Ocean Conservancy unites science, people, and policy to protect our Ocean, today and for generations to come.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
74¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 566,079 volunteers and 174 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
3 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $4.6M a year · 10% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
74%
of spending
Fine: 74% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$3.5M
to officers and key staff · 7% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 7% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $67.7M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Fine: 2.6 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
19
named funders · $167K
Looks good: 19 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$11.6M
12% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 12% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
14
of 15 voting members
Looks good: 14 of 15 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$48.8M
-0.8% vs prior year
Spent
$49.5M
To programs
74%
Net assets
$86.3M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$48.8M
FY2025▼ -0.8%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$33.8M
FY2021$55.3M
FY2022$49.7M
FY2023$48.6M
FY2024$49.2M
FY2025$48.8M
Expenses
$49.5M
FY2025▼ -5%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$32.1M
FY2021$31.6M
FY2022$40.9M
FY2023$51.9M
FY2024$51.8M
FY2025$49.5M
Net assets
$86.3M
FY2025▲ +5%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$49.0M
FY2021$79.8M
FY2022$80.7M
FY2023$81.0M
FY2024$82.0M
FY2025$86.3M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Dec 1972.

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

Where the money goes

74 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 74% · $36.7M Management & general 11% · $5.7M Fundraising 15% · $7.2M

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

28 people listed on the 990; $3.5M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Chief Executive Officer
$687,729Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Conservation Officer
$298,884Pt VII · Sec A
Former EVP (until 06/2024)
$297,680Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Financial Officer
$259,558Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Brand & Communications Officer
$250,940Pt VII · Sec A
VP, Conservation
$242,866Pt VII · Sec A
Deputy Chief of Development
$220,024Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Scientist
$208,153Pt VII · Sec A

Janis Searles Jones’s $688K as Chief Executive Officer is at the 97th percentile of top reported officer pay among 324 $10–100M environment 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 · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Janis Searles Jones$687,729$677,431$641,698$562,675$478,693$425,936
Sarah Humphries$206,278$300,637$282,534$245,706$229,880$242,955
Katherine Andrews$298,884$274,503$254,466$245,245$230,799—
Emily Woglom$297,680$292,963$276,929$264,167$246,908$268,281
Kenneth Donaldson$259,558$251,840$241,729$230,661$215,314$196,619
Jenna Dipaolo Colley$250,940—————
Adrienne Loftin—$250,599$238,771$208,399——
Chris Dorsett$242,866$234,388$242,141$230,185$212,995$205,678

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.

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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

Protects the ocean by advocating for policies that reduce single-use plastic production and leading global cleanup efforts to eliminate marine debris.

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3 programs · $31.8M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Cross-Cutting Work

Ocean conservancy has multiple cross-cutting programs to support the three key pillars - protecting biodiversity, preventing ocean plastics, and mitigating climate change. Our government relations work engages directly with governments at all levels to advance policies that protect the ocean.

$15.4Mprogram expense
02

Protecting Biodiversity

Our ocean is home to an incredible diversity of life, feeding billions and supporting cultures and livelihoods around the world. But the ocean's bounty is under threat from unsustainable extraction, overfishing, plastic pollution and a warming ocean.

$10.4Mprogram expense
03

Preventing Ocean Plastics

11 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean annually equivalent to a garbage truck's worth of plastic every single minute. Plastic pollution can be deadly to marine animals that eat or become trapped in it.

$5.9Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
See all 19 funders →
Grants paid · 187 grants · $9.6M · 2019–2024
Kawerak INCAK · FY2024$253,000
Central Council Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of AlaskaFY2024$57,940
Native Village of Eyak Traditional CouncilFY2024$30,000
Aleut Community of St Paul Island Tribal Government of St PaulFY2024$30,000
Aina MomonaHI · FY2024$30,000
Yakutat Tlingit TribeFY2024$27,338
Native Village of PaimiutFY2024$25,012
See all 187 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$48.8M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$46.0M
Investment incomeLn 3$2.1M
Other incomeLn 4–11$758K
Money outPt IX
$49.5M
Ln 25
Programscol B$36.7M
Managementcol C$5.7M
Fundraisingcol D$7.2M
Owns and owesPt X
$86.3M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$10.7M
Total assetsLn 16$97.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$11.6M
PeoplePt VI, VII
28
listed · VII A
PaidVII A13
Voting boardVI 1a15
IndependentVI 1b14
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$46.0M
Government grantsLn 1e$1.1M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$403K
Investment incomeLn 3$2.1M
Other incomeLn 4–11$758K
Gains on assetsLn 7$251K
Total revenueLn 12$48.8M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$2.1M
SavingsLn 2$8.6M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$10.7M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$67.7M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.2M
Other assetsLn 15$5.9M
Total assetsLn 16$97.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$11.6M
Net assetsLn 32$86.3M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5174
VolunteersI 6566,079
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
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$12.6M$10.7M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$62.9M$67.7M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.3M$1.2M
Total assetsLn 16$95.3M$97.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$13.3M$11.6M
Net assetsLn 32$82.0M$86.3M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$1.3M$1.3M
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$305K$305K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$1.9M$1.5M$233K$236K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$19.0M$14.3M$2.3M$2.3M
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$897K$681K$104K$111K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$2.3M$1.7M$268K$284K
Payroll taxesLn 10$1.4M$1.1M$167K$177K
Legal feesLn 11b$495K$370K$53K$72K
Accounting feesLn 11c$200K$200K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$363K$363K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$413K$413K
Investment management feesLn 11f$186K$186K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$8.3M$6.6M$783K$921K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$1.0M$877K$18K$132K
Office expensesLn 13$5.7M$3.3M$524K$1.9M
Information technologyLn 14$180K$125K$36K$20K
OccupancyLn 16$1.4M$999K$224K$153K
TravelLn 17$1.5M$1.4M$53K$111K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$825K$736K$28K$60K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$333K$272K$37K$25K
InsuranceLn 23$124K$272$124K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$1.3M$784K$299K$255K
Total functional expensesLn 25$49.5M$36.7M$5.7M$7.2M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $48.8M$49.5M−$674K$86.3M 990 PDF
FY2024 $49.2M$51.8M−$2.6M$82.0M 990 PDF
FY2023 $48.6M$51.9M−$3.3M$81.0M 990 PDF
FY2022 $49.7M$40.9M$8.8M$80.7M 990 PDF
FY2021 $55.3M$31.6M$23.7M$79.8M 990 PDF
FY2020 $33.8M$32.1M$1.7M$49.0M 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 F · Foreign M · Noncash J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $48,811,949 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $46,638,219$45,956,622
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $1,984,291$2,097,120
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $574,184$758,207
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $49,196,694$48,811,949
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $4,596,034$1,618,417
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $23,922,084$25,508,319
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $508,000$413,400
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $22,809,252$21,946,153
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $51,835,370$49,486,289
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$2,638,676−$674,340
Part VI · Governance 14 of 15 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body15
VI-1b Independent voting members14
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 $48,811,949 across 10 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$1,084,012
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$44,872,610
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$403,221
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$45,956,622
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $1,845,948$1,845,948
VIII-5 RoyaltiesExcluded from tax $470,064$470,064
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $31,507$31,507
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $251,172$251,172
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $256,636$256,636
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $2,855,327$48,811,949
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $49,486,289 across 22 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $1,313,767$1,313,767
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $304,650$304,650
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $1,455,409 · Management $233,119 · Fundraising $236,108$1,924,636
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $14,316,236 · Management $2,315,714 · Fundraising $2,321,983$18,953,933
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $681,471 · Management $104,444 · Fundraising $110,636$896,551
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $1,748,027 · Management $268,321 · Fundraising $283,782$2,300,130
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $1,088,849 · Management $167,457 · Fundraising $176,763$1,433,069
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $370,236 · Management $52,955 · Fundraising $71,732$494,923
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $200,188$200,188
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $362,617$362,617
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $413,400$413,400
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $185,835$185,835
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $6,564,383 · Management $783,059 · Fundraising $920,993$8,268,435
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $876,908 · Management $18,323 · Fundraising $132,375$1,027,606
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $3,294,443 · Management $523,997 · Fundraising $1,886,297$5,704,737
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $124,512 · Management $35,527 · Fundraising $20,172$180,211
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $998,983 · Management $224,040 · Fundraising $152,852$1,375,875
IX-17 TravelPrograms $1,361,609 · Management $52,670 · Fundraising $111,072$1,525,351
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $736,329 · Management $28,483 · Fundraising $60,065$824,877
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $271,544 · Management $36,904 · Fundraising $25,007$333,455
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $272 · Management $123,634$123,906
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $784,198 · Management $299,110 · Fundraising $254,829$1,338,137
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $36,654,443 · Management $5,653,780 · Fundraising $7,178,066$49,486,289
Part X · Balance sheet $97,908,255 assets, 17 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $5,069,351$2,139,337
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $7,543,161$8,577,810
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $10,763,867$11,166,107
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $86,577$195,625
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $890,609$998,257
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $1,298,537$1,215,176
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $62,923,112$67,676,519
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $6,692,284$5,939,424
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $95,267,498$97,908,255
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $3,607,835$3,071,962
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $1,369,986$861,400
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $8,303,969$7,631,350
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $13,281,790$11,564,712
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $56,080,670$59,112,768
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $25,905,038$27,230,775
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $81,985,708$86,343,543
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $95,267,498$97,908,255
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $86,343,543 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$48,811,949
XI-2 Total expenses$49,486,289
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$674,340
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$81,985,708
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$5,028,666
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$3,509
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$86,343,543

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

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