WINYAH RIVERS FOUNDATION, INC.
Fishable, Swimmable, Drinkable Water for Our Families and Our Future
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Protecting clean water for the benefit of our families and our future in the greater Winyah Bay watershed (aka Lower Pee Dee Basin, Hydrologic Unit Code 030402). Winyah Rivers is an alliance of Riverkeepers protecting fishable, swimmable, drinkable water in our local rivers. Protecting clean water protects our families and our future.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Water Monitoring Program
Engaging community members in water quality monitoring on the Waccamaw in North and South Carolina.
Community Environmental Stewardship
Engaging the community in river cleanups and education/outreach opportunities within the watershed over which we watch.
Clean and Safe Energy Campaign
We are actively involved in efforts to reduce negative water impacts stemming from fossil fuel energy. Specifically we are focused on coal ash and hydraulic fracturing (fracking), cleaning up its water pollution and preventing future pollution.
Pure Farms, Pure Waters Campaign
In North Carolina, we are working with Waterkeeper Alliance and other NC Riverkeepers to implement an unprecedented strategic, state-wide campaign to regulate pollution from multinational and national corporate-controlled swine, poultry and dairy facilities, which are devastating rivers, lakes and estuaries across North Carolina.
Protecting Water through Land Conservation
Working with our land conservation partners, we are actively engaged in identifying priority lands for conservation for the benefit of clean water and healthy communities, both natural and human.
Where we work
Awards
Civic Group of the Year 2007
South Carolina Litter Control Association
Nonprofit of the Year 2011
Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce
Water Conservationist of the Year 2012
South Carolina Wildlife Federation
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of donations made by board members
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Age groups, Ethnic and racial groups
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Our volunteer Board of Directors financially supports our nonprofit, serve on various Board committees, and offer in kind services to support our mission to protect clean water and healthy habitats.
Total revenue earned to support advocacy efforts
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Age groups, Ethnic and racial groups
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Membership contributions, fundraising events and grants provide the necessary funds for our staff and our programs to advocate for fishable, swimmable, drinkable water for our families and our future.
Total number of volunteer hours contributed to the organization
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Age groups, Ethnic and racial groups
Type of Metric
Input - describing resources we use
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Our volunteers are the lifeblood of our organization and include water monitors, river cleanup crews, event planners, etc. We intend to track this metric beginning with 2017 estimates.
Number of public events held to further mission
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Age groups, Ethnic and racial groups
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Mission awareness is bolstered through our public events (e.g., cleanups, water monitoring conferences, fundraisers, speaking engagements), raising our public presence in the communities we serve.
Number of acres of land protected
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Age groups, Ethnic and racial groups
Related Program
Protecting Water through Land Conservation
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Long involved as a stakeholder in land conservation, we are advancing our mission through direct land ownership and continue our stakeholder relationship with other land conservation entities.
Number of stakeholders/stakeholder groups with whom communication has been achieved and expectations shared
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Age groups, Ethnic and racial groups
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Groups such as water monitoring, polluted runoff prevention, river cleanups, land conservation, source water protection, conservation coalitions, community groups, expand our impact in our watersheds.
Area of land, in hectares, directly controlled by the organization and under sustainable cultivation or sustainable stewardship
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
American Indians, People of African descent, Multiracial people, People of European descent
Related Program
Protecting Water through Land Conservation
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Rocky Point Community Forest is owned by us. We work in partnership with government and NGOs to advance sustainable conservation of its important resources and to increase recreational opportunities.
Number of conservation actions at site(s)
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Water Monitoring Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
At least one conservation action has taken place on each of our 7 river watersheds in the greater Winyah Bay watershed, including protection of water quality, wetlands, wetland/upland forests.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
To protect clean water and our community's right to fishable, swimmable and drinkable water for our families and our future. To hold polluters accountable. To protect healthy communities, both human and natural.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Advocating for protection of clean water and healthy habitats, both human and natural. Educating the community on current water quality conditions and threats and engaging the community in river protection efforts. Our Strategic Direction is the driving factor for ensuring that our organization's mission is accomplished. We have established an Endowment Fund to ensure the long term sustainability of our organization.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Our staff has the technical expertise to accomplish our goal and strategies and works closely with our partners/collaborators including our community volunteers and partner organizations (both non-governmental and governmental). Our organization hosts the Waccamaw RIVERKEEPER® Program (since 2001) and the Lumber RIVERKEEPER® Program (since 2018) and advocates for the protection of clean water and healthy habitats in both of these important watersheds within the greater Winyah Bay watershed. Our members and foundations support us financially and we are currently implementing a strategic direction for long-term sustainability for our next decades so that we can expand our influence throughout the greater Winyah Bay watershed.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Our organization has made great advancements in the knowledge of current water quality conditions of our local rivers, threats and their impacts to their use and enjoyment. Using social media, traditional media and other outreach strategies, our organization is known as the voice of the river and participates in all major decisions regarding the land/water connection within our community. We are proud to host the Waccamaw RIVERKEEPER® Program and the Lumber RIVERKEEPER® Program, with advocates dedicated to protecting clean water and healthy habitats in these two important watersheds. We have significant influence on the Black River watershed in SC through our land conservation work there. We have projects on the Pee Dee and Lynches watersheds. However, we need to expand our area of influence to other communities within our greater Winyah Bay watershed, reaching out to new and diverse audiences, gaining new members and partners and collaborating on education and advocacy projects to support our mission of river protection within the watershed over which we watch.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
WINYAH RIVERS FOUNDATION, INC.
Board of directorsas of 01/31/2024
Dan Hitchcock
Ripple Environmental LLC
Term: 2024 - 2024
Richard Moore
No affiliation
Term: 2024 - 2026
Dan Hitchcock
Clay Swenson
Richard Moore
Michelle Lewis
Tom Badgett
Reggie Daves
Betty Gause
Amy Hill
Dana Shields
David Shane Lowry
April Cain
Matt Varnadore
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 09/12/2019GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.