501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
87¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$802K paid to officers and key staff.
Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2024 · 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 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $3.4M a year · 24% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
87%
of spending
Looks good: 87% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$802K
to officers and key staff · 6% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 6% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
7 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 7.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $6K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$1.1M
6% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 6% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
20
of 20 voting members
Looks good: 20 of 20 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$10.4M
-58% vs prior year
Spent
$14.1M
To programs
87%
Net assets
$18.4M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$10.4M
FY2024▼ -58%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$7.9M
FY2021$14.0M
FY2023$24.5M
FY2024$10.4M
FY2025$14.0M
Expenses
$14.1M
FY2024▲ +17%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$8.2M
FY2021$6.8M
FY2023$12.0M
FY2024$14.1M
FY2025$12.6M
Net assets
$18.4M
FY2024▼ -15%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$4.9M
FY2021$12.2M
FY2023$21.5M
FY2024$18.4M
FY2025$19.8M

From the FY2024 Form 990 (year ending September 2024) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2024 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jul 2008.

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

Where the money goes

87 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 87% · $12.3M Management & general 9% · $1.2M Fundraising 4% · $611K

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

26 people listed on the 990; $802K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2023); the FY2024 filing did not itemize Part VII
President and CEO
$189,846Pt VII · Sec A
SR VP of Development and Business Strategy
$125,007Pt VII · Sec A
Senior Data Scientist
$123,638Pt VII · Sec A
Data Science Lead/Senior Data Scientist
$123,476Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Financial Officer
$120,307Pt VII · Sec A
Senior Vice President of Communications
$119,238Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Joel Dunn’s $208K as Part-Year President and CEO is at the 35th 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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2021FY2020
Joel Dunn$208,445$189,846$185,445——
Joel E Dunn———$173,539$167,841
Edward Amyot$140,097————
Matthew Provost$133,061$125,007$119,512$105,535—
Ellen Gardner$121,325$120,307$131,128$122,858—
Michael Evans$129,410$123,638———
Joanne Couser$129,184$119,238———
Kumar Mainali$127,620$123,476$120,668$114,062$109,722

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 Chesapeake Conservancy 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

Leverages geospatial data and AI to provide actionable insights for restoring and sustaining the Chesapeake Bay's health.

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3 programs · $12.3M · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

Conserve

The worlds leading scientists are calling for dramatic increases in conservation efforts to conserve 30% of the earths lands and waters by 2030. Here in the chesapeake, were working with partners to conserve 30% of the chesapeakes lands and waters by 2030, which is critical for climate resilience, biodiversity and water quality.

$9.1Mprogram expense
02

Empower with Data

Chesapeake conservancys conservation innovation center (cic) serves as a catalyst for change, leveraging cutting-edge geospatial data science, artificial intelligence and advanced analytics to tackle pressing environmental and conservation challenges in the chesapeake bay watershed.

$1.7Mprogram expense
03

Restore Streams

Together with our partners, chesapeake conservancy is using the latest groundbreaking data and precision conservation to create a healthier environment upstream, for a healthier chesapeake bay downstream. Restoration is possible through partnerships and a data-driven approach-starting with the streams.

$1.6Mprogram 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
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$6K
Grants paid · 4 grants · $291K · 2023–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$6,000
The Nature ConservancyVA · FY2023$250,000
Unitemized GrantFY2023$10,000

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$10.4M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$8.4M
Investment incomeLn 3$1.3M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$696K
Money outPt IX
$14.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$12.3M
Managementcol C$1.2M
Fundraisingcol D$611K
Owns and owesPt X
$18.4M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$8.7M
Total assetsLn 16$19.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.1M
PeoplePt VI, VII
26
listed · VII A
PaidVII A6
Voting boardVI 1a20
IndependentVI 1b20
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$8.4M
Government grantsLn 1e$4.2M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$171K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$696K
Investment incomeLn 3$1.3M
Other incomeLn 4–11$32K
Gains on assetsLn 7$681K
Total revenueLn 12$10.4M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$211K
SavingsLn 2$8.5M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$8.7M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$5.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$3.0M
Other assetsLn 15$6K
Total assetsLn 16$19.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.1M
Net assetsLn 32$18.4M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 540
VolunteersI 613
Fiscal year endsHeaderSeptember
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$12.6M$8.7M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$4.3M$5.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2.4M$3.0M
Total assetsLn 16$22.6M$19.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.0M$1.1M
Net assetsLn 32$21.5M$18.4M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$250K$250K
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$10K$10K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$244K$172K$43K$29K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$3.3M$2.3M$577K$396K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$141K$99K$25K$17K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$311K$219K$55K$37K
Payroll taxesLn 10$258K$182K$46K$31K
Legal feesLn 11b$19K$0$19K$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$55K$0$55K$0
Lobbying feesLn 11d$80K$80K$0$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$2K$0$2K$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$216K$46K$125K$45K
Office expensesLn 13$229K$86K$105K$38K
OccupancyLn 16$73K$0$73K$0
TravelLn 17$37K$27K$7K$3K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$53K$21K$22K$11K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$55K$15K$40K$0
InsuranceLn 23$45K$14K$31K$550
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$8.8M$8.8M$7K$5K
Total functional expensesLn 25$14.1M$12.3M$1.2M$611K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $14.0M$12.6M$1.4M$19.8M 990 PDF
FY2024 Viewing $10.4M$14.1M−$3.7M$18.4M 990 PDF
FY2023 $24.5M$12.0M$12.5M$21.5M 990 PDF
FY2022 Not on file
FY2021 $14.0M$6.8M$7.2M$12.2M 990 PDF
FY2020 $7.9M$8.2M−$370K$4.9M 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 M · Noncash J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $10,391,807 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $23,679,647$8,366,606
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $485,208$695,794
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $332,509$1,297,184
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $31,656$32,223
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $24,529,020$10,391,807
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$260,000
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $3,856,687$4,232,590
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $88,500$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $8,078,384$9,626,803
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $12,023,571$14,119,393
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $12,505,449−$3,727,586
Part VI · Governance 20 of 20 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body20
VI-1b Independent voting members20
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 $10,391,807 across 10 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$4,158,087
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$4,208,519
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$170,912
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$8,366,606
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$695,794
VIII-3 Investment incomeUnrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $615,781$615,781
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $27,938$27,938
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission $680,050 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $1,353$681,403
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $4,285 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$4,285
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $1,380,129 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $645,072$10,391,807
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $14,119,393 across 19 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $250,000$250,000
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $10,000$10,000
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $171,967 · Management $43,064 · Fundraising $28,986$244,017
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $2,306,266 · Management $576,711 · Fundraising $395,651$3,278,628
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $99,165 · Management $24,833 · Fundraising $16,715$140,713
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $219,313 · Management $54,920 · Fundraising $36,967$311,200
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $181,844 · Management $45,537 · Fundraising $30,651$258,032
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $0 · Management $18,790 · Fundraising $0$18,790
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $0 · Management $55,100 · Fundraising $0$55,100
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $79,650 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$79,650
IX-11f Investment management feesPrograms $0 · Management $1,584 · Fundraising $0$1,584
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $45,746 · Management $125,227 · Fundraising $44,604$215,577
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $86,362 · Management $104,654 · Fundraising $38,283$229,299
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $0 · Management $72,562 · Fundraising $0$72,562
IX-17 TravelPrograms $27,469 · Management $6,579 · Fundraising $2,883$36,931
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $20,898 · Management $21,586 · Fundraising $10,982$53,466
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $15,243 · Management $39,520 · Fundraising $0$54,763
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $13,639 · Management $31,060 · Fundraising $550$45,249
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $8,752,604 · Management $6,716 · Fundraising $4,512$8,763,832
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $12,280,166 · Management $1,228,443 · Fundraising $610,784$14,119,393
Part X · Balance sheet $19,487,366 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $10,000$211,123
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $12,633,017$8,462,052
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $3,090,500$2,685,408
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $21,461$99,713
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $2,402,204$3,036,827
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $4,265,154$4,986,544
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $129,212$5,699
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $22,551,548$19,487,366
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $488,813$997,563
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $523,293$115,120
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,012,106$1,112,683
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $5,968,189$7,926,021
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $15,571,253$10,448,662
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $21,539,442$18,374,683
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $22,551,548$19,487,366
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $18,374,683 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$10,391,807
XI-2 Total expenses$14,119,393
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$3,727,586
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$21,539,442
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$562,827
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$18,374,683

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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