30 Mile River Watershed Association
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The mission of the 30 Mile River Watershed Association (30 Mile) is to work as a community for clean and healthy lakes, ponds and streams in our watershed. Since 2008, 30 Mile has led efforts to protect these waters from the growing threats of invasive species, development, and climate change.30 Mile partners with local lake associations and towns to protect over 20 lakes and ponds, implementing a wide variety of programs and initiatives that could not be done by a single group alone. 30 Mile also partners with lake organizations around the state to advocate for statewide environmental protections and support. Our lakes and ponds are public treasures that provide valuable economic, recreational, social, and emotional value to residents and visitors. Now, more than ever, these fragile places are facing their greatest threats from invasive species, watershed development, and climate change.
- Income
- $408,868
- Spending
- $339,634
- Spent on programs
- 72%
- Reserves
- 8.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 88%
- Employees
- 13
- Volunteers
- 200
- Highest pay
- $100,722, 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: 83 out of 100. Higher than 55% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 6% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 17% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 23% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1572% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 14 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: 91 out of 100. Higher than 71% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 16 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
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (4)
- $85,912 spent. Aquatic Invasive Species: Prevention, Early Detection, and Management:Invasive species are one of the biggest threats in our watershed. Courtesy boat inspectors (CBIs) are our "first line of defense" in preventing invasive species hitchhiking on boats and trailers from entering our lakes. Our CBIs include both paid staff and volunteers. They work at public boat launches throughout the watershed checking boats and trailers for invasives, and also educating boaters. In 2024, CBIs conducted 3,801 inspections. Although it is rare for our CBIs to find an invasive, all it takes is one hitchhiking species to start an infestation and ruin a lake (continues on schedule O).In 2024, nearly 100 volunteers from nine lakes and ponds across the watershed completed surveys for invasive aquatic plants. Annual plant surveys are critical for catching new infestations early. Staff provide key support to each volunteer plant patrol team through identification expertise, training, and survey assistance.For the 4th season, our staff continued managing invasive milfoil in Androscoggin Lake, surveying 260+ hours and removing all milfoil found. This effort has successfully prevented its spread. We also supported the lake association's volunteer team to conduct a complete survey of the entire lake. 2024 was 30 Mile's first full season of managing the invasive swollen bladderwort infestation in Tilton Pond. This work included installing and monitoring a fragment net at the pond's outlet to reduce risk to downstream waters, increasing surveying on David Pond just downstream, monitoring plant growth on Tilton, and supporting volunteer survey and removal efforts.
- $59,393 spent. Water Quality Monitoring:Through our monitoring program, we collect extensive data to track the health of our lakes and ponds. Every two weeks, from May through October, we measure water clarity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, phosphorus and other indicators of water quality. We analyze the data and produce an annual report for each lake and pond. This data helps us identify trends in declining water quality to address at-risk areas before it's too late. In 2024, our 9th season of monitoring, we monitored 13 lakes and ponds, completing 115 monitoring trips. We worked alongside 35 dedicated volunteers who assisted us with both data collection and on-water transportation (continues on schedule O). In 2024, 30 Mile also conducted a fourth season of intensified monitoring on Androscoggin Lake, which suffered from lake-wide algal blooms in 2021, 2023 and 2024. In response to the blooms, this program included extensive monitoring of the lake, its tributaries, and the Dead River to better understand the dynamics of phosphorus. We work closely with Maine DEP to analyze collected data to help us determine the best strategies to address the problem.
- $51,497 spent. Land Use Management: To protect water quality in the watershed's lakes, ponds and streams, 30 Mile implements a variety of programs and projects. Providing technical support, guidance, and education for towns, landowners and road associations to promote lake protection is a key goal. In 2024, we began a two-year project on Androscoggin Lake, funded in part through a $150K grant by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act, and administered by Maine DEP in partnership with EPA. In 2024, we were awarded a $64K grant for Parker Pond through the same grant program. These grants fund projects to help communities restore and protect priority waters (continues on schedule O) by reducing erosion and polluted runoff. Through this work, we are able to bring significant funding and technical expertise to towns, road associations and landowners to take on important lake-protection projects that otherwise wouldn't be possible. Further supporting this goal, 30 Mile wrote two successful grant proposals for the Town of Vienna to address key road crossings that have repeatedly suffered from severe washouts and road failures, and that significantly threaten water quality in downstream lakes and ponds. A grant of $50K from the Maine Infrastructure Adaptation Fund will be used to hire an engineer to complete the scoping, design, and permitting to upgrade three stream crossings on town roads. The second grant was Vienna's first Climate Action Grant through Maine's Community Resilience Partnership. This $50K grant will fund an engineered design at a fourth high-priority culvert crossing, along with the project management, grant writing, and cash match needed to apply for grants to support the construction of these costly culvert upgrades. A core part of 30 Mile's work is assisting landowners by recommending lake-friendly practices to reduce harmful erosion. 30 Mile is a regional LakeSmart "hub," providing technical support for this statewide program that educates lakefront homeowners to help them manage their properties in ways that protect water quality. Our watershed's five volunteer lake teams and our staff conduct free site visits for landowners. In 2024, together we completed property evaluations for eleven landowners and delivered LakeSmart education throughout the watershed to help build a conservation ethic across the lake community. In 2024, we also launched a new initiative to improve shoreline buffers, planting over 300 live stakes on shorefront properties infested with an invasive species, then turned green with an algal bloom, and a second became infested with another invasive, threatening all lakes and ponds downstream. To respond to the growing need, 30 Mile has embarked on an exciting new project, creating a new center for lake protection. This integrated facility will provide essential space for public education, a water quality laboratory, and our growing staff. Phase I was nearly completed in 2024.
- $48,374 spent. Community Engagement: A significant part of our work aims to engage the community through education and raising awareness about lake protection and the role each person can play. A major tool in this effort is our monthly email newsletter, which has 1650 subscribers and a high open rate of 61% (the average is only 39% for nonprofits). We also communicate through social media, and frequent articles in lake association newsletters, town reports, and more. We maintain a dynamic website. We engage in-person with the public through presentations at lake association, town, and road association annual meetings; select board meetings; and special events. We hold free workshops on topics including invasive plants and LakeSmart, and conduct free on-site lake property assessments. We also hold our Annual Paddle Trek, a 15-mile guided paddle where participants explore many of the lakes, ponds and streams in our watershed. To greatly expand our in-person connection with our community and our ability to provide educational opportunities, in 2022 we embarked on an exciting project to develop a new center for lake protection in Mt. Vernon Village. By revitalizing an abandoned building in the heart of the Village, we will create a new space for the community to work together to protect our beloved lakes and ponds. The center will house a large community meeting room, educational exhibits, a water quality lab, an equipment and tool library, and 30 Mile's headquarters. In 2024, we completed construction of Phase I of the project, renovating both floors of the barn. Phase II design work will begin in 2025.
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 June 2008.
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.