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Clean Water Fund

EIN 52-1043444 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair51 out of 100GovernanceStrong90 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

CLEAN WATER FUND PROMOTES CLEAN, SAFE, AND AFFORDABLE WATER, EMPOWERING DIVERSE GROUPS OF PEOPLE TO WORK TOGETHER FOR CHANGES THAT IMPROVE THEIR LIVES, FOCUSED ON HEALTH, ENVIRONMENTAL AND COMMUNITY PROBLEMS.

Income
$6.1 million
Spending
$7.8 million
Spent on programs
81%
Reserves
1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 85%
Employees
0
Volunteers
224
Highest pay
$210,283, president/ce

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: 51 out of 100. Higher than 15% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 24% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 27% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 8% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    81% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 42% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 7 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

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • 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 (5)
  1. $808,943 spent. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND HEALTH. PROGRAMS TO PROTECT COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND SAFEGUARD PUBLIC HEALTH BY REDUCING EXPOSURE TO TOXIC CHEMICALS AND HEALTH THREATENING POLLUTION: ADVANCING "UPSTREAM" SOULTIONS TO KEEP TOXIC CHEMICALS OUT OF CONSUMER PRODUCTS AND COSMETICS. PROTECTING VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, ESPECIALLY CHILDERN, FROM TOXIC HARM, RECOGNIZING THEIR INCREASED SENSITIVITY.
  2. $1.8 million spent. PROMOTING CLEAN WATER, FROM WATERSHED TO WATER TAP. PROGRAMS TO PROTECT AND PROMOTE CLEAN WATER AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES THROUGH; "UPSTREAM" POLLUTION PREVENTION TO PROTECT DRINKING WATER SOURCES AND KEEP TOXICS OUT OF OUR WATER. ENERGY CHOICES THAT PROTECT WATER AND CREATE JOBS, STRONGER PROTECTIONS FROM POLLUTION DUE TO FOSSIL FUEL DEVELOPMENT AND POWER PALNT OPERATION. CONTROLS ON POLLUTION FROM FARMS AND FROM PAVED SURFACES AND LAWNS IN DEVELOPED AREAS. SMARTER WATER SYSTEMS AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE TO MANAGE AND CONSERVE WATER. INCREASED INVESTMENT TO IMPROVE SYSTEMS AND INFRASTRUCTURE FOR WATER PROTECTION, TREATMENT AND DISTRIBUTION, AND STRENGTEHN DRINKING WATER SOURCE PROTECTION.
  3. $1.2 million spent. SUSTAINABLE ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE. PROGRAMS ADDRESS A BROAD RANGE OF WATER-ENERGY CONCERNS: TOXIC WATER POLLUTION FROM POWER PLANTS, CLIMATE CHANGE AND GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, WATER AND AIR POLLUTION FORM FOSSIL FUEL PRODUCTION AND USE, INCLUDING DRILLING AND FRACKING FOR OIL AND GAS, SMART GROWTH, TRANSPORTATION AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, ENERGY EFFICIENCY, CONSERVATION AND RENEWABLE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT.
  4. $2.5 million spent. WASTE PREVENTION & OTHER REDUCING WASTE AT THE SOURCE, PREVENTING GENERATION OF TRASH, PROMOTING PROGRAMS TO REDUCE THE USE OF SINGLE-USE DISPOSABLE PRODUCTS.PROMOTING PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY INITIATIVES TO REQUIRE PRODUCT MANAUFACTURERS TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR SAFE MANAGEMENT OF THEIR PRODUCTS AFTER THEIR USEFUL LIFE IS COMPLETED, INCLUDING "TAKE BACK" RECYCLING PROGRAMS. PROMOTING FISCALLY AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND SOLUTIONS FOR MANAGING WASTE THAT MINIMIZE IMPACTSON THE ENVIRONMENT AND PROMOTE RE-USE AND COMPOSTING ALTERNATIVES INSTEAD OF DISPOSAL.
  5. WASTE PREVENTION & OTHER REDUCING WASTE AT THE SOURCE, PREVENTING GENERATION OF TRASH, PROMOTING PROGRAMS TO REDUCE THE USE OF SINGLE-USE DISPOSABLE PRODUCTS.PROMOTING PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY INITIATIVES TO REQUIRE PRODUCT MANAUFACTURERS TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR SAFE MANAGEMENT OF THEIR PRODUCTS AFTER THEIR USEFUL LIFE IS COMPLETED, INCLUDING "TAKE BACK" RECYCLING PROGRAMS. PROMOTING FISCALLY AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND SOLUTIONS FOR MANAGING WASTE THAT MINIMIZE IMPACTSON THE ENVIRONMENT AND PROMOTE RE-USE AND COMPOSTING ALTERNATIVES INSTEAD OF DISPOSAL.

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 November 6, 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 June 1977.

    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 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.