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Elizabeth River Trail Foundation

EIN 81-4431199 · Norfolk, VA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood89 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

ORGANIZATION'S MISSION THROUGH THE MASTER PLANNING, PROGRAMMING AND ADVOCACY OF THIS URBAN WATERFRONT TRAIL, WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE MULTI-MODEL ACCESS TO OUR HISTORIC WORKING WATERFRONT, CONNECT 28 COMMUNITIES ALONG 10.5 MILES AND SERVE AS A SAFE PLACE TO RECREATE AND RESTORE GREEN SPACE IN AN URBAN SETTING, WORKING TO CONNECT NAVAL STATION NORFOLK TO THE VIRGINIA BEACH TRAIL.

Income
$410,247
Spending
$437,365
Spent on programs
80%
Reserves
33.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 64%
Employees
2
Volunteers
1,517

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

Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 73% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 33.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 5% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 7% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 2% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    80% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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. Higher than 92% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    20 of 20 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.

  • 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 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 (3)
  1. $348,350 spent. THE ELIZABETH RIVER TRAIL (ERT) FOUNDATION OFFERS OVER 100 OPPORTUNITIES EACH YEAR TO BETTER THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS. THROUGH FREE PUBLIC RECREATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING, INCLUDING NATURE FOR ALL PROGRAMS, TRAILWELL HOLISTIC OUTDOOR LITERACY, AND EXTENSIVE TRAIL BEAUTIFICATION, SURFACE WIDENING, MAINTENANCE, AND INSTALLATION OF , AMENITIES, GARDENS AND TREES FOR PUBLIC USAGE DESIGNED TO ACTIVATE AND ENHANCE THE ELIZABETH RIVER TRAIL IN NORFOLK, VA. FIVE DIGITAL TRAIL COUNTERS ACCURATELY RECORD TRAIL USAGE AT 696,800 USERS PER YEAR. IN AUGUST 2024 THE ERT HOSTED THE FIRST COMMUNITY OLYMPICS ACTIVATING THREE PUBLIC PARKS AND 6 MILES OF TRAIL, IN NOVEMBER THE JEFF ROBERTSON PARK TRAILHEAD SHELTER WAS INSTALLED; A PARTNERSHIP WITH TIDEWATER TECH SKILLED-TRADE STUDENTS, IN APRIL 2025 THE LAMBERT'S POINT TRAILHEAD SHELTER WAS INSTALLED, THE FIRST TO INCLUDE LIGHTING, THIS RIBBON CUTTING CULMINATED A SEMESTER'S LONG PROJECT WITH OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY PARKS, REC AND TOURISM STUDIES STUDENTS ON OUTDOOR PROGRAMMING. IN JUNE, THE ERT WAS DESIGNATED A NATIONAL RECREATION TRAIL BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR/NATIONAL PARK SERVICE. NAMED THRIVE YOUNG PROFESSIONAL'S ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR AND AWARDED HAMPTON ROADS CHAMBER'S NONPROFIT OF THE YEAR. THE ELIZABETH RIVER TRAIL (ERT) FOUNDATION OFFERS OVER 100 OPPORTUNITIES EACH YEAR TO BETTER THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS. THROUGH FREE PUBLIC RECREATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING, INCLUDING NATURE FOR ALL PROGRAMS, TRAILWELL HOLISTIC OUTDOOR LITERACY, AND EXTENSIVE TRAIL BEAUTIFICATION, SURFACE WIDENING, MAINTENANCE, AND INSTALLATION OF , AMENITIES, GARDENS AND TREES FOR PUBLIC USAGE DESIGNED TO ACTIVATE AND ENHANCE THE ELIZABETH RIVER TRAIL IN NORFOLK, VA. FIVE DIGITAL TRAIL COUNTERS ACCURATELY RECORD TRAIL USAGE AT 696,800 USERS PER YEAR. IN AUGUST 2024 THE ERT HOSTED THE FIRST COMMUNITY OLYMPICS ACTIVATING THREE PUBLIC PARKS AND 6 MILES OF TRAIL, IN NOVEMBER THE JEFF ROBERTSON PARK TRAILHEAD SHELTER WAS INSTALLED; A PARTNERSHIP WITH TIDEWATER TECH SKILLED-TRADE STUDENTS, IN APRIL 2025 THE LAMBERT'S POINT TRAILHEAD SHELTER WAS INSTALLED, THE FIRST TO INCLUDE LIGHTING, THIS RIBBON CUTTING CULMINATED A SEMESTER'S LONG PROJECT WITH OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY PARKS, REC AND TOURISM STUDIES STUDENTS ON OUTDOOR PROGRAMMING. IN JUNE, THE ERT WAS DESIGNATED A NATIONAL RECREATION TRAIL BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR/NATIONAL PARK SERVICE. NAMED THRIVE YOUNG PROFESSIONAL'S ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR AND AWARDED HAMPTON ROADS CHAMBER'S NONPROFIT OF THE YEAR.
  2. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OVER 90 COMMUNITY PARTNERS WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REACH 3,425 EVENT PARTICIPANTS AND PROVIDED 106 FREE EVENTS ON THE TRAIL FOR THE PUBLIC. ENCOMPASSING 2,499 VOLUNTEER HOURS AND REMOVING 5,406 POUNDS OF LITTER. WE PLANTED TWENTY TREES AND 150 PLANTS ADDING A POLLINATOR GARDEN AND NATIVE PLANTS TO ENHANCE OUR MANAGED MEADOW CONTINUING THE MAINTENANCE OF SEVEN PUBLIC GREEN SPACES.
  3. THE ECO-COUNTERS MULTI SYSTEM HAS BEEN INSTALLED AT SPECIFIC LOCATIONS ALONG THE ELIZABETH RIVER TRAIL AND ELSEWHERE ON NORFOLK'S BIKE NETWORK TO ACCURATELY COUNT PEDESTRIAN AND CYCLIST USE ALONG THE TRAIL AND BIKE NETWORK. THE SYSTEM ALLOWS FOR THE ANALYSIS OF DATA FROM MULTIPLE USER TYPES OVER TIME. THIS SYSTEM COMBINES THE PASSIVE INFRARED SENSOR AND AN INDUCTIVE LOOP SENSOR. AN INTELLIGENT SUBSYSTEM ANALYZES THE SIGNAL FROM BOTH SENSORS IN ORDER TO COUNT AND CLASSIFY EACH USER. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO HAS ENGAGED IN A NUMBER OF PROJECTS WHICH HAVE ENHANCED THE EXPERIENCE OF USING THE TRAIL. COST OF ENHANCEMENTS NOT DONATED BACK TO THE CITY ARE INCLUDED IN FIXED ASSETS AND DEPRECIATED OVER THE USEFUL LIFE OF THE ASSET. COST OF ENHANCEMENTS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION ARE INCLUDED IN CONSTRUCTION IN PROGRESS. SOME ENHANCEMENTS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT, TRAILHEAD AND WAYFINDING SIGNAGE, BIKE REPAIR STATIONS, TRASH CANS AND MANY OTHER AMENITIES. THE ECO-COUNTERS MULTI SYSTEM HAS BEEN INSTALLED AT SPECIFIC LOCATIONS ALONG THE ELIZABETH RIVER TRAIL AND ELSEWHERE ON NORFOLK'S BIKE NETWORK TO ACCURATELY COUNT PEDESTRIAN AND CYCLIST USE ALONG THE TRAIL AND BIKE NETWORK. THE SYSTEM ALLOWS FOR THE ANALYSIS OF DATA FROM MULTIPLE USER TYPES OVER TIME. THIS SYSTEM COMBINES THE PASSIVE INFRARED SENSOR AND AN INDUCTIVE LOOP SENSOR. AN INTELLIGENT SUBSYSTEM ANALYZES THE SIGNAL FROM BOTH SENSORS IN ORDER TO COUNT AND CLASSIFY EACH USER. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO HAS ENGAGED IN A NUMBER OF PROJECTS WHICH HAVE ENHANCED THE EXPERIENCE OF USING THE TRAIL. COST OF ENHANCEMENTS NOT DONATED BACK TO THE CITY ARE INCLUDED IN FIXED ASSETS AND DEPRECIATED OVER THE USEFUL LIFE OF THE ASSET. COST OF ENHANCEMENTS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION ARE INCLUDED IN CONSTRUCTION IN PROGRESS. SOME ENHANCEMENTS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT, TRAILHEAD AND WAYFINDING SIGNAGE, BIKE REPAIR STATIONS, TRASH CANS AND MANY OTHER AMENITIES.

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

  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 June 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 April 2017.

    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.