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Charity Math
The 990 read · EIN 38-1612715 · VA · Fiscal year FY ending Mar 2025

Trout Unlimited

Trout Unlimited Inc: CEO salary, finances and where donations go

In its own words

“To conserve, protect, and restore north America's coldwater fisheries and their watersheds.”

Data only Figures straight from the filing, screened by our rules. Not yet reviewed in depth by a CPA.

Methodology by Amir Arani, CPA, CA · Updated

Top pay
$468K Christopher Wood, 0.4% of spending
Revenue
$109.5M 94.2% from donations and grants
Spent
$104.6M 88.2% on programs, as reported
Net assets
$40.9M end of FY ending Mar 2025
Savings
4.7 months of spending, net assets ÷ spending
People
508 employees, 15,000 volunteers
Form 990 (FY ending Mar 2025), Parts I, VII, IX, X
01 · Red flags

No red flags in its latest filing.

We screen every filing against twelve rules. A flag is a prompt for a closer look, not a finding of wrongdoing.

No reported asset diversions, no insider transactions, no fundraisers keeping most of the money, and the governance policies we check for are in place.

02 · Where $1 goes · FY ending Mar 2025

Of each dollar it spent, 88.2¢ went to programs, as reported.

The split the charity filed.
88.2¢
Programs, $92.3M
3.6¢
Fundraising, $3.8M
8.2¢
Admin, $8.5M
Form 990 (FY ending Mar 2025), Part IX, line 25
Cost to raise $1
4¢
as reported
4¢
counting the shared mail

For each dollar donated, Trout Unlimited spent 4¢ on fundraising, or about 4¢ counting joint costs.

Fundraising ÷ $103.2M contributions · Form 990 Parts VIII, IX
03 · What it does

What it told the IRS it spent on.

The charity's own description of its largest programs, with what each cost.

Program 1 · 2.3% of program spending $2.1M

Volunteer operations and chapter support: Plant for our futurewe are headed into our third year of partnership with tractor supply company on the plant for our future initiative, we have been able to leverage the initial investment to attract and secure funding to expand the program. The arbor day foundation has become one of our core new partners, introducing us to corporate funders like td bank, verizon wireless, and niagara bottling. Our aggregate impact to date is: - planned 255 planting projects in 18 states - planted 84,492 native trees - engaged more than 4,003 volunteers - restored…

Program 2 · 3% of program spending · $156K in grants $2.8M

Membership development: The nlc workgroups continue to make progress toward completing their quantifiable goals which support the tu strategic plan. Tu continues to evolve its membership messaging to focus on collaboration and engagement.

Program 3 · 2% of program spending $1.9M

Communications: Tu's priority waters communications campaign launched in mid-january following completion of a new website (https://prioritywaters.tu.org) that includes state-by-state rundown of priority waters work, a section about how we work and why it matters, and maps. This new website is integrated with tu.org and is an update for our standing conservation content. A multimedia effort involving social media, blogs, press, emails, ads, and films is promoting the message that tu is working at scale across the nation, and working in places you live, love and fish. The first of a series of…

Program 4 · 2% of program spending $1.9M

Government affairs: At long last, good samaritan legislation passed congress and was signed by president biden into law on december 17. This campaign embodied a "one-tu" approach, leveraging the collective strength of grassroots and staff across not only government affairs and executive leadership, but also science, communications, development, and restoration staff. Widely recognized as the campaign leader, tu recruited numerous partners, leveraging relationships and assets to overcome abundant hurdles along the way to legislation being enacted. We will continue this leadership throughout…

Form 990 (FY ending Mar 2025), Part III
04 · The savings

Net assets: $22.7M to $40.9M in 11 years.

Net assets at each fiscal year end, 2012 to 2025.

Net assets at year end, $ millions
23
23
22
19
18
20
23
26
34
45
40
41
Form 990 history via ProPublicaForm 990 (FY ending Mar 2025)
05 · Who gets paid

The 8 highest-paid people.

Reportable pay in FY ending Mar 2025, from the charity and related organizations.

Christopher Wood
President and CEO
$467,920
Peter Barber
VP Marketing (until 10/2024)
$308,949
Joanne Theurich
Chief Operating Officer
$275,724
James Hughey
Chief Financial Officer
$260,247
Lindsay Slater
VP Government Affairs
$256,812
Steven King
General Counsel
$230,391
Rob Masonis
VP Western Conservation
$191,547
David Kinney
VP Communications and Brand
$179,824
Form 990 (FY ending Mar 2025), Part VII, Section A
Largest outside contractors
ContractorServicePaid
Anabranch SolutionsEngineering design services$1,960,963
Meridiam Partners LLCEngineering design services$1,238,908
Custom Design FabricatorsSteel fabrication$1,185,490
Koah Dirt WorkExcavation and earth moving$837,860
Kanouse Outdoor RestorationInfrastructure design$655,150
Form 990 (FY ending Mar 2025), Part VII, Section B
06 · Questions

The questions people ask about the Trout Unlimited.

Short, sourced answers. Each one stands on its own.

How much does the Trout Unlimited CEO make?

Christopher Wood, President and CEO, received $467,920 in reportable compensation in FY ending Mar 2025, 0.4% of Trout Unlimited's $104.6M in spending.

Form 990 (FY ending Mar 2025), Part VII

What percentage of Trout Unlimited donations go to programs?

Trout Unlimited reported 88.2% of FY ending Mar 2025 spending as programs, 3.6% as fundraising and 8.2% as management. That includes $295K of joint mail and ad costs counted as programs; without them, programs were 87.9%.

Form 990 (FY ending Mar 2025), Part IX

How much money does Trout Unlimited have?

Net assets were $40.9M at the end of FY ending Mar 2025, about 4.7 months of spending.

Form 990 (FY ending Mar 2025), Part X

Does Trout Unlimited have any red flags in its filing?

Its latest Form 990 triggered none of our twelve screening rules, which cover reported asset diversions, insider transactions, fundraiser costs, governance policies and spending patterns.

Form 990 (FY ending Mar 2025)
07 · Sources and citing

Every number, traced.

  1. Trout Unlimited Form 990, FY ending Mar 2025 (IRS e-file)
  2. Trout Unlimited Form 990 history (ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer)
Cite this page

Amir Arani, “Trout Unlimited: CEO salary, finances and where your dollar goes,” Charity Math, updated 2026-11-07. https://charitymath.com/charities/trout-unlimited/