Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Foundation

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The Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Foundation is committed to sustainable water resources through the science of Ecosystem management in collaboration with industry, academia, government and other stakeholders.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
69¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

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 $33K a year · 8% 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
69%
of spending
Fine: 69% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
60 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 60.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $17
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$0
0% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
9
of 9 voting members
Looks good: 9 of 9 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$324K
+80% vs prior year
Spent
$114K
To programs
69%
Net assets
$984K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$324K
FY2025▲ +80%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$460K
FY2021$793K
FY2022$539K
FY2023$184K
FY2024$180K
FY2025$324K
Expenses
$114K
FY2025▼ -61%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$368K
FY2021$414K
FY2022$899K
FY2023$196K
FY2024$295K
FY2025$114K
Net assets
$984K
FY2025▲ +33%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$870K
FY2021$1.3M
FY2022$832K
FY2023$698K
FY2024$741K
FY2025$984K

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 Sep 1996.

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

Where the money goes

69 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 69% · $79K Management & general 31% · $35K

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

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

10 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$0Pt VII · Sec A
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Trustee
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Trustee
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Carlton Layne’s $20K as Executive Di is at the 10th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1990 $100K–1M 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 · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Carlton Layne$20,000$24,650$54,080$49,920$45,760

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 Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Foundation executive salaries →

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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Educates the public, funds research, and trains professionals in aquatic plant management.

Questions for Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Foundation

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1 program · $79K · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

Aquatic ecosystem research and training programs

$79Kprogram 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 · FY2023
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$17
Grants paid · 1 grant · $472K · 2022–2022
University of FloridaFL · FY2022$471,516

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$324K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$294K
Investment incomeLn 3$30K
Money outPt IX
$114K
Ln 25
Programscol B$79K
Managementcol C$35K
Owns and owesPt X
$984K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$573K
Total assetsLn 16$984K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
10
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b9
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$294K
Investment incomeLn 3$30K
Gains on assetsLn 7−$40
Total revenueLn 12$324K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$573K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$573K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$410K
Total assetsLn 16$984K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$984K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 60
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aNo
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$416K$573K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$325K$410K
Total assetsLn 16$741K$984K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$0
Net assetsLn 32$741K$984K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Accounting feesLn 11c$3K$3K
Investment management feesLn 11f$100$100
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$82K$78K$4K
Office expensesLn 13$1K$218$997
TravelLn 17$12K$12K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$15K$15K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$777$777
Total functional expensesLn 25$114K$79K$35K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS Jul 16, 2026 $324K$114K$210K$984K 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS Jul 15, 2025 $180K$295K−$115K$741K 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Nov 15, 2024 $184K$196K−$12K$698K 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Aug 10, 2023 $539K$899K−$360K$832K 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Sep 1, 2022 $793K$414K$379K$1.3M 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS Sep 28, 2021 $460K$368K$92K$870K 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $323,924 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $145,141$293,788
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $34,979$30,136
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $180,120$323,924
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $0$0
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $294,982$113,924
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $294,982$113,924
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$114,862$210,000
Part VI · Governance 9 of 9 board members independent, 4 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body9
VI-1b Independent voting members9
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyNo
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $323,924 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1b Membership dues$62,550
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$231,238
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$293,788
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $30,176$30,176
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission −$40−$40
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission −$40 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $30,176$323,924
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $113,924 across 7 lines filed
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $2,975$2,975
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $100$100
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $77,867 · Management $3,918$81,785
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $218 · Management $997$1,215
IX-17 TravelManagement $12,413$12,413
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsManagement $14,659$14,659
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $777$777
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $78,862 · Management $35,062 · Fundraising $0$113,924
Part X · Balance sheet $983,619 assets, 8 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $416,150$573,166
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $325,218$410,453
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $741,368$983,619
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $326,759$433,738
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $414,609$549,881
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $741,368$983,619
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $741,368$983,619
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $983,619 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$323,924
XI-2 Total expenses$113,924
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$210,000
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$741,368
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$32,251
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$983,619

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

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