2026-09-02T13:41:46-07:00 2025-12-31 990 2025-01-01 311595880 FRIENDS OF THE LOWER OLENTANGY WATERSHED FLOW FRIE 6142673386 1404 Goodale Blvd Suite 100 Columbus OH 43212 Kathleen Bruns Treasurer 6147455169 2026-05-11 2025 X Monica Backs 1404 Goodale Blvd Suite 100 Columbus OH 43212 195157 0 X www.olentangywatershed.org X 1997 OH FLOW is dedicated to keeping the Olentangy River and its tributaries clean and safe for all to enjoy, through public education, volunteer activities, and coordination with local decision makers. 12 12 0 565 0 0 111780 189710 3852 5358 6208 89 0 0 121840 195157 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 19346 130099 207205 130099 207205 -8259 -12048 426819 464702 6540 4866 420279 459836 FLOW is dedicated to keeping the Olentangy River and its tributaries clean and safe for all to enjoy, through public education, volunteer activities, and coordination with local decision makers. 0 0 60191 0 63750 FLOW installed native plant gardens, raised bed gardens, and 2 outdoor classroom areas with benches and tables at Valley Forge Elementary School. We also improved our Worthington Tree Nursery by constructing a turn-around lane to ease traffic during our fall tree giveaway. FLOW once again joined the Central Ohio Collaborative for Conservation to hire a fulltime AmeriCorps Service Member to help expand our reach and impact. FLOW also hired its first Executive Director in 2025, responsible for the day-to-day operations of the organization, including coordinating volunteers and service events, as well as administrative tasks, member communications, community outreach, and fundraising activities. 20405 0 0 Columbus Water & Power once again provided a grant to FLOW to have an Olentangy Trail Pump Station painted by a professional mural artist to envision their "One Water" concept and the importance of water management and conservation. This was the second such mural project, and FLOW is also committed to the removal of any graffiti on the artwork for the next 4 years. Via a grant from the Ohio EPA, we conducted multiple Septic Smart workshops educating residents on the safety and maintenance of their septic systems. FLOW used grant funding to print stickers and buttons featuring macroinvertebrate to educate students on the complexity of our watershed and how macroinvertebrates can be an indicator of stream health. This message was also highlighted at our annual Macrofest at Highbanks Park. We tabled at 28 different public events, including farmers markets and sustainability fairs, to promote our mission and educate the public on the need for conservation. We also advocated for lead-free fishing and engaged with young conservationists at the Seeds of Caring event. 85052 0 67273 Across 2 events, over 480 tires were collected for recycling, keeping them out of our watersheds and landfills and also reducing mosquito breeding areas. FLOW was awarded funds as a subrecipient of the federal Inflation Reduction Act grant awarded to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to increase the tree canopy in the right-of-way areas of the city. Along with our partners at Columbus Recreation and Parks Department's Urban Forestry section, we planted 140 trees in communities with significant environmental, social, and/or economic burdens. FLOW continued helping the Weinland Park community through the donation from the Marker Foundation by hiring a contractor to prune the mature trees in the neighborhood to keep them healthy and away from power lines. 2025 was also a busy year at our 3 tree nurseries while FLOW grew over 2,500 three-gallon containerized native trees and shrubs to be used for restoration projects and to give away to our residents to increase the low 20% canopy to a healthier level. Through multiple funding sources, we planted close to 100 trees on the campus of the Ohio School for the Blind and the Ohio School for the Deaf. We partnered with the Clintonville Green Team to improve the landscaping around Fire Station 19 by installing native plants and a pollinator garden. And through a grant from the Columbus Foundation, we installed trees and bushes at Star House to beautify the campus and also help reduce the heat island effect in an industrial area. Other tree plantings occurred at Greensview Elementary, Metro Schools, Antrim and Perry Street Parks, and the DelCo floodplain. FLOW was also busy with invasive removals (close to 1.5 acres) and weeding and planting at our 40 pollinator pathway gardens. None of this work could be done without the generous volunteers who give up their free time to support these watershed wellness projects. We also removed over 6,200 pounds of trash from the watershed through 16 litter cleanup events. As part of our Stream Quality Monitoring program, 36 FLOW volunteers took samples at 20 tributaries to the Olentangy. We also partnered with the Izaak Walton League of America to test these sites for chloride and nitrate. This data will be shared with residents and businesses near those tributaries through postcard mailings in early 2026. 0 0 0 165648 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 12 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 OH X X Kathleen Bruns 6147455169 1404 Goodale Blvd Columbus OH 43212 Dara Naraghi Executive Director 40 0 X 31224 0 0 John Brett Trustee 0.5 0 X 0 0 0 Chris Ellwood Trustee 0.5 0 X 0 0 0 Marcus Fowler Trustee 0.5 0 X 0 0 0 John Herchl Trustee 0.5 0 X 0 0 0 Holly Lorton Trustee 0.5 0 X 0 0 0 David Poole Trustee 0.5 0 X 0 0 0 Christopher Shirring Trustee 0.5 0 X 0 0 0 Joey Smith Trustee 0.5 0 X 0 0 0 Lauren Wagner Trustee 0.5 0 X 0 0 0 Monica Backs President 1.0 0 X 0 0 0 Kelly Thiel Vice President 0.5 0 X 0 0 0 Kathleen Bruns Treasurer 2 0 X 0 0 0 Laura Fay Science Chair 25 0 X 0 0 0 31224 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 80792 108918 0 189710 5358 5358 0 0 5358 89 89 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 195157 5447 0 0 X 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 57875 32212 13825 11838 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1770 499 958 313 1116 723 393 0 0 0 0 0 6655 0 6655 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 200 200 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 380 0 380 0 Program Support Grant Expenditures 118097 118097 0 0 Supplies and Small Equipment 10615 10615 0 0 Donor Software Subscription 6072 0 0 6072 Printing and Publications 4425 3302 0 1123 207205 165648 22211 19346 44212 48627 102859 25999 0 18477 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 279748 371599 426819 464702 6540 4866 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6540 4866 X 332905 373444 87374 86392 420279 459836 426819 464702 X -12048 0 0 0 0 51605 X 0 0 0 X 155152 191478 110754 111780 189710 758874 412 2400 3669 5358 11839 155152 191890 113154 115449 195068 770713 743 1369 750 1000 3862 0 743 1369 750 1000 3862 766851 2167 2538 3358 6208 89 14360 2167 2538 3358 6208 89 14360 13086 52462 51851 117399 157319 194428 129598 174119 247008 902472 0.84972 0.88649 0.01591 0.02236 X Schedule A, Part III, Line 12 Change in beneficial interest of fund held at community foundation. RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED Beneficial Interest in Community Foundation 371599 371599 Form 990, Header, Line B Part 1 Summary is amended to report Prior Year information on lines 8-19. Because the 2024 filing was reported on Form 990-EZ rather than Form 990, these amounts did not automatically populate on the originally filed return. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 11b Form 990 is prepared by the Board Treasurer and reviewed by the Executive Director and Science Committee Chair. A draft copy is then made available to all board members for review. Board comments or edits are communicated back to the Treasurer and if appropriate, incorporated in the final document. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 15 The position of Executive Director was established in 2025. A detailed review of the position's roles, duties, and compensation for a similar organization in the geographic area was performed. Based on this review a contract was written and approved by the full board. Form 990, Part VI, Section C, Line 19 All governing documents and financial statements are available upon request by contacting the FLOW Executive Director at the phone number and address listed on our website. Form 990, Part IX, Line 11g Administrative and Event Coordinator Form 990, Part XI, Line 9 Change in beneficial interest of fund held at community foundation $51,851 and other adj ($246).