Texas Water Trade
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
CREATING MARKETS FOR INNOVATIVE WATER RESILIENCY PROJECTS.
- Income
- $1.4 million
- Spending
- $1.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 61%
- Reserves
- 6.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 76%
- Employees
- 8
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $221,956, strategic advisor
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
Fair: 56 out of 100. Higher than 20% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 6.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 32% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 45% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1561% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 26 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 60% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2518 of 18 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
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited 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 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 (1)
- $1.1 million spent. TEXAS WATER TRADE ("TWT") PROVIDES TECHNICAL SERVICES (APPRAISALS, TRAINING, ECOLOGICAL ANALYSIS, ENGINEERING, HYDROLOGICAL MODELING, LEGAL, ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING) TO NON-PROFIT LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS AND GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES TO SUPPORT THE ACQUISITION AND STEWARDSHIP OF WATER RIGHTS TO BENEFIT THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND TO CREATE A FUTURE OF CLEAN, FLOWING WATER FOR ALL TEXANS. TWT'S WORK CENTERS ON TWO MECHANISMS FOR ADVANCING A VISION OF SUSTAINED WATER ABUNDANCE: EDUCATE AND PROVIDE TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO GOVERNMENTAL AND NON-PROFIT URBAN LEADERS TO FACILITATE INVESTMENT IN NET ZERO WATER BUILDINGS AND SUBDIVISIONS CAPABLE OF CAPTURING, TREATING AND RETURNING TO THE ORIGINAL WATER SOURCE AS MUCH WATER AS THEY DEMAND SO THAT NEW GROWTH INCREASES TEXAS' RELIABLE WATER SUPPLY. PROVIDE TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND FUNDING TO FACILITATE A DIVERSE SUITE OF VOLUNTARY WATER MARKET TRANSACTIONS-FROM DRY YEAR OPTIONS TO INFRASTRUCTURE PARTICIPATION-TO SECURE HEALTHY FLOWS IN TEXAS RIVERS WHILE CREATING SUPPLY RESILIENCE FOR OTHER WATER USERS.TO ADVANCE THESE GOALS, TWT ENGAGES IN SOME OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES: SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS CAPABLE OF PURSUING WATER TRANSACTIONS FOR HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTAL FLOWS -TWT TRANSFERS TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE RELATED TO THE LEGAL FRAMEWORKS OF SURFACE WATER RIGHTS AND GROUNDWATER RIGHTS, HYDROLOGICAL MONITORING, AND ECOLOGICAL MODELING TO EVALUATE THE BENEFIT OF VARIOUS CONTRACT STRUCTURES TO SECURE WATER AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR WATER RIGHTS HOLDERS WHO VOLUNTARILY PARTICIPATE IN ENVIRONMENTAL FLOWS TRANSACTIONS. LAUNCH THE TEXAS WATER MARKET MAKERS PROGRAM -TWT RAISES FUNDS TO CREATE A COMPETITIVE PROGRAM FOR WATER CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS WHO RECEIVE SUSTAINED TECHNICAL SUPPORT, POSSIBLE GRANT FUNDING, AND POSSIBLE ACCESS TO WATER TRANSACTION FUNDS. DIVERSIFY FUNDING RESOURCES FOR FLOWS RESTORATION AND PROTECTION PROJECTS - TWT IS THE GO-TO ORGANIZATION FOR PHILANTHROPIC, STATE, AND FEDERAL RESOURCES PURSUING ENVIRONMENTAL FLOWS RESTORATION PROJECTS IN TEXAS, AND WORKS WITH PARTNERS ACROSS THOSE SECTORS TO STEER EXISTING FUNDS WHERE ELIGIBLE AND TO DESIGN NEW FUNDING VEHICLES AS NEEDED. QUARTERBACK MARKET DEVELOPMENT - TWT DEVELOPS AND EXECUTES LONG-RANGE STRATEGIES WHERE HEALTHY WATER FLOWS DEPEND UPON MORE COMPLEX ARRANGEMENTS THAN LAND TRUSTS AND CONSERVANCIES CAN PURSUE (FOR EXAMPLE, MUNICIPAL PROJECT PARTICIPATION, WATER SWAPS OR BANKING). PROVIDE TRUSTED PROJECT EVALUATION - TWT DEVELOPS THE EXPERTISE AND BRAND RECOGNITION TO BECOME THE ONE-STOP SHOP FOR EVALUATING THE FEASIBILITY AND BENEFIT OF ENVIRONMENTAL FLOWS RESTORATION AND PROTECTION PROJECTS IN TEXAS, THEREBY LOWERING TRANSACTION COSTS FOR PROJECT SPONSORS AND FUNDERS. SET ENVIRONMENTAL FLOWS RESTORATION AND PROTECTION TARGETS - TWT HAS SET TARGETS FOR THE AMOUNT OF WATER WE WORK TO PROTECT OR RESTORE BY 2030 WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF OUR ADVISORY COUNCIL AND USING THE BEST AVAILABLE SCIENCE AND MARKET ANALYSIS. ADVANCE AWARENESS OF THE WATER SUPPLY POTENTIAL OF ONSITE WATER RESOURCES - TWT PRODUCES ENVIRONMENTAL WATER INFORMATIONAL AND ANALYTICAL TOOLS THAT CAPTURE THE IMAGINATION OF POLICYMAKERS, DEVELOPERS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS OF THE ENORMOUS POTENTIAL FOR ONSITE WATER TO BE PART OF THE SUPPLY SOLUTION SET FOR A GROWING TEXAS. ACCELERATE COMMITMENTS TO NET ZERO WATER - TWT SUPPORTS HIGH-VISIBILITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS THAT TAP INTO ONSITE WATER RESOURCES, THEREBY DELIVERING PROOFS OF CONCEPT, WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES AND COMMUNITIES AND THE DEVELOPERS AND TEXAS-BASED COMPANIES THEY REGULATE. SUPPORT FINANCIAL INNOVATIONS TO ENABLE NET ZERO DEVELOPMENT - TWT WORKS WITH ENTITIES ADMINISTERING FUNDING RESOURCES SUCH AS PROPERTY ASSESSED CLEAN ENERGY (PACE) LOANS, MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICTS (MUDS), PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENTS (PUDS), TAX INCREMENT FINANCING (TIF) DISTRICTS AND MUNICIPAL BONDS TO SCALE CAPITAL AVAILABLE FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT TO TAP INTO ONSITE WATER RESOURCES.
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
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
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 September 7, 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 September 7, 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 7, 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.