Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Friends of the Columbia Gorge

EIN 93-0782467 · Portland, OR

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

ENSURING THE GORGE REMAINS A VIBRANT, LIVING PLACE WONDROUS, WILD, AND ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL IS AT THE CORE OF WHAT WE DO. FRIENDS OF THE COLUMBIA GORGE WORKS TO PROTECT, PRESERVE, AND STEWARD THE COLUMBIA GORGE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

Income
$1.7 million
Spending
$2.2 million
Spent on programs
81%
Reserves
17.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 80%
Employees
31
Volunteers
317
Highest pay
$188,601, executive dir.

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

Good: 85 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 17.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 3% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 30% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 101% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    80% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 16 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.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    18 of 18 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

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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 (5)
  1. $573,436 spent. PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT - A LARGE CROSS SECTION OF PUBLIC SUPPORT IS CRITICAL TO PRESERVE THE COLUMBIA GORGE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. TO MEET THIS CHALLENGE, FRIENDS SEEKS TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR KEY CONSERVATION INITIATIVES, EXPOSE LOCAL YOUTH TO THE GORGES WONDERS, AND ILLUSTRATE THE GORGES SIGNIFICANCE AS AN ICON OF THE PACIFIC NW AND NATIONAL TREASURE.
  2. $476,062 spent. CONSERVATION - FRIENDS WORKS TO PROTECT THE SCENIC AND NATURAL RESOURCES OF THE GORGE BY PROTECTING THE AIR QUALITY, LIMITING SPRAWL, AND PROTECTING FOREST AND FARMLANDS. AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT TO FRIENDS' SUCCESS HAS BEEN THE ABILITY TO EFFECTIVELY BUILD A DIVERSE NETWORK OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND MOBILIZE THOUSANDS OF DEDICATED FRIENDS ACTIVISTS AND ALLIES ACROSS THE REGION.
  3. $327,856 spent. MEMBER SERVICES - FRIENDS STAFF DEDICATES TIME, EXPERIENCE, AND KNOWLEDGE TO PROVIDE OUR MEMBERSHIP WITH A WELL-ROUNDED UNDERSTANDING IN THE HISTORY, LANDSCAPES, BIODIVERSITY, FLORA, FAUNA, AND TRAILS WITHIN THE COLUMBIA GORGE NATIONAL SCENIC AREA. SPENDING TIME WITH MEMBERS AND CREATING EXPERIENCES TO HELP THEM GRASP THE DEPTH AND BREADTH OF THE WORK THE ORGANIZATION DOES TO PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND STEWARD THE GORGE.
  4. $313,898 spent. LEGAL - WHEN GORGE RESOURCES ARE THREATENED BY UNLAWFUL DECISIONS AND VIOLATIONS, FRIENDS EXERCISES ITS RIGHT TO IMPLEMENT SOPHISTICATED LEGAL STRATEGIES AND CUTTING-EDGE PUBLIC EDUCATION TOOLS TO PROTECT GORGE RESOURCES AND KEEP WATCH ON RECKLESS LAND DEVELOPMENT.
  5. $50,052 spent. LOBBYING FRIENDS CONDUCTS LOBBY ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT LAWS THAT PROTECT THE GORGES SCENIC, NATURAL, CULTURAL, AND RECREATIONAL RESOURCES.

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 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 June 2025.

    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 July 1981.

    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.