Watersheds United Vermont Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
WUVS MISSION IS TO EMPOWER COMMUNITY-BASED WATERSHED GROUPS IN ALL PARTS OF THE STATE TO PROTECT AND RESTORE VERMONTS WATERS.
- Income
- $2.4 million
- Spending
- $2.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 100%
- Reserves
- 0.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 91%
- Employees
- 2
- Volunteers
- 7
- Highest pay
- $91,340, executive director
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
Weak: 40 out of 100. Higher than 6% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.4 months of spending.
Debt
2 of 20It owes 81% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 11% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 23% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 15100% 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
Good: 80 out of 100. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 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.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 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 (1)
- $2.6 million spent. WATERSHEDS UNITED VERMONT (WUV) WORKED IN 2024 TO FURTHER OUR MISSION OF EMPOWERING COMMUNITY-BASED WATERSHED ORGANIZATIONS TO PROTECT AND RESTORE VERMONTS WATERS. WUV FOCUSED ON THREE MAIN AREAS: PROVIDING RESOURCES, TRAINING AND INFORMATION TO WATERSHED GROUPS, FACILITATING CONNECTIONS AND COLLABORATION AMONG WATERSHED GROUPS AND PARTNERS, AND ACTING AS A VOICE FOR GROUPS AT THE STATE LEVEL. WUV CONTINUES TO OPERATE SUBGRANT PROGRAMS FOR WATERSHED ORGANIZATIONS AND PARTNERS FOR: RIPARIAN BUFFER PLANTING, CLEAN WATER PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, CLEAN WATER PROJECT DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION, DAM REMOVAL DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION,CAPACITY BUILDING, WATERSHED PLANNING AND EDUCATION AND OUTREACH. MOST OF THESE PROGRAMS WERE FUNDED THROUGH THE VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATIONS BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM. THE PRIVATE ORGANIZATION PUR PROJET ALSO CONTRIBUTED FUNDS FOR WUV TO SUBGRANT TO SUPPORT TREE PLANTING IN VERMONT AND THE FIDELITY CHARITABLE TRUST CONTRIBUTED FUNDS FOF AN EDUCATION AND OUTREACH SUBGRANT PROGRAM. WUV ALSO WORKED WITH THE VERMONT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT THEIR HEALTHY WATERSHEDS INITIATIVE BY WORKING WITH 12 WATERSHED GROUPS ACROSS VERMONT ON PROJECTS TO WORK TOWARDS HEALTHY WATERSHEDS AND RESILIENT COMMUNITIES. ADDITIONALLY, WUV SENT OUT WEEKLY MESSAGES TO THE WUV LISTSERV (200+ PEOPLE) ON EVENTS, TRAININGS, FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, AND POLICY ANNOUNCEMENTS. WUV HELD FOUR WEBINARS FOR WATERSHED GROUPS AND PARTNERS AND ONE IN PERSON MEETING ON TECHNICAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL TOPICS IN PART FOCUSED ON FLOOD RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE AFTER VERMONTS DEVASTATING FLOOD IN JULY OF 2023. WUV PARTICIPATED IN A WEEKLY WATER CAUCUS TO BRING THE VOICE OF COMMUNITY-BASED WATERSHED GROUPS TO A STATEWIDE COALITION. WUV CONTINUED TO PROVIDE GENERAL GUIDANCE TO WATERSHED GROUPS TO HELP SUPPORT GROUPS IN THEIR WATERSHED RESTORATION EFFORTS.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 2019.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 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.