Trout Unlimited Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO CONSERVE, PROTECT, AND RESTORE NORTH AMERICA'S COLDWATER FISHERIES AND THEIR WATERSHEDS.
- Income
- $109.5 million
- Spending
- $104.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- 0 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 63%
- Employees
- 508
- Volunteers
- 15,000
- Highest pay
- $520,097, president and ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 59 out of 100.
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover -0.0 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 33% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 5% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 31% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1588% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2532 of 33 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 March 31, 2025, 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 (5)
- $83.6 million spent. CONSERVATION OPERATIONS:THE FOLLOWING ARE SOME NOTABLE DEVELOPMENTS UNDERWAY IN TU'S IDENTIFIED "PRIORITY WATERS":EASTERN CONSERVATION MAINE THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH LAND TRUSTS, TU IS WORKING ON A COMBINATION OF LAND PROTECTION, STREAM RECONNECTION, AND INSTREAM HABITAT RESTORATION. TOGETHER, THESE COMPREHENSIVE EFFORTS WILL SECURE SOME OF THE BEST NATIVE BROOK TROUT STRONGHOLDS IN THE U.S. AMONG THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 2024 FIELD SEASON WERE SIX MILES OF INSTREAM WOOD ADDITIONS ON STREAMS IN THE KENNEBAGO AND PLEASANT RIVER WATERSHEDS. WEST VIRGINIAMORE EVIDENCE OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF WOOD ADDITION PROJECTS WAS GAINED THROUGH MONITORING OF WORK DONE BY TU AND THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE IN WEST VIRGINIA. AREAS WHERE LARGE WOOD WAS ADDED TO STREAMS SHOWED AN INCREASE IN POOLS AND POOL DEPTH AND INCREASES IN TOTAL BIOMASS AS WELL AS THE NUMBERS OF LARGE BROOK TROUT. BY RE-ENGAGING THE FLOODPLAIN AND IMPROVING GROUNDWATER RECHARGE, THE PROJECTS LED TO MAXIMUM WATER TEMPERATURES THAT WERE 1.2 DEGREES CELSIUS LOWER THAN THE MAXIMUM WATER TEMPERATURES IN THE CONTROL SITES.GREAT LAKES COASTERS ARE BROOK TROUT THAT LIVE IN LAKE SUPERIOR AND MIGRATE TO TRIBUTARIES. IN 2024, TU ORGANIZED STATE AGENCIES, TRIBES, FEDERAL AGENCIES AND OTHERS FOR THE FIRST COASTER-FOCUSED STAKEHOLDER MEETING IN OVER 15 YEARS. THIS LED TO THE FORMATION OF A NEW BROOK TROUT WORKGROUP UNDER THE GREAT LAKES FISH COMMISSION'S LAKE SUPERIOR TECHNICAL COMMITTEE, AND TU WAS ASKED TO CHAIR THE WORK GROUP, BECOMING THE FIRST NGO TO CHAIR A TECHNICAL COMMITTEE WORKGROUP. TU IS CONDUCTING FISHERIES SURVEYS, TAKING TISSUE SAMPLES FOR GENETIC ANALYSIS, CONDUCTING HABITAT ASSESSMENTS AND CULVERT SURVEYS, AND COLLECTING TEMPERATURE DATA TO INFORM COASTER MANAGEMENT AND RESTORATION. TU ORGANIZED A MULTI-STATE PARTNERSHIP ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA, NEW YORK, AND NEW JERSEY THAT RESULTED IN A MULTI-YEAR, $3.5 MILLION GRANT FROM THE NEW JERSEY DEPOF WHICH TU IS A SUB-RECIPIENTFOR BROOK TROUT RESTORATION. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SOURCE OF FUNDING, BUT EQUALLY IMPORTANT IS THE COMMITMENT IT REPRESENTS FROM THE STATE AGENCIES TO WORK WITH US ON LARGE-SCALE BROOK TROUT RESTORATION ACROSS THE THREE STATES.PACIFIC CONSERVATION ALASKAWE CONTINUE TO ENGAGE IN THE COURTROOM TO DEFEND THE GOOD DECISIONS TO DENY PEBBLE ITS 404 PERMIT AND CLEAN WATER ACT 404(C) PROTECTIONS. IN THE YUKON RIVER WATERSHED, A RELATIVELY NEW GEOGRAPHY FOR TU, WE HELPED REMOVE A PROVISION IN THE FY25 NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT THAT WOULD HAVE GREENLIGHTED THE PROPOSED 211-MILE AMBLER INDUSTRIAL ROAD IN ALASKA'S BROOKS RANGE. THE ROAD WOULD HAVE CROSSED MORE THAN 2,000 STREAMS AND LIKELY CAUSED SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS TO FISH, AND FISHING AND HUNTING, IN THE AREA.CALIFORNIAFOR THE PAST 18 MONTHS, TU HAS WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE PIT RIVER TRIBE AND SELECT CONSERVATION PARTNERS ON A CAMPAIGN TO PERMANENTLY PROTECT A UNIQUE COMPLEX OF PUBLIC LANDS IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA THE STTTLA HIGHLANDS AS A NATIONAL MONUMENT.. TU STAFF AND GRASSROOTS, WITH OUR SHASTA TRINITY CASCADES CHAPTER IN THE VANGUARD, LED THE EFFORT TO CONVEY THE SUPPORT OF ANGLERS AND HUNTERS FOR THIS DESIGNATION; OUR MEDIA TOUR PRODUCED MULTIPLE ARTICLES, QUOTES, BLOG AND SOCIAL POSTS SUPPORTING NATIONAL MONUMENT STATUS FOR STTTLA, THE CULTURAL HEART OF THE PIT RIVER TRIBE. IN JANUARY, PRESIDENT BIDEN SIGNED A PROCLAMATION DESIGNATING THE STTTLA HIGHLANDS NATIONAL MONUMENT. ON CALIFORNIA'S CENTRAL COAST, TU REMOVED A DAM ON LITTLE ARTHUR CREEK, A TRIBUTARY TO THE PAJARO RIVER, WHICH IS DESIGNATED CRITICAL HABITAT FOR ESA-LISTED STEELHEAD. THE 30-FOOT-HIGH, CENTURY-OLD DAM HAD BLOCKED FISH PASSAGE AT ALL FLOWS TO MORE THAN THREE MILES OF PRIME SPAWNING AND REARING HABITAT, WHICH STAYS WET EVEN IN PROLONGED DROUGHT PERIODS. THE PROJECT, WHICH CONCLUDED IN OCTOBER, TOOK FIVE YEARS TO PLAN, FUND AND IMPLEMENT. KEY PARTNERS INCLUDED THE SANTA CLARA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT, THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE, RESOURCES LEGACY FUND, NOAA FISHERIES AND THE AMAH MUTSUN TRIBAL BAND. THE STEINBECK COUNTRY CHAPTER, THE SANTA CRUZ FLY FISHERS, AND THE SAN JOSE FLY FISHERS ALL PROVIDED MATCH FUNDING AND VOLUNTEER LABOR.IDAHOTU'S IDAHO PROGRAM RECEIVED A $3.8 MILLION AWARD FROM THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT THAT WILL FUND STREAM RESTORATION AND FISH PASSAGE PROJECTS BENEFITING NATIVE FISH SPECIES IN THE UPPER SALMON AND UPPER SNAKE BASINS OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. KLAMATH (OREGON AND CALIFORNIA)WITH THE KLAMATH RIVER DAMS GONE, SALMON AND STEELHEAD ARE NOW SWIMMING IN WATERS THEY HAD BEEN DENIED ACCESS TO FOR A CENTURY. THE FIRST SALMON, A FALL-RUN CHINOOK, WAS OBSERVED ON SONAR PASSING THROUGH THE FORMER SITE OF IRON GATE DAM. IN OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER, OVER 100 FALL-RUN CHINOOK WERE SEEN SPAWNING ABOVE THE DAMS, INCLUDING ALL THE WAY INTO OREGON. SMALLER NUMBERS OF COHO AND STEELHEAD HAVE ALSO BEEN OBSERVED ABOVE THE FORMER DAMS AND PRELIMINARY SONAR DATA REVEALED THOUSANDS OF FISH MIGRATING THROUGH THE FORMER IRON GATE SITE.OREGONNEW FUNDING FROM THE COLUMBIA BASIN WATER TRANSACTION PROGRAM AND TU'S COLDWATER CONSERVATION FUND HAVE ALLOWED TU TO EXPAND ITS FLOW RESTORATION WORK INTO THE JOHN DAY BASIN, THE LARGEST BASIN IN OREGON MANAGED FOR WILD SALMONIDS. IN THE ADJACENT WALLOWA RIVER BASIN, WE SECURED A $3 MILLION AWARD FROM A CORPORATE DONOR TO SUPPORT TU'S PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NEZ PERCE TRIBE, CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF THE UMATILLA INDIAN RESERVATION, CHIEF JOSEPH BAND OF THE COLVILLE TRIBE AND THE WALLOWA LAKE IRRIGATION DISTRICT TO BRING SOCKEYE SALMON BACK TO WALLOWA LAKE. SOCKEYE WERE EXTIRPATED FROM THE WALLOWA RIVER IN 1919 BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF WALLOWA LAKE DAM. WASHINGTONIN THE UPPER COLUMBIA BASIN, NOT FAR FROM THE CANADA BORDER, TU COMPLETED THE FINAL PHASE OF THE JOHNSON CREEK FISH PASSAGE PROJECT, WHICH OPENED MORE THAN EIGHT MILES OF CRITICAL HABITAT FOR ESA-LISTED SUMMER STEELHEAD. THE PROJECT COST $5 MILLION AND TOOK SEVEN YEARS TO COMPLETE, BUT IT WAS WELL WORTH THE MONEY AND EFFORT. EIGHT FISH PASSAGE
- $2.1 million spent. VOLUNTEER OPERATIONS AND CHAPTER SUPPORT:PLANT FOR OUR FUTUREWE ARE HEADED INTO OUR THIRD YEAR OF PARTNERSHIP WITH TRACTOR SUPPLY COMPANY ON THE PLANT FOR OUR FUTURE INITIATIVE, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LEVERAGE THE INITIAL INVESTMENT TO ATTRACT AND SECURE FUNDING TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM. THE ARBOR DAY FOUNDATION HAS BECOME ONE OF OUR CORE NEW PARTNERS, INTRODUCING US TO CORPORATE FUNDERS LIKE TD BANK, VERIZON WIRELESS, AND NIAGARA BOTTLING. OUR AGGREGATE IMPACT TO DATE IS: - PLANNED 255 PLANTING PROJECTS IN 18 STATES - PLANTED 84,492 NATIVE TREES - ENGAGED MORE THAN 4,003 VOLUNTEERS - RESTORED MORE THAN 1,277 ACRES - INTERCEPTED MORE THAN 21,114,551 GALLONS OF STORMWATERHEADWATERS YOUTH EDUCATION PROGRAMSTAFF ARE PRIORITIZING THE DELIVERY OF BEST-IN-CLASS RESOURCES AND SUPPORT TO TU VOLUNTEERS, TEACHERS, ENGAGEMENT MANAGERS, CAMP DIRECTORS AND STUDENT LEADERS ENSURING THEY HAVE THE TOOLS NEEDED TO IMPLEMENT YOUTH EDUCATION EFFECTIVELY IN THE FIELD. THE 5 RIVERS PROGRAM HAS OVER 5,000 ACTIVE COLLEGE-AGED MEMBERS ACROSS 80 CAMPUSES PARTICIPATING IN THOUSANDS OF ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING A RECORD-BREAKING WESTERN RENDEZVOUS IN COLORADO LAST FALL THAT SOLD OUT IN MINUTES, AND OVER HALF OF PARTICIPANTS WERE YOUNG WOMEN. AFTER A FUN SUMMER OF CAMP AND EXPEDITIONS, STUDENTS RETURNED TO THEIR CLASSROOMS, AS DID THEIR TROUT IN THE CLASSROOM TANKS. OVER THE PAST FOUR MONTHS, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF EGGS HAVE BEEN DELIVERED ACROSS THE COUNTRY BY DOZENS OF LOYAL TU VOLUNTEERS. THE HEADWATERS YOUTH EDUCATION BOARD CONTINUES TO EVOLVE AS A DYNAMIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE, PLAYING A PIVOTAL ROLE IN GUIDING AND SUPPORTING YOUTH EDUCATION EFFORTS. THE BOARD OFFERS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE HANDS-ON WITH TU'S YOUTH EDUCATION ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AND WE ARE ALREADY PLANNING OUR NEXT GATHERING IN BEND, ORE. IN OCTOBER 2025. THESE GATHERINGS SHOWCASE GRASSROOTS IMPACT, PROVIDE SHARED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND CELEBRATE TU'S SUCCESSES.
- $2.8 million spent. MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT:THE NLC WORKGROUPS CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS TOWARD COMPLETING THEIR QUANTIFIABLE GOALS WHICH SUPPORT THE TU STRATEGIC PLAN. TU CONTINUES TO EVOLVE ITS MEMBERSHIP MESSAGING TO FOCUS ON COLLABORATION AND ENGAGEMENT.
- $1.9 million spent. COMMUNICATIONS:TU'S PRIORITY WATERS COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED IN MID-JANUARY FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF A NEW WEBSITE (HTTPS://PRIORITYWATERS.TU.ORG) THAT INCLUDES STATE-BY-STATE RUNDOWN OF PRIORITY WATERS WORK, A SECTION ABOUT HOW WE WORK AND WHY IT MATTERS, AND MAPS. THIS NEW WEBSITE IS INTEGRATED WITH TU.ORG AND IS AN UPDATE FOR OUR STANDING CONSERVATION CONTENT. A MULTIMEDIA EFFORT INVOLVING SOCIAL MEDIA, BLOGS, PRESS, EMAILS, ADS, AND FILMS IS PROMOTING THE MESSAGE THAT TU IS WORKING AT SCALE ACROSS THE NATION, AND WORKING IN PLACES YOU LIVE, LOVE AND FISH. THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF PRIORITY WATERS FILMS LAUNCHES IN FEBRUARY: "A BEAUTIFUL MESS" HIGHLIGHTS OUR WORK IN TENNESSEE'S CHEROKEE NATIONAL FOREST. FORTHCOMING INSTALLMENTS ARE SET IN ARIZONA (APACHE TROUT), CALIFORNIA (GOLDEN TROUT), THE OLYMPIC PENINSULA (SALMON AND STEELHEAD), AND WYOMING AND UTAH (CUTTHROAT TROUT). THIS IS AN ALL-HANDS-ON-DECK EVERGREEN CAMPAIGN, AND WE HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGING STAFF, VOLUNTEERS AND LEADERS TO HELP US SPREAD THE WORD USING A TU PRIORITY WATERS TOOLKIT.
- $1.9 million spent. GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS:AT LONG LAST, GOOD SAMARITAN LEGISLATION PASSED CONGRESS AND WAS SIGNED BY PRESIDENT BIDEN INTO LAW ON DECEMBER 17. THIS CAMPAIGN EMBODIED A "ONE-TU" APPROACH, LEVERAGING THE COLLECTIVE STRENGTH OF GRASSROOTS AND STAFF ACROSS NOT ONLY GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AND EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP, BUT ALSO SCIENCE, COMMUNICATIONS, DEVELOPMENT, AND RESTORATION STAFF. WIDELY RECOGNIZED AS THE CAMPAIGN LEADER, TU RECRUITED NUMEROUS PARTNERS, LEVERAGING RELATIONSHIPS AND ASSETS TO OVERCOME ABUNDANT HURDLES ALONG THE WAY TO LEGISLATION BEING ENACTED. WE WILL CONTINUE THIS LEADERSHIP THROUGHOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PILOT PROGRAM, INCLUDING BRINGING TOGETHER THE EPA, FEDERAL LAND MANAGERS, STATE AGENCIES, AND OTHER POTENTIAL GOOD SAMS AND STAKEHOLDERS TO DEVELOP GUIDANCE FOR PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION WITHIN THE CONGRESSIONALLY REQUIRED 180-DAY DEADLINE. WE WILL ALSO RENEW OUR EFFORTS TO SECURE SIMILAR LIABILITY PROTECTIONS FOR CLEANUP AT ABANDONED COAL MINES, AN EFFORT THAT HAS BIPARTISAN SUPPORT ON BOTH SIDES OF CAPITOL HILL. ADDITIONALLY, THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR INITIATED ADMINISTRATIVE MINERAL WITHDRAWAL PROCESSES FOR NEW MEXICO'S PECOS RIVER WATERSHED AND NEVADA'S RUBY MOUNTAINS. BOTH AREAS ARE HOME TO NATIVE TROUT AND THREATENED BY RESOURCE EXTRACTION. FOR SEVERAL YEARS, TU GENERATED LOCAL AND DIVERSE SUPPORT FOR PROTECTING THESE AREAS AND WILL NOW WORK WITH THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO COMPLETE THESE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES IN 2025. THE RESULT WOULD LIMIT RESOURCE EXTRACTION (I.E., HARDROCK MINING IN THE PECOS RIVER WATERSHED, AND OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT IN THE RUBY MOUNTAINS) FOR A PERIOD OF 20 YEARS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, 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 November 6, 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 March 2025.
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 March 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 November 4, 2026.
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