To promote community stewardship and advance scientific knowledge of watersheds through reserarch, monitoring and education for the benefit of the Sierra Nevada region and beyond.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
68¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 49 volunteers and 22 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · 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
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $73K a year · 5% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
68%
of spending
Fine: 68% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$92K
to officers and key staff · 4% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 4% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
6 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 5.7 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $86K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$765K
57% of total assets
Fine: liabilities are 57% of assets; 50% to 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
10
of 10 voting members
Looks good: 10 of 10 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$2.2M
+3% vs prior year
Spent
$2.3M
To programs
68%
Net assets
$572K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$2.2M
FY2025▲ +3%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$806K
FY2021$1.1M
FY2022$1.2M
FY2023$1.5M
FY2024$2.1M
FY2025$2.2M
Expenses
$2.3M
FY2025▲ +24%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$705K
FY2021$894K
FY2022$1.3M
FY2023$1.5M
FY2024$1.8M
FY2025$2.3M
Net assets
$572K
FY2025▼ -13%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$147K
FY2021$345K
FY2022$402K
FY2023$391K
FY2024$660K
FY2025$572K

From the FY2025 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Dec 1999.

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

Where the money goes

68 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 68% · $1.5M Management & general 29% · $650K Fundraising 3% · $74K

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

10 people listed on the 990; $92K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Dir.
$91,530Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Jeffrey Lauder’s $92K as Executive Dir. is at the 21st percentile of top reported officer pay among 1851 $1–10M 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 · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Jeff Lauder—$92,392$86,300$77,663$69,543
Jeffrey Lauder$91,530————
Joanne Hild————$39,014

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 Sierra Streams Institute executive salaries →

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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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Promotes watershed stewardship and scientific knowledge through research, monitoring, and education.

Questions for Sierra Streams Institute

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Your first name shows with your question. Sierra Streams Institute answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $1.5M · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

Restoration

Watersheds throughout the Sierra Nevada have suffered impacts to their health, water quality and ecological function as a result of gold mining, residential development, road building, agriculture, diversions, and other activities.

$1.2Mprogram expense
02

Monitoring and Research

Sierra Streams Institute works with community members to monitor the health of multiple watersheds throughout the Northern Sierra Nevada mountains. These watersheds include Deer Creek, our home watershed, as well as the Bear River, Truckee River, American River, and portions of the Yuba River.

$216Kprogram expense
03

Science Education

The Sierra Streams Education Program offers a variety of science instruction options for the youth of Nevada County and beyond. Rooted in the Yuba and Bear watersheds of Nevada County, our program offers an unparalleled educational experience where students of all ages learn core watershed science principles while exploring the rugged…

$104Kprogram 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 · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$86K

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$2.2M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.0M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$138K
Investment incomeLn 3$16K
Money outPt IX
$2.3M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.5M
Managementcol C$650K
Fundraisingcol D$74K
Owns and owesPt X
$572K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.1M
Total assetsLn 16$1.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$765K
PeoplePt VI, VII
10
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a10
IndependentVI 1b10
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.0M
Government grantsLn 1e$1.8M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$138K
Investment incomeLn 3$16K
Other incomeLn 4–11$2K
Gains on assetsLn 7$7K
Total revenueLn 12$2.2M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$61K
SavingsLn 2$1.0M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$64K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$27K
Other assetsLn 15$2K
Total assetsLn 16$1.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$765K
Net assetsLn 32$572K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 522
VolunteersI 649
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$593K$1.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$46K$64K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$49K$27K
Total assetsLn 16$889K$1.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$229K$765K
Net assetsLn 32$660K$572K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$92K$50K$36K$6K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$703K$454K$233K$15K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$136K$136K
Payroll taxesLn 10$66K$42K$23K$2K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$325$325
Accounting feesLn 11c$19K$19K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$941K$897K$16K$27K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$0
Office expensesLn 13$0
Information technologyLn 14$19K$15K$4K
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$93K$87K$6K
TravelLn 17$40K$19K$18K$2K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$0
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$20K$20K
InsuranceLn 23$22K$22K$674
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$90K$79K$11K
All other expensesLn 24e$26K$740$14K$12K
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.3M$1.5M$650K$74K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $2.2M$2.3M−$97K$572K 990 PDF
FY2024 $2.1M$1.8M$274K$660K 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.5M$1.5M$798$391K 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.2M$1.3M−$26K$402K 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.1M$894K$190K$345K 990 PDF
FY2020 $806K$705K$100K$147K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $2,168,132 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,977,995$2,011,674
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $114,579$138,004
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $333$16,112
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $3,215$2,342
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $2,096,122$2,168,132
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $928,940$996,420
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $893,608$1,269,059
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,822,548$2,265,479
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $273,574−$97,347
Part VI · Governance 10 of 10 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body10
VI-1b Independent voting members10
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $2,168,132 across 12 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for −$112 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1b Membership dues$2,000
VIII-1e Government grants$1,817,995
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$191,679
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$2,011,674
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $138,004$138,004
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $9,298$9,298
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or loss$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission $6,814$6,814
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $2,454$2,454
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $147,160 · Excluded from tax $9,298$2,168,132
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,265,479 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $49,518 · Management $36,415 · Fundraising $5,596$91,529
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $454,178 · Management $233,108 · Fundraising $15,292$702,578
IX-8 Pension plan contributions$0
IX-9 Other employee benefitsManagement $136,343$136,343
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $41,515 · Management $22,644 · Fundraising $1,811$65,970
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $325$325
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $18,551$18,551
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $897,052 · Management $16,488 · Fundraising $27,278$940,818
IX-12 Advertising and promotion$0
IX-13 Office expenses$0
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $15,358 · Fundraising $4,062$19,420
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $87,063 · Fundraising $5,806$92,869
IX-17 TravelPrograms $19,400 · Management $18,246 · Fundraising $2,240$39,886
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetings$0
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $19,592$19,592
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $21,540 · Fundraising $674$22,214
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $78,734 · Management $10,832$89,566
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $740 · Management $13,546 · Fundraising $11,532$25,818
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,541,137 · Management $650,051 · Fundraising $74,291$2,265,479
Part X · Balance sheet $1,336,386 assets, 21 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $37,678$61,087
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $555,107$1,023,587
X-3 Pledges and grants receivable$0
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $200,030$158,753
X-8 Inventories for sale or use$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$0
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $48,698$27,029
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $45,544$63,934
X-12 Other securities$0
X-13 Program-related investments$0
X-14 Intangible assets$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $1,994$1,996
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $889,051$1,336,386
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $56,039$86,708
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $147,541$653,237
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $25,254$24,678
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $228,834$764,623
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $660,217$520,236
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictions$51,527
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $660,217$571,763
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $889,051$1,336,386
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $571,763 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,168,132
XI-2 Total expenses$2,265,479
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$97,347
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$660,217
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$8,893
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$571,763

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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