To provide boating oportunities and marine related education for people with diabilities, veterans, and youth at risk.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
64¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 471 volunteers and 12 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $68K a year · 9% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
64%
of spending
Worth a look: 64% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$277K
to officers and key staff · 25% of spending
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 25% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
8 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 8.1 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $12K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$6K
0.8% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 1% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
13
of 14 voting members
Looks good: 13 of 14 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$539K
-65% vs prior year
Spent
$1.1M
To programs
64%
Net assets
$731K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$539K
FY2025▼ -65%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$551K
FY2021$674K
FY2022$594K
FY2023$601K
FY2024$1.6M
FY2025$539K
Expenses
$1.1M
FY2025▲ +58%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$444K
FY2021$570K
FY2022$585K
FY2023$713K
FY2024$694K
FY2025$1.1M
Net assets
$731K
FY2025▼ -43%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$421K
FY2021$525K
FY2022$534K
FY2023$428K
FY2024$1.3M
FY2025$731K

From the FY2025 Form 990 · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in May 2006.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

64 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 64% · $705K Management & general 16% · $173K Fundraising 20% · $220K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

16 people listed on the 990; $277K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$153,200Pt VII · Sec A
Founder and Director
$123,930Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chair/Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

David Bakelman’s $153K as Executive Director is at the 99th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1016 $100K–1M recreation & sports nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
David Bakelman$153,200—————
Debra S Frenkel$123,930$145,487$101,075$83,750$70,000$60,000

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Freedom Waters Foundation INC executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Offers boating and marine education for people with disabilities, veterans, and at-risk youth.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $705K · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

The Organization established and supports accessible(disabled)sailing programs in Naples, FL and conducts therapeutic boating and fishing outings for cancer patients and survivors, disabled children and adults, and veterans.

$705Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$12K

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$539K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$436K
Other incomeLn 4–11$67K
Investment incomeLn 3$35K
Money outPt IX
$1.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$705K
Managementcol C$173K
Fundraisingcol D$220K
Owns and owesPt X
$731K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$737K
Total assetsLn 16$737K
LiabilitiesLn 26$6K
PeoplePt VI, VII
16
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a14
IndependentVI 1b13
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$436K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$221K
Investment incomeLn 3$35K
Other incomeLn 4–11$67K
Total revenueLn 12$539K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$73K
SavingsLn 2$664K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$737K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$263
Other assetsLn 15$600
Total assetsLn 16$737K
LiabilitiesLn 26$6K
Net assetsLn 32$731K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 512
VolunteersI 6471
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.3M$737K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$263$263
Total assetsLn 16$1.3M$737K
LiabilitiesLn 26$9K$6K
Net assetsLn 32$1.3M$731K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$277K$169K$50K$58K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$303K$212K$52K$39K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$40K$26K$7K$7K
Payroll taxesLn 10$38K$25K$7K$6K
Accounting feesLn 11c$9K$0$9K$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$55K$0$13K$42K
Office expensesLn 13$18K$10K$7K$933
Information technologyLn 14$44K$40K$833$3K
OccupancyLn 16$57K$39K$12K$6K
TravelLn 17$8K$1K$5K$1K
InsuranceLn 23$5K$3K$1K$310
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$245K$179K$9K$57K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.1M$705K$173K$220K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $539K$1.1M−$559K$731K 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.6M$694K$863K$1.3M 990 PDF
FY2023 $601K$713K−$112K$428K 990 PDF
FY2022 $594K$585K$9K$534K 990 PDF
FY2021 $674K$570K$104K$525K 990 PDF
FY2020 $551K$444K$107K$421K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $538,689 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,258,623$436,120
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $11,183$35,272
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $287,291$67,297
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,557,097$538,689
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $336,458$658,403
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $357,975$439,287
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $694,433$1,097,690
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $862,664−$559,001
Part VI · Governance 13 of 14 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body14
VI-1b Independent voting members13
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $538,689 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$221,032
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$215,088
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$436,120
VIII-3 Investment incomeUnrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $35,272$35,272
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsUnrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $67,297$67,297
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $102,569$538,689
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,097,690 across 12 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $169,235 · Management $49,938 · Fundraising $58,262$277,435
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $212,072 · Management $51,601 · Fundraising $38,978$302,651
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $26,394 · Management $7,029 · Fundraising $6,731$40,154
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $25,086 · Management $6,680 · Fundraising $6,397$38,163
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $0 · Management $8,900 · Fundraising $0$8,900
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $0 · Management $12,552 · Fundraising $42,000$54,552
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $9,959 · Management $7,109 · Fundraising $933$18,001
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $39,611 · Management $833 · Fundraising $3,099$43,543
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $38,558 · Management $12,458 · Fundraising $5,571$56,587
IX-17 TravelPrograms $1,299 · Management $4,875 · Fundraising $1,460$7,634
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $3,236 · Management $1,394 · Fundraising $310$4,940
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $179,339 · Management $9,210 · Fundraising $56,581$245,130
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $704,789 · Management $172,579 · Fundraising $220,322$1,097,690
Part X · Balance sheet $737,420 assets, 10 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $67,970$72,961
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $1,230,651$663,596
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $263$263
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $0$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $600$600
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,299,484$737,420
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $9,088$6,025
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $9,088$6,025
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,290,396$731,395
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,299,484$737,420
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $731,395 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$538,689
XI-2 Total expenses$1,097,690
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$559,001
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,290,396
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$731,395

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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