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Salmonfly Project

EIN 88-0951428 · Missoula, MT

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceFair59 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

IN 2025, THE SALMONFLY PROJECT ADVANCED ITS MISSION TO CONSERVE AQUATIC INSECTS AND THE ECOSYSTEMS THEY SUPPORT THROUGH EXPANDED MONITORING, RESEARCH, AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ACROSS THE WESTERN UNTED STATES. WE COMPLETED ANNUAL AQUATIC INSECT AND HABITAT MONITORING IN SEVEN PRIORITY WATERSHEDS, INCLUDING ROCK CREEK, GALLATIN RIVER, MADISON RIVER, BIG WOOD RIVER, TETON RIVER, UPPER SNAKE RIVER AND THE OGDEN RIVER. THESE EFFORTS PROVIDE CRITICAL, STANDARDIZED DATASETS TO TRACK THE STATUS AND LONG-TERM TRENDS OF AQUATIC INSECT POPULATIONS IN ECOLOGICALLY AND RECREATIONALLY IMPORTANT FISHERIES.

Income
$428,963
Spending
$210,632
Spent on programs
84%
Reserves
7.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 59%
Employees
3
Volunteers
100

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 71% of charities in its peer group (animals, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 7.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 3% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 51% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 170% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    84% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Fair: 59 out of 100. Higher than 42% of charities in its peer group (animals, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    6 of 6 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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

    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 December 31, 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. $58,844 spent. WE MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN ANALYZING LONG-TERM POPULATION TRENDS OF THE GIANT SALMONFLY (PTERONARCYS CALIFORNICA) IN MONTANA, WITH PRELIMINARY FINDINGS INDICATING SUBSTANTIAL DECLINES OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DECADES. IN PARALLEL, WE ADVANCED TRANS-STATE ANALYSES REGARDING THE CAUSES OF SALMONFLY DECLINES IN UTAH AND COLORADO. PRELIMINARY RESULTS SUGGEST DECLINES ARE DRIVEN BY CHANGES IN TEMPERATURE, OXYGEN, AND FLOW. WE ALSO ADVANCED OUR LONG-TERM, RIVER-WIDE ANALYSIS OF AQUATIC INSECT COMMUNITY TRENDS ON THE MADISON RIVER AND REFINED FIELD AND LABORATORY METHODOLOGIES FOR LARGE-RIVER INSECT MONITORING THROUGH FOCUSED WORK ON THE DESHUTES RIVER. THESE EFFORTS HELP ESTALISH NEW KNOWLEDGE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE SCOPE, SEVERITY, AND CAUSES OF INSECT DECLINES AND BEST PRACTICES FOR CONSISTENT, MANAGEMENT-RELEVANT MONITORING ACROSS REGIONS. WE MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN ANALYZING LONG-TERM POPULATION TRENDS OF THE GIANT SALMONFLY (PTERONARCYS CALIFORNICA) IN MONTANA, WITH PRELIMINARY FINDINGS INDICATING SUBSTANTIAL DECLINES OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DECADES. IN PARALLEL, WE ADVANCED TRANS-STATE ANALYSES REGARDING THE CAUSES OF SALMONFLY DECLINES IN UTAH AND COLORADO. PRELIMINARY RESULTS SUGGEST DECLINES ARE DRIVEN BY CHANGES IN TEMPERATURE, OXYGEN, AND FLOW. WE ALSO ADVANCED OUR LONG-TERM, RIVER-WIDE ANALYSIS OF AQUATIC INSECT COMMUNITY TRENDS ON THE MADISON RIVER AND REFINED FIELD AND LABORATORY METHODOLOGIES FOR LARGE-RIVER INSECT MONITORING THROUGH FOCUSED WORK ON THE DESHUTES RIVER. THESE EFFORTS HELP ESTALISH NEW KNOWLEDGE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE SCOPE, SEVERITY, AND CAUSES OF INSECT DECLINES AND BEST PRACTICES FOR CONSISTENT, MANAGEMENT-RELEVANT MONITORING ACROSS REGIONS.
  2. $58,844 spent. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT REMAINED CENTRAL TO OUR WORK. THROUGH VOLUNTEER TRAINING PROGRAMS, WE ENGAGED AND TRAINED MORE THAN 50 VOLUNTEERS IN AQUATIC INSECT SAMPLING METHODS, EXPANDING REGIONAL CAPACITY FOR LONGTERM MONITORING. WE ALSO DELIVERED ANGLER EDUCATION THROUGH ENTOMOLOGY CLINICS, TEACHING APPOXIMATELY 45 ANGLERS HOW TO IDENTIFY AQUATIC INSECTS AND MATCH FISHING STRATEGIES TO NATURAL HATCHES, STRENGTHENING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN CONSERVATION AND RECREATION.
  3. $58,843 spent. OUR WORK CONTINUES TO POSITION AQUATIC INSECTS AS BOTH INDICATORS OF ECOSYSTEM HEALTH AND CRITICAL DRIVERS OF FISHERIES PRODUCTIVITY. BY BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS, GENERATING ACTIONABLE DATA, AND FOSTERING PUBLIC STEWARDSHIP, THE SALMONFLY POJECT IS HELPING TO ESTABLISH A NEW MODEL FOR INSECT-FOCUSED CONSERVATION AND MONITORING IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 December 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 August 2024.

    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.