Educate the public and decision-makers about waste prevention and reduction, effective recycling, plastic and toxic pollution, and producer responsibility, and drive policy changes for a healthy and waste free world.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
90¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 200 volunteers and 16 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2024 · 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
5 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $317K a year · 35% of revenue · last 5 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 5 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
90%
of spending
Looks good: 90% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$85K
to officers and key staff · 10% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 10% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
26 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 25.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $20K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$6K
0.3% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
11
of 11 voting members
Looks good: 11 of 11 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.3M
+42% vs prior year
Spent
$884K
To programs
90%
Net assets
$1.9M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$1.3M
FY2024▲ +42%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$577K
FY2021$942K
FY2022$788K
FY2023$924K
FY2024$1.3M
Expenses
$884K
FY2024▲ +22%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$418K
FY2021$417K
FY2022$518K
FY2023$725K
FY2024$884K
Net assets
$1.9M
FY2024▲ +30%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$447K
FY2021$972K
FY2022$1.2M
FY2023$1.4M
FY2024$1.9M

From the FY2024 Form 990 · 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: FY2024. IRS ruling in Sep 1982.

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

Where the money goes

90 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 90% · $794K Management & general 3% · $30K Fundraising 7% · $60K

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

12 people listed on the 990; $85K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$84,976Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Co-Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Co-Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Heather Trim$84,976$81,192$72,824$64,800$59,400

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 Zero Waste Washington 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

Advocates for waste prevention, recycling, and pollution reduction to create a healthier, waste-free world.

Questions for Zero Waste Washington

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Your first name shows with your question. Zero Waste Washington answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $744K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Building the Movement, Community programs and Communications Zero Waste Washington partners with many community organizations to provide programming to encourage recycling, reduce waste and support a circular economy, and to support reuse of items .

$370Kprogram expense
02

State and Local Policy In 2024, Zero Waste Washington worked with partners and hundreds of Washington residents to support more than 15 zero waste-related bills. Six passed into law. A second major food and yard waste bill the 1st one passed in 2022 mandates that single-family residents in urbanized areas of Washington must put their…

$203Kprogram expense
03

Plastic Pollution and Toxic Chemical Reduction Zero Waste Washington works to prevent plastic pollution, strengthen recycling, and reduce toxic chemicals, while providing research and policy recommendations to local communities and state legislators. In 2024, we launched a project to help farmers reduce their plastic waste burden.

$170Kprogram 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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$20K

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.3M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.3M
Other incomeLn 4–11$19K
Investment incomeLn 3$880
Money outPt IX
$884K
Ln 25
Programscol B$794K
Managementcol C$30K
Fundraisingcol D$60K
Owns and owesPt X
$1.9M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.9M
Total assetsLn 16$1.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$6K
PeoplePt VI, VII
12
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a11
IndependentVI 1b11
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.3M
Government grantsLn 1e$512K
Investment incomeLn 3$880
Other incomeLn 4–11$19K
Total revenueLn 12$1.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$453K
SavingsLn 2$1.4M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.9M
Total assetsLn 16$1.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$6K
Net assetsLn 32$1.9M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 516
VolunteersI 6200
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.5M$1.9M
Total assetsLn 16$1.5M$1.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$33K$6K
Net assetsLn 32$1.4M$1.9M
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$85K$74K$3K$8K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$368K$319K$14K$35K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$40K$35K$2K$4K
Payroll taxesLn 10$35K$30K$1K$3K
Management feesLn 11a$208K$208K
Legal feesLn 11b$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$0
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$3K$3K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$0
Office expensesLn 13$0
Information technologyLn 14$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$47K$40K$2K$5K
TravelLn 17$23K$22K$951
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$942$225$717
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$0
InsuranceLn 23$4K$4K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$48K$43K$2K$3K
All other expensesLn 24e$22K$20K$1K$623
Total functional expensesLn 25$884K$794K$30K$60K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $1.3M$884K$433K$1.9M 990 PDF
FY2023 $924K$725K$199K$1.4M 990 PDF
FY2022 $788K$518K$269K$1.2M 990 PDF
FY2021 $942K$417K$526K$972K 990 PDF
FY2020 $577K$418K$159K$447K 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 FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,316,588 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $918,184$1,296,571
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $1,037$880
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $4,966$19,137
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $924,187$1,316,588
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $369,417$527,983
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $355,919$355,939
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $725,336$883,922
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $198,851$432,666
Part VI · Governance 11 of 11 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body11
VI-1b Independent voting members11
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 $1,316,588 across 8 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $2,012 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1b Membership dues$206,600
VIII-1d Related organizations$219,829
VIII-1e Government grants$512,324
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$357,818
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,296,571
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $880$880
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $17,125$17,125
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $19,137 · Excluded from tax $880$1,316,588
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $883,922 across 30 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 $73,651 · Management $3,319 · Fundraising $8,006$84,976
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $319,208 · Management $14,386 · Fundraising $34,699$368,293
IX-8 Pension plan contributions$0
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $34,840 · Management $1,570 · Fundraising $3,787$40,197
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $29,917 · Management $1,348 · Fundraising $3,252$34,517
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $207,563$207,563
IX-11b Legal fees$0
IX-11c Accounting fees$0
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $3,226$3,226
IX-12 Advertising and promotion$0
IX-13 Office expenses$0
IX-14 Information technology$0
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $40,466 · Management $1,685 · Fundraising $4,599$46,750
IX-17 TravelPrograms $21,938 · Fundraising $951$22,889
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $225 · Fundraising $717$942
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortization$0
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $4,271$4,271
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $42,800 · Management $2,108 · Fundraising $3,039$47,947
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $20,242 · Management $1,486 · Fundraising $623$22,351
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $794,076 · Management $30,173 · Fundraising $59,673$883,922
Part X · Balance sheet $1,884,701 assets, 8 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $626,691$453,444
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $851,029$1,431,257
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,477,720$1,884,701
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $33,077$6,416
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $33,077$6,416
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,444,643$1,878,285
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,444,643$1,878,285
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,477,720$1,884,701
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,878,285 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,316,588
XI-2 Total expenses$883,922
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$432,666
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,444,643
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$976
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,878,285

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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