Form 990 for tax year 2022

Totals

Total revenue

$2,551,124

Total expenses

$2,477,493

Contributions and grants received

$2,317,939

Grants paid

$249,001

Program service revenue

$0

Investment income

$23,314

Other revenue

$209,871

Total assets, end of year

$5,468,055

Total liabilities, end of year

$273,736

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$5,194,319

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$2,208,003

Management and general expenses

$60,230

Fundraising expenses

$209,260

Program service expenses (Part III)

$2,208,003

Program services were 89.1% 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.

Mission and programs · 2022

• FIGHTING FOSSIL FUELSRIVERKEEPER HAS WORKED WITH TRIBAL NATIONS, LOCAL BUSINESSES, STRONG COALITIONS, AND AMAZING PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN RIVER COMMUNITIES TO DEFEAT NEARLY EVERY NEW FOSSIL FUEL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT ON THE COLUMBIA. THIS INCLUDES THE WORLDS LARGEST FRACKED GAS TO METHANOL REFINERY, THE NATIONS LARGEST OIL-BY-RAIL SHIPPING TERMINAL, AND THE NATIONS LARGEST COAL EXPORT TERMINAL. OUR WORK IS NOT DONE, BUT 2022 MARKED A YEAR OF VICTORIES AND MOVEMENT BUILDING.BOTTOMLINE: PREVENTING NEW FOSSIL FUEL INFRASTRUCTURE IS A CRITICAL TASK TO PROTECT OUR CLIMATE. IF FOSSIL FUEL CORPORATIONS BUILD NEW INFRASTRUCTURESHIPPING TERMINALS, PIPELINES, REFINERIESTHEY WILL LOCK US INTO DECADES OF FOSSIL FUEL USE AT A TIME WHEN WE MUST RAPIDLY MOVE TOWARD CLEAN ENERGY AND FEWER PETROCHEMICALS. IN 2022, RIVERKEEPER AND ALLIES CELEBRATED A MAJOR VICTORY WHEN BACKERS OF A CONTROVERSIAL FOSSIL FUEL PROCESSING AND EXPORT PROPOSAL IN COLUMBIA COUNTY, OREGON, OFFICIALLY ABANDONED ITS FRACKED GAS REFINERY AND PIPELINE PROPOSAL, TERMINATING THE COMPANYS LEASE WITH THE PORT OF COLUMBIA COUNTY. THE DECISION COMES AFTER YEARS OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL ACTIVISM TO STOP A SIMILAR, MASSIVE FRACKED GAS REFINERY IN KALAMA, WASHINGTON. RIVERKEEPER ALSO RAMPED UP A CAMPAIGN TO STOP FRACKED GAS INFRASTRUCTURE EXPANSION: TC ENERGYS GTN GAS PIPELINE EXPANSION PROPOSAL. WE CONTINUED TO PLAY A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN COMMUNITY ORGANIZING, LEGAL, AND COMMUNICATIONS EFFORTS TO STOP THE PROPOSED GTN PIPELINE EXPANSION, AN EXISTING FRACKED GAS PIPELINE THROUGH WASHINGTON, IDAHO, OREGON, AND CALIFORNIA THAT, IF EXPANDED, WOULD UNDERMINE THE WEST COASTS CLIMATE COMMITMENTS. RIVERKEEPER ALSO PARTNERED WITH FARMERS, BUSINESS OWNERS, AND RESIDENTS IN COLUMBIA COUNTY, OREGON, TO OPPOSE PLANS TO REZONE OVER 800 ACRES ADJACENT TO PRIME SALMON HABITAT AT PORT WESTWARD FROM AGRICULTURAL TO INDUSTRIAL. THE REZONE WOULD PAVE THE WAY FOR MORE POLLUTION AND HABITAT DESTRUCTION. RIVERKEEPER SUPPORTED COMMUNITY ORGANIZING AND PROVIDED LEGAL PROWESS TO PROTECT SALMON AND FARMLAND. WE ALSO ADVOCATED AGAINST A NON-CONVENTIONAL DIESEL REFINERY AT PORT WESTWARD WHICH, IF BUILT, WOULD BECOME ONE OF THE TOP TEN GREENHOUSE GAS POLLUTERS IN OREGON. IN PORTLAND, RIVERKEEPER AND ALLIES HELPED PREVENT THE EXPANSION OF ZENITH ENERGYS OIL-BY-RAIL SHIPPING TERMINAL. OIL-BY-RAIL IS BAD FOR PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, OUR CLIMATE, AND CLEAN WATER. FOR YEARS, RIVERKEEPERS TEAM OF GRASSROOTS COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS AND ATTORNEYS WORKED WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO ADVOCATE FOR AN END TO ZENITHS DANGEROUS OIL-BY-RAIL OPERATIONS. IN 2022, RIVERKEEPER AND OUR PARTNERS LAUNCHED A SUCCESSFUL PUBLIC-ENGAGEMENT SERIES IN NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS PORTLAND AND CRAFTED NEW LEGAL STRATEGIES IN RESPONSE TO THE CITY OF PORTLAND CHANGING COURSE ON REGULATING ZENITH. OUR WORK CONTINUES.IN FALL 2022, WE CELEBRATED A HUGE VICTORY: AFTER A MULTI-YEAR CAMPAIGN AND LITIGATION, RIVERKEEPER AND ALLIES PREVAILED OVER THE CONTROVERSIAL PERENNIAL WINDCHASER, A 415-MW FRACKED GAS POWER PLANT PROPOSED IN UMATILLA COUNTY, OREGON. IF CONSTRUCTED, PERENNIAL WOULD HAVE EMITTED MORE THAN ONE MILLION TONS OF GREENHOUSE GASSES PER YEAR, MAKING IT THE SIXTH LARGEST STATIONARY SOURCE OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS IN THE STATE.RIVERKEEPER ALSO WORKED IN RIVER COMMUNITIES TO ADVOCATE FOR CLIMATE ACTION AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS. IN COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WE SECURED A BIG WIN WHEN THE CITY OF VANCOUVER ADOPTED A PERMANENT FOSSIL FUEL INFRASTRUCTURE ORDINANCE. WE CONTINUED TO WORK WITH PEOPLE ACROSS PORTLAND TO ENSURE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PORTLAND FOSSIL FUEL ORDINANCE.

  Expenses $835,071

• SAVING SALMONRIVERKEEPER WORKS TO PROTECT SALMON BY REDUCING POLLUTION, PROTECTING AND RESTORING HABITAT, AND ADVOCATING FOR DAM REMOVAL. THE COLUMBIA ONCE PRODUCED MORE SALMON THAN ANY RIVER ON EARTH. AN ESTIMATED 16 MILLION SALMON RETURNED TO THE COLUMBIA FROM THE OCEAN EACH YEAR, AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE SUSTAINABLY HARVESTED THESE SALMON SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL. THE COLUMBIA STILL SUPPORTS IMPORTANT SUBSISTENCE, COMMERCIAL, AND RECREATIONAL SALMON FISHERIES. COLUMBIA RIVER SALMON ARE ALSO FOOD FOR CRITICALLY ENDANGERED SOUTHERN RESIDENT ORCAS AND OTHER WILDLIFE. TODAY, COLUMBIA RIVER SALMON POPULATIONS ARE A FRACTION OF THEIR HISTORIC SIZE. DESPITE THE DAMS AND OTHER THREATS, SOME COLUMBIA RIVER SALMON STILL SURVIVE, ALTHOUGH MANY POPULATIONS ARE CLOSE TO EXTINCTION. IN 2022, RIVERKEEPER WORKED WITH PEOPLE WHO LIVE ALONG THE COLUMBIA TO PROTECT KEY SALMON HABITAT FROM INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AND OTHER THREATS, INCLUDING FOSSIL FUEL INFRASTRUCTURE (SEE BELOW), NEW SHIPPING TERMINALS, AND CHEMICAL PLANTS. THIS INCLUDED DEEPENING OUR LONG RUNNING WORK TO PROTECT THE COLUMBIA RIVER ESTUARY, AN ESTUARY OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE UNDER FEDERAL LAW AND HOME TO SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SALMON HABITAT IN THE WORLD. RIVERKEEPER WORKED WITH TRIBES AND RIVER COMMUNITIES TO ENGAGE IN IMPORTANT DECISIONS THAT IMPACT THE ESTUARYS HEALTH FOR GENERATIONS, INCLUDING PROPOSALS TO BUILD MASSIVE, NEW HEAVY-INDUSTRIAL PORTS IN COLUMBIA COUNTY, OREGON, AND COWLITZ COUNTY, WASHINGTON. RIVERKEEPER ALSO ADVOCATED FOR DAM REMOVAL AND DAM-OPERATION CHANGES TO PROTECT SALMON AND THE CULTURES THAT RELY ON THEM. FOR EXAMPLE, IN 2022 WE WORKED WITH TRIBES AND PARTNERS TO SECURE BIG WINS FOR FISH PASSAGE ON THE LEWIS RIVER. THE LEWIS RIVER BASIN IS FAMOUS FOR SALMON, STUNNING WATERFALLS, BIG TREES, BLURRY BIGFOOT SIGHTINGS, AND HYDROELECTRIC POWER. ON ITS WAY TO THE MIGHTY COLUMBIA, THE LEWIS RIVER FLOWS THROUGH THREE LARGE RESERVOIRS: YALE, SWIFT, AND MERLIN. THESE RESERVOIRS PROVIDE ELECTRICITY AND RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. BUT THE DAMS ALSO STOP LEWIS RIVER SALMON AND STEELHEAD FROM REACHING THEIR NATIVE SPAWNING STREAMS. WE SUCCESSFULLY WORKED IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE COWLITZ TRIBE AND YAKAMA NATION TO ADVOCATE FOR COMPLETION OF FISH PASSAGE THROUGHOUT THE LEWIS RIVER BASIN.RIVERKEEPER MADE STRONG PROGRESS IN 2022 TO ADDRESS THE HOT WATER CRISES ON THE COLUMBIA RIVER. WHY? HOT WATER, CAUSED BY DAMS AND EXACERBATED BY CLIMATE CHANGE, IS KILLING COLUMBIA AND SNAKE RIVER SALMON. THE RIVERS ARE SIMPLY TOO HOT. SOUTHERN RESIDENT ORCAS FEED ON SALMON AT THE MOUTH OF THE COLUMBIA DURING CRITICAL MONTHS BEFORE CHILDBIRTH. THE LACK OF SALMON CAUSES STARVING ORCAS AND THE TRAGIC LOSS OF ORCA CALVES. THE FEDERAL AGENCIES IN CHARGE ARE NOT SOLVING THE PROBLEM. THROUGH STRATEGIC MEDIA, INSPIRING EVENTS, AND LITIGATION, WE SOUNDED THE ALARM ON THE HOT-WATER CRISIS ON THE COLUMBIA. THIS INCLUDED USING THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT, NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT, AND CLEAN WATER ACT TO FORCE FEDERAL AGENCIES TO ADDRESS TEMPERATURE IMPACTS ON ADULT SALMON MIGRATION.RIVERKEEPER ALSO ADVOCATED TO RESTORE SALMON BY REMOVING THE FOUR LOWER SNAKE RIVER DAMS. TOGETHER WITH TRIBES AND OUR PARTNERS, WE PUT SIGNIFICANT PRESSURE ON NORTHWEST LEADERS AND THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TO REMOVE THESE DAMS, RESTORE SALMON AND ORCAS, HONOR TRIBAL RIGHTS, AND REPLACE THE DAMS SERVICES. THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION COMMITTED TO CHARTING A DURABLE PATH FORWARD ON THIS ISSUE, AND LEADERS FROM THE STATE OF WASHINGTON ACKNOWLEDGED THAT SNAKE RIVER DAM REMOVAL IS THE BEST WAY TO PREVENT EXTINCTION. WE STILL HAVE A LONG ROAD AHEAD, BUT WE ARE GAINING MOMENTUM. FOR EXAMPLE, OVER 70 BUSINESSES JOINED RIVERKEEPERS LETTER TO OREGON ELECTED OFFICIALS ASKING THEM TO SUPPORT REMOVING THE LOWER SNAKE RIVER DAMS. THROUGHOUT OUR SAVING SALMON EFFORTS, RIVERKEEPER ENDEAVORED TO IMPROVE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE PRIMARY CAUSES OF SALMON DECLINES, INCLUDING COMBATING THE RACIST NARRATIVE OF TRIBAL FISHING AS A LEADING CAUSE OF THE EXTINCTION CRISIS.

  Expenses $308,546

• ENGAGING COMMUNITIESTHE PANDEMIC DISCONNECTED PEOPLE FROM THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND IN SOME CASES THE COLUMBIA. ACROSS ALL OF OUR PROGRAM AREAS, RIVERKEEPER ENGAGES COMMUNITIES. THROUGH THE ENGAGING COMMUNITIES PROGRAM, WE AIM TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO THE RIVER AND CELEBRATE THE DIVERSE, VIBRANT CULTURES WITHIN RIVER COMMUNITIES. THIS INCLUDES MONITORING THE RIVER TO GIVE PEOPLE THE CONFIDENCE TO SWIM WHEN AND WHERE IT IS SAFE. THE REALITY: GOVERNMENT AGENCIES DONT ROUTINELY MONITOR WATER QUALITY IN THE COLUMBIALET ALONE MAKE DATA EASILY ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES. WITH ACCESS TO WATER QUALITY DATA AND CULTURALLY-INFORMED MESSAGING, PEOPLE CAN MAKE CHOICES TO USE THE RIVERAND GET INSPIRED TO FIGHT FOR CLEAN WATER. THE ENGAGING COMMUNITIES PROGRAM ALSO USES IN-PERSON AND ONLINE EDUCATION AND A RADIO SHOW TO CONNECT WITH THE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES WHO CALL THE COLUMBIA HOME.IN 2022, RIVERKEEPER CONTINUED TO EXPAND OUR OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS TO LATINA/O/X COMMUNITIES, WITH A FOCUS ON RELATIONSHIP-BUILDING IN THE COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE. THIS INCLUDES DOING CULTURALLY SPECIFIC OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT, PRODUCING BILINGUAL RADIO SHOWS AND PODCASTS, CALLED CONOCE TU COLUMBIA (KNOW YOUR COLUMBIA), ON ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES, AND PROVIDING ADDITIONAL MATERIALS IN SPANISH. RIVERKEEPERS POPULAR WATER-QUALITY MONITORING PROGRAM GREW IN POPULARITY AND REACH IN 2022. WE MONITORED 20 COLUMBIA RIVER AND TRIBUTARY BEACHES AND SHARED INFORMATION ON SWIM GUIDE IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES. WE ALSO LAUNCHED A HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS (HABS) VISUAL MONITORING PROJECT TO ADDRESS AN EMERGING POLLUTION ISSUE ON THE COLUMBIA AND ITS TRIBUTARIES. RIVERKEEPER ALSO DEVELOPED EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND WEBPAGES AND SOCIAL MEDIA MATERIALS ALERTING PEOPLE TO THE RISKS OF HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS AND EDUCATING THEM ON WAYS TO PROTECT BOTH PEOPLE AND PETS. RAISING AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING WILL HELP TO PROTECT PEOPLE WHO RELY ON LOCAL RIVERS.RIVERKEEPER ALSO BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER THROUGH COMMUNITY CLEANUP EVENTS ALONG THE RIVER, CONDUCTED OUTREACH TO DIVERSE COMMUNITIES, RESTORED HABITAT, AND EDUCATED STUDENTS THROUGH THE POPULAR NICHOLS NATURAL AREA PROJECT IN THE COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE. THE NICHOLS PROJECT PROVIDES HANDS-ON ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION TO HUNDREDS OF LOCAL STUDENTS, PROVIDING THEM WITH THE AWARENESS, TOOLS, AND STRATEGIES TO REDUCE POLLUTION IN THEIR COMMUNITY.

  Expenses $270,085

As filed on the 2022 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

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. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

• BREACH COLLECTIVE

  $45,501

  FOSSIL FUEL PROJECT

• ROGUE CLIMATE

  $32,000

  FOSSIL FUEL PROJECT

• 350 TACOMA

  $28,000

  FOSSIL FUEL PROJECT

• WASHINGTON ENVIRONMENTAL COUN

  $22,000

  FOSSIL FUEL PROJECT

• NATIVE DAILY NETWORK

  $20,000

  FOSSIL FUEL PROJECT

• 350 DESCHUTES

  $17,000

  FOSSIL FUEL PROJECT

• SOCIAL GOOD FUND

  $17,000

  FOSSIL FUEL PROJECT

• SAVE CALIFORNIA SALMON

  $15,000

  FOSSIL FUEL PROJECT

• 350 PDX

  $11,000

  FOSSIL FUEL PROJECT

• 350 SEATTLE

  $10,000

  FOSSIL FUEL PROJECT

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2022

Filed

4 October 2023

IRS schema version

2022v5.0

Source object

202302789349300035

Check it against the return as filed: the GivingTuesday Data Lake hosts a public copy of the original XML.

The source document this was parsed from is served over the API, which is where bulk and document access live.