Between july, 2020 and june, 2021 Sierra Watch continued to increase public awareness of Sierra conservation issues and protect threatened landscapes in the tahoe truckee region.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
64¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 70 volunteers and 3 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 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $160K a year · 24% of revenue · last 5 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
64%
of spending
Worth a look: 64% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$161K
to officers and key staff · 20% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 20% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
13 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 13.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
15
named funders · $294K
Looks good: 15 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$166K
18% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 18% 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
$747K
+46% vs prior year
Spent
$812K
To programs
64%
Net assets
$752K
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$747K
FY2025▲ +46%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$558K
FY2022$479K
FY2023$1.1M
FY2024$513K
FY2025$747K
Expenses
$812K
FY2025▲ +63%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$399K
FY2022$443K
FY2023$425K
FY2024$497K
FY2025$812K
Net assets
$752K
FY2025▼ -8%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$113K
FY2022$149K
FY2023$802K
FY2024$817K
FY2025$752K

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Nov 2002.

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

Where the money goes

64 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 64% · $523K Management & general 26% · $208K Fundraising 10% · $81K

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; $161K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director
$161,000Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Thomas Mooers’s $161K as Executive Director is at the 97th 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 · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2023FY2022FY2021
Thomas Mooers$161,000$124,800$121,725$124,594

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 Watch 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 15aYes

Programs and updates

Protects threatened landscapes and raises awareness for conservation in the Tahoe Truckee region.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $523K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Sierra watch conducted public education and other strategies to promote responsible planning and resource conservation in the sierra nevada.

$523Kprogram 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
See all 15 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$747K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$699K
Investment incomeLn 3$41K
Other incomeLn 4–11$6K
Money outPt IX
$812K
Ln 25
Programscol B$523K
Managementcol C$208K
Fundraisingcol D$81K
Owns and owesPt X
$752K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$908K
Total assetsLn 16$918K
LiabilitiesLn 26$166K
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$699K
Investment incomeLn 3$41K
Other incomeLn 4–11$6K
Total revenueLn 12$747K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$117K
SavingsLn 2$791K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$908K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$983
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$918K
LiabilitiesLn 26$166K
Net assetsLn 32$752K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 53
VolunteersI 670
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$958K$908K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1K$983
Total assetsLn 16$968K$918K
LiabilitiesLn 26$151K$166K
Net assetsLn 32$817K$752K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$161K$85K$55K$21K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$183K$97K$62K$23K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$71K$38K$24K$9K
Payroll taxesLn 10$28K$15K$10K$4K
Legal feesLn 11b$211K$211K
Accounting feesLn 11c$2K$2K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$10K$10K$158
Advertising and promotionLn 12$3K$3K
Office expensesLn 13$10K$10K
OccupancyLn 16$28K$15K$10K$4K
TravelLn 17$5K$4K$875$226
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$934$934
InterestLn 20$4K$4K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$281$149$96$36
InsuranceLn 23$5K$5K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$77K$44K$15K$18K
All other expensesLn 24e$11K$349$8K$3K
Total functional expensesLn 25$812K$523K$208K$81K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $747K$812K−$65K$752K 990 PDF
FY2024 $513K$497K$15K$817K 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.1M$425K$653K$802K 990 PDF
FY2022 $479K$443K$36K$149K 990 PDF
FY2021 $558K$399K$159K$113K 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 J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $746,588 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $462,316$699,253
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $47,692$41,217
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $2,734$6,118
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $512,742$746,588
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $366,521$443,424
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $130,845$368,567
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $497,366$811,991
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $15,376−$65,403
Part VI · Governance 4 of 4 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body4
VI-1b Independent voting members4
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $746,588 across 5 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $2,393 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$699,253
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$699,253
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $41,217$41,217
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossRelated to mission $3,725$3,725
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $6,118 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $41,217$746,588
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $811,991 across 17 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $85,298 · Management $55,030 · Fundraising $20,672$161,000
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $96,809 · Management $62,456 · Fundraising $23,463$182,728
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $37,824 · Management $24,402 · Fundraising $9,167$71,393
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $14,995 · Management $9,674 · Fundraising $3,634$28,303
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $210,997$210,997
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $1,915$1,915
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $10,059 · Management $158$10,217
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $3,460$3,460
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $10,381$10,381
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $14,962 · Management $9,653 · Fundraising $3,626$28,241
IX-17 TravelPrograms $3,995 · Management $875 · Fundraising $226$5,096
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsManagement $934$934
IX-20 InterestManagement $3,584$3,584
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $149 · Management $96 · Fundraising $36$281
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $5,354$5,354
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $43,810 · Management $15,462 · Fundraising $17,748$77,020
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $349 · Management $7,999 · Fundraising $2,739$11,087
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $522,707 · Management $207,973 · Fundraising $81,311$811,991
Part X · Balance sheet $918,258 assets, 13 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $97,650$116,732
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $859,985$790,795
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $9,420$9,748
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $1,264$983
X-15 Other assets$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $968,319$918,258
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $6,817$21,922
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $144,079$144,316
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $150,896$166,238
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $534,223$468,820
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $283,200$283,200
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $817,423$752,020
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $968,319$918,258
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $752,020 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$746,588
XI-2 Total expenses$811,991
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$65,403
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$817,423
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$752,020

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

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