Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Clean Up the River Environment

EIN 31-1693392 · Montevideo, MN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood83 out of 100GovernanceStrong95 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

CURE PROTECTS AND RESTORES RESILIENT COMMUNITIES AND LANDSCAPES BY HARNESSING THE POWER OF PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT THEM. WE DO THIS BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT ROBUST HUMAN COMMUNITIES CAN ONLY BE SUSTAINED BY HEALTHY ECOSYSTEMS, AND ROBUST NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS CAN ONLY BE REGAINED THROUGH VIGOROUS STEWARDSHIP. OUR WORK TAKES MANY FORMS, BUT ALWAYS INVOLVES THREE CORE PRACTICES: AWAKENING PEOPLE'S BONDS WITH THE NATURAL WORLD AROUND THEM, INCLUSIVELY AND STRATEGICALLY EXPLORING ISSUES AND ACTIONS, SYSTEMATICALLY BUILDING COMMUNITIES OF CHANGE AT CRITICAL INTERSECTIONS OF ECOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL WELL-BEING.

Income
$1.6 million
Spending
$1.2 million
Spent on programs
79%
Reserves
10.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 93%
Employees
16
Volunteers
5
Highest pay
$90,652, 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 57% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 10.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 21% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 16% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    79% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 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: 95 out of 100. Higher than 55% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    5 of 5 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

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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 (2)
  1. $553,442 spent. CURE'S ENERGY DEMOCRACY PROGRAM IS UNIQUELY FOCUSED ON STRATEGIES TO IMPACT CLIMATE, ENERGY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE DECISIONS AFFECTING RURAL RESIDENTS. ENERGY DEMOCRACY IS ABOUT BUILDING POWER TO ADDRESS LINKAGES BETWEEN ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES, INEQUITIES, AND OTHER SYSTEMIC CHALLENGES FACING OUR COMMUNITIES.YOU CANNOT TALK ABOUT ENERGY DEMOCRACY IN RURAL COMMUNITIES WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT RURAL ELECTRIC CO-OPS. ONE IN THREE MINNESOTANS GETS THEIR ELECTRICITY FROM A RURAL ELECTRIC CO-OP (REC). RECS ARE DEMOCRATICALLY OWNED AND OPERATED UTILITIES THAT WERE CREATED DURING THE NEW DEAL TO ELECTRIFY RURAL AMERICA. HOWEVER, THE OPERATIONS OF MINNESOTA'S RECS TODAY LACK TRANSPARENCY AND GOOD GOVERNANCE.CURE IS A NATIONAL LEADER IN THE REC REFORM MOVEMENT. IN SERVICE TO ALIGNING THE PRIORITIES OF MINNESOTA'S REC'S TO THEIR COOPERATIVE FOUNDING PRINCIPLES, CURE HAS ORGANIZED MEMBER-OWNERS TO CHANGE REC PRIORITIES: GROW TRANSPARENCY IN REC GOVERNANCE, BUILD GRASSROOTS POWER, AND FIGHT AGAINST THE REC'S RELIANCE ON DIRTY ELECTRICITY FROM COAL INSTEAD TRANSITIONING THEIR ELECTRICITY GENERATION TO RENEWABLE, COMMUNITY-BASED ENERGY SOURCES THAT WOULD BE CHEAPER FOR THEIR MEMBER-OWNERS AND BE A SOURCE OF RURAL ECONOMIC GROWTH.CURE'S ENERGY DEMOCRACY PROGRAM IS HELPING DELIVER CLEAN ELECTRICITY, ENERGY EFFICIENCY, CLIMATE JUSTICE, AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE TO RURAL COMMUNITIES AND POSITIVE CLIMATE AND ENERGY IMPACTS TO ALL MINNESOTANS.ENERGY DEMOCRACY IS:CLEAN - ENERGY PRODUCED WITHOUT THE RELEASE OF GREENHOUSE GASES, FOR EXAMPLE, WIND AND SOLAR POWERLOCAL - ENERGY PRODUCED AND OWNED IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND BY OUR NEIGHBORSDEMOCRATIC - COMMUNITY HAVING A VOICE AND POWER IN THE DECISION-MAKING ABOUT OUR ENERGY FUTURE
  2. $419,468 spent. CURE'S RURAL DEMOCRACY PROGRAM EMBRACES DEMOCRACY-DRIVEN SOLUTIONS TO RURAL ISSUES AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE. WE WORK WITH PEOPLE ACROSS MINNESOTA TO BUILD POWER TO CREATE A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE AND VIBRANT COMMUNITIES THAT BENEFIT ALL WHO LIVE HERE.THE RURAL DEMOCRACY PROJECT IS HELPING PEOPLE IN RURAL COMMUNITIES BUILD INDEPENDENT POLITICAL POWER WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON ELECTORAL POLITICS. STARTING AT THE LOCAL LEVEL IS WHERE REAL CHANGE WILL TAKE ROOT; THIS WILL SET A PRECEDENT FOR THE STATE AND NATION. PASSIONATE GROUPS OF PEOPLE MEETING IN CAFES, LIVING ROOMS, AND CHURCHES ACROSS MINNESOTA ARE WHERE CHANGE IS CULTIVATED. THIS IS THE NURSERY OF DEMOCRACY.

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 2000.

    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.