Open Water Foundation FY2021 filing

Tax-deductible

Severance, CO501(c)(3)EnvironmentEIN 46-2676240Revenue $297K in FY2021

On file with the IRSopenwaterfoundation.org40504 Weld County Road 17, 80524-8829 · Severance, COTax-exempt since Apr 2019Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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The Open Water Foundation develops and supports open source software and open data solutions to make better decisions about water resources.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
71¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$100K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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FY2021 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
1 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $2K a year · 1% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 1 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
71%
of spending
Fine: 71% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$100K
to officers and key staff · 40% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 40% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.9 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $44
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$5K
12% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 12% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
4
of 4 voting members
Looks good: 4 of 4 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$297K
+92% vs prior year
Spent
$252K
To programs
71%
Net assets
$36K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$297K
FY2021▲ +92%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$155K
FY2021$297K
FY2022$134K
FY2023$108K
FY2024$46K
Expenses
$252K
FY2021▲ +46%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$173K
FY2021$252K
FY2022$166K
FY2023$108K
FY2024$49K
Net assets
$36K
FY2021▲ +540%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020−$8K
FY2021$36K
FY2022$5K
FY2023$4K
FY2024$547

From the FY2021 Form 990 · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2021 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Exemption reinstated (2016-05-15). Per the IRS revocation list. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Apr 2019.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

71 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 71% · $178K Management & general 25% · $63K Fundraising 4% · $11K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

5 people listed on the 990; $100K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Chief Executive Officer
$100,000Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Steve Malers’s $28K as CEO is at the 63rd percentile of top reported officer pay among 135 <$100K 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 · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Steve Malers$28,000$64,000$60,000$100,000

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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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes
  • Loans to or from officersSch L · Pt II1 listed

Programs and updates

Develops open source software and data solutions for better water resource decisions.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $178K · in their own filed words · FY2021
01

Develop software and provide consulting to evaluate complex water resources issues in Colorado and other states, including urban/agriculture water sharing, South Platte Basin water resources planning, statewide water planning, modeling tools, snowpack analysis, water innovation events, and data analysis.OWF is also helping the state of…

$178Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2023
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$44

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$297K
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$238K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$58K
Money outPt IX
$252K
Ln 25
Programscol B$178K
Managementcol C$63K
Fundraisingcol D$11K
Owns and owesPt X
$36K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$40K
Total assetsLn 16$41K
LiabilitiesLn 26$5K
PeoplePt VI, VII
5
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a4
IndependentVI 1b4
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$58K
Government grantsLn 1e$58K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$238K
Total revenueLn 12$297K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$40K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$40K
Other assetsLn 15$1K
Total assetsLn 16$41K
LiabilitiesLn 26$5K
Net assetsLn 32$36K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 53
VolunteersI 60
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$23K$40K
Total assetsLn 16$24K$41K
LiabilitiesLn 26$33K$5K
Net assetsLn 32−$8K$36K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$184K$153K$22K$9K
Payroll taxesLn 10$14K$12K$2K$666
Accounting feesLn 11c$2K$2K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$8K$8K
Office expensesLn 13$632$632
Information technologyLn 14$2K$119$2K
OccupancyLn 16$30K$30K
TravelLn 17$2K$1K$1K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$1K$674$679
InsuranceLn 23$4K$214$4K$12
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$5K$4K$1K$44
Total functional expensesLn 25$252K$178K$63K$11K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $46K$49K−$4K$547 990 PDF
FY2023 $108K$108K−$278$4K 990 PDF
FY2022 $134K$166K−$32K$5K 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $297K$252K$45K$36K 990 PDF
FY2020 $155K$173K−$19K−$8K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $296,958 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $38$58,468
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $154,645$238,490
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $154,683$296,958
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $126,606$197,437
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $46,622$54,976
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $173,228$252,413
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$18,545$44,545
Part VI · Governance 4 of 4 board members independent, 2 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body4
VI-1b Independent voting members4
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $296,958 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$58,324
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$144
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$58,468
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $238,490$238,490
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $238,490 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$296,958
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $252,413 across 11 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $153,207 · Management $21,573 · Fundraising $8,872$183,652
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $11,500 · Management $1,619 · Fundraising $666$13,785
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $2,111$2,111
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $7,942$7,942
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $632$632
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $119 · Management $2,216$2,335
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $29,724$29,724
IX-17 TravelPrograms $1,089 · Fundraising $1,008$2,097
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $674 · Fundraising $679$1,353
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $214 · Management $3,814 · Fundraising $12$4,040
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $3,622 · Management $1,076 · Fundraising $44$4,742
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $178,367 · Management $62,765 · Fundraising $11,281$252,413
Part X · Balance sheet $41,126 assets, 8 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $23,247$40,019
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $1,107$1,107
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $24,354$41,126
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $283$2,323
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $32,596$4,823
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year −$8,242$36,303
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year −$8,242$36,303
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $24,354$41,126
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $36,303 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$296,958
XI-2 Total expenses$252,413
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$44,545
XI-4 Net assets at start of year−$8,242
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$36,303

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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