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Nonprofit · EIN 23-7014779

TEXAS RURAL WATER ASSOCIATION

Tax-exempt · AUSTIN, TX 78701

Financials

$8.2M$7.6M2023$8.8M$8.4M2024$8.9M$9.2M2025
Revenue Expenses · by fiscal year end
Financials of TEXAS RURAL WATER ASSOCIATION by year, from its e-filed returns
Year endedFormRevenueExpensesNet incomeTotal assetsLiabilitiesNet assets
December 31, 2025990$8,890,963$9,236,985-$346,022$11,303,142$4,037,805$7,265,337
December 31, 2024990$8,774,032$8,402,097$371,935$11,970,447$4,525,218$7,445,229
December 31, 2023990$8,161,801$7,641,619$520,182$7,545,735$519,485$7,026,250
Financial details: 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025

Revenue

Contributions, gifts and grants
$5,581,918
of which government grants
$3,897,223
Membership dues
$1,450,729
Program service revenue
$3,099,107
Investment income
$133,565
Net income from sales of inventory
$52,627
Other revenue
$76,373

Expenses

Grants and similar amounts paid
$0
Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
$1,076,778
Other salaries and wages
$2,686,239
Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
$5,053,709
Professional fundraising fees
$0
Legal fees
$4,877
Accounting fees
$64,764
Occupancy
$562,848
Travel
$514,823
Depreciation
$365,061

Balance sheet and other

Total assets, start of year
$11,970,447
Total assets, end of year
$11,303,142
Total liabilities, end of year
$4,037,805
Net assets, end of year
$7,265,337
Land, buildings and equipment
$7,124,864
Publicly traded securities
$1,826,352
Net assets without donor restrictions
$6,052,071
Net assets with donor restrictions
$1,213,266
Gross unrelated business income
$97,238
Gross receipts
$8,890,963
Employees
50
Volunteers
0
Year formed
1969
State of legal domicile
TX

From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.

Officers, directors and key employees

As listed on the 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025, highest compensation first.

NameTitleHours / weekCompensationOther / benefits
Lara ZentExecutive Director & Chief Legal Officer
Officer
50$299,859$75,406
Jason KnoblochDeputy Executive Director
Officer
50$169,185$49,815
Mary Alice McKaughanGeneral Counsel
Officer
50$144,850$31,933
Nichol EveringhamDevelopment & Training Director
Highest-paid employee
50$130,530$35,580
Larry BellTechnical Assistance Director
Highest-paid employee
50$117,047$39,271
Josh SmithFMT Program Manager
Highest-paid employee
50$107,670$31,939
Thomas ShephardFinance Director
Officer
50$107,637$31,892
Mark GardenhireBoard President
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Steve AdamsBoard Vice President
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Allen KnightBoard Secretary
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Bruce AlexanderDirector
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Joshua HowardDirector
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Roby JekelDirector
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Steven SanchezDirector
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Charles BesedaDirector
Trustee or director
2$0$0
6 more people on this return
NameTitleHours / weekCompensation
Carolyn BlackDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Kyle EpplerDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Rachel WebbBoard Treasurer
Trustee or director
2$0
T Chad WilsonDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Matthew BarrettDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
Amber StellyDirector
Trustee or director
2$0
990 for the year ended December 31, 2024: 20 people
NameTitleHours / weekCompensationOther / benefits
Lara ZentExecutive Director & General Counsel
Officer
50$273,880$69,919
Jason KnoblochDeputy Executive Director
Highest-paid employee
50$173,709$47,803
Mary Alice McKaughanAssistant General Counsel
Highest-paid employee
50$146,676$38,523
Thomas ShephardFinance Director
Highest-paid employee
50$138,508$44,041
Larry BellTechnical Assistance Director
Highest-paid employee
50$130,929$38,262
Nichol EveringhamDevelopment & Training Director
Highest-paid employee
50$130,161$34,641
Robert NettlesBoard President
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Mark GardenhireBoard Vice-President
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Steve AdamsBoard Secretary
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Allen KnightBoard Treasurer
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Bruce AlexanderDirector
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Dennis DonohoDirector
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Roby JekelDirector
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Steven SanchezDirector
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Charles BesedaDirector
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Carolyn BlackDirector
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Kyle EpplerDirector
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Rachel WebbDirector
Trustee or director
2$0$0
T Chad WilsonDirector
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Matthew BarrettDirector
Trustee or director
2$0$0
990 for the year ended December 31, 2023: 20 people
NameTitleHours / weekCompensationOther / benefits
Lara ZentExecutive Director & General Counsel
Officer
50$280,036$69,392
Jason KnoblochDeputy Executive Director
Highest-paid employee
50$157,223$45,216
Thomas ShephardFinance Director
Highest-paid employee
50$127,718$41,849
Mary Alice McKaughanAssistant General Counsel
Highest-paid employee
50$138,680$28,123
Larry BellTechnical Assistance Director
Highest-paid employee
50$121,121$39,391
Nichol EveringhamDevelopment & Training Director
Highest-paid employee
50$119,735$34,761
Robert NettlesBoard President
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Mark GardenhireBoard Vice-President
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Steve AdamsBoard Secretary
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Allen KnightBoard Treasurer
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Bruce AlexanderDirector
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Dennis DonohoDirector
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Roby JekelDirector
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Steven SanchezDirector
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Charles BesedaDirector
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Carolyn BlackDirector
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Kyle EpplerDirector
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Rachel WebbDirector
Trustee or director
2$0$0
T Chad WilsonDirector
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Matthew BarrettDirector
Trustee or director
2$0$0

Address and contacts

Address (IRS master file)
1700 RIO GRANDE ST STE 100, AUSTIN, TX 78701-1683
In care of
% THOMAS SHEPHARD
Principal officer (990 for 2025)
Lara Zent, 1700 Rio Grande, Austin, TX 78001
Signed the 990
Lara Zent, Executive Director & General Counse
Phone
(512) 472-8591

Mission

TRWA is dedicated to helping rural water and wastewater utilities in Texas provide efficient service and clean, safe drinking water to their customers through on-site technical assistance, classroom and online training, publications, member support services, and representation in legislative processes.

990 for the year ended December 31, 2025

Program accomplishments

  • Under the state contract program, approximately 766 on-site visits were made to public drinking water and wastewater utility systems in Texas to assess, assist, and improve the financial, managerial, and technical capabilities of the systems.
  • Under the federal contract program, TRWA provided technical assistance and training to small public water and wastewater systems in Texas, making 1841 contacts with these systems.
  • TRWA's professional training and development program trained more than 1410 students during 105 classroom and virtual instructor-led training sessions held in 2025, and trained approximately 3551 students by means of internet-based training courses. Students taking classes are professional water operators that are required by state agencies to have continuing education to qualify for and maintain licenses to operate public water and wastewater systems.

What it must file and when

IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.

Tax yearYear endedDueIRS public records
2025December 31, 2025May 15, 2026990 on file
2024December 31, 2024May 15, 2025990 on file
2023December 31, 2023May 15, 2024990 on file

IRS record

EIN
23-7014779
Tax-exempt status
501(c)(6): Business league or chamber of commerce
Donations deductible
No
Exempt since
1972
Accounting year ends
December
Files
Form 990 or 990-EZ

Filing history

FormYear endedRevenueExpensesAssetsReturn
990December 2025$8,890,963$9,236,985$11,303,142XML
990December 2024$8,774,032$8,402,097$11,970,447IRS
990December 2023$8,161,801$7,641,619$7,545,735XML
990December 2022$7,009,299$6,753,332$7,049,405IRS
990December 2021–––IRS
990December 2020–––IRS

990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 23-7014779).

Questions about TEXAS RURAL WATER ASSOCIATION

What is the EIN of TEXAS RURAL WATER ASSOCIATION?
The employer identification number (EIN) of TEXAS RURAL WATER ASSOCIATION is 23-7014779.
Is TEXAS RURAL WATER ASSOCIATION tax-exempt?
Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(6) since 1972.
Are donations to TEXAS RURAL WATER ASSOCIATION tax-deductible?
No. The IRS master file says contributions to it are not deductible.
Which annual return does TEXAS RURAL WATER ASSOCIATION file?
Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
When is the next return of TEXAS RURAL WATER ASSOCIATION due?
The return for tax year 2026 (the year ending December 31, 2026) is due May 17, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
When did TEXAS RURAL WATER ASSOCIATION last file with the IRS?
The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2025.
Who is the principal officer of TEXAS RURAL WATER ASSOCIATION?
The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 names Lara Zent.
Who are the officers and directors of TEXAS RURAL WATER ASSOCIATION?
The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 lists 21 people; 7 received compensation from the organization, the highest $299,859 (Lara Zent, Executive Director & Chief Legal Officer).
How much revenue does TEXAS RURAL WATER ASSOCIATION have?
On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 it reported revenue of $8,890,963, expenses of $9,236,985 and total assets of $11,303,142 at year end.

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