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Grand Canyon River Guides Inc

EIN 86-0643516 · Flagstaff, AZ

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceStrong91 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Educational & environmental: protecting the Grand Canyon, setting the highest standards for the river guiding profession, celebrating unique spirit of river community & providing best possible river experience. Visit www.gcrg.org

Income
$418,618
Spending
$229,977
Spent on programs
71%
Reserves
22.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 87%
Employees
1
Volunteers
125
Highest pay
$63,954, executive director

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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 85% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 22.1 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 45% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 67% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    71% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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: 91 out of 100. Higher than 71% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 9 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.

  • 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 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 (23)
  1. $49,863 spent. Please visit gcrg.org/about us for the full description of Program Service Accomplishments. Program 1:BQR - During FY2025, GCRG published 4 quarterly issues of its seminal, beloved & long-running Boatmans Quarterly Review (aka BQR) with a circulation of 1,700. Articles are written by the Grand Canyon river community & include a wide range of topics including educational, scientific, historical, training, resource management challenges, indigenous perspectives and threats to Grand Canyon.
  2. $67,917 spent. Program 2: GTS - GCRG held its long-running annual Guides Training Seminar (aka GTS) over a 2-day land-based session with attendance of 176 and a two-week long river-based session with attendance of 30. The theme Respect & Protect: Grand Canyon National Park in a Time of Change included sessions to hone guides interpretive skills w/ new science & changes coming to the Colorado River Basin and a keynote address by the Superintendent of Grand Canyon National Park. Abstracts of the presentations are posted on the GTS Library page of the GCRG website.
  3. $14,306 spent. Program 3: Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program-GCRG continued its long-running participation, advising the Secretary of the Interior on how best to manage Glen Canyon Dam for the protection of downstream resources in Grand Canyon. GCRG representatives participated in calls, meetings, webinars & workshops, and communicated regularly with federal agencies, stakeholders & scientists. GCRG shared monthly dam flow reports & experimental actions with its members, and along with sharing Colorado River related articles and publishing updates in the BQR.
  4. $9,132 spent. First Aid Program: GCRG sponsored an annual Wilderness First Responder recertification course for 26 river guides.
  5. $7,373 spent. Adopt-a-Beach (AAB) Program: GCRG continued its nearly 30-year AAB program utilizing volunteer guides to document sand deposition along 30 beaches.
  6. $6,740 spent. JEDI Program: GCRG provided 5 scholarships to Indigenous river guides for wilderness medical & swiftwater rescue training, plus Pt Positive workshop.
  7. $5,429 spent. Oral History Project: GCRG conducted 4 interviews, transcribed 5 and edited & published four profiles of long-time Grand Canyon river guides.
  8. $1,548 spent. Other programs: Colorado River Management Plan courtesy flyer ($1377); Uranium mining contamination monitoring & updates ($171).
  9. Expenses: $9132.00 including grants of: $0.00 Revenue: $7915.00
  10. First Aid Program: GCRG sponsored an annual Wilderness First Responder
  11. recertification course for 26 river guides.
  12. Expenses: $7373.00 including grants of: $0.00 Revenue: $0.00
  13. Adopt-a-Beach (AAB) Program: GCRG continued its nearly 30-year AAB program
  14. utilizing volunteer guides to document sand deposition along 30 beaches.
  15. Expenses: $6740.00 including grants of: $0.00 Revenue: $0.00
  16. JEDI Program: GCRG provided 5 scholarships to Indigenous river guides for
  17. wilderness medical & swiftwater rescue training, plus Pt Positive workshop.
  18. Expenses: $5429.00 including grants of: $0.00 Revenue: $0.00
  19. Oral History Project: GCRG conducted 4 interviews, transcribed 5 and edited
  20. & published four profiles of long-time Grand Canyon river guides.
  21. Expenses: $1548.00 including grants of: $0.00 Revenue: $0.00
  22. Other programs: Colorado River Management Plan courtesy flyer ($1377);
  23. Uranium mining contamination monitoring & updates ($171).

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 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 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 October 1995.

    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.