American Whitewater
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
As a national river conservation nonprofit, our mission is to protect and restore Americas whitewater rivers and to enhance opportunities to enjoy them safely.
- Income
- $2.4 million
- Spending
- $2.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 5.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 73%
- Employees
- 15
- Volunteers
- 250
- Highest pay
- $136,766, executive director
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: 73 out of 100. Higher than 43% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 12% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 5% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 1% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 60% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2512 of 12 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
10 of 10Gave 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 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 (3)
- $2.0 million spent. Conservation and Access: American Whitewaters core mission is the conservation, restoration, and responsible management of whitewater rivers-and 2024 was a year of meaningful impact. We permanently protected 4.25 miles of river frontage along West Virginias Big Sandy Creek and celebrated the historic removal of four dams on Oregons Klamath River, where we ensured public access was integrated into the restoration process. In Colorado, we secured new Forest Service protections for 113 miles of rivers, while in the Southeast we defended the Nolichucky River Gorge from post-hurricane railroad-related damage through both legal and public advocacy. Our team directly improved flows and public access associated with dams on at least 33 rivers nationwide.
- We also successfully fought efforts to limit public access to rivers in North Carolina, Montana, and Georgia, preserving the freedom to paddle and explore some of the countrys most treasured waterways. Public Education: Educating and empowering the paddling community is central to our work. American Whitewater serves as the leading source of river stewardship information for paddlers and decision makers alike, with weekly updates on our website featuring news, alerts, and descriptions of nearly 6,000 whitewater runs. We reach over 50,000 people through email newsletters and action alerts, engage 35,000+ followers on social media, and publish a print journal five times a year for our 7,000 members and 80+ affiliate clubs.
- In 2024, we released a fully redesigned and richly illustrated edition of our Safety Code, alongside new educational tools like hang tags and printed books. We also made a major investment in public safety by replacing our online stream gauge system with a much higher performance service. Through national media, podcasts, and direct outreach, American Whitewater continues to lead the conversation on river safety and enjoyment.
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 September 1972.
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.