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Ecotrust

EIN 93-1050144 · 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

ECOTRUST WORKS ACROSS THE REGION FROM CALIFORNIA TO ALASKA AT THE INTERSECTION OF EQUITY, THE ECONOMY, AND THE ENVIRONMENT. WE COLLABORATE WITH PARTNERS TO ADVANCE STEWARDSHIP OF LANDS AND WATERS IN WAYS THAT ARE ECOLOGICALLY AND CULTURALLY RESTORATIVE AND RACIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY JUST; BUILD BROADLY SHARED, INTERGENERATIONAL WEALTH FOR OUR REGION'S COMMUNITIES; AND SUPPORT REGIONAL CLIMATE RESILIENCE WHILE CENTERING THE NEEDS OF AND LEARNING FROM FRONTLINE COMMUNITIES. WE ARE TRANSFORMING INTO AN ANTI-RACIST ORGANIZATION WITH A CULTURE OF BELONGING AND RESILIENT BUSINESS MODEL, SUPPORTING WORK THAT IS SELF-DETERMINED AND COMMUNITY LED. OUR PROJECTS INCLUDE CO-FOUNDING THE COUNTRY'S FIRST ENVIRONMENTAL BANK; STARTING THE NATION'S FIRST ECOSYSTEM INVESTMENT FUND; CO-CREATING A RANGE OF PROGRAMS AND ORIGINAL RESEARCH IN FISHERIES, FORESTRY, AND FOOD SYSTEMS; AND DEVELOPING NEW SCIENTIFIC AND INFORMATION TOOLS TO IMPROVE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND ENVIRONMENTAL DECISION-MAKING.

Income
$9.9 million
Spending
$11.7 million
Spent on programs
71%
Reserves
14.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 36%
Employees
78
Volunteers
15
Highest pay
$250,569, executive director

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: 85 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 14.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 9% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 18% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 17% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    71% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 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.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    15 of 15 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 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)
  1. $1.7 million spent. EVENTS - ECOTRUST EVENTS CREATES ENGAGEMENTS THAT BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO BUILD NEW CONNECTIONS AND SPARK BIG IDEAS. ECOTRUST EVENTS MANAGES FOUR VENUES IN THE NATURAL CAPITAL CENTER AND THE REDD ON SALMON STREET, OFFERS SAFE CONVENING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARTNERS AND CLIENTS, AND GENERATES OPERATING REVENUE IN SUPPORT OF ECOTRUST'S MISSION. ECOTRUST EVENTS ALSO PRODUCES ECOTRUST ENGAGEMENTS TO TELL IMPORTANT STORIES, RAISE AWARENESS ON CRITICAL ISSUES, CELEBRATE CONNECTIONS, AND INSPIRE MEANINGFUL CHANGE WITHIN OUR REGION.
  2. $1.6 million spent. ECOTRUST INVESTMENTS - ECOTRUST HARNESSES THE POTENTIAL OF A WORKING ENDOWMENT IN CONCERT WITH PRIVATE INVESTMENTS TO CREATE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL WELL-BEING IN OUR REGION, AND BEYOND. ECOTRUST INVESTMENTS IS BOTH A VALUES-ALIGNED FUNDING SOURCE FOR ECOTRUST'S TRANSFORMATIVE WORK, AND A CATALYST THAT BRINGS TRIPLE-BOTTOM-LINE PROJECTS TO LIFE AT A SCALE OF BROADER IMPACT. THROUGH OUR OWN EXPERIENCES LEVERAGING CATALYTIC CAPITAL, WE ARE ABLE TO LEARN FROM THE CHALLENGES AND IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES TO PURSUE TRIPLE-BOTTOM-LINE OUTCOMES, INVITE NEW PARTNERS AND PARTNERSHIPS, BUILD FINANCIAL RESILIENCY, AND ENGAGE IN MISSION-PROPELLING PROJECTS. ECOTRUST INVESTMENTS CONTINUES TO TRANSFORM OUR PORTFOLIO TO FULLY EMBODY OUR VISION OF RESILIENCE, CREATIVITY, INTERGENERATIONAL WEALTH, AND COMMUNITY WELL-BEING.
  3. $2.2 million spent. KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS - OUR KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS TEAM DRAWS ON A DIVERSE TOOLKIT THAT WE USE TO SUPPORT ALL ECOTRUST'S PROGRAM AREAS. WE DEVELOP AND DELIVER DECISION-SUPPORT TOOLS, SPATIAL AND ECONOMIC ANALYSES, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, MEASUREMENT AND EVALUATION SERVICES, DATABASES OF BOTH INDIGENOUS AND WESTERN SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE, AND SUPPORT PARTNERSHIPS FOR MORE RESILIENT COMMUNITIES, ECONOMIES, AND ECOSYSTEMS. WE APPLY A WIDE VARIETY OF APPROACHES AND TOOLS TO HELP OUR STAFF AND PARTNERS COLLECT, ANALYZE, VISUALIZE, AND APPLY COMMUNITY-BASED KNOWLEDGE OF ECOSYSTEMS IN SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONTEXTS. WE VALUE AND SUPPORT PARTICIPATORY APPROACHES TO CO-CREATING, RECORDING, AND INCORPORATING COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE, WITH A CENTRAL ROLE FOR INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND LAND STEWARDSHIP IN SUPPORT OF TRIBAL SOVEREIGNTY. WE USE OUR TOOLKIT TO SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MANAGEMENT DECISIONS, INCLUDING TRIBAL CO-MANAGEMENT OF COASTAL AND TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS, AT APPROPRIATE SCALES. THROUGH OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND CAREER EDUCATION SERVICES, WE APPLY CULTURALLY SPECIFIC APPROACHES TO GROWING BLACK, INDIGENOUS, AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR'S LEADERSHIP IN LAND AND WATER STEWARDSHIP. AND THROUGH OUR MEASUREMENT AND EVALUATION SERVICES, WE ANALYZE AND PRESENT EVIDENCE OF THE IMPACT OF ECOTRUST AND PARTNERS' PROGRAMS AND INVESTMENTS.

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 October 13, 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 November 6, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since October 1995.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 November 4, 2026.

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