFERENCES FEATURING EXPERT PRESENTATIONS ON ISSUES RELEVANT TO THE HEALTH OF CAYUGA LAKE AND ITS WATERSHED (NORTH AND SOUTH ENDS); WORKING WITH 15 VOLUNTEER GROUPS TO PROMOTE AND SUPPORT LITTER CLEANUPS; EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES (AIS) IN OUR WATERSHED AND WHAT INDIVIDUALS CAN DO TO STOP THE SPREAD OF AIS, INCLUDING HYDRILLA; HOSTING OUR LAKE FRIENDLY LIVING (LFL) AWARENESS MONTH EVENT; AND PROMOTING ADOPTION OF RESIDENTIAL BEST PRACTICES THROUGH THE LFL PLEDGE PROGRAM THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, INCLUDING "WATERSHED LIVING IN A CHANGING CLIMATE" CONTENT; AND WORKING WITH REGIONAL EDUCATORS TO DEVELOP NEW WATERSHED EDUCATION ACTIVITIES FOR CLASSROOMS AND INFORMAL EDUCATION SETTINGS.
  3. $14,377 spent. WATER QUALITY MONITORING & ACTION:THESE EFFORTS PROVIDE SCIENCE-BASED DATA AND COMMUNICATION TO GUIDE LOCAL WATER QUALITY ACTION AND MANAGEMENT. OUR WATER QUALITY PROGRAM ACTIVITIES INCLUDED THREE PROJECT AREAS IN 2025: COMPLETION OUR CAYUGA LAKE NORTHERN TRIBUTARIES WATER-QUALITY MONITORING AND MICROBIAL SOURCE TRACKING STUDY AND PUBLICATION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SUNY-ESF; HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM MONITORING PROGRAM SUPPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS, INCLUDING WEEKLY HABS NEWSLETTERS DURING THE HABS MONITORING SEASON (JULYSEPTEMBER); AND SPONSORSHIP OF TRAINED VOLUNTEER SAMPLING FOR THE CITIZENS STATEWIDE LAKE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM FOR CAYUGA LAKE (FOUR SITES, EIGHT SAMPLING EVENTS EACH, JUNEOCTOBER). THESE PROJECTS ARE DESIGNED TO GENERATE AND COMMUNICATE SCIENCE-BASED INFORMATION FOR IMPROVED WATER-QUALITY ACTION AND OUTCOMES.
  4. $4,558 spent. ISSUES RESEARCH & RESPONSE:THE CAYUGA LAKE WATERSHED NETWORK IDENTIFIES AND RESEARCHES WATER QUALITY THREATS AND DEVELOPS SCIENCE-BASED POSITIONS AND EDUCATIONAL ARTICLES. THIS INCLUDES TRACKING AND SUPPORTING CLEAN WATER PLAN IMPLEMENTATION IN COLLABORATION WITH PARTNER AGENCIES, REVIEWING SCIENCE AND POLICY ON CONTAMINANTS SUCH AS PFAS, AND EVALUATING RISKS FROM REGIONAL INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITIES.

Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

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

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since September 1999.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.