Trash for Peace
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO PROVIDE HANDS-ON, CREATIVE EXPERIENCES THAT ENCOURAGE RESILIENT COMMUNITIES.
- Income
- $3.1 million
- Spending
- $2.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 83%
- Reserves
- 2.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 68%
- Employees
- 91
- Volunteers
- 9
- Highest pay
- $68,828, past exec. dir.
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
Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 30% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.5 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 44% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 17% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1583% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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: 92 out of 100. Higher than 47% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 6 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no 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 (8)
- $1.1 million spent. G.L.I.T.T.E.R. - GROUND SCORES G.L.I.T.T.E.R PROVIDES LITTER COLLECTION AND TENT-SIDE WASTE COLLECTION SERVICES FOR HOUSELESS CAMPS ACROSS THE PORTLAND METRO REGION. THE PROGRAM NAME WAS SOURCED BY WORKERS AND STANDS FOR GROUND SCORE LEADING INCLUSIVELY TOGETHER THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL RECOVERY.
- $334,593 spent. GROUND SCORE ASSOCIATION GROUND SCORE IS AN ASSOCIATION OF INFORMAL RECYCLERS, DUMPSTER DIVERS AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL WORKERS WHO CREATE AND FILL LOW-BARRIER WASTE MANAGEMENT JOBS. GROUND SCORE IS COLLECTIVELY-ORGANIZED AND SEEKS TO BE RADICALLY INCLUSIVE, PRIORITIZING WORK OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE FACING WORK AND HOUSING INSECURITY. GROUND SCORE SEEKS TO BUILD A MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY AND SOCIALLY AWARE COMMUNITY, WHILE ALSO CHANGING SOCIETYS PERCEPTIONS OF WHAT AND WHO IS CONSIDERED VALUABLE.
- $253,870 spent. THE PEOPLES DEPOT (PROGRAM OF GROUND SCORE ASSOCIATION) THE PEOPLES DEPOT (TPD) IS AN INDEPENDENT BOTTLE REDEMPTION SERVICE RUN BY AND FOR CANNERS (INFORMAL CAN AND BOTTLE COLLECTORS). THE DEPOT WAS BORN OUT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC WHEN ACCESS TO BOTTLE REDEMPTION BECAME LIMITED AND PEOPLE WERE IN CRITICAL NEED OF INCOME. THE PEOPLES DEPOT CURRENTLY GENERATES REGULAR WORK FOR 15 PEOPLE, WHO SORT AND COUNT CANS AND BOTTLES MONDAY-SATURDAY AT TWO LOCATIONS IN PORTLAND AND SERVES HUNDREDS OF CANNERS A WEEK.
- $192,100 spent. HOUSING MULTNOMAH NOW - THE HOUSING MULTNOMAH NOW (HMN) PROGRAM WAS A RAPID-RESPONSE HOUSING PROGRAM FOCUSED ON MOVING PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN HIGH-IMPACT ENCAMPMENTS, INTO PERMANENT HOUSING QUICKLY. THE PROGRAM USED A LOW-BARRIER, EQUITY-CENTERED, AND TRAUMA-INFORMED APPROACH, PARTNERING WITH GRASSROOTS AND COMMUNITY-LED ORGANIZATIONS. IT PROVIDED FLEXIBLE HOUSING OPTIONS AND ONGOING SUPPORT TO ENSURE LONG-TERM HOUSING STABILITY.
- $182,928 spent. ENVIRONMENTAL PROMOTERS PROGRAM THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROMOTER PROGRAM WAS BORN OUT OF MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTS EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION AND DISSATISFACTION WITH THEIR WASTE AND RECYCLING SYSTEMS, AND A DESIRE TO LEARN MORE AND HAVE A DIRECT HAND IN IMPROVING THOSE SYSTEMS. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH RESIDENTS, METRO, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, WE PROVIDE TRAINING (BASED ON POPULAR EDUCATION METHODOLOGY) FOR INTERESTED RESIDENTS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RECYCLING, WASTE PREVENTION, AND HEALTHY HOMES. THEY ARE THEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE PAID TO CREATE THEIR OWN SELF-IDENTIFIED PROJECTS AND OUTREACH TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES. OUR TEAM PROVIDES SUPPORT, GUIDANCE, AND CONNECTIONS TO RESOURCES TO HELP PROMOTERS COMPLETE THEIR PROJECTS AND/OR KEEP THEM GOING IN THE COMMUNITY INDEFINITELY!
- $127,774 spent. YOUTH SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION PROGRAM THIS PROGRAM FOCUSES ON BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND WORKING WITH OVER 150 YOUTH RESIDENTS (OF ALL AGES) ON AFFORDABLE, MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING SITES EACH MONTH. BASED ON LISTENING AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS, THE WEEKLY AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM IS FOCUSED ON LEARNING ABOUT COMMUNITY, NATURE, AND RECYCLING AND WASTE PREVENTION THROUGH EXPERIENTIAL, HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES. WE ALSO HOST NO-COST SUMMER CAMPS FOR YOUTH LIVING ON SUPPORTIVE HOUSING SITES DURING THE SUMMER.
- $116,464 spent. NEW INITIATIVES - THIS PROGRAM FOCUSES ON BUILDING NEW AREAS OF SERVICES IN RESPONSE TO AND ALIGNMENT WITH LOCAL-GOVERNMENT POLICY DIRECTIONS RELATED TO EQUITABLE WASTE SYSTEMS AND CLIMATE CHANGES POLICIES. CURRENT INITIATIVES INCLUDE: MATERIALS REUSE (AS A FOCUS ON OREGON'S EMBEDDED CARBON REDUCTION GOALS), BULKY WASTE SERVICES IN RESPONSE TO METRO'S 2030 REGIONAL WASTE PLAN, COMPOSTING FOR MULTIFAMILY HOUSING, AND RECYCLING IN RELATION TO OREGON DEQ'S PLASTIC POLLUTION AND RECYCLING MODERNIZATION ACT (ALSO KNOWN AS THE RMA).
- $89,060 spent. MULTIFAMILY OUTREACH PROGRAM RECYCLING AND TRASH AT MULTIFAMILY ENCLOSURES IS OFTEN INADEQUATE AND CONFUSING! OUR GOALS ARE TO HELP MAKE IT MORE EFFECTIVE AND EQUITABLE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS. WORKING WITH ENVIRONMENTAL PROMOTERS, WE COLLABORATE WITH THE CITY OF GRESHAM AND THE CITY OF PORTLAND TO PROVIDE OUTREACH ABOUT RECYCLING AND WASTE PREVENTION TO MULTIFAMILY HOUSING SITES IN EAST MULTNOMAH COUNTY, THROUGH A COMMUNITY-BASED LENS. THIS INCLUDES SUPPORT WITH RECYCLING OUTREACH AND EDUCATION, BULKY AND FOOD WASTE REDUCTION, COLLECTION EVENTS, AND MORE.
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 August 2012.
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.