Bonneville Environmental Foundation
“Fund watershed restoration and renewable energy projects.”
The work
What they do
Funds Model Watershed Program restoring streams and fish habitat. Works extensively on federal lands in the Pacific Northwest for salmon recovery.
Every year they sign one sentence and file it with the federal government: “WE BRING TOGETHER PARTNERS ACROSS ALL SECTORS OF SOCIETY TO CO-CREATE INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT ADDRESS CLIMATE CHALLENGES PRIMARILY BY RESTORING FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS AND CATALYZING A RENEWABLE ENERGY FUTURE FOR ALL.”
Where the money went, FY2025
The work, and what it cost
Guarding the water
$34.5MBEF SUPORTS SCIENCE- BASED WATERSHED RESTORATION INITIATIVES THAT DEMONSTRATE STRONG COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTAND CREATE VOLUMETRIC BENEFITS FOR PEOPLE AND NATURE. THIS YEAR BEFDEPLOYED $34,095,805 TO 70 NEW PROJECTS.
Including $22,996,404 granted onward, most of it $4,006,878 to Trout Unlimited.
Read it as they filed it
WATER SUSTAINABILITY SERVICES: BEF SUPORTS SCIENCE- BASED WATERSHED RESTORATION INITIATIVES THAT DEMONSTRATE STRONG COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTAND CREATE VOLUMETRIC BENEFITS FOR PEOPLE AND NATURE. THIS YEAR BEFDEPLOYED $34,095,805 TO 70 NEW PROJECTS. THE BEF PORTFOLIO OF PROJECTS RESTORED OVER 15 BILLION GALLONS OF WATER TO DEPLETED SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.
Saving land outright
$8.0MBEF WORKS ALONGSIDE PARTNERS TO DEVELOP RESOURCE-EFFICIENT, COST-EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES THAT HELP UTILITIES, COMPANIES, AND COMMUNITIES ADAPT TO EVOLVING ENERGY NEEDS.
Including $502,300 granted onward.
Read it as they filed it
CLEAN ENERGY SERVICES: BEF WORKS ALONGSIDE PARTNERS TO DEVELOP RESOURCE-EFFICIENT, COST-EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES THAT HELP UTILITIES, COMPANIES, AND COMMUNITIES ADAPT TO EVOLVING ENERGY NEEDS. THIS YEAR BEF SUPPORTED THE INSTALLATION OF 10 SOLAR PROJECTS THAT BENEFIT LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS WITH A PROJECTED LIFETIME ENERGY SAVINGS UP TO $12 MILLION AND ASSISTED 566 CUSTOMERS IN THEIR VOLUNTARY PURCHASES OF ENVIRONMENTAL COMMODITIES.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.
Bringing people into the fight
$779KBEF’S CE PROGRAM PROVIDES STEM BASED ENERGY EDUCATION THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, FOCUSING ON COMMUNITY-BASED INTERACTIVE ENERGY EDUCATION PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR EDUCATORS.
Read it as they filed it
ENERGY EDUCATION: BEF'S CE PROGRAM PROVIDES STEM BASED ENERGY EDUCATION THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, FOCUSING ON COMMUNITY-BASED INTERACTIVE ENERGY EDUCATION PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR EDUCATORS. THIS YEAR BEF PROVIDED 1,269 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT HOURS TO 241 EDUCATORS TEACHING MORE THAN 46,020 STUDENTS. THE PROGRAM DISTRIBUTED $143,565 WORTH OF SCIENCE KIT MATERIALS TO BE USED BY EDUCATORS IN THEIR CLASSROOMS.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.
Follow the dollar
97 cents of every dollar goes to the work
That ratio is a good sign, not a scorecard. Plenty of great groups run leaner and lumpier. What matters is the extremes, and BEF is nowhere near one.
Backed on the record by Walton Family Foundation and Pew Charitable Trusts, latest filing FY24.
$43,263,927 programs, $1,557,637 management, $0 fundraising. Form 990, FY2025.
The people
Who does the work
Honesty note: leadership comes from each year’s federal filing, so it can run a year behind. Orgs that claim their page can update it same-day. Work at BEF? Claim this page.
Those 11 volunteers are people who decided this ground was theirs to defend. If BEF is fighting for your place too, the matchmaker will find your way in.
Make it 12The filings
14 years of filings
14 years of filings
Total revenue by fiscal year, as filed. Point at the line for any year.
| Year | Revenue |
|---|---|
| 2011 | $7,664,511 |
| 2012 | $6,698,251 |
| 2013 | $5,747,245 |
| 2014 | $6,944,122 |
| 2015 | $6,662,535 |
| 2016 | $7,547,173 |
| 2017 | $4,979,425 |
| 2018 | $6,494,035 |
| 2019 | $11,402,053 |
| 2020 | $11,379,109 |
| 2021 | $18,155,144 |
| 2022 | $22,287,565 |
| 2023 | $22,138,820 |
| 2025 | $51,836,979 |
From $7.7M in 2011 to $51.8M in FY25, across 14 public filings. The 2025 peak of $51.8M reads like one-time gifts, so trust the line, not the peak.
The record
On the Hill
BEF has hired federal lobbyists: 3 filings in 2025, naming 1 bill. The filings, at the Senate.
Most filed on budget/appropriations, energy/nuclear and environment/superfund.
Across the 4 states where they work, the congressional delegations average 60 of 100 on public lands. See the full scorecard
Ways in
How to help
97 cents of your dollar goes straight to the work above.
Give on their site ↗Show upVolunteer with themFind their volunteer door on their own site.
Find it on their site ↗SpeakComment and callOpen comment windows and call scripts for fights like these, ready to send.
Public Lands Action NetworkFollowWatch the mapEvery threatened place in the country, tracked, with who stands for each.
Threatened Lands MapStand with BEF
28 years on the ground, 11 volunteers, 97 cents of every dollar on the line. That is who is holding it. There is room for one more.