South Yuba River Citizens League
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SYRCL UNITES THE COMMUNITY TO PROTECT AND RESTORE THE YUBA RIVER WATERSHED.
- Income
- $6.7 million
- Spending
- $6.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 85%
- Reserves
- 0.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 70%
- Employees
- 41
- Volunteers
- 624
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 42 out of 100.
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.7 months of spending.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 53% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 1% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 9% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1585% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 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.
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 June 30, 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)
- $612,539 spent. WILD & SCENIC FILM FESTIVAL: 2025 BROUGHT SYRCL'S 23RD ANNUAL WILD & SCENIC FILM FESTIVAL. THE "FLAGSHIP FESTIVAL" IN NEVADA CITY AND GRASS VALLEY OCCURRED IN FEBRUARY 2025 AND FEATURED MORE THAN 120 FILMS, SCORES OF GUEST FILMMAKERS, WORKSHOPS, ART, MUSIC AND CELEBRATIONS FOR THOUSANDS OF ATTENDEES TO THE 5-DAY EDUCATIONAL EVENT. THE "ON-TOUR" PROGRAM, WHICH PARTNERS WITH OTHER NON-PROFIT GROUPS, TRAVELED TO MORE THAN 150 COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES SHARING INFORMATIONAL AND INSPIRATIONAL FILMS AND STORIES..
- $4.5 million spent. IN 2024-25, SYRCL'S WATERSHED SCIENCE PROGRAM WAS FULLY ENGAGED IN FISH AND HABITAT STUDIES ON THE LOWER YUBA RIVER AND MEADOW RESTORATION PROJECTS AT THE YUBA HEADWATERS. ALSO, IT PROVIDED SCIENTIFIC INPUT INTO REGULATORY PROCESSES THAT AFFECT RIVER FLOWS IN THE YUBA BASIN. THE WATERSHED SCIENCE PROGRAM INCLUDES THE EDUCATION PROGRAM WHICH BROUGHT EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS ON WATER CONSERVATION AND FISH HABITAT TO SCHOOLS IN NEVADA COUNTY AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES. RIVER MONITORING, ANOTHER COMPONENT OF RIVER SCIENCE, ENTERED ITS 24TH YEAR, AND CONTINUED TO MONITOR THE WATER QUALITY OF THE YUBA RIVER USING VOLUNTEER CITIZEN-SCIENTISTS TO COLLECT DATA SO THAT ANY POTENTIAL THREATS COULD BE DETECTED. EACH YEAR, MORE THAN 80 RIVER MONITORS COLLECT HIGH QUALITY DATA AT NEARLY 40 SITES.
- $462,747 spent. THE RIVER PEOPLE PROGRAM ENGAGES THE ENTIRE WATERSHED COMMUNITY TO BECOME INVOLVED AS VOLUNTEERS THROUGH RIVER AMBASSADORS, RIVER RESTORATION & MONITORING, THE WILD & SCENIC FILM FESTIVAL, SPECIAL EVENTS, AND THE YUBA RIVER CLEANUP. THIS PROGRAM CONTINUES TO COORDINATE ONE OF THE LARGEST RIVER CLEANUPS IN CALIFORNIA WITH MORE THAN 800 VOLUNTEERS. TO PROMOTE RESPONSIBLE CITIZEN STEWARDSHIP OF THE YUBA, OUR RIVER AMBASSADOR PROGRAM CONNECTS 10,000 VISITORS OVER THE 12 WEEKENDS IN THE SUMMER AT SEVERAL RIVER CROSSINGS NEAR POPULAR SWIMMING AREAS ALONG THE SOUTH YUBA RIVER STATE PARK. RIVER AMBASSADORS, WHO ARE SPECIALLY TRAINED VOLUNTEERS, EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AND ASSIST WITH PROMOTING FIRE-SAFETY, RECYCLING, AND LITTER PREVENTION. THIS WAS THE 13TH YEAR OF THIS PROJECT, AND IT CONTINUES TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS THAT VISITORS NEED TO "PACK OUT WHAT THEY PACK IN."
- $115,456 spent. RIVER POLICY
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 1993.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.