HEADWATERS BASIN PROJECT
Cite this
Plain text HEADWATERS BASIN PROJECT. Strategy Studio, nonprofit organization profile, tax years 2019–2024. https://strategystudio.org/org/834593371. Retrieved 2026-10-20.
APA Strategy Studio. (n.d.). HEADWATERS BASIN PROJECT [Nonprofit organization profile; tax years 2019–2024]. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://strategystudio.org/org/834593371
MLA “HEADWATERS BASIN PROJECT.” Strategy Studio, tax years 2019–2024, https://strategystudio.org/org/834593371. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.
Retrieved 2026-10-20; covers tax years 2019–2024. Data: Strategy Studio, CC BY 4.0.
2024 · Form 990 · revenue $727K · expenses $1.6M · assets $676K
- EIN
- 83-4593371
- Address
- PO BOX 1352, NEVADA CITY, CA 95959-1352
- NTEE code
- C30
- Subsection
- 501(c)(3)
- Ruling year
- 2019
- Cross-check
- ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer
Mission
THE PROJECT'S MISSION IS TO REDUCE THE RISK OF HIGH-INTENSITY, CATASTROPHIC WILDFIRES AND TO MAINTAIN THE OLD-GROWTH FORESTS, WATER SUPPLY, BIOLOGICAL INTEGRITY, CULTURAL RESOURCES, AND ECOLOGICAL SUSTAINABILITY OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LANDS IN THE NORTH FORK AMERICAN HEADWATERS BASIN.
Each tax year counts once: when a return was amended, only the latest return for that period is used below (superseded returns stay listed, greyed, under Finances).
People paid by the organization
None of the 11 people listed on these returns reported compensation from the organization. They are listed below.
Officers and directors, no compensation reported
11 people listed on the returns with $0 (or no amount) in every compensation column: current people first. Hours are as filed on the latest return each person appears on.
| Name | Latest title | Years | Hrs/wk (latest) | Compensation | Organizations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ken Noack | PRESIDENT & | 2021-2024 | 1 | $0 reported | 1 |
| Steve Toben | VICE PRESIDE | 2019-2024 | 1 | $0 reported | 1 |
| Walter E Stern | SECRETARY | 2023-2024 | 1 | $0 reported | 1 |
| Michelle Margulies | TREASURER | 2023-2024 | 1 | $0 reported | 1 |
| Chris Paulus | DIRECTOR | 2019-2024 | 1 | $0 reported | 1 |
| Luana Dowling | DIRECTOR | 2019-2024 | 1 | $0 reported | 1 |
| Edward Beedy | EXECUTIVE DI | 2019-2024 | 1 | $0 reported | 1 |
| Jeff Volberg | DIRECTOR | 2023-2024 | 1 | $0 reported | 1 |
| Wade Lamson (former) | SECRETARY | 2019-2022 | Not reported | $0 reported | 1 |
| Jeffrey Volberg (former) | TREASURER | 2019-2022 | Not reported | $0 reported | 1 |
| Brian Jaffe (former) | PRESIDENT & | 2019-2020 | Not reported | $0 reported | 1 |
People by year
2024 · 8 people listed · none paid · 0 employees
| Name | Title | Hrs/wk | From org | From related | Other | Total | Orgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KEN NOACK | PRESIDENT & | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| STEVE TOBEN | VICE PRESIDE | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| WALTER E STERN | SECRETARY | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| MICHELLE MARGULIES | TREASURER | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| CHRIS PAULUS | DIRECTOR | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| LUANA DOWLING | DIRECTOR | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| EDWARD BEEDY | EXECUTIVE DI | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| JEFF VOLBERG | DIRECTOR | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
2023 · 8 people listed · none paid · 0 employees
| Name | Title | Hrs/wk | From org | From related | Other | Total | Orgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KEN NOACK | PRESIDENT & | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| STEVE TOBEN | VICE PRESIDE | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| WALTER E STERN | SECRETARY | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| MICHELLE MARGULIES | TREASURER | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| CHRIS PAULUS | DIRECTOR | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| LUANA DOWLING | DIRECTOR | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| EDWARD BEEDY | EXECUTIVE DI | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| JEFF VOLBERG | DIRECTOR | 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
2022 · 7 people listed · none paid · 0 employees
| Name | Title | Hrs/wk | From org | From related | Other | Total | Orgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EDWARD BEEDY | EXECUTIVE DI | - | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| LUANA DOWLING | DIRECTOR | - | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| WADE LAMSON | SECRETARY | - | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| KEN NOACK | PRESIDENT & | - | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| CHRIS PAULUS | DIRECTOR | - | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| STEVE TOBEN | VICE PRESIDE | - | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| JEFFREY VOLBERG | TREASURER | - | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
2021 · 7 people listed · none paid · 0 employees
| Name | Title | Hrs/wk | From org | From related | Other | Total | Orgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EDWARD BEEDY | EXECUTIVE DI | 10 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| LUANA DOWLING | DIRECTOR | 2 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| WADE LAMSON | SECRETARY | 2 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| KEN NOACK | PRESIDENT & | 2 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| CHRIS PAULUS | DIRECTOR | 2 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| STEVE TOBEN | VICE PRESIDE | 2 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| JEFFREY VOLBERG | TREASURER | 2 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
2020 · 7 people listed · none paid · 0 employees
| Name | Title | Hrs/wk | From org | From related | Other | Total | Orgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EDWARD BEEDY | EXECUTIVE DI | - | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| LUANA DOWLING | DIRECTOR | - | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| BRIAN JAFFE | PRESIDENT & | - | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| WADE LAMSON | SECRETARY | - | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| CHRIS PAULUS | DIRECTOR | - | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| STEVE TOBEN | DIRECTOR | - | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| JEFFREY VOLBERG | TREASURER | - | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
2019 · 7 people listed · none paid · 0 employees
| Name | Title | Hrs/wk | From org | From related | Other | Total | Orgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EDWARD BEEDY | EXECUTIVE DI | 5 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| LUANA DOWLING | DIRECTOR | - | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| BRIAN JAFFE | PRESIDENT & | - | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| WADE LAMSON | SECRETARY | - | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| CHRIS PAULUS | DIRECTOR | - | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| STEVE TOBEN | DIRECTOR | - | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| JEFFREY VOLBERG | TREASURER | - | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
Highest-paid independent contractors
2024 · 4 contractors · $1.4M
| Name | Location | Service | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| JENSEN'S TREE CARE | PENN VALLEY, CA | FOREST HEALTH | $518,124 |
| BLACK DOG ENTERPRISES | NEVADA CITY, CA | FOREST HEALTH | $356,720 |
| FRANK DIAL LOGGING | NEVADA CITY, CA | FOREST HEALTH | $340,500 |
| RED MOUNTAIN RESOURCES | OAKLEY, ID | FOREST HEALTH | $185,500 |
Who gave
Contributor names are not public for this form type.
Public charities filing Form 990 or 990-EZ report large donors on Schedule B, but the IRS withholds their names and addresses from public copies. Private foundations (990-PF) are different: their contributors are public.
Finances
Newest first. Each filing: its name on one row, its figures on the row beneath. Greyed filings are superseded by a later return for the same period and are left out everywhere else on this page.
| Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Net assets | Contributions | Program revenue | Officer pay | Employees | Volunteers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 · Form 990 | ||||||||
| $726,785 | $1,580,983 | $675,610 | $624,312 | $586,750 | $0 | - | 0 | - |
| 2023 · Form 990 | ||||||||
| $787,256 | $441,306 | $1,478,510 | $1,478,510 | $741,528 | $0 | - | 0 | - |
| 2022 · Form 990 | ||||||||
| $1,025,593 | $620,282 | $1,132,560 | $1,132,560 | $1,023,850 | $0 | - | 0 | - |
| 2021 · Form 990 | ||||||||
| $572,029 | $151,071 | $727,249 | $727,249 | $571,850 | $0 | - | 0 | - |
| 2020 · Form 990 | ||||||||
| $42,657 | $239,328 | $306,291 | $306,291 | $36,000 | $0 | - | 0 | - |
| 2019 · Form 990 | ||||||||
| $509,046 | $6,084 | $502,962 | $502,962 | $505,079 | $0 | - | 0 | - |
Funders of this organization
3 grantors reported grants to this organization, $2,170,400 in all, tax years 2019 to 2024. Exact: the grantor wrote this organization's EIN. Fuzzy: the grantor wrote only a name (foundations' 990-PF has no EIN field), matched to the same or a near-identical name in the same state; the name as filed is shown. From the latest return for each grantor and year, so amended returns aren't counted twice. CSV
| Grantor | Type | Match | Years given | Grants | Total | Latest year | Latest year's amount | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DONOR ADVISED CHARITABLE GIVING | DAF sponsor | Exact | 2019-2024 | 6 | $2,133,400 | 2024 | $554,500 | show |
| SILICON VALLEY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | DAF sponsor | Exact | 2021 | 1 | $27,000 | 2021 | $27,000 | show |
| VANGUARD CHARITABLE ENDOWMENT PROGRAM | DAF sponsor | Exact | 2021 | 1 | $10,000 | 2021 | $10,000 | show |
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| GREEN SCIENCE POLICY INSTITUTE | CA | C30 | $1,276,725 | $1,234,879 | EXECUTIVE DIR | $249,032 | Same NTEE code C30, revenue within 2x, same state |
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| BAY NATURE INSTITUTE | CA | C30 | $1,304,302 | $1,176,760 | Publisher/ED | $130,156 | Same NTEE code C30, revenue within 2x, same state |
| FRIENDS OF THE INYO | CA | C30 | $890,026 | $1,023,694 | Executive Dir. | $105,749 | Same NTEE code C30, revenue within 2x, same state |
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Who funds organizations like this
Grantors that funded the 100 most similar organizations. Ranked by total given to them. Foundations (990-PF) and donor-advised fund sponsors only. Same matching as Funders above (by EIN, or by name for foundations).
The full list · all similar organizations
Where the money went
Every expense line on each return, biggest first: Form 990 Part IX (with its program, management and fundraising columns), 990-EZ Part I, or 990-PF Part I. Event marks lines the organization itself describes as events. “Events” in each summary adds those lines, conferences and meetings, and the direct costs of fundraising events. Unusual is not the same as improper. Many of these patterns have ordinary explanations. Check the filing.
2024 · Form 990 · $1,580,983 spent · pay $0 · grants $0 · events $0
| Line | As described | Total | Program | Management | Fundraising | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other (as described) | LAND PRESERVATION CLEAR | $1,461,144 | $1,461,144 | - | - | 92.4% |
| Other (as described) | RPF | $103,320 | $103,320 | - | - | 6.5% |
| Other (as described) | PROJECT MANAGEMENT | $6,843 | $6,843 | - | - | 0.4% |
| Fees: accounting | $6,611 | - | $6,611 | - | 0.4% | |
| Insurance | $1,417 | - | $1,417 | - | 0.1% | |
| Other (as described) | MISCELLANEOUS | $615 | $615 | - | - | 0.0% |
| Fees: investment management | $558 | - | $558 | - | 0.0% | |
| All other expenses | $475 | - | $475 | - | 0.0% | |
| Total | $1,580,983 | 100% |
2023 · Form 990 · $441,306 spent · pay $0 · grants $0 · events $0
| Line | As described | Total | Program | Management | Fundraising | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other (as described) | LAND PRESERVATION CLEAR | $359,338 | $359,338 | - | - | 81.4% |
| Other (as described) | RPF | $71,400 | $71,400 | - | - | 16.2% |
| Fees: accounting | $4,356 | - | $4,356 | - | 1.0% | |
| Other (as described) | PROJECT MANAGEMENT | $3,547 | $3,547 | - | - | 0.8% |
| Insurance | $1,385 | - | $1,385 | - | 0.3% | |
| Fees: legal | $534 | - | $534 | - | 0.1% | |
| Other (as described) | BANK CHARGES | $350 | - | $350 | - | 0.1% |
| All other expenses | $240 | - | $240 | - | 0.1% | |
| Travel | $156 | - | $156 | - | 0.0% | |
| Total | $441,306 | 100% |
2022 · Form 990 · $620,282 spent · pay $0 · grants $0 · events $0
| Line | As described | Total | Program | Management | Fundraising | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other (as described) | LAND PRESERVATION CLEAR | $416,881 | $416,881 | - | - | 67.2% |
| Other (as described) | ROAD | $158,009 | $158,009 | - | - | 25.5% |
| Other (as described) | RPF | $28,595 | $28,595 | - | - | 4.6% |
| Other (as described) | PROJECT MANAGEMENT | $7,706 | $7,706 | - | - | 1.2% |
| Fees: accounting | $5,248 | - | $5,248 | - | 0.8% | |
| All other expenses | $1,475 | $1,000 | $475 | - | 0.2% | |
| Insurance | $1,385 | - | $1,385 | - | 0.2% | |
| Fees: legal | $511 | - | $511 | - | 0.1% | |
| Office expenses | $316 | - | $316 | - | 0.1% | |
| Travel | $156 | - | $156 | - | 0.0% | |
| Total | $620,282 | 100% |
2021 · Form 990 · $151,071 spent · pay $0 · grants $0 · events $0
| Line | As described | Total | Program | Management | Fundraising | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other (as described) | LAND PRESERVATION CLEAR | $143,378 | $143,378 | - | - | 94.9% |
| Other (as described) | REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE | $4,250 | $4,250 | - | - | 2.8% |
| Fees: accounting | $1,482 | - | $1,482 | - | 1.0% | |
| Insurance | $1,342 | - | $1,342 | - | 0.9% | |
| Fees: legal | $489 | - | $489 | - | 0.3% | |
| Other (as described) | REGISTRATION | $110 | - | $110 | - | 0.1% |
| Other (as described) | STATE TAX | $25 | - | $25 | - | 0.0% |
| All other expenses | -$5 | - | -$5 | - | -0.0% | |
| Total | $151,071 | 100% |
2020 · Form 990 · $239,328 spent · pay $0 · grants $0 · events $0
| Line | As described | Total | Program | Management | Fundraising | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other (as described) | LAND PRESERVATION CLEAR | $236,928 | $236,928 | - | - | 99.0% |
| Fees: accounting | $1,824 | - | $1,824 | - | 0.8% | |
| Fees: legal | $476 | - | $476 | - | 0.2% | |
| Interest | $59 | - | $59 | - | 0.0% | |
| Other (as described) | REGISTRATION | $25 | - | $25 | - | 0.0% |
| Other (as described) | STATE TAX | $10 | - | $10 | - | 0.0% |
| Other (as described) | BANK CHARGES | $6 | - | $6 | - | 0.0% |
| Total | $239,328 | 100% |
2019 · Form 990 · $6,084 spent · pay $0 · grants $0 · events $0
| Line | As described | Total | Program | Management | Fundraising | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fees: legal | $5,231 | - | $5,231 | - | 86.0% | |
| Fees: accounting | $495 | - | $495 | - | 8.1% | |
| Travel | $358 | - | $358 | - | 5.9% | |
| Total | $6,084 | 100% |