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Watershed Management Group Inc

EIN 20-0637567 · Tucson, AZ

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood71 out of 100GovernanceGood80 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Watershed Management Group (WMG) develops community-based solutions to ensure the long-term prosperity of people and health of the environment. We provide people with the knowledge, skills, and resources for sustainable livelihoods.

Income
$1.3 million
Spending
$1.3 million
Spent on programs
84%
Reserves
1.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 47%
Employees
33
Volunteers
525
Highest pay
$105,215, executive dir.

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

Good: 71 out of 100. Higher than 40% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 19% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 21% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    84% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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

Good: 80 out of 100. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 9 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    0 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 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 (1)
  1. $1.1 million spent. Watershed Management Group's Living Lab is a bilingual educational center for sustainable desert living in mid-town Tucson. It offers exhibits, classes, and tours in both English and Spanish, serves all ages from across the border region, and attracts national and global visitorsreaching about 3,000 people annually. At the Living Lab and Learning Center we organize a Docent program as well as an annual paid internship program for college students.The River Run Network, a program of WMG, is a group of people working to achieve our 50-year vision of restoring Tucson's heritage of flowing creeks and rivers and includes over 3,500 River Run Network members distributed throughout Southern AZ in the Santa Cruz Watershed. Through this program, Watershed Management Group offers creek walks, river restoration workshops, river clean-ups, and community science monitoring.Watershed Management Groups Water Harvesting Certification provides professionals, educators, and community organizers with comprehensive instruction in water harvesting systems design and construction, training about 40 people annually through two week-long courses. Hundreds of households participate annually in our Build Your Own Basin program participating in a two hour hands-on workshop learning how to build a rain garden with native plants. After participating, households take home a free Build Your Own Basin kit with native plants, organic mulch, and a how-to guide.Through our Schoolyard Program and Family Saturdays we bring nature education to kids and families including limited income families and underserved youth. Activities focus on access to clean, local water sources, such as rainwater harvesting; learning how to steward the plants, animals, and rivers of the Sonoran Desert; and learning how to turn waste into resources to compost, grow food, and conserve energy.Watershed Management Group also offers free in-person and virtual classes on sustainable desert living in the greater Tucson and Phoenix regions.

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

  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 December 2024.

    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 April 2005.

    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.