National Marine Sanctuary Foundation

Analysis

National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is a registered charity in United States, based in Silver Spring, MD. It received its IRS tax-exemption ruling in January 2001, 25 years ago. Its declared purposes cover environment, which this site groups under environment and conservation. The IRS classifies it as a publicly supported organisation (donations from the general public) under section 501(c)(3), and contributions to it are listed as tax-deductible.

In the financial year ending December 2023, National Marine Sanctuary Foundation reported income of $21.6m and spending of $22.7m, spending 105% of what it took in. Across the 6 years on record, from December 2018 to December 2023, income grew from $4.3m to $21.6m (+402%), an average of +38% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2019, when income rose by 133%. Over the whole period it spent 105% of the income it received.

Among 10,430 United States charities whose main cause is environment and conservation and that reported income, National Marine Sanctuary Foundation sits at the 99th percentile: it is larger than about 99% of them. Against every charity in United States with reported income it ranks in the 97th percentile, and in the 97th percentile within MD. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Hawaiian Islands Land Trust ($21.4m), American Rivers Inc ($21.8m) and Advanced Energy Institute ($21.3m).

On its Form 990 for the period ending December 2023, revenue came from contributions and grants 100% and program service revenue 0.7% of the total. Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees was $290k (1.3% of expenses). Other salaries and wages came to $5.1m. It paid $34k in professional fundraising fees. At year end it held assets of $9.6m against liabilities of $4.2m, net assets of $5.4m. It reported 81 employees.