California Trout Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
237097680
IRS 990 coverage
2012–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
San Francisco, CA, USA
Phone
4153928887
Rating
84
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Standard
Sector
Fisheries Resources

Reported finances

Revenue
$24,697,461
Expenses
$23,586,240
Assets
$16,548,789
Liabilities
$8,142,163

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

32 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • CURTIS KNIGHT (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • CURTIS KNIGHT (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $309,028 total reported compensation
  • ALAN J ROESBERRY (CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFIC): $229,965 total reported compensation
  • SHARRIN RIOS (FINANCE DIRECTOR): $203,580 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Caltrout's mission is ensuring healthy water and resilient wild fish for a better California. We share a common vision of a California where healthy waters flow from headwaters to sea. Where the diversity and resilience of our waters and fish match (continued on schedule o) that of the people throughout our state.

What it reported doing in 2024

Program #3: the California trout (caltrout) south coast program includes: the santa margarita river bridge replacement and fish passage project- construction of a steel bridge that passes 100 yr. Flow - accomplishments: final bridge design, plans and permitting completed. The i-5 metrolink at trabuco creek fish passage project - restore southern steelhead migration while stabilizing flood conveyance and transportation infrastructure in orange county - accomplishments: final design developed for metrolink fishway. The south coast steelhead coalition - accomplishments: twelve prioritized projects as part of south coast steelhead coalition strategic plan. All high priority projects are underway or completed. The ca endangered south coast steelhead petition cesa listing - (continued on schedule o) accomplishments: in january 2024, cdfw affirmed the caltrout petition. Cdfw recommended to ca fish & game commission that southern steelhead should be listed as a state endangered species. The harvey diversion fish passage dam remediation project - accomplishments: 75% plan set, and basis of design report achieved in march 2023. The malibu creek restoration project accomplishments: drafted and executed the strategic communication and public engagement plan, in close collaboration w/ state parks, agencies, and public stakeholders.

Operating model

Revenue model
Grant-funded. 64% of the money available for current operations came from government grants.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 78
  • Transparency & Controls: 91
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 39
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 80.1%; rating input score 80
  • Program expense ratio: 83.9%; rating input score 84
  • Fundraising efficiency: $15.21 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 50; 50th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 93.8%; rating input score 94; 17th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 5 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 83
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Pass
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • 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: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 4.5%; rating input score 52; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.7; rating input score 24; 24th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.49; rating input score 29; 29th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 7.1%; rating input score 35; 35th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 16.8% per year; rating input score 100; 86th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 17% per year; rating input score 100; 89th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 16.7% per year; rating input score 100; 84th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 80.1% of revenue deployed · 83.9% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 21 of 21 board members independent · 8 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $19.8M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $309K · 32 people listed · 5 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $4M reported
  • Consistency: 35 of 36 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 9 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 13 filing years from 2012 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 8 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 1 filed related-organization link
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 50/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 52/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 24/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Other executive compensation review process not reported.
  • Review — Transparency & Controls: Schedule R controlled transactions itemized did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 29/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 35/100.