Anacostia Watershed Society Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

Restoration: aws restoration program celebrated key milestones for 2024. Key metrics include: - 980 native plants, shrubs and trees planted - 1,757 freshwater mussels released into the anacostia river - 1.42 acres of land cleared from invasive plant species - 35 tons of trash removed from the watershed - 2,483 volunteers joined aws staff in our field conservation and restoration efforts programmatic highlights include: earth day 2024 cleanup aws' signature earth day cleanup attracted 1,506 volunteers to 38 cleanup sites across the watershed, removing a total of 5948 lbs of trash from the watershed. Wild rice restoration after over two decades of dedicated effort, aws has successfully re- established wild rice in the wetlands of the anacostia river. This keystone species was virtually eliminated from the watershed by pollution and habitat destruction. Through careful harvest and planting of wild rice seeds by our students and volunteers, and predator control to allow the plants to grow, we reached 26 acres of self-sustaining wild rice. State of the river report card aws continued our critical role of monitoring water quality for the anacostia river through the 2024 state of the river report, receiving its highest grade to date. This report is a key accountability and transparency mechanism to ensure the watershed community continues to be aware of the status of water quality of the anacostia river. Thanks to significant efforts by the federal and district governments, the toxics remediation score has been steadily improving. While there is great progress in controlling threats to water quality, the anacostia watershed continues to suffer from the historical loss of wetlands and forests that once protected our rivers and streams from excessive run-off, sediment, and pollution. Climate change will heighten these challenges, and indeed threatens to roll back the gains we've made over the last 30 years.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 76.1%; rating input score 76
• Program expense ratio: 70.6%; rating input score 71
• Fundraising efficiency: $10.2 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 38; 38th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 93.3%; rating input score 93; 17th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Pass
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: No; rating input score 0

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -7.6%; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.78; rating input score 29; 29th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.19; rating input score 46; 46th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 14.6%; rating input score 19; 19th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: -2.1% per year; rating input score 0; 9th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 0.8% per year; rating input score 100; 15th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 5.2% per year; rating input score 100; 35th percentile among comparable filings