River Fields Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
RIVER FIELDS PROTECTS, PRESERVES, AND ENHANCES THE NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES, INCLUDING AGRICULTURAL AND SCENIC RESOURCES, ON BOTH SIDES OF THE OHIO RIVER BETWEEN WESTPORT AND WEST POINT, KENTUCKY, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC.WE BELIEVE THE OHIO RIVER AND ITS NATURAL AND CULTURAL WONDERS BELONG TO EVERYONE. WE SERVE AS A TRUSTED AND IMPARTIAL VOICE FOR SUSTAINABLE, THOUGHTFUL PLANNING THAT RESPECTS AND NURTURES OUR BEAUTIFUL RIVER AND ITS LANDS. WE USE A COMBINATION OF ADVOCACY, CONSERVATION, AND EDUCATION TO ACHIEVE OUR MISSION AND VISION, INCLUDING:WORKING WITH LANDOWNERS TO PERMANENTLY PROTECT 2,300 ACRES OF FORESTS, MEADOWS, SHORELINES, AND FARMS IN THE OHIO RIVER WATERSHED IN JEFFERSON, SHELBY, AND OLDHAM COUNTIESCARING FOR 65 ACRES OF BEAUTIFUL AND FRAGILE RIVER LANDSCAPES, FOR ALL TO ENJOYSPEAKING OUT AGAINST HARMFUL, SHORT-SIGHTED DEVELOPMENTSHARING HANDS-ON NATURE EDUCATION WITH A WIDE AUDIENCE
- Income
- $450,320
- Spending
- $458,945
- Spent on programs
- 66%
- Reserves
- -18.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 98%
- Employees
- 6
- Volunteers
- 35
- Highest pay
- $71,368, president and ceo (from 05/24)
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: 58 out of 100. Higher than 21% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 29% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1566% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 14 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
Good: 81 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
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
0 of 10Did not give 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
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, 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 (4)
- $207,032 spent. LAND CONSERVATION - THIS IMPORTANT PROGRAM AREA FOCUSES ON THE PROTECTION, MOSTLY PERMANENT, OF NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES INCLUDING SCENIC AND AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES THROUGH VOLUNTARY CONSERVATION EASEMENTS OR PURCHASE OF LAND IN FEE SIMPLE. WE WORK DIRECTLY WITH INTERESTED LANDOWNERS AND CITIZENS AS THEY DECIDE WHETHER TO EXECUTE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS OR DONATE THEIR LAND. WITH ALMOST 2,200 ACRES OF FARMLAND OF CULTURAL LANDSCAPES, WETLANDS, OPEN SPACE, RIVER CORRIDOR AND WATERSHED PROPERTIES NOW PROTECTED FOREVER FROM UNWISE DEVELOPMENT, RIVER FIELDS PROVIDES A STRONG, CLEAR VOICE FOR LAND CONSERVATION THAT IS LISTENED TO THROUGHOUT THIS REGION AND BEYOND. WE HOLD EASEMENT IN THREE COUNTIES - JEFFERSON, OLDHAM, AND SHELBY COUNTY ALL OF WHICH ARE IN THE OHIO RIVER WATERSHED. WE HOLD AND MONITOR ANNUALLY 19 CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, SEVEN OF WHICH ARE HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND CONSERVATION EASEMENTS HELD JOINTLY WITH THE KY HERITAGE COUNCIL, KENTUCKY'S AGENCY FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION. ONE MAJOR EASEMENT, THE 400-ACRE SHELBY TRAILS PARK, IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC YEAR-ROUND. IMPORTANTLY, RIVER FIELDS ALSO HAS 10 PROPERTIES HELD IN FEE SIMPLE, MOST OF WHICH IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. RIVER FIELDS LARGEST PROPERTY OWNED IN FEE SIMPLE, GARVIN BROWN PRESERVE, IS A 45-ACRE NATURE PRESERVE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND ENJOYED BY COUNTLESS THOUSANDS EVERY YEAR. A SECOND NEWER PROPERTY, RECENTLY ENHANCED, THE FAIRVIEW SCENIC PULL-OFF ENCOURAGES THE PUBLIC TO PARK AND ENJOY A DRAMATIC, GLORIOUS VIEW OF LOUISVILLE, INDIANA, AND THE OHIO RIVER.
- $48,570 spent. EDUCATION - ENCOURAGE AND EMPOWER ALL CITIZENS TO PROTECT THE RIVER AND ITS SURROUNDING LANDS. OUR LARGEST EMAIL LIST ALLOWS US TO COMMUNICATE WITH ANY PERSON WHO SIGNS UP. WE SEND OUT EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION, ALERTS ABOUT PUBLIC MEETINGS AND CRITICAL ISSUES THAT IMPACT THE OHIO RIVER CORRIDOR. WE ACCEPT EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO TRAIN AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC, NEIGHBORHOODS, AND PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS TO LANDOWNERS. WE OFFER ANNUAL EDUCATIONAL EVENTS ON PROTECTED LANDS, ALWAYS LED BY A PROFESSIONAL. RIVER FIELDS WORKS CLOSELY WITH ITS MEMBERS, GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES, CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS AND NEWS MEDIA TO STRENGTHEN THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND OTHER IMPORTANT TOPICS. WE TRAIN REGIONAL CITIZENS AND LEADERS ON THE LEGAL AND PROFESSIONAL OPERATIONAL ELEMENTS OF LAND CONSERVATION. WE ARE PARTICULARLY ADEPT AT EDUCATING CITIZENS ABOUT THE FEDERAL LAW, SECTION 106 WHICH HELPS STAKEHOLDERS REDUCE, AND MITIGATE NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON HISTORIC PROPERTIES FROM A FEDERAL UNDERTAKING.
- $39,205 spent. ADVOCACY - RIVER FIELDS TAKES POSITIONS BASED ONLY ON THE FACTS AND THE LAW. WE SEEK CREATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT PROMOTE PROTECTION AND ENHANCEMENT OF NATURAL, SCENIC HISTORIC AND AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES AND OPEN SPACES. WE PROMOTE PLANNED DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT, GREATER PUBLIC ACCESS, RATIONAL TRANSPORTATION DECISIONS AND GOOD URBAN DESIGN. WE ARE PROUD OF OUR REPUTATION AS A WILLING NEGOTIATOR IN EFFORTS TO PROMOTE NATURAL AND HISTORIC, LAND CONSERVATION, PRESERVATION OF ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE LAND AND WISE WATER USE. WE ALWAYS WORK TOWARD THE PROTECTION OF CLEAN AIR, SOIL, WATER, AND HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS. WE ARE A LEAD NON-PROFIT IN THE PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC AFRICAN AMERICAN RESOURCES WHICH ARE SO OFTEN IGNORED. FOR EXAMPLE, FOR OVER EIGHT YEARS, THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN FOR AN IMPORTANT HISTORIC AFRICAN AMERICAN NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH HAS STATE-WIDE SIGNIFICANCE, HAS BEEN AN ADVOCACY PRIORITY. RIVER FIELDS FUNDED THE WORK OF THE CENTER FOR NEIGHBORHOODS, ANOTHER PARTNER, TO LEAD THAT NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN. IN 2020, THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN WAS APPROVED BY THE LOUISVILLE METRO COUNCIL. THE ADVOCACY PROGRAM COVERS DECISIONS FROM COUNTLESS LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL AGENCIES. IN METRO LOUISVILLE, MONITORING AND ADVOCACY TAKES PLACE FOR PROPOSALS IN THE OHIO RIVER CORRIDOR THAT COME BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION, BOARD OF ZONING ADJUSTMENT, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND THE METROPOLITAN SEWER DISTRICT, TO NAME A FEW. IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY, MONITORING AND ADVOCACY CONCERNING OHIO RIVER CORRIDOR PROJECTS RELATE TO THE KY TRANSPORTATION CABINET, THE KY DIVISION OF WATER, AND OTHER RELATED AGENCIES. INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS SUCH AS ROADS, BRIDGES AND DAMS IN THE OHIO RIVER CORRIDOR ARE CAREFULLY ASSESSED. A VARIETY OF TOOLS ARE USED IN ALL THESE AREAS.
- $7,000 spent. YOUTH ENGAGEMENT: WE WORK WITH A PARTNER ORGANIZATION TO PROVIDE FREE NATURE-BASED PROGRAMMING ON OUR LANDS TO TEENS IN FOSTER CARE, HOPING TO CULTIVATE THE NEXT GENERATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDS. PARTNERSHIPS: WE WORK WITH THE OHIO RIVER WAY AND THE OHIO RIVER BASIN ALLIANCE TO ADVOCATE FOR LARGE-SCALE ECOLOGICAL, RECREATIONAL, CULTURAL, AND ECONOMIC INVESTMENT AND RESTORATION OF THE ENTIRE STRETCH OF THE OHIO RIVER.
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 June 1960.
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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