Anacostia Watershed Society Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
AWS'S MISSION IS TO PROTECT AND RESTORE THE ANACOSTIA RIVER BY BRINGING PARTNERS AND COMMUNITIES TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE A CLEAN AND SAFE ANACOSTIA RIVER FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL LIVING IN ITS WATERSHED AND FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
- Income
- $2.6 million
- Spending
- $2.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 71%
- Reserves
- 3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 50%
- Employees
- 22
- Volunteers
- 10,009
- Highest pay
- $181,567, 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: 65 out of 100. Higher than 30% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.0 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 19% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 8% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 5% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1571% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 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 60% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2510 of 10 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 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)
- $767,857 spent. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION: THROUGH OUR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAM, THE ANACOSTIA WATERSHED SOCIETY (AWS) WORKS TO INCREASE AWARENESS, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND A SENSE OF STEWARDSHIP AMONG YOUTH THAT WILL RESULT IN CHANGES IN BOTH PRESENT AND FUTURE BEHAVIOR POSITIVELY AFFECTING THE HEALTH OF THE ANACOSTIA RIVER. 2024 ENGAGEMENT METRICS INCLUDE: - TEACHERS TRAINED (DIRECTLY THROUGH PROGRAMMING) - 43 - STUDENTS EDUCATED (DIRECTLY THROUGH PROGRAMMING) - 5,344 PROGRAMMATIC HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: DC SATURDAY ENVIRONMENTAL ACADEMY SEA STUDENTS ENGAGED IN MANY HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES THAT TOOK THEM FROM AWARENESS TO ACTION REGARDING THE BENEFITS OF INCREASING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IN OUR WATERSHED. SUMMER ENVIRONMENTAL ACADEMY THE SUMMER ENVIRONMENTAL ACADEMY REACHES STUDENTS ACROSS THE WATERSHED IN A FREE, WEEK-LONG SUMMER PROGRAM FOCUSED ON TAKING A DEEPER DIVE INTO RESTORATION, HISTORY AND RECREATION ON THE ANACOSTIA RIVER AND IN THE SURROUNDING WATERSHED. SCHOOLS IN SCHOOLS (AMERICAN SHAD PROGRAM) STUDENTS WERE ENGAGED IN HATCHING THEIR SHAD EGGS IN THE CLASSROOM, AN INTRO CLASS WITH AWS EDUCATORS, AND A SHAD FRY RELEASE FIELD TRIP OUT ON THE ANACOSTIA. ADDITIONALLY, STUDENTS MET OUR SHAD RELEASE DELIVERABLE BY RELEASING OVER 12,000 SHAD INTO THE ANACOSTIA. MUSSEL POWER IN 2024, THE ANACOSTIA WATERSHED SOCIETY (AWS) CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP WITH PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS (PGCPS) IN HANDS-ON MUSSEL RESTORATION WORK AND EDUCATION. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION: THROUGH OUR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAM, THE ANACOSTIA WATERSHED SOCIETY (AWS) WORKS TO INCREASE AWARENESS, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND A SENSE OF STEWARDSHIP AMONG YOUTH THAT WILL RESULT IN CHANGES IN BOTH PRESENT AND FUTURE BEHAVIOR POSITIVELY AFFECTING THE HEALTH OF THE ANACOSTIA RIVER. 2024 ENGAGEMENT METRICS INCLUDE: - TEACHERS TRAINED (DIRECTLY THROUGH PROGRAMMING) - 43 - STUDENTS EDUCATED (DIRECTLY THROUGH PROGRAMMING) - 5,344 PROGRAMMATIC HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: DC SATURDAY ENVIRONMENTAL ACADEMY SEA STUDENTS ENGAGED IN MANY HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES THAT TOOK THEM FROM AWARENESS TO ACTION REGARDING THE BENEFITS OF INCREASING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IN OUR WATERSHED. SUMMER ENVIRONMENTAL ACADEMY THE SUMMER ENVIRONMENTAL ACADEMY REACHES STUDENTS ACROSS THE WATERSHED IN A FREE, WEEK-LONG SUMMER PROGRAM FOCUSED ON TAKING A DEEPER DIVE INTO RESTORATION, HISTORY AND RECREATION ON THE ANACOSTIA RIVER AND IN THE SURROUNDING WATERSHED. SCHOOLS IN SCHOOLS (AMERICAN SHAD PROGRAM) STUDENTS WERE ENGAGED IN HATCHING THEIR SHAD EGGS IN THE CLASSROOM, AN INTRO CLASS WITH AWS EDUCATORS, AND A SHAD FRY RELEASE FIELD TRIP OUT ON THE ANACOSTIA. ADDITIONALLY, STUDENTS MET OUR SHAD RELEASE DELIVERABLE BY RELEASING OVER 12,000 SHAD INTO THE ANACOSTIA. MUSSEL POWER IN 2024, THE ANACOSTIA WATERSHED SOCIETY (AWS) CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP WITH PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS (PGCPS) IN HANDS-ON MUSSEL RESTORATION WORK AND EDUCATION.
- $928,886 spent. RESTORATION: AWS RESTORATION PROGRAM CELEBRATED KEY MILESTONES FOR 2024. KEY METRICS INCLUDE: - 980 NATIVE PLANTS, SHRUBS AND TREES PLANTED - 1,757 FRESHWATER MUSSELS RELEASED INTO THE ANACOSTIA RIVER - 1.42 ACRES OF LAND CLEARED FROM INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES - 35 TONS OF TRASH REMOVED FROM THE WATERSHED - 2,483 VOLUNTEERS JOINED AWS STAFF IN OUR FIELD CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION EFFORTS PROGRAMMATIC HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: EARTH DAY 2024 CLEANUP AWS' SIGNATURE EARTH DAY CLEANUP ATTRACTED 1,506 VOLUNTEERS TO 38 CLEANUP SITES ACROSS THE WATERSHED, REMOVING A TOTAL OF 5948 LBS OF TRASH FROM THE WATERSHED. WILD RICE RESTORATION AFTER OVER TWO DECADES OF DEDICATED EFFORT, AWS HAS SUCCESSFULLY RE- ESTABLISHED WILD RICE IN THE WETLANDS OF THE ANACOSTIA RIVER. THIS KEYSTONE SPECIES WAS VIRTUALLY ELIMINATED FROM THE WATERSHED BY POLLUTION AND HABITAT DESTRUCTION. THROUGH CAREFUL HARVEST AND PLANTING OF WILD RICE SEEDS BY OUR STUDENTS AND VOLUNTEERS, AND PREDATOR CONTROL TO ALLOW THE PLANTS TO GROW, WE REACHED 26 ACRES OF SELF-SUSTAINING WILD RICE. STATE OF THE RIVER REPORT CARD AWS CONTINUED OUR CRITICAL ROLE OF MONITORING WATER QUALITY FOR THE ANACOSTIA RIVER THROUGH THE 2024 STATE OF THE RIVER REPORT, RECEIVING ITS HIGHEST GRADE TO DATE. THIS REPORT IS A KEY ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY MECHANISM TO ENSURE THE WATERSHED COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO BE AWARE OF THE STATUS OF WATER QUALITY OF THE ANACOSTIA RIVER. THANKS TO SIGNIFICANT EFFORTS BY THE FEDERAL AND DISTRICT GOVERNMENTS, THE TOXICS REMEDIATION SCORE HAS BEEN STEADILY IMPROVING. WHILE THERE IS GREAT PROGRESS IN CONTROLLING THREATS TO WATER QUALITY, THE ANACOSTIA WATERSHED CONTINUES TO SUFFER FROM THE HISTORICAL LOSS OF WETLANDS AND FORESTS THAT ONCE PROTECTED OUR RIVERS AND STREAMS FROM EXCESSIVE RUN-OFF, SEDIMENT, AND POLLUTION. CLIMATE CHANGE WILL HEIGHTEN THESE CHALLENGES, AND INDEED THREATENS TO ROLL BACK THE GAINS WE'VE MADE OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS. RESTORATION: AWS RESTORATION PROGRAM CELEBRATED KEY MILESTONES FOR 2024. KEY METRICS INCLUDE: - 980 NATIVE PLANTS, SHRUBS AND TREES PLANTED - 1,757 FRESHWATER MUSSELS RELEASED INTO THE ANACOSTIA RIVER - 1.42 ACRES OF LAND CLEARED FROM INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES - 35 TONS OF TRASH REMOVED FROM THE WATERSHED - 2,483 VOLUNTEERS JOINED AWS STAFF IN OUR FIELD CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION EFFORTS PROGRAMMATIC HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: EARTH DAY 2024 CLEANUP AWS' SIGNATURE EARTH DAY CLEANUP ATTRACTED 1,506 VOLUNTEERS TO 38 CLEANUP SITES ACROSS THE WATERSHED, REMOVING A TOTAL OF 5948 LBS OF TRASH FROM THE WATERSHED. WILD RICE RESTORATION AFTER OVER TWO DECADES OF DEDICATED EFFORT, AWS HAS SUCCESSFULLY RE- ESTABLISHED WILD RICE IN THE WETLANDS OF THE ANACOSTIA RIVER. THIS KEYSTONE SPECIES WAS VIRTUALLY ELIMINATED FROM THE WATERSHED BY POLLUTION AND HABITAT DESTRUCTION. THROUGH CAREFUL HARVEST AND PLANTING OF WILD RICE SEEDS BY OUR STUDENTS AND VOLUNTEERS, AND PREDATOR CONTROL TO ALLOW THE PLANTS TO GROW, WE REACHED 26 ACRES OF SELF-SUSTAINING WILD RICE. STATE OF THE RIVER REPORT CARD AWS CONTINUED OUR CRITICAL ROLE OF MONITORING WATER QUALITY FOR THE ANACOSTIA RIVER THROUGH THE 2024 STATE OF THE RIVER REPORT, RECEIVING ITS HIGHEST GRADE TO DATE. THIS REPORT IS A KEY ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY MECHANISM TO ENSURE THE WATERSHED COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO BE AWARE OF THE STATUS OF WATER QUALITY OF THE ANACOSTIA RIVER. THANKS TO SIGNIFICANT EFFORTS BY THE FEDERAL AND DISTRICT GOVERNMENTS, THE TOXICS REMEDIATION SCORE HAS BEEN STEADILY IMPROVING. WHILE THERE IS GREAT PROGRESS IN CONTROLLING THREATS TO WATER QUALITY, THE ANACOSTIA WATERSHED CONTINUES TO SUFFER FROM THE HISTORICAL LOSS OF WETLANDS AND FORESTS THAT ONCE PROTECTED OUR RIVERS AND STREAMS FROM EXCESSIVE RUN-OFF, SEDIMENT, AND POLLUTION. CLIMATE CHANGE WILL HEIGHTEN THESE CHALLENGES, AND INDEED THREATENS TO ROLL BACK THE GAINS WE'VE MADE OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS.
- $254,376 spent. ADVOCACY: AWS SAW THE REALIZATION OF SEVERAL YEARS-LONG ADVOCACY EFFORTS IN 2024. HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: PLASTIC POLLUTION REDUCTION AFTER YEARS OF ADVOCACY TO ESTABLISH A DEPOSIT-RETURN SYSTEM FOR INCENTIVIZING RECYCLING OF SINGLE USE BEVERAGE CONTAINERS (PLASTIC, GLASS, ALUMINUM), AWS HAS CAMPAIGNED ACTIVELY FOR SUPPORT OF A BOTTLE BILL IN THE MARYLAND STATE LEGISLATURE AND IN THE DISTRICT. THIS INTRODUCTION MARKS SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS TOWARDS REDUCING POLLUTION IN THE ANACOSTIA WATERSHED, WHERE THE SINGLE MOST COMMON PIECE OF TRASH COLLECTED IN RIVER CLEAN-UPS IS THE PLASTIC BOTTLE. THIS PROGRESS FOLLOWS STRONG ADVOCACY BY AWS AND OTHER PARTNERS THAT LED PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY TO BAN SINGLE-USE PLASTIC GROCERY AND RETAIL BAGS. PRELIMINARY SURVEYS SHOW THE PERCENTAGE OF SHOPPERS USING REUSABLE BAGS OR NO BAG AT ALL ROSE FROM 12% TO 69% SINCE THIS LEGISLATION WENT INTO EFFECT, A CHANGE THAT WILL SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE PLASTIC POLLUTION IN THE WATERSHED. ADVOCACY: AWS SAW THE REALIZATION OF SEVERAL YEARS-LONG ADVOCACY EFFORTS IN 2024. HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: PLASTIC POLLUTION REDUCTION AFTER YEARS OF ADVOCACY TO ESTABLISH A DEPOSIT-RETURN SYSTEM FOR INCENTIVIZING RECYCLING OF SINGLE USE BEVERAGE CONTAINERS (PLASTIC, GLASS, ALUMINUM), AWS HAS CAMPAIGNED ACTIVELY FOR SUPPORT OF A BOTTLE BILL IN THE MARYLAND STATE LEGISLATURE AND IN THE DISTRICT. THIS INTRODUCTION MARKS SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS TOWARDS REDUCING POLLUTION IN THE ANACOSTIA WATERSHED, WHERE THE SINGLE MOST COMMON PIECE OF TRASH COLLECTED IN RIVER CLEAN-UPS IS THE PLASTIC BOTTLE. THIS PROGRESS FOLLOWS STRONG ADVOCACY BY AWS AND OTHER PARTNERS THAT LED PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY TO BAN SINGLE-USE PLASTIC GROCERY AND RETAIL BAGS. PRELIMINARY SURVEYS SHOW THE PERCENTAGE OF SHOPPERS USING REUSABLE BAGS OR NO BAG AT ALL ROSE FROM 12% TO 69% SINCE THIS LEGISLATION WENT INTO EFFECT, A CHANGE THAT WILL SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE PLASTIC POLLUTION IN THE WATERSHED.
- $40,382 spent. RECREATION: AWS OFFERS FREE RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ON AND AROUND THE RIVER TO OUR WATERSHED COMMUNITY, AND WE CONTINUED TO SEE HIGH DEMAND FOR THESE PROGRAMS IN 2024. OUR RECREATIONAL PROGRAM CONSISTS OF MOTORIZED AND CANOE-BASED BOAT TOURS. THANKS IN STRONG PART TO SUPPORT FROM THE RIVER EXPLORERS PROGRAM WITHIN THE DISTRICT DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT, AWS ENGAGED APPROXIMATELY 1,816 ADULT AND STUDENT RESIDENTS OF THE WATERSHED IN OUR FREE EDUCATIONAL BOAT TOURS. THESE TOURS ENABLED COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO EXPERIENCE THE BEAUTY OF THE RIVER FIRSTHAND, OBSERVE WILDLIFE IN AN URBAN SETTING, AND DEVELOP A SENSE OF STEWARDSHIP AND CONNECTION TO THE ANACOSTIA RIVER AND ITS WATERSHED.
- RECREATION: AWS OFFERS FREE RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ON AND AROUND THE RIVER TO OUR WATERSHED COMMUNITY, AND WE CONTINUED TO SEE HIGH DEMAND FOR THESE PROGRAMS IN 2024. OUR RECREATIONAL PROGRAM CONSISTS OF MOTORIZED AND CANOE-BASED BOAT TOURS. THANKS IN STRONG PART TO SUPPORT FROM THE RIVER EXPLORERS PROGRAM WITHIN THE DISTRICT DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT, AWS ENGAGED APPROXIMATELY 1,816 ADULT AND STUDENT RESIDENTS OF THE WATERSHED IN OUR FREE EDUCATIONAL BOAT TOURS. THESE TOURS ENABLED COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO EXPERIENCE THE BEAUTY OF THE RIVER FIRSTHAND, OBSERVE WILDLIFE IN AN URBAN SETTING, AND DEVELOP A SENSE OF STEWARDSHIP AND CONNECTION TO THE ANACOSTIA RIVER AND ITS WATERSHED.
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 May 1990.
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.
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