Solid Waste Association of North America Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- Raising each dollar of donations cost 206 cents.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
SWANA IS AN ORGANIZATION OF PROFESSIONALS COMMITTED TO ADVANCING FROM SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT TO RESOURCE MANAGEMENT THROUGH THEIR SHARED EMPHASIS ON EDUCATION, ADVOCACY, SAFETY, AND RESEARCH.
- Income
- $5.4 million
- Spending
- $5.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 57%
- Reserves
- 0.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 96%
- Employees
- 26
- Volunteers
- 21
- Highest pay
- $326,896, ceo
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
Weak: 20 out of 100. Higher than 0% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.7 months of spending.
Debt
2 of 20It owes 76% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 10% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 6% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1557% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 206 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 2521 of 21 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 (3)
- $2.7 million spent. TECHNICAL PROGRAMS, TRAINING, AND EDUCATION:AS A RECOGNIZED RESOURCE FOR TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN SOLID WASTE AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, SWANA DELIVERED CONFERENCES FOR THOUSANDS OF INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS THROUGHOUT NORTH AMERICA, INCLUDING: WASTECON 2024; 8 IN-PERSON TRAININGS IN FACILITIES ACROSS THE US; 31 LEARNING EVENTS THROUGH SWANA CHAPTERS IN THE US AND CANADA; AND A LIBRARY OF 14 ONDEMAND COURSES, TWO TRAIN-THE-TRAINER PROGRAMS; AND WEBINARS.
- $358,762 spent. POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND ADVOCACY:SWANA CONTINUED TO HAVE A HIGH LEVEL OF VISIBILITY ON PUBLIC POLICY TOPICS, ENGAGING IN ADVOCACY AND INFORMING SWANA MEMBERS OF POLICY DEVELOPMENTS. SWANA ENGAGED ON A RANGE OF TOPICS RELEVANT TO THE INDUSTRY INCLUDING PFAS, LANDFILL REGULATIONS, WASTE TO ENERGY REGULATIONS, RECYCLING INFRASTRUCTURE, WORKPLACE SAFETY, BATTERY SAFETY, AND THE GLOBAL PLASTICS TREATY NEGOTIATIONS. THE SWANA VOLUNTEER CORE ADVOCACY GROUP PROVIDED INPUT ON PROPOSED PUBLIC POLICIES, AND SHARED UPDATES WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE SWANA CHAPTERS AND TECHNICAL DIVISIONS.
- $290,285 spent. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT: SWANA DEVELOPED AND RELEASED THREE RESEARCH REPORT AND SEVERAL ARTICLES ON TIMELY INDUSTRY TOPICS INCLUDING RECYCLING CONTAMINATION, WASTE TO ENERGY FACILITIES, RECYCLING MARKETS, THE GLOBAL PLASTICS TREATY NEGOTIATIONS, FACILITY OPERATIONS, NEW TECHNOLOGIES, AND MORE.
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 August 1986.
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.