Waterloo Greenway Conservancy
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
WATERLOO GREENWAY CONSERVANCY IS A 501(C)(3) NON-PROFIT WHOSE MISSION IS TO CREATE AND MAINTAIN A CHAIN OF EXTRAORDINARY URBAN PARKS AROUND A RESTORED WALLER CREEK, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL.
- Income
- $7.4 million
- Spending
- $7.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 67%
- Reserves
- 5.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 70%
- Employees
- 57
- Volunteers
- 152
- Highest pay
- $194,544, chief operating officer
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 50% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 12% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 3% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 9% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1567% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 17 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 68% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2524 of 24 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 (4)
- $2.2 million spent. WATERLOO GREENWAY CONSERVANCY OPENED THE REVITALIZED WATERLOO PARK TO THE COMMUNITY IN 2021. THE ORGANIZATION ACTIVATES WATERLOO PARK AND MOODY AMPHITHEATER WITH A VARIETY OF ARTS AND CULTURAL EXPERIENCES, INCLUDING: PERMANENT AND TEMPORARY ART EXHIBITIONS; LIVE MUSIC CONCERTS; DANCE AND PERFORMANCE ART; LARGE-SCALE CULTURAL FESTIVALS; AND ARTS AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES AT WEEKLY PROGRAMS.
- $1.5 million spent. ONCE COMPLETE, WATERLOO GREENWAY WILL BE A 35 ACRE, 1.5-MILE PARK SYSTEM OF CONNECTED GREEN SPACE THAT WILL BE HOME TO A WILD ARRAY OF NATURAL AND CULTURAL DESTINATIONS. A SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND WATERLOO GREENWAY CONSERVANCY, THIS PARK IS BEING PLANNED, DESIGNED, AND BUILT IN A SERIES OF GEOGRAPHIC MILESTONES. SYMPHONY SQUARE, WATERLOO PARK, AND MOODY AMPHITHEATER ARE NOW OPEN. CONSTRUCTION OF THE CONFLUENCE BEGAN IN 2023.
- $1.1 million spent. WATERLOO GREENWAY CONSERVANCY'S PARK OPERATIONS PROGRAM MAINTAINS AND OPERATES WATERLOO PARK IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN. THE PARK OPERATIONS TEAM MAINTAINS 1.5 MILES OF TRAILS, 500 TREES, 90,000+ PLANTS, A BEAUTIFUL TREE DECK, AN OPEN PLAZA, AND A 5,000 PERSON CAPACITY OUTDOOR AMPHITHEATER.
- $237,738 spent. WATERLOO GREENWAY'S NON-ARTS PROGRAMMING INCLUDES PARTNERSHIP-BASED HEALTHY LIVING/FITNESS CLASSES AND A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM. FITNESS CLASSES ARE OFFERED AT THE PARK THROUGHOUT THE SPRING AND SUMMER. THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM OPERATES YEAR-ROUND TO RAISE CITYWIDE AWARENESS AND ENSURE THAT RESIDENTS IN ALL 10 COUNCIL DISTRICTS HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE WITH AND BENEFIT FROM THE PROJECT.
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 December 2010.
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.