Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Pacific Coast Fish Wildlife and Wetlands Assoc

EIN 68-0259824 · Arcata, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair60 out of 100GovernanceWeak42 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

FISH, WILDLIFE, AND WETLANDS RESTORATION

Income
$3.2 million
Spending
$3.1 million
Spent on programs
96%
Reserves
1.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 100%
Employees
6
Volunteers
0

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

Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 23% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 55% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 107% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    96% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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

Weak: 42 out of 100. Higher than 2% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    5 of 5 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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.

  • Independent check of accounts

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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, 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)
  1. $599,938 spent. FISH PASSAGE AND HABITAT FEATURES DESIGN PROJECTS COMPLETING ENGINEERED DESIGNS FOR BOTH FISH PASSAGE AT ROAD CROSSINGS AND RESTORATION OF OFF-CHANNEL WETLANDS AND INSTREAM FEATURES TO PROVIDE CRITICAL HABITAT FOR NATIVE SALMON AND OTHER AQUATIC SPECIES. EXTENSIVE FIELD SURVEY INFORMATION IS NEEDED IN A PROCESS TO DEVELOP ENGINEER STAMPED 100% DESIGNS. PROJECT DESIGN TO STANDARDS SUITABLE FOR CONSIDERATION FOR FUNDING AGENCIES CURRENTLY REQUIRES CERTIFICATION BY REGISTERED ENGINEERS, ADDING SIGNIFICANT COSTS TO DEVELOP PROJECTS. PROJECTS LOCATED IN LINDSAY CREEK (MAD RIVER), ROWDY CREEK (SMITH RIVER), SALMON CREEK (HUMBOLDT BAY), NORTH FORK MAD RIVER AND WILSON CREEK (DEL NORTE) PROJECTS: Q2210516, Q2210519, Q2210521, Q2310515, Q2310516, Q2310517, Q2310518
  2. $693,322 spent. IMPLEMENTATION OF FISH PASSAGE PROJECTS REMOVAL OF CULVERT BARRIERS TO SALMON MIGRATION AT ROAD CROSSINGS AND REPLACEMENT WITH BRIDGES OR MUCH LARGER NATURAL BOTTOM CULVERTS DESIGNED FOR FISH PASSAGE AT ALL LIFE STAGES. PROJECTS LOCATED ON LINDSAY CREEK (MAD RIVER) AND TWO TRIBUTARIES TO LINDSAY CREEKPROJECTS: Q2210517 AND Q2210526
  3. $1.6 million spent. IMPLEMENTATION OF INSTREAM AND ESTUARY HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECTSTHESE IMPLEMENTATION PROJECTS REQUIRED SIGNIFICANT EFFORT TO SECURE REQUIRED PERMITS FROM MULTIPLE PERMITTING AGENCIES BEFORE ANY IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITY IS ALLOWED. IMPLEMENTATION PROJECTS WERE IN THE PERMITTING PHASE IN 2024 AND CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES BEGAN IN 2024, WITH ONLY THE RYAN CREEK PROJECT BEING COMPLETED IN 2024. PROJECTS LOCATED IN RYAN CREEK (HUMBOLDT BAY), LINDSAY CREEK (MAD RIVER) AND LITTLE RIVER (HUMBOLDT) PROJECTS: Q2010522, Q2110514, Q2210513AND Q2210518
  4. $113,002 spent. WATERSHED ASSESSMENT AND PROJECT DESIGNTHIS PROJECT INVOLVES COMPLETION OF EXTENSIVE FIELD SURVEY WORK TO IDENTIFY SITES WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR FUTURE SEDIMENT DELIVERY TO STREAM CHANNELS IN THE SPROUL CREEK WATERSHED. FIELD DATA IS USED TO DEVELOP A PRIORITIZED PLAN FOR PROJECTS IN THE WATERSHED THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED TO REDUCE FUTURE EROSION AFFECTING AQUATIC RESOURCES. SPECIALIZED GEOLOGICAL CONSULTANTS PROVIDE SUPERVISION AND QUALITY ASSURANCE FOR THE PROJECTS. THIS PROJECT INVOLVED COOPERATIVE EFFORTS WITH PUBLIC AGENCIES AND MULTIPLE PRIVATE LANDOWNERS. PROJECT LOCATED IN SPROUL CREEK (EEL RIVER TRIBUTARY)PROJECT: Q2296506RARE PLANT SURVEYS AND WETLAND DELINEATION MAPPING. THESE PROJECTS PROVIDED SURVEY INFORMATION AND MAPPING DOCUMENTING THE PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF PROTECTED SPECIES OF RARE PLANTS AND JURISDICTIONAL WETLANDS AS NEEDED BY PUBLIC AGENCIES TO DESIGN AND PERMIT HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECTS. INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED TO THE CITY OF ARCATA, CITY OF EUREKA AND THE NONPROFIT DUCKS UNLIMITED TO ASSIST IN IMPLEMENTING LARGER PROJECTS BEING DEVELOPED UNDER THEIR JURISDICTION.PROJECTS ELK RIVER/CITY OF EUREKA, DUCKS UNLIMITED STATE WILDLIFE AREAS AND WALLFLOWER

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

  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 October 13, 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 2025.

    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 November 1996.

    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 October 21, 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.