San Miguel Watershed Coalition
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- Only 9% of its spending went to programs.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF THE SAN MIGUEL WATERSHED COALITION IS TO ADVANCE THE ECOLGICAL HEALTH AND PROMOTE THE ECONOMIC VITALITY OF THE WATERSHED THROUGH COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. THE GOAL OF THE ORGANIZATION IS TO REALIZE A WATERSHED THAT IS HEALTHY IN EVERY RESPECT WHILE OFFERING A SUSTAINABLE AND QUALITY LIFESTYLE FOR ALL WHO LIVE IN THE WATERSHED.
- Income
- $221,434
- Spending
- $264,501
- Spent on programs
- 9%
- Reserves
- 1.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 64%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 0
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: 35 out of 100. Higher than 12% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, under $250k).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 19% of income.
Spending floor
0 of 159% 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
Weak: 31 out of 100. Higher than 8% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, under $250k).
Independent board
5 of 250 of 8 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
0 of 5Reports that it does not keep minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
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 (2)
- $24,144 spent. COUNCIL AND SAN MIGUEL COUNTY TO FACILITATE A STAKEHOLDER GROUP TO IDENTIFY WILDFIRE MITIGATION AND FOREST HEALTH PROJECTS IN THE WATERSHED.
- ORGANIZATION ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR 2024: Water Quality performed water quality sampling at over 20 sites throughout the entire San Miguel Watershed. Wetland Restoration The Coalition worked with Town of Telluride to promote wetland function at the Beaver pond and Pine Street wetland. The Coalition is working with the USFS and BLM to identify restoration locations across the watershed on the GMUG using low-tech restoration techniques. Much of this work is focused around restoring beaver to the landscape and re-establishment of woody debris in the river. These techniques are a natural climate solution to create a well functioning, self-sufficient ecosystem that spreads water across the landscape, recharges groundwater stores, reconnects degraded rivers to their floodplains, restores wildlife habitat, resists wildfire and sequesters carbon. Develop an Integrated Hydrologic Model of the San Miguel Watershed - The Coalition has received a $250,000 grant from the Colorado Water Conservation Board and local governments to create a model to aid the Coalition and its partners in understanding the role of groundwater within the basin and projects the effects of different climate scenarios on our water resources. The modeling tool will also be used to design mitigation/optimization strategies for ecological restoration, agricultural operations, municipal water supplies, extreme events (fires, floods, landslides) and industry. The model will be complete in fall of 2024. Reed Chatfield Ditch and Diversion Rehabilitation Project - The Coalition received funding from the CWCB to complete 60% engineering designs and a federal grant application for for a fish/boat passage and infrastructure improvement project on the Town of Naturita's Reed Chatfield diversion structure and Ditch Beaver Restoration Opportunity Inventory - The Coalition completed an inventory of prime low tech process based restoration sites across the entire San Miguel Watershed. Education and Advocacy the Coalition continues to provide critical information about issues that affect the greater watershed community and the governments and agencies that manage our landscapes and resources. These educational activities include a forest health forum at the Wilkinson Library, field trips with Telluride and Norwood schools, stakeholder meetings and newsletters. River Cleanups - The Coalition completed its third annual river cleanup of the popular BLM campgrounds and river corridor between Placerville and the Norwood Bridge in September on National Public Lands Day. The Coalition partnered with the BLM to host the event. Stream Management Plan - The Coalition is facilitating eighteen environmental and recreational, multi-benefit water projects developed in a five year stakeholder process to address nonconsumptive needs across the watershed. Wildfire and Forest Health - The Coalition continues to support Dr. Sibold's forest health monitoring in Bear Creek in the upper watershed. The Coalition is also playing a leadership role in partnership with the West Region Wildfire Council and San Miguel County to facilitate a stakeholder group to identify wildfire mitigation and forest health projects in the watershed for a CWPP (Community Wildfire Protection Plan).
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 November 6, 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 2025.
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 March 2000.
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 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.