The Freshwater Trust
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO PRESERVE AND RESTORE FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS.
- Income
- $11.4 million
- Spending
- $10.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 68%
- Reserves
- -0.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 35%
- Employees
- 56
- Volunteers
- 23
- Highest pay
- $305,795, president
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
Weak: 42 out of 100. Higher than 1% of charities in its peer group (animals, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
2 of 20It owes 78% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 5% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 2% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1568% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 14 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 19% of charities in its peer group (animals, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2520 of 20 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, 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 (3)
- $4.8 million spent. WATER QUALITY TRADING & WATERSHED ANALYTICS - THE FRESHWATER TRUST USES DATA TO IDENTIFY AND ILLUSTRATE THE SPECIFIC ACTION OR ACTIONS NECESSARY TO CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF A WATERSHED'S CURRENT CONDITION; USES THAT INSIGHT TO DRIVE THE POLICY CHANGES, FUNDERS, AND SOCIAL BUY-IN NECESSARY TO UNDERSTAND AND IMPLEMENT THAT OPTIMAL PATHWAY; AND THEN DEVELOPS THE OPERATIONAL/SUPPLY CHAIN CAPACITY AND INNOVATIVE CONSERVATION FINANCING APPROACHES NECESSARY TO DEPLOY THOSE SOLUTIONS. WATER QUALITY TRADING IS ONE IMPORTANT APPROACH FOR CONVERTING THIS INSIGHT INTO HIGH QUALITY ON-THE-GROUND RESULTS. THE FRESHWATER TRUST'S WATER QUALITY TRADING PROGRAM ALLOWS FOR REGULATED ENTITIES TO ACHIEVE REGULATORY COMPLIANCE BY FUNDING QUANTIFIED RESTORATION ACTIONS. BY CALCULATING AND QUANTIFYING HOW MUCH THERMAL ENERGY IS AVOIDED ON A RIVER BY PLANTING STREAMSIDE TREES, THE ORGANIZATION GENERATES CREDITS THAT ARE THEN PURCHASED BY WASTEWATER FACILITIES AND POWER PLANTS TO OFFSET THEIR IMPACTS TO IMPAIRED RIVERS AND STREAMS. THE WORK IS DONE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH REGULATED AGENCIES, IRRIGATORS, REGULATORS AND FARMERS. THIS PROGRAM CAN INCLUDE RESTORATION ACTIONS THAT GENERATE NOT ONLY TEMPERATURE CREDITS, BUT ALSO CREDITS GENERATED FROM REDUCTIONS OF OTHER POLLUTANTS, SUCH AS NUTRIENTS.
- $2.5 million spent. HABITAT - THE FRESHWATER TRUST ACTIVELY RESTORES AQUATIC HABITAT IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES THROUGH ITS HABITAT RESTORATION PROGRAM. FROM PLACING LOGS INSTREAM TO CREATE RIVER COMPLEXITY AND PLANTING TREES TO STABILIZE STREAMBANKS AND PROVIDE SHADE TO LOWER WATER TEMPERATURE, THE ORGANIZATION ADVANCES SCIENCE-BASED, ECOLOGICALLY-SOUND RESTORATION PROJECTS TO RESTORE HABITAT FUNCTION CRITICAL TO SALMON PRODUCTIVITY.
- $44,075 spent. ON FARM & WATER TRANSACTIONS - THE FRESHWATER TRUST WORKS COLLABORATIVELY WITH WATER USERS TO DESIGN CONSERVATION SOLUTIONS THAT IMPROVE WATER USE EFFICIENCY, ENHANCE UNDERLYING GROUNDWATER CONDITIONS, AND HELP CREATE MORE STREAMFLOW IN RIVERS.
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
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 October 13, 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 2024.
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 March 1989.
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 October 21, 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.