Solve is an environmental nonprofit that began as a grassroots initiative and has grown into a nationally recognized model for volunteer-driven stewardship. Each year, Solve mobilizes thousands of volunteers across oregon and southwest washington to clean and restore neighborhoods and natural areas, fostering a culture of environmental care and community pride.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
78¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 17,282 volunteers and 19 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
4 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $309K a year · 16% of revenue · last 5 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
78%
of spending
Looks good: 78% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$275K
to officers and key staff · 17% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 17% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
16 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 16.3 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $25K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$582K
11% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 11% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
25
of 25 voting members
Looks good: 25 of 25 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.7M
-24% vs prior year
Spent
$1.7M
To programs
78%
Net assets
$4.6M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$1.7M
FY2024▼ -24%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$968K
FY2021$2.2M
FY2022$2.2M
FY2023$2.3M
FY2024$1.7M
Expenses
$1.7M
FY2024▼ -17%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$1.1M
FY2021$1.4M
FY2022$1.8M
FY2023$2.0M
FY2024$1.7M
Net assets
$4.6M
FY2024▲ +12%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$2.3M
FY2021$3.4M
FY2022$3.6M
FY2023$4.1M
FY2024$4.6M

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 Jun 1970.

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

Where the money goes

78 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 78% · $1.3M Management & general 12% · $193K Fundraising 10% · $173K

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

30 people listed on the 990; $275K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$168,024Pt VII · Sec A
Finance Director
$106,940Pt VII · Sec A
Past Board Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member (12/2024-09/2025)
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member (10/2024-06/2025)
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Kris Carico’s $168K as CEO is at the 73rd 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Kris Carico$168,024$136,423$140,308$126,088$112,574
Sara Lister$106,940$86,082$82,506$66,348$51,172

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 Solve 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

Unites Oregonians to improve the environment and foster lasting stewardship.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $700K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Detrash portland and clean & green connect like-minded volunteers who want to tackle the issue of litter in portland. Each week, we support events throughout the city and provide cleanup supplies, safety information, and disposal assistance for any who would like to improve their neighborhood through the simple act of cleaning up.

$462Kprogram expense
02

Oregon Spring Clean Up

One of the largest earth day activities in the nation, oregon spring clean up projects take place around the state involving volunteers in illegal dumpsite and neighborhood litter cleanups, invasive vegetation removal, native tree and shrub plantings and maintenance of watershed restoration sites.

$119Kprogram expense
03

Beach and Riverside Clean Up

Thousands of volunteers pick up trash, pull invasive vegetation and plant native trees along our waterways and beaches to improve wildlife habitat, erosion control and water quality.

$119Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$25K
Grants paid · 1 grant · $6K · 2022–2022
Cultivate InitiativesOR · FY2022$5,869

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.7M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.5M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$106K
Investment incomeLn 3$105K
Money outPt IX
$1.7M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.3M
Managementcol C$193K
Fundraisingcol D$173K
Owns and owesPt X
$4.6M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.3M
Total assetsLn 16$5.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$582K
PeoplePt VI, VII
30
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a25
IndependentVI 1b25
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.5M
Government grantsLn 1e$607K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$9K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$106K
Investment incomeLn 3$105K
Other incomeLn 4–11$2K
Gains on assetsLn 7$31K
Total revenueLn 12$1.7M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$758K
SavingsLn 2$1.5M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$2.3M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$2.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$84K
Other assetsLn 15$501K
Total assetsLn 16$5.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$582K
Net assetsLn 32$4.6M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 519
VolunteersI 617,282
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$2.1M$2.3M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.9M$2.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$144K$84K
Total assetsLn 16$5.0M$5.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$650K$582K
Net assetsLn 32$4.3M$4.6M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$287K$162K$36K$89K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$721K$605K$80K$36K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$24K$21K$3K$927
Other employee benefitsLn 9$79K$64K$4K$10K
Payroll taxesLn 10$75K$58K$9K$9K
Accounting feesLn 11c$31K$31K
Investment management feesLn 11f$14K$14K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$90K$80K$4K$6K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$8K$8K$114$128
Office expensesLn 13$31K$21K$1K$9K
OccupancyLn 16$61K$50K$5K$6K
TravelLn 17$27K$26K$411$725
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$41K$34K$3K$4K
InsuranceLn 23$23K$19K$2K$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$151K$150K$358$406
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.7M$1.3M$193K$173K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $1.7M$1.7M$76K$4.6M 990 PDF
FY2023 $2.3M$2.0M$285K$4.1M 990 PDF
FY2022 $2.2M$1.8M$450K$3.6M 990 PDF
FY2021 $2.2M$1.4M$818K$3.4M 990 PDF
FY2020 $968K$1.1M−$85K$2.3M 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 FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,739,283 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,229,486$1,526,747
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $89,682$106,087
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $56,079$104,941
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $1,642$1,508
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,376,889$1,739,283
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 $913,085$1,186,255
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $425,394$476,654
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,338,479$1,662,909
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $38,410$76,374
Part VI · Governance 25 of 25 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body25
VI-1b Independent voting members25
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 $1,739,283 across 9 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$606,874
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$919,873
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$9,404
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,526,747
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $106,087$106,087
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $73,900$73,900
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $31,041$31,041
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $1,508$1,508
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $106,087 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $106,449$1,739,283
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,662,909 across 15 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $161,638 · Management $36,214 · Fundraising $89,209$287,061
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $604,997 · Management $79,987 · Fundraising $35,712$720,696
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $20,875 · Management $2,566 · Fundraising $927$24,368
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $64,464 · Management $4,237 · Fundraising $10,346$79,047
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $57,699 · Management $8,537 · Fundraising $8,847$75,083
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $30,700$30,700
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $14,413$14,413
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $79,798 · Management $3,620 · Fundraising $6,084$89,502
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $7,515 · Management $114 · Fundraising $128$7,757
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $20,635 · Management $1,145 · Fundraising $8,761$30,541
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $50,429 · Management $5,065 · Fundraising $5,742$61,236
IX-17 TravelPrograms $26,142 · Management $411 · Fundraising $725$27,278
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $33,563 · Management $3,371 · Fundraising $3,821$40,755
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $19,270 · Management $1,936 · Fundraising $2,193$23,399
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $150,309 · Management $358 · Fundraising $406$151,073
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,297,334 · Management $192,674 · Fundraising $172,901$1,662,909
Part X · Balance sheet $5,165,335 assets, 17 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $509,991$758,293
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $1,575,480$1,505,694
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $230,910$238,279
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $15,949$11,739
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $34,151$27,975
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $143,542$83,667
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $1,887,405$2,038,352
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $567,655$501,336
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $4,965,083$5,165,335
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $48,320$42,101
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $13,465$12,965
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $588,094$527,352
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $649,879$582,418
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $2,336,788$2,435,639
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $1,978,416$2,147,278
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $4,315,204$4,582,917
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $4,965,083$5,165,335
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $4,582,917 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,739,283
XI-2 Total expenses$1,662,909
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$76,374
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$4,315,204
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$201,819
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$10,480
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$4,582,917

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

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