Trout Unlimited
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
NYSCTU's Mission Statement:To unite people to care for conserve, protect, restore, and sustain coldwater fisheries and their watersheds in New York and bordering states.Council Vision:NYSCTU envisions a future in which the challenges of an ever-changing planet are addressed, robust populations of native and wild cold-water fish once again thrive in their home waters, and all people can experience the joy of wild and native trout and salmon.
- Income
- $42,905
- Spending
- $28,822
- Spent on programs
- 67%
- Reserves
- 17.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 89%
- Employees
- 0
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2026, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
We do not score finances when yearly spending is very small or the return has too little detail. The ratios stop meaning much at that size.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2026, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 91 out of 100. Higher than 90% of charities in its peer group (animals, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 2521 of 21 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
0 of 7Reports no 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.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2026, 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 (2)
- $18,905 spent. Trout Water Youth Camp. Please see Schedule O for a more detailed description of our Program Service Accomplishments. During the sixty years since its founding, conservation has been one of the cornerstones of NYSCTUs program and activities. These conservation initiatives focus on ensuring vibrant habitats to sustain cold-water fisheries. The building blocks for conserving, protecting, restoring, and sustaining cold water fisheries include the following recent accomplishments:PROJECTSBatten Kill River-Reconnection: Watkins Dam Removal (Vermont) -Restoration: Green River Design & Implementation (Vermont) Upper Delaware-Research: East Branch Delaware Assessment -Reconnection: Berry Brook & Batavia Kill -Restoration: Oquaga Creek (West Branch Delaware) -Tree Planting: Oquaga Creek & Willowemoc Creek Upper Genesee-Research: USFWS Partnered Drone Project, Wisocy & Chittenango Habitat Assessment-Reconnection: Genesee River Trout Brook Culvert Replacement Saranac-Outreach: SUNY 5 Rivers Internship and SUNY Plattsburgh, HOOK'E ASF Film Tour-Design: Multiple Culverts-Reconnection: Goldsmith Culvert Replacements-Restoration: Plattsburgh State University site on Saranac RiverUpper Susquehanna-Research: Continued Owego and Cohocton Assessment, Restoration & Reconnect -Reconnection: Morris Brook Dam Removal-Restoration: Wylie Brook Phase 4 Restoration & Reconnect ionLake Champlain Trout Unlimited We are excited to announce that Lake Champlain Trout Unlimited has been awarded an Embrace A Stream grant to launch the Citizen Science Outreach Program for the Lake Champlain Basin a project that will help us to better understand the health if three of our regions most important cold water streams.Starting in 2026, we'll deploy seven high-tech water sensors across the Saranac River, Beaver Brook, and Derby Brook to continuously track water temperature and flow. Five sensors will be placed at key locations on the Saranac, with readings taken above and below both Imperial Mill Dam and Treadwell Mill Dam, plus additional monitoring points to capture the river's broader thermal profile. One sensor each will be deployed on Beaver Brook and Derby Brook. On the Saranac, this setup will help us document something anglers have long suspected: that these dams are warming the water downstream, creating real challenges for Atlantic salmon and other species. Small dams like these have been shown to raise downstream temperatures by over two degrees Celsius. And in a world already warming due to climate change, every degree matters for cold-water fish.Al Hazzard Chapter - Owego Creek: Priority Water Connected ConservationNow entering its third year, the Owego Creek Strategic Action Plan serves as a model program for connected conservation. It all began in 2023, when TUs Northeast Restoration Director asked NY State Councils Region 7 VP to prepare a strategic action plan for this priority water, the Owego Creek system in Tioga County.The plan was put into action in 2024 as a program of the Al Hazzard Chapter, but with a heavy reliance on coordination and collaboration with not only State Council and Northeast Staff, but with partner agencies including the DEC Bureau of Fisheries, USFWS, Tioga County Soil and Water Conservation District, the Ithaca Community Science Institute and the Waterman Conservation Education Center. Volunteers from the Leon Chandler Chapter as well as the local community provide added muscle.The vision of the plan is that TU will work with local partners to better understand the salmonid resources, habitat, stream dynamics, threats and opportunities in the Owego Creek watershed. TU will also continue the implementation of survey, management and improvement projects that reconnect, restore and sustain cold-water resources in the watershed. Here are the four focus areas:Assessment: Identify spawning reaches and tributaries, critical coldwater inputs and barriers to fish passage. Conduct annual electrofishing sampling and assess significant beaver impoundments for thermal impacts. Reconnection: Prioritize culvert replacement and dam remediation projects that reconnect trout habitats and begin planning and implementation of highest priority projects. Habitat Improvement: Conduct a State Forest Initiative to identify opportunities for trout habitat improvement projects on Owego Creek and tributary reaches within State Forests. Begin the implementation of habitat improvement projects in priority locations, support Soil and Water Conservation District projects and study the feasibility of brook trout reintroduction efforts in key unoccupied headwaters. Outreach: Promote catch and release fishing, conduct public workshops, recruit and train volunteers, attend community events, enhance landowner relationships and partner with the local Waterman Conservation Education Center. Youth Education:Trout Waters Youth Camp 2025: This camp introduces young men and women between theages of 14-17 to the sport of fly fishing for trout. The camp places a largeemphasis on the conservation and protection of our cold water fishery . Camperslearn about the many organisms prevalent in a trout stream and the importance ofenhancing and maintaining a clean, cold, and stable water environment for trout andthe organisms they live with. Three healthy meals and snacks are provided each daystarting with Sunday evening dinner and concluding with a family lunch on Friday.Lessons are presented on fly tying, fly fishing, entomology, ecology, andconservation. All equipment, lodging and meals are provided. The camp is fullyinsured by the National Trout Unlimited organization. Each evening campers haveone-on-one stream experiences with veteran Delaware River anglers. Presentersinclude some of the top professional guides, fly tiers, and authors from theCatskill area. All camp personnel have been background checked and vetted by TUnational. Campers get to experience fly fishing for wild trout in the Catskills,birthplace of American fly fishing.
- $500 spent. Conservation
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2026, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Worth knowing.
Not individually listed by the IRS as eligible, which is usual for local chapters covered by a parent organization's exemption. The master file records contributions to it as deductible.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending March 2026.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since March 1972.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 2026.
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