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.
81¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$223K 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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FY2023 · 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
81%
of spending
Looks good: 81% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$223K
to officers and key staff · 11% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 11% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
13 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 12.6 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
$722K
15% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 15% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
19
of 19 voting members
Looks good: 19 of 19 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$2.3M
+2% vs prior year
Spent
$2.0M
To programs
81%
Net assets
$4.1M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$2.3M
FY2023▲ +2%
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
$2.0M
FY2023▲ +12%
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
$4.1M
FY2023▲ +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 FY2023 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2023 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

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

81 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 81% · $1.6M Management & general 11% · $225K Fundraising 8% · $155K

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

22 people listed on the 990; $223K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$136,423Pt VII · Sec A
Finance Director
$86,082Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Past Board Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$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.

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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 · $330K · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

Detrash portland connects 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.

$162Kprogram expense
02

Beach and Riverside Cleanup

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.

$87Kprogram expense
03

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.

$81Kprogram 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 FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$2.3M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.1M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$109K
Investment incomeLn 3$36K
Money outPt IX
$2.0M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.6M
Managementcol C$225K
Fundraisingcol D$155K
Owns and owesPt X
$4.1M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.1M
Total assetsLn 16$4.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$722K
PeoplePt VI, VII
22
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a19
IndependentVI 1b19
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.1M
Government grantsLn 1e$1.0M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$13K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$109K
Investment incomeLn 3$36K
Other incomeLn 4–11$5K
Gains on assetsLn 7$13K
Total revenueLn 12$2.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$25K
SavingsLn 2$2.1M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$2.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.8M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$117K
Other assetsLn 15$616K
Total assetsLn 16$4.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$722K
Net assetsLn 32$4.1M
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 FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.8M$2.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.7M$1.8M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$156K$117K
Total assetsLn 16$4.6M$4.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$955K$722K
Net assetsLn 32$3.6M$4.1M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$238K$185K$30K$24K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$807K$625K$101K$81K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$26K$20K$3K$3K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$97K$75K$12K$10K
Payroll taxesLn 10$79K$61K$10K$8K
Accounting feesLn 11c$24K$18K$6K$1K
Investment management feesLn 11f$14K$14K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$27K$20K$6K$1K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$3K$3K$93$104
Office expensesLn 13$38K$28K$2K$9K
Information technologyLn 14$60K$43K$14K$3K
OccupancyLn 16$61K$51K$5K$5K
TravelLn 17$26K$25K$445$999
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$40K$34K$3K$3K
InsuranceLn 23$21K$18K$2K$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$421K$398K$18K$5K
All other expensesLn 24e$9K$9K
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.0M$1.6M$225K$155K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $1.7M$1.7M$76K$4.6M 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $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 FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $2,277,596 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $2,112,100$2,126,786
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $125,130$109,325
I-10 Investment incomePrior year −$15,907$36,414
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $7,228$5,071
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $2,228,551$2,277,596
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $5,869$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,096,311$1,246,885
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $676,310$745,530
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,778,490$1,992,415
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $450,061$285,181
Part VI · Governance 19 of 19 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body19
VI-1b Independent voting members19
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 $2,277,596 across 9 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$1,003,713
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,123,073
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$13,371
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$2,126,786
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $109,325$109,325
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $23,543$23,543
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $12,871$12,871
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $5,071$5,071
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $109,325 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $41,485$2,277,596
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,992,415 across 17 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $184,573 · Management $29,762 · Fundraising $23,941$238,276
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $624,741 · Management $100,738 · Fundraising $81,037$806,516
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $20,096 · Management $3,240 · Fundraising $2,607$25,943
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $75,363 · Management $12,152 · Fundraising $9,776$97,291
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $61,086 · Management $9,850 · Fundraising $7,923$78,859
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $17,735 · Management $5,624 · Fundraising $1,046$24,405
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $13,652$13,652
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $19,827 · Management $6,287 · Fundraising $1,170$27,284
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $2,900 · Management $93 · Fundraising $104$3,097
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $27,954 · Management $1,851 · Fundraising $8,598$38,403
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $43,374 · Management $13,755 · Fundraising $2,559$59,688
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $51,250 · Management $4,547 · Fundraising $5,095$60,892
IX-17 TravelPrograms $25,037 · Management $445 · Fundraising $999$26,481
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $33,555 · Management $2,977 · Fundraising $3,336$39,868
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $17,965 · Management $1,592 · Fundraising $1,783$21,340
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $397,628 · Management $18,429 · Fundraising $5,135$421,192
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $9,228$9,228
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,612,312 · Management $224,994 · Fundraising $155,109$1,992,415
Part X · Balance sheet $4,806,317 assets, 17 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $25,517$24,950
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $1,778,051$2,060,799
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $232,206$181,196
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $22,932$14,167
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $25,758$21,360
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $156,392$116,524
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $1,678,166$1,771,102
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $682,896$616,219
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $4,601,918$4,806,317
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $95,887$85,921
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $21,374$5,000
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $688,161$630,935
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $955,422$721,856
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,695,721$2,069,413
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $1,950,775$2,015,048
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $3,646,496$4,084,461
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $4,601,918$4,806,317
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $4,084,461 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,277,596
XI-2 Total expenses$1,992,415
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$285,181
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$3,646,496
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$152,784
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$4,084,461

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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