irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $1.11MADVOCACY AND PATROLS PROGRAM - SEE SCHEDULE O.
- #2 $724KLEGAL, CLIMATE AND ENERGY PROGRAM - SEE SCHEDULE O.
named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Advocacy and Patrols Program
Conducts river patrols and advocacy efforts to protect the Hudson River from pollution and habitat destruction
Boat and Habitat Restoration Program
Restores critical aquatic habitats and maintains patrol vessels to support river conservation efforts
Legal, Climate and Energy Program
Engages in legal action and policy advocacy to defend habitat protections and address climate and energy issues affecting the Hudson River
Water Quality Program
Monitors and works to improve water quality in the Hudson River and its tributaries
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Environmental Policy Advocacy & Litigation 2 activities
- Environmental advocacy and policy campaignsAdvances legal, climate, and energy initiatives to protect the Hudson River ecosystem, including advocating for the allocation of $5.5 billion in state funding for clean water since 2017 and sending over 28,000 letters to lawmakers in one year.
- Legal action for habitat protectionEngages in litigation to protect endangered species and defend science-based habitat protections, including ongoing cases against New York, New Jersey, and Delaware to protect sturgeon.
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Community Stewardship Volunteer Programs 1 activity
- Debris removal through volunteer cleanupsOrganizes volunteer efforts to remove debris from the Hudson River, having removed 404 tons since 2012.
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Marine and Coastal Education Programs 1 activity
- Educational cruises and public outreach eventsHosts educational cruises and public events, including an annual Whale Watch & Dolphin Cruise, to showcase clean water restoration results and educate the public about Hudson River recovery from New York City to the Adirondacks.
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Lake and River Advocacy 1 activity
- Environmental incident investigationReviews and investigates public reports of pollution and environmental incidents on the Hudson River, including suspected oil spills and dead wildlife.
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Real-Time Environmental Monitoring and Community Engagement 1 activity
- Public water quality data reportingProvides publicly accessible water quality data to inform safe recreational use of the Hudson River by anglers, boaters, and swimmers.
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Lake and Watershed Monitoring & Assessment 1 activity
- Water quality monitoring and river patrolsConducts annual patrols and water sampling across more than 2,400 miles of the Hudson River, including the Upper Hudson, Mohawk River, and New York Harbor, to monitor and improve water quality.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$5.71M
Contributions & grants$4.98M87%
Program service revenue$1600%
Investment income$118K2%
Other revenue$613K
expenses
Total expenses$5.30M
Program expenses67%
Admin / overhead12%
Fundraising21%
Salaries & benefits$3.80M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$4.78M
Cash$2.80M
Investments$0
Liabilities$312K
Net assets$4.47M
Liquid reserves6.3 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +9.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 3
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LINDE OSTRO | FMR VICE PRESIDENT OF DEVELOPMENT | 40 | $236K |
| TRACY BROWN | PRESIDENT AND RIVERKEEPER | 40 | $234K |
| ROBIN MEADOWS | CHIEF FINANCIAL AND OPERATING OFFICER | 40 | $172K |
board members · 20
- AKILA SIMON — DIRECTOR
- AVERY GILBERT — DIRECTOR
- COLLEEN TROGISCH — DIRECTOR
- DALE KUTNICK — DIRECTOR
- ELLEN KOZAK — DIRECTOR
- EMMANUEL MORLET — DIRECTOR
- ERNEST TOLLERSON — DIRECTOR
- GREGORY SIMPSON — DIRECTOR
- JAN WYSOCKI — DIRECTOR
- JOHN GARVER — DIRECTOR
- JOY JAMES — DIRECTOR
- JUDITH MOGUL — DIRECTOR
- KARENNA GORE — VICE CHAIR OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS
- KATHARINE BUTLER — DIRECTOR
- MARTIN HAMPEL — TREASURER OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS
- MARY MCNAMARA — DIRECTOR
- NICHOLAS GROOMBRIDGE — CHAIR OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS
- SARAH STREET — SECRETARY OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS
- STEVE LIESMAN — DIRECTOR
- TIMON MALLOY — DIRECTOR
relationships · 12
Who they work with
- Better Business Bureau Government — Accredited Riverkeeper
- Candid Government — Awarded Riverkeeper a Platinum Transparency 2025 rating
- Charity Navigator Government — Awarded Riverkeeper a Four Star rating
- DEC Spills Hotline Government — Coordinated contact point for emergency pollution reporting, referenced for active spills
- Delaware Partner — Party in a current lawsuit led by Riverkeeper to protect sturgeon
- Guda Brooklyn Partner — Hosts a pre-event meet-up for top-tier ticket holders of the Whale Watch & Dolphin Cruise.
- New Jersey Partner — Party in a current lawsuit led by Riverkeeper to protect sturgeon
- New York Government — Source of $5.5 billion in clean water funding allocated since 2017
- New York Partner — Party in a current lawsuit led by Riverkeeper to protect sturgeon
- New York Attorney General’s Charities Bureau Government — Regulatory body where Riverkeeper files financial reports and disclosures.
- New York State Government — Source of $5.5 billion in clean water funding secured through Riverkeeper's advocacy.
- Riverkeeper Partner — Collects water quality data in partnership with other organizations in the Hudson River watershed.
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Ecological Engagement Through Public Accessmethodology: ecological-engagement-through-public-accessBy offering public cruises on the Hudson River, we demonstrate the tangible outcomes of clean water restoration, because direct ecological experiences foster deeper public engagement and support for long-term stewardship.
- Expert-Driven Legal and Policy Advocacymethodology: expert-driven advocacyBy deploying in-house scientific, legal, and policy experts, we strengthen environmental advocacy and public engagement, because technical credibility enhances legal outcomes and public trust in restoration efforts.
- Integrated Enforcement Modelmethodology: multi-method environmental protectionBy combining river patrols, water quality monitoring, citizen science, and legal advocacy, we detect pollution and enforce environmental protections more effectively across the Hudson River watershed, because multi-method detection and response increases coverage, accountability, and deterrence.