Cowiche Canyon Conservancy
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Protecting our shrub-steppe and connecting people to this vanishing landscape.
- Income
- $1.4 million
- Spending
- $466,618
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- -13.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 65%
- Employees
- 6
- Volunteers
- 232
- Highest pay
- $113,412, executive dir.
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
Fair: 65 out of 100.
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 67% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 19% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 16 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 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)
- $155,660 spent. SCIENCE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH IS A KEY PROGRAM FOR CCC. OUR NATURAL LANDSCAPES, WILDLIFE DIVERSITY AND ACCESSIBLE TRAIL SYSTEM PROVIDE THE PERFECT PLATFORM FOR OUR EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH (ECO) PROGRAM. IN 2025, THE ECO PROGRAM SERVED OVER 580 SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN FROM 5 LOCAL DISTRICTS THROUGH OUR FIELD TRIP PROGRAM. IN ADDITION, THE ECO PROGRAM HOSTED 16 GUIDED COMMUNITY WALKS ON THE LAND, including 2 walks in Spanish, WITH a total of 212 PARTICIPANTS. OVER 370 ADULT LIFE-LONG LEARNERS ALSO PARTICIPATED IN ECO PROGRAM LECTURES AND EDUCATIONAL TALKS.
- $124,305 spent. Cowiche Canyon Conservancy (CCC) was founded in 1985 to preserve a scenic rails-to-trails use of Cowiche Canyon for conservation and non-motorized recreation. In 2005, CCC acquired a former grazing lands ranch near the Canyon on Cowiche Mountain, knitting together a premier natural landscape for conserving the area's diversity of wildlife and natural habitat. CCCs conservation program has since led to the protection of over 6,420 acres of beautiful lands with rare plants, animals, fish and butterflies. Ongoing conservation efforts have restored former agriculture lands to native habitats.
- $97,576 spent. CCCs natural trail system through this stunning landscape has become a destination for outdoor hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding over the years. Designed to offer a wilderness feeling within minutes of an urban center, it is widely considered one of the best spring hiking areas in Washington state, with trails meandering through stream canyons, aspen and oak groves, meadows and cliffs. CCCS RECREATION PROGRAM MANAGES OVER 60 MILES OF NATURAL TRAILS, AND SERVED OVER 105,000 VISITORS IN 2025. CCC invests in trail maintenance, signage, maps, online resources and trail head facilities to improve user experiences on our trail system.
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
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 April 1987.
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.