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Whidbey Watershed Stewards

EIN 91-1656570 · Langley, WA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood78 out of 100GovernanceStrong90 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

WHIDBEY WATERSHED STEWARDS PROMOTES NEARSHORE AND WATERSHED HEALTH BY LINKING WATER, LAND, WILDLIFE,AND PEOPLE ON WHIDBEY ISLAND THROUGH EDUCATION, RESEARCH, AND RESTORATION.

Income
$85,315
Spending
$80,034
Spent on programs
66%
Reserves
10.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 78%
Employees
5

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

Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 54% of charities in its peer group (animals, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 10.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 76% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    66% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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

Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 89% of charities in its peer group (animals, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 7 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no 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.

  • 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, 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 (5)
  1. $49,558 spent. EDUCATION: WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE SOUTH WHIDBEY SCHOOL DISTRICT, SEVERAL NATURAL SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS WERE DEVELOPED. IN THE SPRING, VARIOUS PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS ATTENDED GRADE APPROPRIATE K TO 6TH GRADE CLASSES IN THEIR SCHOOLS AND AT WHIDBEY WATERSHED STEWARDS' OUTDOOR CLASSROOM. THESE CLASSES CENTERED AROUND "HABITATS AND CREATURES", WHERE STUDENTS BROKEN UP INTO SMALL GROUPS EXPLORED THE FOREST AND STREAM ECOSYSTEMS AND THE PLANTS AND CREATURES WHO LIVE IN THEM. APPROX. 751 STUDENTS FROM 8 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. IN THE FALL, GRADES 1ST THROUGH 5TH AND 8TH STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN CLASSROOM PROGRAMS AND FIELD TRIPS TO THE OUTDOOR CLASSROOM THAT EXPLORED OUR FASCINATING "DIGGING DEEPER INTO THE FOREST". THIS PROGRAM INVITES STUDENTS ON A JOURNEY INTO THE HEART OF OUR FOREST ECOSYSTEM. EACH LESSON OFFERS A HANDS-ON EXPLORATION OF LIFE BENEATH THE FOREST CANOPY, FROM TINY SOIL-DWELLING ORGANISMS TO FASCINATING FUNGI. STUDENTS ROTATED THROUGH VARIOUS HANDS-ON LEARNING ACTIVITIES APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR GRADE LEVEL. APPROX. 465 STUDENTS ACROSS 5 SCHOOLS. DURING JULY AND AUGUST TWO DIFFERENT SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMS, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SOUTH WHIDBEY PARKS AND RECREATION, WERE DEVELOPED. THE "FEATHERED FRIENDS" FOR AGES 6 THROUGH 8 EXPLORED WAS CONDUCTED AT THE OUTDOOR CLASSROOM. THE SALISH SEA JR. SCIENTISTS", FOR AGES 9 THROUGH 12, WAS CONDUCTED AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER AND LANGLEY MARINA. 27 STUDENTS. SALMON IN THE CLASSROOM PROGRAM: INSTRUCTED 3RD AND 5TH GRADE STUDENTS ABOUT THE LIFE CYCLE OF SALMON. SALMON EGGS WERE PROVIDED TO THE SCHOOL AND REARED IN THE SCHOOL AQUARIUMS IN CONJUNCTION WITH SALMON LIFE CYCLE LESSONS. WHEN THE FISH HATCHED AND REACHED FRY STAGE, THEY WERE RELEASED IN MARCH BY GROUPS OF STUDENTS WITH THEIR TEACHERS AND FAMILIES INTO MAXWELTON CREEK AT THE OUTDOOR CLASSROOM. APPROX. 50 STUDENTS. COMMUNITY EDUCATION WAS PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH VARIOUS FAMILY- ORIENTED EVENTS HELD ON WHIDBEY ISLAND, AND ALSO IN NEWSLETTERS, WEBSITE, AND SOCIAL MEDIA. EDUCATION: WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE SOUTH WHIDBEY SCHOOL DISTRICT, SEVERAL NATURAL SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS WERE DEVELOPED. IN THE SPRING, VARIOUS PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS ATTENDED GRADE APPROPRIATE K TO 6TH GRADE CLASSES IN THEIR SCHOOLS AND AT WHIDBEY WATERSHED STEWARDS' OUTDOOR CLASSROOM. THESE CLASSES CENTERED AROUND "HABITATS AND CREATURES", WHERE STUDENTS BROKEN UP INTO SMALL GROUPS EXPLORED THE FOREST AND STREAM ECOSYSTEMS AND THE PLANTS AND CREATURES WHO LIVE IN THEM. APPROX. 751 STUDENTS FROM 8 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. IN THE FALL, GRADES 1ST THROUGH 5TH AND 8TH STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN CLASSROOM PROGRAMS AND FIELD TRIPS TO THE OUTDOOR CLASSROOM THAT EXPLORED OUR FASCINATING "DIGGING DEEPER INTO THE FOREST". THIS PROGRAM INVITES STUDENTS ON A JOURNEY INTO THE HEART OF OUR FOREST ECOSYSTEM. EACH LESSON OFFERS A HANDS-ON EXPLORATION OF LIFE BENEATH THE FOREST CANOPY, FROM TINY SOIL-DWELLING ORGANISMS TO FASCINATING FUNGI. STUDENTS ROTATED THROUGH VARIOUS HANDS-ON LEARNING ACTIVITIES APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR GRADE LEVEL. APPROX. 465 STUDENTS ACROSS 5 SCHOOLS. DURING JULY AND AUGUST TWO DIFFERENT SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMS, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SOUTH WHIDBEY PARKS AND RECREATION, WERE DEVELOPED. THE "FEATHERED FRIENDS" FOR AGES 6 THROUGH 8 EXPLORED WAS CONDUCTED AT THE OUTDOOR CLASSROOM. THE SALISH SEA JR. SCIENTISTS", FOR AGES 9 THROUGH 12, WAS CONDUCTED AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER AND LANGLEY MARINA. 27 STUDENTS. SALMON IN THE CLASSROOM PROGRAM: INSTRUCTED 3RD AND 5TH GRADE STUDENTS ABOUT THE LIFE CYCLE OF SALMON. SALMON EGGS WERE PROVIDED TO THE SCHOOL AND REARED IN THE SCHOOL AQUARIUMS IN CONJUNCTION WITH SALMON LIFE CYCLE LESSONS. WHEN THE FISH HATCHED AND REACHED FRY STAGE, THEY WERE RELEASED IN MARCH BY GROUPS OF STUDENTS WITH THEIR TEACHERS AND FAMILIES INTO MAXWELTON CREEK AT THE OUTDOOR CLASSROOM. APPROX. 50 STUDENTS. COMMUNITY EDUCATION WAS PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH VARIOUS FAMILY- ORIENTED EVENTS HELD ON WHIDBEY ISLAND, AND ALSO IN NEWSLETTERS, WEBSITE, AND SOCIAL MEDIA.
  2. CONSERVATION / RESEARCH: CONSERVATION / RESEARCH: PARTICIPATED IN COMMUNITY, TRIBAL, AND GOVERNMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS. CONDUCTED A CRAB LARVA RESEARCH PROJECT AND PUBLIC OUTREACH TO THE PUBLIC IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST CRAB RESEARCH GROUP. 275 VOLUNTEER HOURS.
  3. $2,197 spent. STEWARDSHIP: STEWARDSHIP: PERFORMED FOREST, WETLAND AND PUBLIC BEACH RESTORATION AT 5 LOCATIONS ON SOUTH WHIDBEY ISLAND. APPROX. 25 PEOPLE FOR 475 VOLUNTEER HOURS.
  4. $1,200 spent. SCHOLARSHIP: OFFERED ONE SCHOLARSHIP TO A SOUTH WHIDBEY HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR PLANNING TO STUDY BIOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE IN COLLEGE AND WORKING IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL FIELD. SOPHIA PATRIN RECEIVED A 1,200 SCHOLARSHIP PAID DIRECTLY TO UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
  5. SCHOLARSHIP: OFFERED ONE SCHOLARSHIP TO A SOUTH WHIDBEY HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR PLANNING TO STUDY BIOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE IN COLLEGE AND WORKING IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL FIELD. SOPHIA PATRIN RECEIVED A 1,200 SCHOLARSHIP PAID DIRECTLY TO UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON

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

  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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since January 1996.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.