PLATINUM2023

COLUMBIA RIVERKEEPER

Clean Water - Healthy Rivers - Our Future

HOOD RIVER, OR   |  www.columbiariverkeeper.org

Mission

To protect and restore the water quality of the Columbia River and all life connected to it, from the headwaters to the Pacific Ocean.

Ruling year info

1994

Executive Director

Lauren Goldberg

Main address

PO Box 950

HOOD RIVER, OR 97031 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

91-1583492

NTEE code info

Alliance/Advocacy Organizations (C01)

Pollution Abatement and Control Services (C20)

Environmental Quality, Protection, and Beautification N.E.C. (C99)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Communication

Blog

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

All along the Columbia River, we work with people in dozens of communities—rural and urban—with the same goals: protecting the health of their families and the places they love. We enforce environmental laws to stop illegal pollution, protect salmon habitat, and challenge harmful fossil fuel terminals. Legal work makes a difference. But lawsuits alone do not create the change we need. Change comes when people organize and stand together for something they believe in. Power shifts when conversations around kitchen tables grow into successful campaigns.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Stopping Pollution

We take polluters to court, advocate for stronger laws to reduce toxic pollution, and push government agencies to take action for clean water. Our goals include:

·Reduce toxic pollution so people can safely eat fish.
·Protect salmon and other fish and wildlife from pollution.
·Work with community members to advocate for clean drinking water (groundwater and surface water).

Population(s) Served
Adults

We are fighting back against stunning new fossil fuel infrastructure projects threatening the Columbia River—and winning! Our goals include:

·Protect the Columbia River from fossil fuel infrastructure with a focus on opportunities to work in solidarity with Tribal Nations, BIPOC organizations, and impacted communities.
·Promote policies and legislation that restrict fossil fuel development in the Columbia Basin, including terminals, pipelines, and facilities that increase the region’s dependence on fossil fuels.

Population(s) Served
Adults

From water quality monitoring to grassroots organizing, we motivate and organize amazing people who care about clean water, safe communities, and strong salmon runs. Our goals include:

·Educate and inspire people to care about the Columbia River, clean water, pollution, salmon, and people who rely on locally-caught fish.
·Engage in stewardship activities to improve habitat and water quality.
·Build and maintain relationships with Latine communities to improve outreach and engagement on river issues; and work in solidarity on select social justice issues.
·Encourage active fishing and swimming in the Columbia and tributaries by collecting and sharing results from water quality monitoring.

Population(s) Served
Adults

We fight to protect salmon from toxic pollution, hot water, habitat loss, and dangerous fossil fuel proposals. Our goals include:

·Promote policies and legislation that improve the health and recovery of salmon, steelhead, and orca populations.
·Support Tribal Nations access to harvestable salmon runs and their meaningful input in regional decisions about salmon recovery and management.
·Improve public understanding of leading causes of salmon declines.

Population(s) Served
Adults

We partner with Tribal Nations to push for faster and better nuclear waste cleanup adjacent to the Columbia River. Our goals include:

·Support a Hanford Nuclear Site cleanup that protects the Columbia and upholds Treaty Rights.
·Work in solidarity with Yakama Nation, including supporting a part-time outreach position; increase solidarity work with other Tribes and tribal-member led entities engaged on Hanford cleanup; and increase outreach and engagement to Latine communities near Hanford.

Population(s) Served
Adults

Where we work

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Number of petition signatures

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Ethnic and racial groups, Social and economic status

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Number of students educated through field trips

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Age groups, People of Latin American descent, Social and economic status

Related Program

Engaging River Communities

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Context Notes

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all field trips were canceled for the 2020 school year and were limited during 2021.

Number of organizational partners

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Type of Metric

Input - describing resources we use

Direction of Success

Increasing

Number of volunteers

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Type of Metric

Input - describing resources we use

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Context Notes

Due to the COVID 19 pandemic, Columbia Riverkeeper did not hold any volunteer events in 2020 or 2021.

Number of media articles reflecting preferred issue framing

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Type of Metric

Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Our Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

Our organizational goals include: (1) implementing antiracist strategies and promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in environmental decisions and our actions; (2) combating climate change and other impacts of fossil fuel development by opposing fossil fuel infrastructure and promoting a just transition from fossil fuels; (3) improving water quality in the Columbia River by reducing toxic pollution in the Columbia, its fish, and subsequently, the people who rely on those fish; and (4) inspiring diverse communities throughout the Columbia River basin to care for, use, and take action protecting clean water and our climate.

Columbia Riverkeeper utilizes strategic coalition-building, grassroots organizing, strong policy work, and volunteers to protect clean water and community health. We have five primary program areas designed to protect Columbia River communities and habitat from highly-polluting threats, such as fossil fuel terminals and intensive industrial development; restore our right to clean water and healthy fish by reducing toxic pollution and restoring contaminated sites; and care for the river by providing hands-on opportunities for people to engage. Our programs directly serve over 6000 people per year and our work is powered by 16,000 members and regional foundations.

1) Strategic advocacy. Our in-house legal team is top-notch and embraces the strength of synergy with community organizing. Our staff attorneys regularly present at legal conferences (as well as Grange halls and church basements)

2) Our people. We have low staff turnover, many of our program staff have worked for Riverkeeper for five to ten years. This consistency matters because our campaigns are long and relationships drive our work. In a front-page feature on Riverkeeper several years ago, The Daily News, southwest Washington's leading newspaper, stated: "Riverkeeper, opponents admit, is strikingly well-organized, adept at maneuvering through the nation's legal and regulatory structure and surprisingly successful at gaining the trust of public officials."

3) Local action. Riverkeeper is regularly featured in national media, including stories in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Los Angeles Times, because we work on important climate and clean water issues. Yet, we remain a place-based organization that makes long-term investments in community organizing without taking shortcuts. Our membership doubled in the last five years to 12,000 individual donors. This growth is due to high-profile victories, but also to the relationships we have built in a dozen communities.

Columbia Riverkeeper achieved major victories for clean water. Riverkeeper reduced toxic pollution discharges, defeated dangerous fossil fuel terminals, protected key fish and wildlife habitat, and engaged people in hands-on stewardship activities.

Financials

COLUMBIA RIVERKEEPER
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build 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.

COLUMBIA RIVERKEEPER

Board of directors
as of 06/07/2023
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Emily Washines

Linda McLain

Ted Wolf

Marta Yera Cronin

Alanna Nanegos

Rudy Salakory

David Spurr

Brett VandenHeuvel

Sue Vosburg

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • 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 ? Not applicable
  • 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

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 2/15/2023
info Candid has made improvements to the race and ethnicity options.

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
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Female

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

Disability

We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.

Equity strategies

Last updated: 02/15/2023

GuideStar 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

Data
  • We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
  • We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
  • We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
  • We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
  • We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
  • 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.