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Sound Water Stewards of Island County

EIN 81-0781793 · Freeland, WA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceGood84 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TRAIN VOLUNTEERS WORKING IN AND AROUND ISLAND COUNTY FOR A HEALTHY, SUSTAINABLE PUGET SOUND ENVIRONMENT THROUGH EDUCATION, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, STEWARDSHIP, AND CITIZEN SCIENCE

Income
$263,354
Spending
$201,214
Spent on programs
67%
Reserves
11.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 70%
Employees
6
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$25,904, director

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

Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 73% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 11.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 24% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 40% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    67% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 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

Good: 84 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 8 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

    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

    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

    6 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. $104,752 spent. SINCE 2016 SOUND WATER STEWARDS HAS BEEN MOBILIZING COMMUNITY POWER TO PROOTCT THE FRAGILE MARINE AND SHORELINE ECOSYSTEMS OF ISLAND COUNTY AND THE GREATER SALISH SEA. WE HAVE A SIMPLE, POWERFUL GOAL: TO BUILD A HEALTHIER, MORE SUSTAINABLE MARINE ENVIRONMENT BY GIVING PEOPLE THE KNOWLEDGE,TOOLS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE ACTION. EACH YEAR, MORE THAN 500 MEMBERS DONATE OVER 17,000 VOLUNTEER HOURS TO SUPPORT OUTREACH EDUCATION, COLLECT DATA FOR COMMUNITY SCIENCE PROGRAMS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO RESEARCH PROJECTS AND ACTIVELY ENGAGE IN STEWARDSHIP PROJECTS. WE ACHIEVE THIS BY PROVIDING FACT BASED, NONPARTISAN ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION WHEN ITS NEEDED MOST. WE BELIEVE WHEN PEOPLE ARE GIVEN KNOWLEDGE AND A WAY TO CONTRIBUTE, CHANGE HAPPENS. SOUND WATER STEWARDS COLLABORATES CLOSELY WITH LOCAL,STATE AND TRIBAL PARTNERS.
  2. $16,676 spent. SOUND WATERS UNIVERSITY IS A ONE-DAY ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION EVENT, FOLLOWED BY AN OPTIONAL DAY OF FIELD TRIPS FOCUSING ON RELATED TOPICS IN MARINE SETTINGS. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED BY VOLUNTEER MEMBERS WHO GATHER EXPERTS IN ENVIRONMENTAL FIELDS TO EDUCATE MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC. IN ADDITION TO KEYNOTE SPEAKERS, ATTENDEES MAY CHOOSE FROM A VARIETY OF CLASSES THAT COVER AREAS SUCH AS MARINE MAMMALS, FORAGE FISH HABITAT, SHORELINE RESTORATION, EFFECTS TO THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE. THE CONFERENCE DRAWS OVER 300 ATTENDEES WHO RATE THE CONTENT EXCEPTIONAL IN POST EVENT SURVEYS. THE UNIVERSITY PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR STATE AND LOCAL PARTNERS TO ENGAGE WITH ATTENDEES, TO SHARE THEIR PURPOSE AND EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR INVOLVEMENT. THE EVENT HELPS TO FUND OTHER INITIATIVES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
  3. $9,707 spent. OUR VOLUNTEER EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAM TRAINS UP TO 40 STUDENTS ANNUALLY PARTICIPANTS LEARN THE IMPORTANCE OF STEWARDING THE MARINE ECOSYSTEM SURROUNDING WHIDBEY AND CAMANO ISLANDS. STUDENTS COMMIT TO ENROLLING IN A 10 WEEK, RIGOROUS PROGRAM TEACHING STUDENTS ABOUT MARINE LIFE, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND HOW TO PROTECT OUR SHORELINES. TRAINED STEWARDS GIVE BACK BY VOLUNTEERING AND CONTRIBUTE OVER 17,000 HOURS ANNUALLY THROUGH NEARLY 30 PROJECTS THROUGH LONG TIME PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL AND STATEWIDE ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS WA DEPT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE, SCIENTISTS FROM UNIVERSITIES AND LOCAL TRIBAL BIOLOGISTS. EDUCATION PROJECTS BUILD PUBLIC AWARENESS. COMMUNITY SCIENCE INITIATIVES MONITOR AND INFORM RESEARCHERS AND DECISION MAKERS ON THE HEALTH OF OUR SHORELINE, BLUFFS, WATER QUALITY, SHELLFISH HARVESTING AND MORE.
  4. $4,317 spent. EXEC DIRECTOR ALLOCATES A PORTION OF HIS SALARY TO ALLOW FOR TIME SPENT ON CONCEPTS AND IDEAS FOR FUTURE PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT.

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 May 2016.

    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.