River Otter Ecology Project
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Our mission is to engage the public in supporting conservation and restoration by linking river otter recovery to the health of our watersheds through education, research, advocacy, and community science.
- Income
- $241,321
- Spending
- $176,868
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- 7.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 98%
- Employees
- 2
- Volunteers
- 35
- Highest pay
- $97,104, 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
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 82% of charities in its peer group (animals, under $250k).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 7.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 27% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 42% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1588% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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 95% of charities in its peer group (animals, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 254 of 6 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.
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 (3)
- $38,848 spent. Our research helps to fill a gap in understanding of the range, reproduction, diet, health and general ecology of river otters in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. This information helps inform conservation strategies, including restoration projects and toxic spill response, and sheds light upon climate change effects on both otters and their food web. Because river otters are an indicator species, meaning their presence and health offer us information about the health of their watersheds, information we gather about their populations helps us better manage our shared watersheds. Since 2012, we have used crowd-sourcing, participatory science and a combination of technologies we adapted to help gather data and educate participants to document river otter presence in the San Francisco Bay Area, and now throughout the United States. We monitor the recovering population of river otters in a focal study area in Marin County, CA. Camera trapping is a relatively inexpensive method of collecting information on the abundance, pup emergence, and behavior of river otters, because it can be done with trained volunteers. Our field research is conducted by trained field and lab volunteers. We're dedicated to community science, and offer extensive training in field and lab techniques, habitat surveying, field sign and documentation to help our volunteers provide us with the data and samples we need to accomplish our research goals.
- $26,175 spent. Education about the linkages among healthy otters, healthy watersheds, and healthy communities is as important as scientific research and discovery, and perhaps more important and useful to a wider range of people. As Wendell Berry says, "If we were sincerely looking for a place of safety, for real security and success, then we would begin to turn to our communities - and not the communities simply of our human neighbors but also of the water, earth, and air, the plants and animals, all the creatures with whom our local life is shared." That message resonates deeply with people who are offered concrete examples of nature's resilience, and our human capacity to mediate environmental mistakes. Our conservation goal is always to support and expand the public's understanding of and passion for the natural world. We provide education for adults and children on the importance of watershed health, using river otters as ambassadors, with the goal of helping support restoration and conservation of wetlands and watersheds.
- $90,010 spent. We engage people in supporting waterways in their own communities. Otters for Waters is a nationwide conservation initiative, aiming to protect and support waterways across the country, with river otters as charismatic ambassadors. Building on more than decade of community science, research, education, and advocacy, we are expanding our Otter Spotter program, which mobilizes people to document otter sightings, enabling them to take an active role in local conservation efforts. The Intent: To use the skills, knowledge, and technical expertise gained through the Otter Spotter program nationally, in order to increase our reach and influence throughout the United States in support of watershed conservation. The Vision: We envision a national web of connected projects using our collective data and the appeal of river otters as ambassadors for healthy waterways. River otters are indicators of waterway health and symbols of the success humans can achieve in restoring ecosystems for all species, including ourselves. The Plan Partner with local NGOs across the nation dedicated to watershed conservation. We have launched pilot programs in Virginia, Arizona, Utah, and Louisiana. We use their on-the-ground knowledge and connections along with our platform and expertise to help partners achieve their goals. The initiative's expansion is rooted in collaboration. Partnering with local organizations, Otters for Waters provides training, technical support, and tools to empower partners in their conservation goals. Partners provide the on-the-ground knowledge of the needs of local waterways. Our expansion vision is to create a national network of conservation advocates, leveraging the appeal of river otters to spark public interest and support waterway restorations and policies. Like all changes, it starts with a few drops that grow to ripples then waves of change.
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 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 September 7, 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 7, 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.