Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

California Water Efficiency Partnership

EIN 68-0318069 · Sacramento, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood83 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE PARTNERSHIP IS A MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO MAXIMIZING URBAN WATER CONSERVATION THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA BY SUPPORTING AND INTEGRATING INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND PRACTICES; ENCOURAGING EFFECTIVE PUBLIC POLICIES; ADVANCING RESEARCH, TRAINING, AND PUBLIC EDUCATION; AND BUILDING ON COLLABORATIVE APPROACHES AND PARTNERSHIPS.

Income
$1.3 million
Spending
$1.2 million
Spent on programs
79%
Reserves
11.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 70%
Employees
8
Volunteers
200
Highest pay
$185,394, co-exec. director-external affairs

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

Good: 83 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 11.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 37% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 7% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 14% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    79% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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 25

    22 of 22 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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, 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)
  1. $40,934 spent. RESEARCH & PROGRAMS DEVELOPMENT - CALSCAPE NURSERY TRAINING- HELD 3 ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETINGS OF CALWEP MEMBERS TO REVIEW AND EXPAND THE NURSERY TRAINING.
  2. $407,825 spent. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE & TOOLS - A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO CLASSIFYING CII WATER USERS IN CALIFORNIA (DECEMBER 12, 2024)- FRAMEWORK CUT SHEET: ALTERNATIVE DATA REQUEST PROCESS (OCTOBER 24, 2024)- A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO MEASURING LANDSCAPE AREAS WITH DEDICATED IRRIGATION METERS IN CII SECTORS (OCTOBER 17, 2024)- RFP GUIDANCE AND TEMPLATE RFP (OCTOBER 2, 2024)- DISCLOSABLE BUILDINGS TOOLKIT (SEPTEMBER 17, 2024)- FRAMEWORK CUT SHEET: GENERAL OVERVIEW AND CALCULATIONS (SEPTEMBER 23, 2024)- NAICS & ENERGY STAR PORTFOLIO MANAGER CROSSWALK (AUGUST 14, 2024) - COMPLIANCE RESOURCE CENTER LAUNCHED (DECEMBER 2024)IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAS COMPANY, CALWEP HOSTED FOUR WATER/ENERGY SUSTAINABILITY TRAININGS THIS YEAR:- SANTA BARBARA TARGET: HOSPITALITY PROFESSIONALS- PASADENA TARGET: HOSPITALITY PROFESSIONALS- RIVERSIDE CII AUDIT TRAINING FOR WATER CONSERVATION STAFF- MOULTON NIGUEL WATER DISTRICT - TARGET: POOL MANAGEMENT TRAINING QUALIFIED WATER EFFICIENT LANDSCAPER TRAINING- 181 PROFESSIONALS TRAINED AND CERTIFIED- 6 ONLINE CLASSES WERE HELD; 2 IN PERSON CLASSES WERE HELD (8 TOTAL)- 91% EXAM PASS RATE PUBLICATIONS - 3,100 ENGLISH PRACTICAL PLUMBING HANDBOOKS SOLD- 1,000 SPANISH PRACTICAL PLUMBING HANDBOOKS SOLD- 250 LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE GUIDES SOLD- 25 CII-DIM GUIDEBOOKS SOLDSMART REBATES- 7 AGENCIES PARTICIPATING- 461 REBATES APPROVED- $180,704 IN REBATES ISSUEDFLUME DIRECT DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM- 11 AGENCIES PARTICIPATING IN PROGRAM- 3,873 DEVICES DISTRIBUTEDRACHIO DIRECT DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM- 10 AGENCIES PARTICIPATING IN PROGRAM- 1,363 DEVICES DISTRIBUTED
  3. $319,054 spent. MEMBERSHIPAS OF DECEMBER 31, 2024, CALWEP HAD 227 MEMBERS, INCLUDING 14 NEW MEMBERS. ACTIVE COMMITTEES INCLUDE PROGRAM, RESEARCH, PEER TO PEER PLANNING, MEMBERS TASK FORCE, ADVOCACY, AND EQUITY. THERE ARE OVER 200 MEMBERS ENGAGED IN COMMITTEES. CALWEP PUBLISHED 11 CALWEP CONNECTS IN 2024.THE FOLLOWING CHANGES/UPGRADES WERE MADE TO CALWEP.ORG:- ADDITIONAL AND UPDATED CUTSHEETS AND TIMELINE GRAPHICS ADDED- CALWEP COMPLIANCE RESOURCE CENTER LAUNCHED- CALWEP LAM VIEWER (POWERED BY WATERVIEW) LAUNCHED- UWUO REPORTING RESOURCES WERE ADDED: - DATA FLOW CHART- ALTERNATIVE DATA PROCESS- CONTACT LIST
  4. $212,423 spent. MEMBER TRAINING & EVENTS PEER TO PEER- MAY 31- JUNE 1 IN SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY, SAN JOSE, CA- $91,500 IN SPONSORSHIPS - 210 ATTENDEES- 14 SESSIONS HELD OVER TWO DAYSSPRING PLENARY- MARCH 13 AT MOULTON NIGUEL WATER DISTRICT, LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA- HOSTED BY MOULTON NIGUEL WATER DISTRICT- FEATURED TOPIC: NONFUNCTIONAL TURF- 116 IN PERSON, 136 VIRTUALFALL PLENARY- AUGUST 29 AT SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA- HOSTED BY FLUME WATER- FEATURED TOPIC: LEAK DETECTION AND REPAIR AND STATE REPORTING- 47 IN PERSON, 213 VIRTUALWINTER PLENARY- DECEMBER 11 LOCATED CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, SACRAMENTO, CA- HOSTED BY DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES AND REGIONAL WATER AUTHORITY- FEATURED TOPIC: CII CLASSIFICATION AND DEDICATED IRRIGATION MEASUREMENT- 106 IN PERSON, 140 VIRTUALMEMBER WEBINARS:- JOINT WEBINAR: CADC, SDCWA, AND CALWEP'S CII DIM GUIDE (OCTOBER 30, 2024)- 205 ATTENDEES- CALWEP AND USBR WATERSMART GRANTS WEBINAR (OCTOBER 15, 2024)- 74 ATTENDEES- WHY SHOULD WATER UTILITIES CARE ABOUT RIGHT-SIZING PLUMBING? (SEPTEMBER 12, 2024)- 60 ATTENDEES

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

  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 November 6, 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 2024.

    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 September 1995.

    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 November 4, 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.