Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To protect our Treaty areas and to educate the tribal members and youth on current environmental issues. To develop leaders in the environmental area for the next generation. To promote activism within our tribes and to empower tribal members on effecting change.
- Income
- $378,048
- Spending
- $341,469
- Spent on programs
- 95%
- Reserves
- 41.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 92%
- Employees
- 5
- Volunteers
- 25
- Highest pay
- $68,259, executive dir.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 41.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 10% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 28% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1595% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 71 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
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
0 of 5Reports that it does not keep minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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, 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 (1)
- $324,714 spent. In FY 2025 the Nimiipuu Protecting Environment Coordinator and staff continued our regular get togethers with the Lapwai Elementary School After School program and continued our program with the youth every Wednesday when school was in session. In 2025 the Coordinator continued to do a number of online presentations on Lower Snake River dam breaching to protect Salmon, protection of wolves and grizzly bears and other endangered species in our Treaty area. During the spring and summer of 2025 we held on the water events and activities at Payette Lake at McCall, Idaho and the Hells Gate State Park for the purpose of continuing to push for the protection of water and aquatic life. areas. With our weekly youth activities with the Lapwai Elementary School After School program that included 30 to 40 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders we met and worked on traditional arts and crafts, beadwork, feather work and other Nimiipuu traditional activities. We also have hired 10 youth who were in the program previously to assist in the paddle carving, arts/crafts and food preparation We continued our advocacy with other Tribes and Tribal Groups and were fairly successful on working with staff from our tribe and other tribal groups in the Pacific Northwest on common environmental issues. We had monthly zoom meetings with groups throughout the Northwest, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho to ensure we kept our message out in the public through these meetings and social media. These included Sierra Club, Save Our Wild Salmon, the Nature Conservancy, Friends of the Clearwater, Earthjustice, Johm Muir Project and others who were working on the same issues, co-opting different groups into our campaigns has proved immensely successful. We continued to meet with the Nez Perce Tribal Circle of Elders at their monthly meetings to ensure we have their input on our activities. We have gained good support within our community by tabling at a number of tribal and community events. The main goals we have now are to Breach the Lower Snake River Dams, push for protections for Wolves and Grizzly bears in the Pacific Northwest and to continue advocating or the protections of the land, water, forests and species in our Treaty of 1855 and usual and accustomed areas. We will continue our youth and adult work in the upcoming year. We also began working with staff from Washington State University and student groups for our Youth Garden and our proposed Fruit tree orchard.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 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 December 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 2015.
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.
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.