Los Angeles Waterkeeper
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
LOS ANGELES WATERKEEPER'S MISSION IS TO FIGHT FOR THE HEALTH OF THE REGION'S WATERWAYS, AND FOR SUSTAINABLE, EQUITABLE AND CLIMATE-FRIENDLY WATER SUPPLIES.
- Income
- $5.4 million
- Spending
- $5.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 92%
- Reserves
- 2.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 68%
- Employees
- 18
- Volunteers
- 1,300
- Highest pay
- $228,827, 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: 71 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.7 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 17% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 5% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1592% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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 60% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 13 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)
- $3.0 million spent. THE POLLUTION PREVENTION PROGRAM IS COMMITTED TO THE ELIMINATION OF ONGOING POLLUTION OF THE LA REGION'S COASTAL AND INLAND WATERS. THE PROGRAM FOCUSES ON REGULATORY AND LEGAL ENFORCEMENT AROUND URBAN AND STORMWATER RUNOFF, INCLUDING ENGAGING COMMUNITIES AND PARTNERS IN THESE EFFORTS, WHILE ALSO TRACKING OTHER SOURCES OF POLLUTION (SEWAGE SPILLS, INDUSTRIAL DISCHARGES) TO ENSURE THERE IS NO BACKSLIDING OF GAINS ALREADY MADE. AS A RESULT OF THESE EFFORTS IN 2024, WE SECURED WELL OVER A MILLION DOLLARS FOR SUPPLEMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS (SEPS) - A TYPE OF LEGAL FINANCIAL SETTLEMENT THAT COMPELS POLLUTERS TO INVEST IN TANGIBLE SOLUTIONS IN THE COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY THEIR ACTIONS. THESE SEPS FREQUENTLY LEND SUPPORT TO LOCAL COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, CONTRIBUTING TO INITIATIVES SUCH AS HABITAT RESTORATION, IMPROVEMENT OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE OR NATIVE FISH HABITATS, AND THE ENHANCEMENT OF WATER RESILIENCE. IN 2024, THE ORGANIZATION TOOK ON 42 NEW INDUSTRIAL STORMWATER CASES, SETTLING 18 OF THEM, RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIVE HALTING OF POLLUTION TO LOCAL WATERWAYS. IN ADDITION, THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUED TO TRACK AND SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS OF SEWAGE SPILLS IN THE REGION, ACTING AS AN ADVOCATE AND WATCHDOG FOR THE PUBLIC INTEREST BY HOLDING AGENCIES ACCOUNTABLE.
- $1.1 million spent. THE SYSTEMS CHANGE PROGRAM WORKS TO ENSURE LOCAL, LOW-CARBON, AND AFFORDABLE WATER SUPPLIES AND WATER-FRIENDLY LAND USE & ENERGY POLICIES BY HOLDING OUR ELECTED AND AGENCY OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE, PROMOTING A 4R (REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE AND RESTORE) APPROACH TO WATER SYSTEMS, AND PARTNERING WITH LIKE-MINDED GROUPS PROMOTING WATER-FRIENDLY LAND-USE, TRANSPORTATION, AND ENERGY POLICIES. A HALLMARK ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THIS PROGRAM WAS HOSTING AN MWD ADVOCACY TRAINING AT THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT, WITH ALMOST 30 DIVERSE ORGANIZATIONS IN ATTENDANCE, AND THE SUBSEQUENT DEVELOPMENT OF THE MWD WATCH NETWORK TO HELP BOLSTER OUR INITIATIVE TO RESHAPE THE METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT INTO AN AGENCY THAT WILL LEAD THE WAY ON LOCAL, CLIMATE RESILIENT WATER SUPPLIES. WE ALSO DEVELOPED TWO CRITICAL REPORTS, ONE OFFERING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REFORMING MWD'S ANTIQUATED BUSINESS MODEL AND THE OTHER WITH FINDINGS FROM A WASTEWATER RECYCLING TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE CONVENING AT UCLA'S LUSKIN CENTER FOR INNOVATION. FOR THE LATTER, WE GATHERED 20 EXPERTS AND 20 AGENCY STAFF TO DISCUSS HOW TO CREATE A TRULY INTEGRATED WASTEWATER RECYCLING SYSTEM IN LA AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. WE CONTINUED OUR WORK AROUND THE SAFE CLEAN WATER PROGRAM INCLUDING IDENTIFYING EXEMPLAR STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN ROUND 6 OF FUNDING WITH THE OURWATERLA COALITION-WHICH WE COORDINATE-AND SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATING FOR A MORE PROACTIVE FUNDING APPROACH FOR THE PROGRAM WHICH LED TO A PROGRAM WIDE WATERSHED PLANNING PROCESS. OUR INFRASTRUCTURE JUSTICE FOR LA CAMPAIGN CULMINATED OUR 2024 WORK WITH A SUCCESSFUL SHOWCASE WITH MORE THAN 100 ATTENDEES THAT WALKED THROUGH MULTI-BENEFIT INFRASTRUCTURE AND POLICY WORK IN LA, THE CHALLENGES OF MULTI-BENEFIT INFRASTRUCTURE, HOW WE MEASURE IMPACT OF PROJECTS, AND SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS IN LA. AND LASTLY, WE REACHED MORE THAN 2 MILLION ANGELENOS THROUGH A BEHAVIOR CHANGE PROGRAM AIMED AT MAKING WATER CONSERVATION A WAY OF LIFE AND REDUCING RESIDENTIAL WATER CONSUMPTION BY 25%.
- $595,684 spent. THE HEALTHY HABITATS PROGRAM WORKS TO ACHIEVE ECOSYSTEM HEALTH AND RESILIENCY FOR ALL THE REGION'S WATERS SO THEY CAN SUPPORT THE COMMUNITIES AND WILDLIFE THAT DEPEND ON THEM. THE ORGANIZATION DOES THIS THROUGH ITS MARINE AND WATERSHED PROGRAMS, WHICH SEEK TO REVITALIZE OUR COASTAL AND RIPARIAN HABITATS THROUGH RESEARCH, FIELDWORK, ENGAGEMENT WITH DIVERSE COMMUNITIES, BROAD-BASED COALITION BUILDING, AND REGULATORY AND LEGAL ENFORCEMENT AND ADVOCACY. WE CONTINUED ADVOCATING FOR A HEALTHY AND RESILIENT LA RIVER BY COMPLETING A COMPREHENSIVE LITERATURE REVIEW OF EXISTING PLANNING DOCUMENTS AND SCIENTIFIC STUDIES RELATED TO THE LA RIVER, AS WELL AS ENGAGING DOZENS OF SCIENTIFIC EXPERTS SPECIALIZING IN LA RIVER ISSUES, TO ASSESS THE POTENTIAL FOR CONCRETE REMOVAL FROM THE RIVER CHANNEL AND RESTORATION TO A NATURAL FORM. WE ALSO EXPANDED OUR RIVER ASSESSMENT FIELD TEAM (RAFT) PROGRAMS, WHICH ENGAGED 300+ VOLUNTEERS IN MONITORING THE HEALTH OF THE LA RIVER, INCLUDING TESTING FOR THE PRESENCE OF PFAS AND COLIFORM BACTERIA. WITH OVER 1,000 MORE VOLUNTEERS HELPING COLLECT POLLUTION DATA ON AND REMOVE THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OF TRASH FROM AREA RIVERS, CREEKS, AND BEACHES.
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since May 1994.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.