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Nonprofiteer
← AMERICAN WHITEWATER

Form 990 for tax year 2023

Filed by AMERICAN WHITEWATER.

This return was superseded by a later amendment. matched by us It is kept because history is preserved rather than replaced.

What the amendment changed

Compared with the latest return for 2023 , filed 23 March 2026. matched by us Only the Part I totals and the names listed in Part VII are compared. We relate returns by organization, tax year and form, and order them by each return's own timestamp; the filer's own "amended return" checkbox is a separate fact.

Contributions and grants received
$2,283,660 changed to $2,251,160
Program service revenue
$0 changed to $32,500

Totals

Total revenue
$2,419,301
Total expenses
$2,069,402
Contributions and grants received
$2,283,660
Grants paid
$0
Program service revenue
$0
Investment income
$30,286
Other revenue
$105,355
Total assets, end of year
$2,519,344
Total liabilities, end of year
$270,757
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$2,248,587
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$1,573,095
Management and general expenses
$386,600
Fundraising expenses
$109,707
Program service expenses (Part III)
$1,573,095

Program services were 76.0% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1b · Membership dues

    $488,840

  • 1c · Fundraising events

    $9,740

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $108,557

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $1,676,523

  • 1g · Noncash contributions included above

    $48,005

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $29,038 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $29,038

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    securities $1,248

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities $1,248

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total $1,248 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $1,248

  • 8a · Fundraising events: gross income

    $149,774

  • 8a · Fundraising events: contributions included on line 1c

    $9,740

  • 8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

    $94,060

  • 8c · Net income from fundraising events

    total $55,714 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $55,714

  • 10a · Gross sales of inventory

    $65,836

  • 10b · Cost of goods sold

    $19,853

  • 10c · Net income from sales of inventory

    total $45,983 · related or exempt $45,983

  • 11a · Other revenue: Miscellaneous

    total $3,658 · related or exempt $0 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $3,658

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $3,658

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $115,769 · program services $96,088 · management and general $16,208 · fundraising $3,473

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $856,473 · program services $711,734 · management and general $121,245 · fundraising $23,494

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $156,840 · program services $130,333 · management and general $22,199 · fundraising $4,308

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $79,995 · program services $66,468 · management and general $11,311 · fundraising $2,216

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $15,017 · program services $12,520 · management and general $106 · fundraising $2,391

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $14,870 · program services $2,441 · management and general $12,429 · fundraising $0

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $319,375 · program services $235,317 · management and general $69,601 · fundraising $14,457

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $28,281 · program services $20,080 · management and general $5,939 · fundraising $2,262

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $168,196 · program services $94,925 · management and general $62,576 · fundraising $10,695

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $32,635 · program services $23,171 · management and general $6,853 · fundraising $2,611

  • 17 · Travel

    total $102,077 · program services $72,475 · management and general $21,436 · fundraising $8,166

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $13,281 · program services $9,430 · management and general $2,789 · fundraising $1,062

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $31,537 · program services $22,391 · management and general $6,623 · fundraising $2,523

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $9,414 · program services $0 · management and general $8,661 · fundraising $753

  • 24a · Other expenses: Equipment Rental and Repairs

    total $11,080 · program services $7,867 · management and general $2,327 · fundraising $886

  • 24b · Other expenses: Membership Expenses

    total $54,687 · program services $27,070 · management and general $214 · fundraising $27,403

  • 24c · Other expenses: Land/Access Point Improvement

    total $2,262 · program services $1,606 · management and general $475 · fundraising $181

  • 24d · Other expenses: Event Expenses

    total $14,101 · program services $14,101 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0

  • 24e · All other expenses

    total $43,512 · program services $25,078 · management and general $15,608 · fundraising $2,826

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $1,135,463 · end of year $1,398,283

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $173,658 · end of year $239,666

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $27,649 · end of year $120,401

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $19,583

  • 8 · Inventories for sale or use

    beginning of year $33,668 · end of year $30,083

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $27,679 · end of year $17,722

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $258,723

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $125,225

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $151,784 · end of year $133,498

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $637,330 · end of year $579,691

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $115,008 · end of year $99,377

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    beginning of year $217,528 · end of year $171,380

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $1,458,802 · end of year $1,491,016

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $415,476 · end of year $757,571

Mission and programs · 2023

Mission

As a national river conservation nonprofit, our mission is to protect and restore Americas whitewater rivers and to enhance opportunities to enjoy them safely.

Activities or mission (Part I)

American Whitewater (AW) is the primary advocate for the preservation & protection of whitewater rivers throughout the U.S.

  • Conservation and Access: American Whitewaters core mission-related work is the conservation, restoration, and responsible management of whitewater rivers. In 2023 American Whitewater helped introduce legislation to designate over 1400 miles of National Wild and Scenic Rivers (NM, CA, MT, WA), as well as conservation legislation for the Dolores River in CO and several areas in OR. American Whitewater supported the creation of the 1.1 million acre Baaj Nwaavjo Itah Kukveni - Ancestral Footprints Grand Canyon National Monument. Through engaging in National Forest planning American Whitewater secured Wild and Scenic eligible status for 600 miles of streams in CA and NC. American Whitewater directly participated in management decisions that improved flows and river access associated with dams on at least 33 rivers across

    Expenses $1,573,095

  • the country. Flows were restored to the Great Falls of the Catawba River in 2023 based on two decades of work by American Whitewater. In addition, American Whitewater celebrated the removal of Copco 2 Dam on the Klamath River, and ensured river access was part of the removal plan. American Whitewater secured nine new river access areas (SC, CA, OR, WA), helped secure funding for additional access in OR and UT, and secured a new stream gauge on the Colorado River. Lastly, we worked successfully to reverse paddling prohibitions at whitewater boat ramps in CO. All told these efforts benefited several thousand miles of spectacular rivers and hundreds of thousands of river enthusiasts.

  • Public Education American Whitewater educates the paddling community, general public, federal agencies, and decision makers on river stewardship issues and opportunities through several outlets. American Whitewater maintains and posts weekly content on the go-to website of the paddling community. Our website features news, action alerts, and descriptions of roughly 5,800 whitewater river reaches. The organization also reaches over 50,000 people through action alerts and monthly email newsletters, and regularly posts to a Facebook page with over 35,000 followers. American Whitewaters roughly 7,000 members and over 80 affiliate clubs receive our print journal published five times per year. American Whitewater conducted several online trainings related to river access and presented on Wild and Scenic Rivers, fish barriers, and river access law at online conferences and events. American Whitewater educated the public on responsible river use through the Paddle Wise program, through the production of two new river safety films, and through a new open-source river safety signage project. Lastly, we worked to deepen and broaden our education and engagement on the rich tribal context of whitewater rivers.

As filed on the 2023 return.

Listed in Part VII

  • Clinton Begley

    Executive Director

    Total calculated
    $115,769
    From this org
    $100,000
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $15,769
    Hours/week
    40

  • Brent Austin

    President

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Erin Savage

    Vice President

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Bruce Lessels

    Treasurer

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Megi Morishita

    Secretary

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Melissa Driver

    At-Large

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Chris Tulley

    At-Large

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Susan Hollingsworth Elliot

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • April Montgomery

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Greg Lee

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Chris Neuenschwander

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Brian Jacobson

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Christopher Hest

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2023
Filed
6 November 2024
IRS schema version
2023v5.1
Source object
202413139349302581

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