Is it real?
Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Mar 2003.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
81 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.
Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.
Something off? Claim to add context
Who runs it and what they're paid
12 people listed on the 990; $52K paid to officers and key staff (Part VII, Section A).
Liz Blackman’s $65K as Former Executive Director is at the 46th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1989 $100K–1M environment nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.
Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 5 named individuals · Part VII
| Name | FY2025 | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2021 | FY2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarah Jo Lightner | — | — | $76,857 | $49,689 | — |
| Liz Blackman | $65,132 | $29,913 | — | — | — |
| Betsy Cushman | — | — | — | $19,913 | $51,585 |
| Sarah Lightner | — | $24,517 | — | — | — |
| Tanya Kvicala | $11,828 | — | — | — | — |
Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.
See Methow Recycles executive salaries →Questions the 990 asks
The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.
- Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2Yes
- Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes
Programs and updates
Promotes recycling, waste prevention, and reuse to conserve resources in the Methow Valley.
Questions for Methow Recycles
Your first name shows with your question. Methow Recycles answers here, for everyone.
Recycling
Provided stable, successful, full-service recycling in n. Central washington. Enhanced our collaborative relationships, our reputation for excellence with recycling buyers, and strong public support. Volumes and visitor counts increased 10% over prior year.
Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2020. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 01-0741195) · Dispute this lineWaste Prevention
Conducted 3 repair cafes at which community volunteers attempted to repair items carried in. 5 events were cancelled due to the pandemic. 50 community members served, 70 items fixed, with an 81% success rate featuring materials reuse program, take it or leave it, delivered reuse opportunity for 6,000 residents.
Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2020. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 01-0741195) · Dispute this lineEducation & Outreach
In-person contact with every person entering recycling campus to provide information and answer questions about all programs. In-person education and outreach converted to zoom or small-group learning pods at schools. Significantly increased e-news and social media publication and engagement around issues, solutions, and inspiration.
Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2020. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 01-0741195) · Dispute this lineFunders
Who pays for it.
From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.
Grants
By the numbers
The FY2020 990, line by line.
Download 990
| Line | Start FY20 | End FY20 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and savingsLn 1–2 | $198K | $380K |
| Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c | $94K | $111K |
| Total assetsLn 16 | $292K | $492K |
| LiabilitiesLn 26 | $8K | $100K |
| Net assetsLn 32 | $284K | $392K |
| Line | Total | Programs | Management | Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Ln 5 | $51K | $23K | $21K | $7K |
| Other salaries and wagesLn 7 | $99K | $98K | $802 | |
| Other employee benefitsLn 9 | $1K | $1K | $2 | $43 |
| Payroll taxesLn 10 | $19K | $15K | $3K | $934 |
| Accounting feesLn 11c | $6K | $3K | $2K | $139 |
| Investment management feesLn 11f | $923 | $923 | ||
| Other fees for servicesLn 11g | $25K | $23K | $2K | $70 |
| Advertising and promotionLn 12 | $5K | $5K | $74 | |
| Office expensesLn 13 | $7K | $5K | $255 | $2K |
| Information technologyLn 14 | $7K | $3K | $3K | $1K |
| OccupancyLn 16 | $18K | $13K | $5K | $575 |
| TravelLn 17 | $132 | $132 | ||
| Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19 | $381 | $271 | $110 | |
| Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22 | $12K | $12K | ||
| InsuranceLn 23 | $2K | $2K | ||
| Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24 | $22K | $21K | $424 | $109 |
| All other expensesLn 24e | $24K | $20K | $2K | $2K |
| Total functional expensesLn 25 | $299K | $243K | $41K | $14K |
Filing history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 LatestFiled with the IRS Aug 18, 2026 | $299K | $362K | −$63K | $209K | 990 PDF |
| FY2024Filed with the IRS Aug 20, 2025 | $292K | $348K | −$56K | $265K | 990 PDF |
| FY2023Filed with the IRS Oct 29, 2024 | $351K | $382K | −$30K | $324K | 990 PDF |
| FY2022Filed with the IRS Oct 20, 2023 | $349K | $391K | −$41K | $349K | 990 PDF |
| FY2021Filed with the IRS Nov 9, 2022 | $383K | $377K | $6K | $406K | 990 PDF |
| FY2020 ViewingFiled with the IRS Apr 22, 2021 | $398K | $299K | $100K | $392K | 990 PDF |
Schedules filed Part IV
See the full FY2020 990
Part I · Summary $398,470 revenue, 12 lines filed
Part VI · Governance 10 of 11 board members independent, 1 to look at
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $398,470 across 8 lines filed
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $298,675 across 17 lines filed
Part X · Balance sheet $491,803 assets, 10 lines filed
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $391,707 net assets at year end
Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File
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