Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper
Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper reported $4.7 million in revenue and $4.8 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $75.17 went to program services, $19.97 to management and general costs and $4.86 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 95.7% of the total. Government grants made up 62.4%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $259,059 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). 3 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 1% between 2019 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $4.8MFor context, the median across 371 covered environment charities: $85.82 programs, $10.80 management, $3.38 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $4.7MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 75.2% | 83.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 20.0% | 10.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 4.9% | 3.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.05 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 95.7% | 87.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 62.4% | 4.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.1% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $259,059 | $293,532 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 5.41% | 1.74% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 3 | 7 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 4.5 | 18.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 12 of 12 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseClimate and coastal resiliency: we lead efforts to build community and coastal resiliency in the face of the growing impacts of climate change. We do this through systems level planning, policy initiatives, and innovative methods to restore degraded habitats and enhance water quality. Our impact is realized through collaborative public, private and nonprofit partnerships while implementing nature-based solutions to restore important ecosystem functions and benefits
Water quality protection: we work to protect the physical, biological, and chemical integrity of our creeks, streams, rivers, and lakes to safeguard clean drinking water and conserve healthy, vibrant ecosystems. We do this through monitoring of our waterways, cleaning up historical pollution, preserving important undeveloped lands, and engaging our community in stewardship of their water
Waterway access: we establish and restore natural connections to our region's waterways, transforming our water-based economy from rust to blue. Our efforts enhance communities and public spaces and provide easy access to our shared waters while creating opportunities for people to interact and reconnect with the natural environment
Highest reported compensation
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $249,095 | $0 | $9,964 | $259,059 |
| DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $150,480 | $0 | $6,019 | $156,499 |
| DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $141,776 | $0 | $13,121 | $154,897 |
3 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $545K (Part IX, line 5).
7 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b12 · 12 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 523
- Volunteers Part I, line 62,050
Largest outside contractors
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| GROUND BREAKING SOLUTIONS Installed a new ada accessible fishing p | $651,272 |
| RAMBOLL AMERICAS ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS Provided services in the area of coastal | $389,596 |
| OJIBWAY Implemented the installation of a concre | $205,147 |
| LABELLA ASSOCIATES DPC Performed habitat restoration constructi | $193,163 |
| WENDEL Advanced the preliminary designs to the | $120,698 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 5 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
15 private foundations reported grants to Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper totaling $685K on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper spent in 2025, $75.17 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Center for Carbon RemovalWashington, DC · revenue $3.4M · programs 81.0% · 2025
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- American Horticultural SocietyAlexandria, VA · revenue $3.4M · programs 73.2% · FY2025
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Questions people ask
How much of Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper reported that 75.2% of its $4.8 million in expenses went to program services, 20.0% to management and general and 4.9% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $259,059, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper get its money?
Of $4.7 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 95.7% came from contributions and grants (including 62.4% from government grants) and 0.1% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 22-2993054 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2025: Form 990 for calendar year 2025, object 202622459349300612 · read the filing
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202502409349300400 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202422849349301102 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202342639349301109 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202203119349303155 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202112989349300961 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202023099349302037 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 22-2993054: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.