California Trout
California Trout reported $24.7 million in revenue and $23.6 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $83.89 went to program services, $9.21 to management and general costs and $6.90 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 100.3% of the total. Government grants made up 64.7%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $309,028 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). 13 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 167% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $24MFor context, the median across 245 covered animal-related charities: $83.96 programs, $9.42 management, $6.62 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $25M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$35.22 $8.8M
- Government grants$64.02 $16M
- Investment income$0.76 $190K
Other revenue was negative: −$253K. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 83.9% | 82.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 9.2% | 9.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 6.9% | 6.5% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.07 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 100.3% | 67.3% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 64.7% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 19.3% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $309,028 | $314,886 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.31% | 1.63% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 13 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 4.3 | 26.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 21 of 21 | 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
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseProgram #1: the California Trout (caltrout) shasta-lassen program worked to protect and restore the spring-fed cold-water river systems of the shasta-klamath region that, in the face of drought and climate change, sustain native salmonids, support the local economy, supply water to central and southern california, and provide critical habitat for endangered species. This work included protection of legacy waters such as the hat creek/fall river, mccloud, pit rivers, the battle creek salmon and steelhead restoration project (bcssrp) which aims to remove five dams, install fish screens and…
Program #2: the California Trout (caltrout) north coast program, works to protect the ecological health of the north coast's rivers, and the salmon and steelhead stronghold populations they sustain. In the smith, klamath, trinity, redwood, mad, the eel rivers, and humboldt bay, caltrout established sound policies and science-based recovery and monitoring programs, to restore productive and vibrant commercial and recreational fisheries, good water quality, and sustainable working landscapes. This region's efforts included work to remove the dams in the eel river and monitor fish response after…
Program #3: the California Trout (caltrout) south coast program includes: the santa margarita river bridge replacement and fish passage project- construction of a steel bridge that passes 100 yr. Flow - accomplishments: final bridge design, plans and permitting completed. The I-5 metrolink at trabuco creek fish passage project - restore southern steelhead migration while stabilizing flood conveyance and transportation infrastructure in orange county - accomplishments: final design developed for metrolink fishway. The south coast steelhead coalition - accomplishments: twelve prioritized…
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · 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 | $263,847 | $0 | $45,181 | $309,028 |
| CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFIC Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $183,306 | $0 | $46,659 | $229,965 |
| FINANCE DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $162,576 | $0 | $41,004 | $203,580 |
| VP OF OPERATIONS Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $163,698 | $0 | $32,760 | $196,458 |
| INSTITUTIONAL GIVING DIREC Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $156,870 | $0 | $30,658 | $187,528 |
| PROGRAM DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $140,019 | $0 | $39,631 | $179,650 |
| SENIOR SCIENTIST Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $137,171 | $0 | $42,099 | $179,270 |
| DIRECTOR OF SCIENCE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $131,051 | $0 | $47,942 | $178,993 |
13 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from California Trout (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $855K (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · 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–1b21 · 21 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 570
- Volunteers Part I, line 6300
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| MCBAIN ASSOCIATES Science | $1,182,036 |
| NORTHERN HYDROLOGY & ENGINEERING Science | $930,378 |
| HANFORD APPLIED RESTORATION & CONSERVATI Construction | $753,212 |
| STILLWATER SCIENCES Science | $644,247 |
| KPFF INC Construction | $524,259 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 30 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
19 private foundations reported grants to California Trout totaling $714K 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 California Trout's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for California Trout, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 California Trout spent in FY2025, $83.89 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- K9S for WarriorsPonte Vedra, FL · revenue $24M · programs 74.1% · 2024
- Animal Humane SocietyGolden Valley, MN · revenue $25M · programs 69.3% · FY2025
- Helen Woodward Animal CenterRancho Santa Fe, CA · revenue $24M · programs 75.7% · 2024
- Maryland Zoological SocietyBaltimore, MD · revenue $25M · programs 86.7% · FY2025
- Utah Zoological SocietySalt Lake City, UT · revenue $24M · programs 88.4% · 2025
All animal-related charities · Largest charities in California
Questions people ask
How much of California Trout's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, California Trout reported that 83.9% of its $23.6 million in expenses went to program services, 9.2% to management and general and 6.9% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does California Trout pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation California Trout reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $309,028, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does California Trout get its money?
Of $24.7 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 100.3% came from contributions and grants (including 64.7% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is California Trout a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 23-7097680 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. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, object 202631339349304603 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202501349349310995 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202421369349314252 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202331359349317368 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202231369349314138 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202101379349307625 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 23-7097680: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.