Klamath-siskiyou Wildlands Center

What it reported doing in 2024

Rogue Riverkeeper: Our Rogue Riverkeeper program downsized in 2023, as long-standing grantors and foundations pulled back support following the completion of our campaign on Jordan Cove LNG. However, our personnel still managed to advocate for, and support, measures that promote clean water and fish habitat. Rogue Riverkeeper worked with community members to officially name and protect Blue Heron Creek in Phoenix. We also sought and received protection for a springs complex in the same area that would have been paved and built upon. The unhoused population living along riparian areasespecially along Bear Creek continues to be a challenge that crosses jurisdictions and authorities. As a small non-profit organization, Rogue Riverkeeper participated in collaboratives like the Bear Creek Restoration Initiative where partners including Jackson County and other city representatives work to protect the ecological function of Bear Creek and its riparian area while supporting humane and safe conditions for all community members. We helped pass the Living with Beaver bill that will help private landowners improve waterways and wetlands in the state. Jet boats on the Upper Rogue remained a challenge. Aside from our standard water quality oversight work, Rogue Riverkeeper spent a significant amount of time focused on a community engagement effort around jet boat usage in the upper Rogue River, near Medford. Through a partnership with the state of Oregon and Portland States Oregon Kitchen Table, Rogue Riverkeeper was part of a months-long community engagement project to collect and gather input on recreation and conflicts along a stretch of the upper Rogue where jet boats have been seen more and more. At the heart of the issue was a commercial operator who was working out of a state park without special use permits. Several hundred individuals participated in community meetings and public comment periods to address the impacts of jet boats on the stretch of the Rogue, and Oregons Kitchen Table published a report that helped the Oregon State Marine Board create new guidelines and rules for the use of jet boats in the Rogue River near TouVelle State Park. Rogue Riverkeeper also participated in limited lobbying efforts at the state level, when we helped secure new protections for beavers in Oregon. Rogue Riverkeeper staff sent out numerous action alerts and submitted public testimony at the Oregon statehouse in support of measures that would restrict beaver trapping on public lands throughout the state of Oregon.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 64.2%; rating input score 64
• Program expense ratio: 70.1%; rating input score 70
• Fundraising efficiency: $5.62 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 21; 21st 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: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd 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: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 8.3%; rating input score 58; 58th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.26; rating input score 50; 50th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.05; rating input score 52; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 11.8%; rating input score 31; 31st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 3.6% per year; rating input score 100; 35th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 3.9% per year; rating input score 100; 37th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 10.9% per year; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings