Columbia Gorge Defenders

Tax-deductible

Hood River, OR501(c)(3)Since 2023Crime & LegalEIN 93-4821521Revenue $2.4M in FY2025

On file with the IRSgorgefirm.org116 Oak St Ste 8, 97031-2375 · Hood River, ORTax-exempt since May 2025Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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To provide quality legal defense to court appointed individuals.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
94¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$684K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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
2 of 2
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $180K a year · 8% of revenue · last 2 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 2 of the last 2 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 2 filings
Spent on programs
94%
of spending
Looks good: 94% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$684K
to officers and key staff · 32% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 69% of similar orgs
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 32% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 2.4 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Liabilities
$5K
1% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 1% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
6
of 7 voting members
Looks good: 6 of 7 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$2.4M
+7% vs prior year
Spent
$2.2M
To programs
94%
Net assets
$435K
By yearFY2023–FY2025
Revenue
$2.4M
FY2025▲ +7%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2023$76K
FY2024$2.3M
FY2025$2.4M
Expenses
$2.2M
FY2025+0.3%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2023Not on file
FY2024$2.2M
FY2025$2.2M
Net assets
$435K
FY2025▲ +140%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2023$76K
FY2024$181K
FY2025$435K

From the FY2025 Form 990 · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in May 2025.

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

Where the money goes

94 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 94% · $2.0M Management & general 6% · $121K

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

11 people listed on the 990; $684K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Di
$160,125Pt VII · Sec A
Attorney
$134,080Pt VII · Sec A
$132,180Pt VII · Sec A
Attorney
$132,180Pt VII · Sec A
$125,685Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Richard H Balsley’s $160K as Executive Di is at the 69th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1147 $1–10M crime & legal 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 · 6 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024
Richard H Balsley$160,125$154,000
T C Sullivan$134,080$128,800
Jarrett C Glass$132,180$126,400
Sean M Pank$132,180$126,400
Joshua M Gums$125,685$116,500
Jack Morris—$124,000

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

Defend individuals appointed by the court with quality legal services.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $2.0M · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

Columbia gorge defenders provided constitutionally and statutorily mandated legal services to both children and adults in five oregon counties in both criminal and juvenile matters in over 1000 cases.

$2.0Mprogram expense

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$2.4M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.4M
Money outPt IX
$2.2M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.0M
Managementcol C$121K
Owns and owesPt X
$435K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$441K
Total assetsLn 16$441K
LiabilitiesLn 26$5K
PeoplePt VI, VII
11
listed · VII A
PaidVII A5
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.4M
Government grantsLn 1e$2.4M
Total revenueLn 12$2.4M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$441K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$441K
Total assetsLn 16$441K
LiabilitiesLn 26$5K
Net assetsLn 32$435K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 519
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$190K$441K
Total assetsLn 16$196K$441K
LiabilitiesLn 26$14K$5K
Net assetsLn 32$181K$435K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$160K$152K$8K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.4M$1.3M$68K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$38K$36K$2K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$176K$167K$9K
Payroll taxesLn 10$126K$120K$6K
Legal feesLn 11b$7K$7K
Accounting feesLn 11c$10K$10K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1K$1K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$193$193
Office expensesLn 13$21K$20K$954
OccupancyLn 16$109K$104K$5K
TravelLn 17$3K$3K
InsuranceLn 23$31K$29K$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$76K$75K$1K
All other expensesLn 24e$45K$37K$8K
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.2M$2.0M$121K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $2.4M$2.2M$254K$435K 990 PDF
FY2024 $2.3M$2.2M$106K$181K 990 PDF
FY2023 $76K$76K 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 FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $2,421,004 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $2,265,806$2,421,004
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $2,265,806$2,421,004
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,802,949$1,863,264
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $356,887$303,799
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $2,159,836$2,167,063
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $105,970$253,941
Part VI · Governance 6 of 7 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members6
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 $2,421,004 across 4 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$2,418,500
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$2,504
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$2,421,004
VIII-12 Total revenue$2,421,004
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,167,063 across 15 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $152,119 · Management $8,006$160,125
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,295,277 · Management $68,172$1,363,449
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $36,204 · Management $1,906$38,110
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $166,846 · Management $8,781$175,627
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $119,655 · Management $6,298$125,953
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $7,200$7,200
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $10,067$10,067
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $1,300$1,300
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $193$193
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $20,488 · Management $954$21,442
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $103,637 · Management $5,455$109,092
IX-17 TravelPrograms $2,997$2,997
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $29,156 · Management $1,535$30,691
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $74,802 · Management $1,488$76,290
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $36,663 · Management $7,864$44,527
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,046,537 · Management $120,526 · Fundraising $0$2,167,063
Part X · Balance sheet $440,534 assets, 7 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $190,342$440,534
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $195,782$440,534
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $14,188$5,123
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $14,312$5,123
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $181,470$435,411
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $181,470$435,411
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $195,782$440,534
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $435,411 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,421,004
XI-2 Total expenses$2,167,063
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$253,941
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$181,470
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$435,411

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

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