Kentucky Waterways Alliance Inc

What it reported doing in 2025

Watershed program - restore kwa's watershed program includes a broad range of initiatives focused on reducing nonpoint source pollution and strengthening local watershed stewardship. Through its septic assistance program, kwa provides installation and repair services to low-income families, replacing failing systems that threaten water quality in areas such as the red river gorge. This work is funded in part through epa 319 grants. The watershed seed grant program provides up to 4,000 in project-based funding to small nonprofits and community groups addressing nonpoint source pollution issues across all seven of Kentucky's major river basins. Kwa also facilitates peer support and learning through the Kentucky watershed network, which brings together watershed leaders statewide. Locally, the red river festival combines community education, outdoor recreation, stream cleanups, and live music to celebrate and protect the watershed. The festival is a key recipient of recent Kentucky river authority grants. While it is difficult to estimate the total number of individuals impacted by this work, the benefits extend beyond direct participants. For every family that receives a septic system installation, the surrounding community and downstream communities benefit from reduced water contamination. In fy25, kwa funded seven seed grant projects across the state, each led by organizations with deep community ties. Three hundred people attended the red river festival. Kwa also piloted the green river access and tire identification project, which allows users statewide to scan a qr code and mark the location of waste tires in waterways. The program also includes the Kentucky aquatic resource fund (karf), a collaborative conservation initiative launched in 2009 by kwa in partnership with the u.s. Fish & wildlife service's Kentucky field office. Managed by kwa as the fund's financial steward, karf pools resources from multiple agencies and stakeholders to support research, surveys, waterway monitoring, stream and riparian habitat restoration, dam and barrier removal, threatened species propagation and reintroduction, voluntary land-preservation agreements, and matching funds for grant-driven conservation projects. In fy25, karf supported tangible improvements in Kentucky's waterways, including removal of the pineville dam on the cumberland river.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 90.9%; rating input score 91
• Fundraising efficiency: $77.33 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 82; 82nd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 78th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • 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: -41.6%; rating input score 3; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.52; rating input score 71; 71st percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.03; rating input score 47; 47th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 3.8%; rating input score 52; 52nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 10.7% per year; rating input score 100; 60th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 7.1% per year; rating input score 100; 49th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 7% per year; rating input score 100; 44th percentile among comparable filings