Form 990 for tax year 2023

Totals

Total revenue

$997,450

Total expenses

$907,220

Contributions and grants received

$943,302

Grants paid

$0

Program service revenue

$0

Investment income

$14,092

Other revenue

$40,056

Total assets, end of year

$913,957

Total liabilities, end of year

$659,008

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$254,949

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$660,640

Management and general expenses

$214,117

Fundraising expenses

$32,463

Program service expenses (Part III)

$660,640

Program services were 72.8% 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 · 2023

• Withheld by Nonprofiteer: this text may name a private individual.

  Expenses $56,434 · Revenue $79,795

• 2ND EXEMPT PURPOSE ACCOMPLISHMENT: ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE & ADVOCACY MONTHLY RIVER MONITORING (THROUGHOUT 2023) RGISC CONDUCTED MONTHLY WATER QUALITY TESTS AT VARIOUS SITES ALONG THE RIO GRANDE AS PART OF THE TEXAS CLEAN RIVERS PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM MONITORS E. COLI, SALINITY, AND OTHER PARAMETERS TO ASSESS THE RIVER'S HEALTH, PROVIDING ESSENTIAL DATA FOR STATE-LEVEL WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY. WE CONTINUED TO KEEP OPEN COMMUNICATIONS WITH NUEVO LAREDO TO ENGAGE IN UPDATES AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS ON THE ONGOING ISSUE OF UNTREATED SEWAGE DISCHARGE INTO THE RIVER, WHICH WAS TOPPING NEARLY 15 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY (MGD). WE ALSO DOCUMENTED AND RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT RAMPANT DE-VEGETATION ALONG THE RIVERBANK ON PUBLIC LANDS BY U.S. BORDER PATROL THAT LACKED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS AND EROSION CONTROL MEASURES TO ACCOMPLISH THEIR LINE-OF-SIGHT GOALS. BORDER WALL ADVOCACY (FEBRUARY 2023) RGISC PARTNERED WITH THE NO BORDER WALL COALITION IN MOBILIZING AGAINST BORDER WALL CONSTRUCTION IN SENSITIVE RIPARIAN AREAS. THROUGH PUBLIC MEETINGS HELD IN EARLY 2023 AND LEGAL CONSULTATIONS, RGISC WORKED TO PREVENT ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE AND PROTECT COMMUNITIES ALONG THE RIO GRANDE. COMMUNITY LAND TRUST (CLT) AND CONSERVATION EASEMENTS (MARCH 2023) RGISC ENGAGED LANDOWNERS IN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT CONSERVATION EASEMENTS AND COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS, PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE LAND USE PRACTICES ALONG THE RIO GRANDE. THESE INITIATIVES AIM TO PROTECT RIPARIAN HABITATS FROM INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT, PRESERVING BIODIVERSITY AND WATER QUALITY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. LAS PALMAS RIVER RESTORATION PROJECT (SEPTEMBER 2023) FUNDED BY A 2 MILLION EARMARK FROM USDA-NRCS, THIS COMPREHENSIVE RIVER RESTORATION PROJECT WILL ADDRESS EROSION CONTROL, INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT, AND HABITAT RESTORATION ALONG THE RIO GRANDE. THE PROJECT AIMS TO ENHANCE THE ECOLOGICAL RESILIENCE OF RIPARIAN ZONES AND IMPROVE WATER QUALITY. EAGLE PASS BORDER COALITION (FISCAL SPONSORSHIP) (THROUGHOUT 2023) RGISC PROVIDED FISCAL SPONSORSHIP TO THE EAGLE PASS BORDER COALITION, SUPPORTING CONSERVATION AND ADVOCACY EFFORTS IN ECOLOGICALLY SENSITIVE BORDER REGIONS. THIS PARTNERSHIP STRENGTHENS EFFORTS TO PROTECT NATURAL RESOURCES ALONG THE TEXAS-MEXICO BORDER AND PROMOTES COLLABORATIVE CONSERVATION. CLEAN AIR LAREDO, ETHYLENE OXIDE (THROUGHOUT 2023) THROUGH THE CLEAN AIR LAREDO COALITION, RGISC ORGANIZED PUBLIC MEETINGS AND GATHERED OVER 1,000 PETITION SIGNATURES TO ADVOCATE FOR STRICTER ETO CONTROLS. THE COALITION MOBILIZED THE COMMUNITY FOR THE TCEQ HEARING HELD AT TEXAS A&M INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY, URGING REGULATORY ACTION TO REDUCE HARMFUL EMISSIONS FROM MIDWEST STERILIZATION CORP. FENCELINE AIR MONITORING (OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2023) RGISC LAUNCHED A 10-WEEK FENCELINE AIR MONITORING PROGRAM NEAR MIDWEST STERILIZATION CORP., IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BAIR CONSULTING. THIS PROJECT COLLECTED REAL-TIME ETO DATA, SUPPORTING COMMUNITY ADVOCACY FOR STRONGER AIR QUALITY STANDARDS AND HELPING RAISE AWARENESS OF PUBLIC HEALTH RISKS. METHANE FLARING MONITORING AND POLICY ADVOCACY (THROUGHOUT 2023) WITH GRANTS FROM THE MITCHELL FOUNDATION, EDF, AND THE ENERGY FOUNDATION, RGISC CONDUCTED STUDIES AND ANALYSES ON METHANE FLARING IN SOUTH TEXAS. THIS PROJECT LINKS METHANE FLARING TO PUBLIC HEALTH IMPACTS AND SUPPORTS POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADDRESS EMISSIONS IN COMMUNITIES NEAR FLARING SITES. ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND PARTNERSHIP (NOVEMBER 2023) IN COLLABORATION WITH THE EDF, RGISC ADVOCATED FOR METHANE REGULATION IMPROVEMENTS. THIS PARTNERSHIP FOCUSES ON ADDRESSING THE HEALTH RISKS POSED BY METHANE FLARING, PROMOTING CLEANER AIR STANDARDS AND PROTECTING RESIDENTS FROM INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION. LAREDO CLIMATE COHORT 2.0 (AUGUST - NOVEMBER 2023) RGISC TRAINED COLLEGE STUDENTS IN CLIMATE SCIENCE AND PUBLIC ADVOCACY THROUGH THE SECOND ITERATION OF THE LAREDO CLIMATE COHORT PROGRAM. AFTER CONDUCTING COMMUNITY SURVEYS, THE COHORT PRESENTED DATA AND FINDINGS TO THE LAREDO CITY COUNCIL, RAISING AWARENESS OF CLIMATE IMPACTS AND HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABILITY.

  Expenses $516,087 · Revenue $599,982

• 3RD EXEMPT PURPOSE ACCOMPLISHMENT: SPECIAL PROJECTS BINATIONAL RIVER PARK PROJECT (THROUGHOUT 2023) RGISC WORKED CLOSELY WITH NUEVO LAREDO AND REGIONAL STAKEHOLDERS TO ADVANCE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A BINATIONAL PARK ALONG THE RIO GRANDE. THIS PROJECT ENVISIONS A SHARED CONSERVATION AND RECREATIONAL SPACE THAT WILL RESTORE HABITATS, SUPPORT WILDLIFE, AND PROMOTE ECO-TOURISM ACROSS THE U.S.-MEXICO BORDER. JUSTICE 40 SYMPOSIUM (SEPTEMBER 2023) THIS SYMPOSIUM CONVENED OVER 60 SOUTH TEXAS LEADERS TO EXPLORE FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES UNDER THE JUSTICE40 INITIATIVE. ATTENDEES DISCUSSED EQUITABLE INVESTMENT STRATEGIES, WITH PRESENTATIONS FROM U.S. REPRESENTATIVE HENRY CUELLAR AND OTHER EXPERTS ON THE IRA AND IIJA'S GOALS. CLIMATE PARTNERSHIPS (OCTOBER 2023) RGISC COLLABORATED WITH PARTNERS TO DEVELOP CLIMATE-FOCUSED PROJECTS, SUPPORTED BY GRANTS FROM CLIMATE NEXUS AND THE ENERGY FOUNDATION. THIS WORK INCLUDES METHANE EMISSIONS ANALYSIS AND POLICY ADVOCACY FOR IMPROVED ENERGY STANDARDS AND COMMUNITY CLIMATE RESILIENCE. MHM ZACATE CREEK GREEN DISTRICT COALITION (NOVEMBER 2023) FUNDED BY METHODIST HEALTHCARE MINISTRIES, THIS THREE-YEAR INITIATIVE WILL EMPOWER RESIDENTS OF EL AZTECA IN NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AND RIVER RESTORATION. THROUGH JOB TRAINING AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, THE PROJECT WILL PROMOTES ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND FOSTERS LOCAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN A HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED NEIGHBORHOOD.

  Expenses $81,338 · Revenue $125,704

• 4TH EXEMPT PURPOSE ACCOMPLISHMENT: FUNDRAISERS DEVELOPMENT AND MEMBERSHIP PROGRAMS (MARCH 2023) LED BY RGISC'S DEVELOPMENT AND MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR, THESE PROGRAMS EXPANDED DONOR ENGAGEMENT AND MEMBERSHIP INITIATIVES. INCREASED VISIBILITY AND OUTREACH FOSTERED STRONGER COMMUNITY TIES AND SUPPORT FOR RGISC'S ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS. BOARD & COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS & END-OF-YEAR FUND DRIVE (DECEMBER 2023) RGISC'S ANNUAL FUND DRIVE ENGAGED COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND RAISED ESSENTIAL FUNDING FOR OPERATIONAL AND PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT. THE CAMPAIGN INCLUDED OUTREACH TO MEMBERS AND LOCAL SUPPORTERS, EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY-BACKED CONSERVATION. IN 2023, WE ALSO HELD OUR THIRD END-OF-YEAR FUND DRIVE TARGETING MEMBERS OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND ADVISORY BOARD, AS WELL AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS. 30TH ANNIVERSARY GALA PLANNING (DECEMBER 2023) PLANNING BEGAN FOR RGISC'S 30TH ANNIVERSARY GALA TO BE HELD IN LATE 2024, A CELEBRATION HONORING THREE DECADES OF DEDICATION TO THE RIO GRANDE. THIS EVENT AIMS TO RAISE AWARENESS OF RGISC'S ONGOING ADVOCACY EFFORTS AND HIGHLIGHT ITS HISTORY OF ENVIRONMENTAL ACHIEVEMENTS. 5TH EXEMPT PURPOSE ACCOMPLISHMENT: GENERAL OPERATIONS INTERNAL OPERATIONS ENHANCEMENTS (THROUGHOUT 2023) RGISC RESTRUCTURED ITS ACCOUNTING, HR, AND GRANT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS TO SUPPORT ITS EXPANDING PROGRAMS. THESE UPGRADES ENHANCED OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY, IMPROVE GRANT TRACKING, AND STRENGTHEN RGISC'S CAPACITY TO MANAGE INCREASED PROGRAM DEMANDS BOARD OF DIRECTORS IN 2023, RGISC WELCOMED NEW BOARD MEMBERS DURING OUR ANNUAL MEETING, CONTINUING ITS TRADITION OF ENGAGING DUES-PAYING MEMBERS IN THE VOTING PROCESS. THIS YEAR'S BOARD-RELATED EXPENSES INCLUDED COSTS FOR REGULAR BOARD MEETINGS, STRATEGY SESSIONS, AND THE PLANNING OF RGISC'S 30TH- ANNIVERSARY INITIATIVES, WHICH INVOLVED INPUT FROM BOARD MEMBERS TO GUIDE ORGANIZATIONAL GROWTH AND OUTREACH. GENERAL OPERATIONS OPERATIONAL EXPENSES IN 2023 COVERED SEVERAL KEY STAFF POSITIONS, INCLUDING THE OFFICE AND FINANCE ADMINISTRATOR, STEAM AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH COORDINATOR, AND MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR. THESE ROLES SUPPORT DAY-TO-DAY FUNCTIONS, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND PROGRAMMATIC GROWTH. ADDITIONALLY, RGISC ENGAGED IN CONTRACT WORK WITH PROFESSIONAL SERVICE PROVIDERS, COVERING ESSENTIAL AREAS LIKE ACCOUNTING, GRANT WRITING, AND HUMAN RESOURCES. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO FOCUSED ON STRENGTHENING INTERNAL INFRASTRUCTURE BY UPGRADING FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEMS TO ENHANCE EFFICIENCY AND BETTER MANAGE AN EXPANDING PROGRAM PORTFOLIO.

  Expenses $6,781 · Revenue $126,191

As filed on the 2023 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here. A text marked withheld matched a screen for wording that may name a private individual, such as an honorific or "in memory of". Most of what it withholds names no one; it is withheld so that what does is never shown.

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.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2023

Filed

15 November 2024

IRS schema version

2023v5.0

Source object

202433209349313823

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

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