Resource Renewal Institute
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE RESOURCE RENEWAL INSTITUTE FACILITATES THE CREATION, DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PRACTICAL STRATEGIES TO SOLVE THE ENTIRE COMPLEX ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM BY ADDRESSING IT COMPREHENSIVELY.
- Income
- $244,632
- Spending
- $655,175
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 12.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 85%
- Employees
- 3
- Volunteers
- 5
- Highest pay
- $122,919, president
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: 81 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (environment, under $250k).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 12.8 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 15% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 168% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 16% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 89% of charities in its peer group (environment, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 254 of 5 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, 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 (4)
- $228,114 spent. FISH IN THE FIELDS - ARKANSAS: AN ECOLOGICAL SOLUTION FOR RESILIENT RICE CULTIVATION.FISH IN THE FIELDS (FIF) INTEGRATES RICE FARMING AND FISH CULTIVATION TO PROMOTE BIODIVERSITY, PRODUCE SUSTAINABLE PROTEIN, IMPROVE CARBON CYCLING, AND STRENGTHEN AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITIES. IT IS A MODERN, CLIMATE-SMART ADAPTATION OF AN AGE-OLD PRACTICERECOGNIZED BY THE UN AS A GLOBALLY IMPORTANT AGRICULTURAL HERITAGE SYSTEM. FIF IS DESIGNED TO WORK SEAMLESSLY WITH CONVENTIONAL RICE GROWING PRACTICES. AFTER HARVEST, FISH ARE INTRODUCED INTO FALLOW FLOODED RICE FIELDS, WHERE THEY GROW RAPIDLY IN THESE PLANKTON-RICH ENVIRONMENTS. FIF IS PROVING THAT WINTER RICE FIELDS ARE HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE SYSTEMS FOR RAISING FISH, AND THE INTRODUCTION OF SMALL FISH IMPROVES NUTRIENT CYCLING. IN 2022, WE EXPANDED THE FIF PROJECT FROM CA TO AR. IN 2025, WE LAUNCHED A NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH ISBELL FARMS LUCKY CATCH A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE THAT PRODUCES DEHYDRATED PET TREATS FROM SUSTAINABLY RAISED FIF MINNOWS.
- $178,816 spent. PUBLIC LANDSRESTORE POINT REYES NATIONAL SEASHORE: ADVOCATING FOR THE PUBLIC AND WILDLIFE IN A BELOVED NATIONAL PARK.AFTER A DECADE OF ADVOCACY, RRI CELEBRATED A LANDMARK SETTLEMENT TO END NEARLY ALL COMMERCIAL RANCHING WITHIN THE SEASHORE BY 2026, PAVING THE WAY FOR LARGE-SCALE RESTORATION, IMPROVED VISITOR ACCESS, AND PUBLIC RECREATION. OUR AGREEMENT WITH NPS AND 18 RANCH LEASEHOLDERS RESULTED IN A SETTLEMENT TO WIND DOWN CATTLE OPERATIONS ON 17,000 ACRES OF PARKLAND. ONCE THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT HAVE BEEN MET, OUR LAWSUIT WILL BE DISMISSED. WE ARE DEVELOPING AND COORDINATING THE TRANSITION SUPPORT PLAN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATURE CONSERVANCY, PROVIDING PAYMENTS TO DISPLACED RANCH WORKERS AND TENANTS WHOM WE ADVOCATED FOR FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS. WE HELPED SECURE A 2.7M. GRANT TO FUND INFRASTRUCTURE REMOVAL INCLUDING MILES OF BARBED-WIRE FENCING AND TO PLAN FOR HABITAT RESTORATION AND MONITORING ACROSS AN INITIAL 3,000 ACRES OF DEGRADED PARKLANDS. WE'RE WORKING WITH TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS, PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, AND LEGISLATIVE LEADERS TO SECURE MORE RESTORATION FUNDING.COLLABORATION AND ENGAGEMENT: LOCAL AND GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS.RRI CONTINUES TO LEAD IN COALITION BUILDING AND POLICY INFLUENCE AT THE REGIONAL, STATE, AND GLOBAL LEVELS. RRI STAFF CO-LED CALIFORNIA'S DELEGATION AT THE UN BIODIVERSITY CONFERENCE IN SANTIAGO DE CALI, COLOMBIA. CLOSER TO HOME, WE WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MANY STATE AND LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT STRENGTHEN SCIENCE-BASED ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY WHILE AMPLIFYING RRI'S LEADERSHIP, REPUTATION, AND REACH. WE CONTINUE TO COLLABORATE WITH A WIDE RANGE OF GROUPS: CALIFORNIA GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY ALLIANCE, POWER IN NATURE COALITION, CALIFORNIA BIODIVERSITY NETWORK, CALIFORNIA PUBLIC LANDS NETWORK, CALIFORNIA AQUACULTURE COALITION, CALIFORNIA BYCATCH COALITION, BAY DELTA TRIBAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATIVE COALITION, ENDANGERED SPECIES COALITION, GREENLATINOS PUBLIC LANDS AND OCEAN COLLECTIVE, ROADLESS RULE DEFENSE COALITION, AMERICAN THE BEAUTIFUL FOR ALL COALITION, GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR THE RIGHTS OF NATURE (NORTH AMERICAN HUB).
- $95,905 spent. OCEANS AND RIVERSPROTECTING MARINE BIODIVERSITY: CAMPAIGN TO ELIMINATE AVOIDABLE BYCATCH.RRI CHAMPIONED AND CO-SPONSORED ASSEMBLY BILL 1056 WITH OCEANA AND ASSEMBLYMEMBER STEVE BENNET, WHICH SETS THE STAGE FOR THE EVENTUAL ELIMINATION OF ALL SET GILLNET PERMITS AND THE INDISCRIMINATE HARM AND DEATH THEY CAUSE TO "BYCATCH" MARINE WILDLIFE. AB 1055 PASSED THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE IN 2025 AND WAS RECENTLY SIGNED INTO LAW BY GOVERNOR NEWSOMA MAJOR STEP FORWARD FOR MARINE CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE FISHING PRACTICES.DEFENDING THE BAY-DELTA: WORKING TO SAFEGUARD CALIFORNIA'S WATER FUTURE.LAUNCHED IN 2025, OUR PROJECT AIMS TO PROTECT CLEAN WATER, HEALTHY ECOSYSTEMS, AND CULTURAL RESOURCES IN THE DELTA, THE SOURCE OF DRINKING WATER FOR 25 MILLION CALIFORNIANS. THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY DELTA COALITION, CONVENED BY RRI, UNITES TRIBAL NATIONS, CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS, FARMERS, FISHERMEN, AND POLICY ADVOCATES IN A SHARED EFFORT TO DEFEND THE REGION'S ECOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL INTEGRITY. IN 2025, THE COALITION SUCCESSFULLY PREVENTED LEGISLATION THAT WOULD HAVE ADVANCED THE DELTA TUNNEL AND WEAKENED CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT REGULATIONS FOR WATER QUALITY CONTROL PLANS.INSTREAM WATER TRANSFERS PROGRAMIN 2023, AFTER 26 YEARS OF EFFORT, RRI SUCCEEDED IN PROVING THAT LEGALLY SECURING INSTREAM WATER RIGHTS FOR WILDLIFE COULD REVOLUTIONIZE WATER CONSERVATION AND WILDLIFE HABITAT PROTECTION. THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, RRI, AND FRIENDS OF BUTTE CREEK PARTNERED IN A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND SALE AND PROOF OF CONCEPT OF RRI'S BUTTE CREEK WATER RIGHTS. WITH BUTTE CREEK AS A PRECEDENT, WE LOOK FORWARD TO COLLABORATING WITH WATER RIGHTS EXPERTS TO CREATE GUIDELINES OTHERS CAN FOLLOW. OUR VISION IS THAT ONE DAY, WATER TRUSTS WILL BECOME AS COMMON AS LAND TRUSTS.
- $20,822 spent. RRI'S LEGACY PROGRAMS:DEFENSE OF PLACEHUEY JOHNSON FOUNDED DEFENSE OF PLACE AS "A SMALL, NIMBLE WATCHDOG ORGANIZATION" TO DEFEND PUBLIC LANDS WHOSE PROTECTIVE DEEDS AND STATUTES ARE BREACHED BY FOR-PROFIT CORPORATIONS, GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS. SINCE 1997, DEFENSE OF PLACE HAS JOINED CITIZEN ACTIVISTS FROM MARYLAND TO CALIFORNIA TO PROTECT THREATENED PARKS, NATURE PRESERVES, WILDLIFE REFUGES, OPEN SPACES, AND CONSERVATION EASEMENTS FROM SALE, DEVELOPMENT, AND PREDATORY CHANGES IN USE. FORCES OF NATURE: ENVIRONMENTAL ELDERS SPEAKLAUNCHED IN 2013, OUR VIDEO INTERVIEW SERIES SHOWCASES 167 INSPIRING INDIVIDUALS WHOSE LONG CAREERS HAVE MADE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR ENVIRONMENT, INCLUDING INTERVIEWS WITH HUEY JOHNSON, DR. MARTY GRIFFIN, STEWART BRAND, SUSIE WASHINGTON, SYLVIA MCLAUGHLIN, MALCOLM MARGOLIN, AND DAVID FORMAN. THE ARCHIVE CONTINUES TO REALIZE ITS MISSION AS A RICH SOURCE OF INSPIRATION AND HISTORICAL INFORMATION FOR AUTHORS, SCHOLARS, AND ACTIVISTS. BEGINNING IN 2025, THESE INTERVIEWS CAN ALSO BE VIEWED ON SPOTIFY.RRI FISCAL GRANTEES:RRI CONTINUES TO PROVIDE FISCAL SPONSORSHIP TO IMPACTFUL PROJECTS AND THEIR LEADERS: TAILLESS, A JOURNEY TO SAVE CHILE'S PUMAS, DOCUMENTARY FILMDANIEL DIETRICH, PRODUCER KLAMATH RIVER BASIN, FORTHCOMING BOOK ABOUT HOW THE NATION'S MOST CONTENTIOUS WATERSHED BECAME THE SITE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST DAM REMOVAL PROJECTJACQUES LESLIE, AUTHOR GRANITE CHIEF WILDERNESS PROTECTION LEAGUEPATRICIA SCHIFFERLE, DIRECTOR WASHOE MEADOWS COMMUNITYLYNNE PAULSON, DIRECTOR CALIFORNIANS FOR WESTERN WILDERNESSMICHAEL PAINTER, COORDINATOR PUBLIC TRUST ALLIANCEMICHAEL WARBURTON, DIRECTOR
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 June 1985.
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.
Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.
A much larger organization has a similar name: Justice Resource Institute Inc (Needham, MA), EIN 04-2526357. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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.