River Partners

What it reported doing in 2024

Performed river and floodplain-restoration planning, implementation, and management projects with state and federal partners such as the California department of water, California department of fish and wildlife, wildlife conservation board, u.s. Bureau of reclamation, and u.s. Fish and wildlife service. Initiated the acquisition of floodplain lands for future restoration on hundreds of acres in northern California, the central valley, and southern California. River partners continued the active restoration of thousands of acres statewide along major California waterways such as the sacramento, feather, san joaquin, tuolumne, stanislaus, kern rivers. Dozens of imperiled and endangered wildlife species benefitted from our work, including iconic salmon, migratory and resident birds such as the least bell's vireo, and mammals such as the riparian brush rabbit. Numerous communities in which we worked this year benefitted from increased job opportunities and restoration funds going to local economies, reduced flood risk, recharged groundwater, and increased recreational opportunities. River partners also served local communities throughout California by participating in multiple public forums at schools, conferences, festivals, and similar events. River partners' willow bend preserve along the sacramento river in northern California will restore critical floodplain habitat and provide imperiled salmon access to prime food sources, helping boost populations of this iconic fish. Our efforts include designing a first-of-its-kind fish gate in partnership with an incredible team of supporters, including the noaa restoration center, irrigation training and research center at cal poly, san luis obispo, and uc davis center for watershed sciences.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 55.1%; rating input score 55
• Program expense ratio: 86.6%; rating input score 87
• Fundraising efficiency: $75.12 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 94.1%; rating input score 94; 20th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Pass
  • 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: Yes; rating input score 100

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 83.3%; rating input score 83; 17th 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: 36.5%; rating input score 90; 90th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.17; rating input score 64; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.44; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 5%; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 11.8% per year; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 13.2% per year; rating input score 100; 83rd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 9.4% per year; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings