Water Foundation EIN 37-1833985

Water Foundation

EIN  37-1833985 Public charity (501(c)(3)) Sacramento, CA Founded 2016
Form 990 (PDF) Compare with another nonprofit →
Verified accurate 8/9/26 · see original filing: IRS
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Size
$10–100M
What they do
Funds and coordinates collaborative solutions to secure safe drinking water, restore freshwater ecosystems, and build climate resilience across the United States.
Leadership
Allison Harvey Turner · Chief Executive Officer · $336K
Money in and out
$22.3M revenue, $18.3M expenses
Bottom line
97% program efficiency

Funds and coordinates collaborative solutions to secure safe drinking water, restore freshwater ecosystems, and build climate resilience across the United States. For fiscal year 2024 it reported $22.3M in revenue, $18.3M in expenses, and $31.1M in net assets.Pt I

Where the money goes · FY2024
Total revenue
$22.3M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$18.3M
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$31.1M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expenses (Pt I · Ln 19): $4.0M
Where spending went · Part IX cols B–D
Program services $0.97 Management & general $0.03 Fundraising $0.01
Program efficiency
97%
of spending reaches programs▲ +4% vs prior filing year
Operating runway
19.0mo
months of highly liquid reserves at operating expense rate▲ +37% vs prior filing year
Surplus margin
+18%
revenue over expenses, this year▲ +246% vs prior filing year

Summary of the Filing

Part I · fiscal year 2024 · Form 990
Revenue
$22.3M
FY2024▲ +14%
Expenses
$18.3M
FY2024▼ -16%
Total assets
$39.0M
FY2024▲ +23%
Total liabilities
$7.9M
FY2024▲ +71%
Total revenue
$22.3M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$18.3M
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$31.1M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expensesPt I · Ln 19$4.0M
Total assetsPt X · Ln 16$39.0M
Program-expense ratioPt IX · col B97%
Voting members of governing bodyPt I · Ln 312
Independent voting membersPt I · Ln 411
Mission & Programs · Part III

Where the work happens

3 program services account for $17.3M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2024.
01

The states and basins program includes state, regional, and local efforts to secure clean and affordable drinking water, build urban and rural climate resilience, AND/OR advance solutions that restore and protect freshwater ecosystems.

$9.9Mprogram expense
02

National

National programs include efforts to maximize the environmental and community benefits of federal infrastructure funding and to strengthen a national movement for water. Grants in 2024 supported the capacity of water organizations, coalitions, and leaders; effective implementation of water-related public funding; the design and…

$6.0Mprogram expense
03

Water Table

The water table is a funder collaborative hosted by the water foundation that advances a sustainable and resilient water future in the U.S. Table members pool and align funding toward water solutions to achieve greater collective impact.

$1.5Mprogram expense

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Identity & Classification

Form 990 Header · IRS Business Master File
Legal nameHdr · item CWater Foundation
EINHdr · item D37-1833985
Principal addressHdr · item CSacramento, CA
WebsiteHdr · item Jwww.waterfdn.org
Year of formationHdr · item L2016
State of legal domicileHdr · item MCA
Exempt statusHdr · item I501(c)(3) · active
NTEE classificationIRS BMFEnvironment (C32)
Ruling yearIRS BMFNov 2016

Governance & Policies

Part VI
Voting members of the governing bodyPt VI · Ln 1a12
Independent voting membersPt VI · Ln 1b11
Conflict-of-interest policyPt VI · Ln 12aYes
Whistleblower policyPt VI · Ln 13Yes
Document retention policyPt VI · Ln 14No
CEO/top-official compensation independently reviewedPt VI · Ln 15aYes
Family or business relationships among officers/directorsPt VI · Ln 2No

Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Chief Executive Officer
$336,284Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Finance & Operations Director
$237,778Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Programs & Strategy Officer
$228,850Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Partnership Officer
$212,865Pt VII · Sec A
Senior Program Off & Policy Advisor
$198,068Pt VII · Sec A
Senior Program Officer
$169,073Pt VII · Sec A
Senior Program Officer
$168,218Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Allison Harvey Turner’s $336K as Chief Executive Officer is at the 73rd percentile of top reported officer pay among 324 $10–100M 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 · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Allison Harvey Turner$336,284$323,526$304,292$273,205$253,992
Lizette Leclerc$237,778$233,217$219,178$190,319$183,026
Jennifer Sokolove$228,850$220,210$207,931$188,625$169,125
Nicole Verhoff$212,865$209,943$206,810$190,319$170,819
Andrew Fahlund$198,068$205,516$191,458$174,313$165,306
Marissa Christiansen$176,883
Alexandra Paxton$169,073$160,463$146,876$136,180
Elizabeth Soderstrom$168,218$167,076$155,322

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.

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Statement of Revenue

Part VIII
Contributions & grants$21.8M · 98%
Investment income$402K · 2%
Contributions & grants98%$21.8M
Investment income2%$402K
Other revenue$99K
— government grantsLn 1e$2.4M
Total revenueLn 12$22.3M

Statement of Functional Expenses

Part IX · allocated across program, management, and fundraising
Allocation · columns B–D
Program services $0.97 Management & general $0.03 Fundraising $0.01
Program services97%$17.7M
Management & general3%$504K
Fundraising1%$95K
Total functional expensesLn 25$18.3M

Balance Sheet

Part X · end of year
CashLn 1$27.4M
Total assetsLn 16$39.0M
Total liabilitiesLn 26$7.9M
Total net assetsLn 32$31.1M
Months of cash on handcomputed18.0

Financial Metrics

Form 990 · FY2024 · each ratio shown with the dollars behind it
Liquidity & Payout
Operating runway
Highly liquid reserves $27.4M · Operating expenses (Pt IX) $18.3M · Less non-cash grants $1.0M · Cash operating expenses/yr $17.3M
19.0 months
Where the money goes
Program services
Program services $17.7M · Total expenses $18.3M
97%
Management & General
Management & general $504K · Total expenses $18.3M
3%
Fundraising
Fundraising $95K · Total expenses $18.3M
1%
Cost to raise $1
Fundraising expense (3-yr avg) $99K · Solicited contributions (3-yr avg) $21.1M
$0.00 to raise $1 (3-yr avg)
Where the money comes from
Contribution dependence
Contributions & grants $21.8M · Total revenue $22.3M
98%
Government reliance
Government grants $2.4M · Total revenue $22.3M
11%
Earned-income share
Program service revenue $0 · Total revenue $22.3M
0%
Investment reliance
Investment income $402K · Total revenue $22.3M
+2%
Program self-sufficiency
Program service revenue $0 · Total expenses $18.3M
0%
Growth & trend
Revenue growth (YoY)
This year $22.3M · Prior year $19.5M
+14%
Revenue CAGR
FY2020 $15.0M · FY2024 $22.3M
+10%
Net-asset trend (YoY)
End of year $31.1M · Beginning of year —
Beginning net assets not meaningfully positive — showing dollar change
Balance sheet
Surplus Margin
Revenue $22.3M · Expenses $18.3M
+18%
Liabilities-to-Assets
Total liabilities — · Total assets $39.0M
Net-asset ratio
Net assets $31.1M · Total assets $39.0M
80%
Marketable Investment Share
Publicly traded securities (Pt X, ln 11) — · Other securities (Pt X, ln 12) — · Total assets (Pt X, ln 16) $39.0M
Excludes program-related investments (Pt X, ln 13)
People & payroll
Highest Reported Total Compensation
Individual Allison Harvey Turner · Reported title CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER · Highest reported compensation $336K · Total expenses $18.3M
2%
Personnel share
Salaries, benefits & payroll (Pt IX 5-10) $4.5M · Total expenses $18.3M
24%
Peer comparison

Same NTEE category, revenue band, and state where available. Descriptive — not a grade.

MetricThis orgPeer medianPercentile
Program ratio 97%
Overhead ratio 3%
Fundraising cost ratio 0%
Revenue growth 14%
Legal fee ratio 0%
Accounting fee ratio 0%

Straight from the Form 990 — descriptive, not an evaluation. A ratio is hidden when its base is zero or too small to be meaningful; the dollars are always shown.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$75K
Grants paid · 431 grants · $42.5M · 2020–2024
National Wildlife FederationVA · FY2024$500,000
Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish CommissionFY2024$400,000
Water Finance Exchange INCDC · FY2024$310,000
U S Water AllianceDC · FY2024$270,000
American Rivers INCDC · FY2024$265,500
Community Water CenterCA · FY2024$250,000
Bayou City Waterkeeper INCTX · FY2024$250,000
Nez Perce TribeFY2024$225,000
Self-Help EnterprisesCA · FY2024$205,000
Rio Grande International Study CenterTX · FY2024$200,000
California Trout INCCA · FY2024$175,000
Native American Rights FundCO · FY2024$150,000
See all 431 grants →

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Filings & Schedule Manifest

Part IV
III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
FY2024 (Latest)$22.3M revenue · viewing · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2023$19.5M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2022$26.0M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2021$14.8M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2020$15.0M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF

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Sources

Every figure above is drawn from these filings
Form 990 e-file (XML) · FY2024IRS
Classification, formation year, addressIRS Business Master File
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