Rock the Ocean Foundation

Tax-deductible

Nashville, TN501(c)(3)EnvironmentEIN 46-1317742Revenue $508K in FY2024

On file with the IRSrocktheocean.com1212 8th Ave S Ste 102, 37203-5060 · Nashville, TNTax-exempt since Nov 2013Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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Increase public awareness about the issues impacting the world's oceans and to support scientific research, education and Ocean conservation initiatives through benefit concerts and entertainment industry events.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
61¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $79K a year · 16% 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
61%
of spending
Worth a look: 61% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Cash reserves
8 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 7.9 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $3K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$451
0.1% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
4
of 4 voting members
Looks good: 4 of 4 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$508K
-40% vs prior year
Spent
$657K
To programs
61%
Net assets
$431K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$508K
FY2024▼ -40%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020−$11K
FY2021$402K
FY2022$796K
FY2023$846K
FY2024$508K
Expenses
$657K
FY2024▼ -7%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$89K
FY2021$52K
FY2022$639K
FY2023$707K
FY2024$657K
Net assets
$431K
FY2024▼ -26%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020−$67K
FY2021$284K
FY2022$441K
FY2023$580K
FY2024$431K

From the FY2024 Form 990 · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Nov 2013.

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

Where the money goes

61 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 61% · $403K Management & general 16% · $105K Fundraising 23% · $148K

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

4 people listed on the 990.

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

Tara Wilson’s $4K as Vice President is at the 2nd 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

NameFY2021FY2020
Tara Wilson$4,167$45,833

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 Rock the Ocean Foundation 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 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo

Programs and updates

Promotes ocean awareness and conservation through benefit concerts and entertainment events.

Questions for Rock the Ocean Foundation

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $403K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Rock the ocean foundation, inc. Will make grants to not-for-profit (501c3) organizations whose work meets the mission and guidelines of the FOUNDATION.ROCK the ocean foundation, inc. Will further it's exempt purpose by funding those organizations whose work directly impacts the conservation and protection of the world's oceans, while…

$403Kprogram 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
Gibson GivesFY2025$3K
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$3K
Grants paid · 58 grants · $952K · 2022–2024
Sharks4kids INCFL · FY2024$22,500
OcearchUT · FY2024$15,000
University of MiamiFL · FY2024$13,500
Guy Harvey Ocean Fund INCFL · FY2024$12,500
Rescue a Reef ProgramFL · FY2024$10,000
The Billfish Foundation INCFL · FY2024$7,500
Orca Behavior InstituteWA · FY2024$6,500
See all 58 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$508K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$383K
Other incomeLn 4–11$99K
Investment incomeLn 3$26K
Money outPt IX
$657K
Ln 25
Programscol B$403K
Managementcol C$105K
Fundraisingcol D$148K
Owns and owesPt X
$431K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$431K
Total assetsLn 16$431K
LiabilitiesLn 26$451
PeoplePt VI, VII
4
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a4
IndependentVI 1b4
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$383K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$86K
Investment incomeLn 3$26K
Other incomeLn 4–11$99K
Total revenueLn 12$508K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$431K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$431K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Total assetsLn 16$431K
LiabilitiesLn 26$451
Net assetsLn 32$431K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 51
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$580K$431K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0$0
Total assetsLn 16$580K$431K
LiabilitiesLn 26$422$451
Net assetsLn 32$580K$431K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$298K$298K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$139K$61K$17K$61K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$29K$13K$4K$13K
Payroll taxesLn 10$11K$5K$1K$5K
Legal feesLn 11b$4K$4K
Accounting feesLn 11c$20K$20K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$17K$17K$25
Advertising and promotionLn 12$8K$8K
Office expensesLn 13$41K$730$40K$690
TravelLn 17$78K$18K$60K
InsuranceLn 23$9K$9K$933
Total functional expensesLn 25$657K$403K$105K$148K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $508K$657K−$149K$431K 990 PDF
FY2023 $846K$707K$139K$580K 990 PDF
FY2022 $796K$639K$157K$441K 990 PDF
FY2021 $402K$52K$350K$284K 990 PDF
FY2020 −$11K$89K−$100K−$67K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $507,888 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $735,275$382,821
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $9,289$26,091
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $101,221$98,976
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $845,785$507,888
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $355,500$297,876
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $201,509$179,554
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $150,159$179,177
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $707,168$656,607
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $138,617−$148,719
Part VI · Governance 4 of 4 board members independent, 5 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body4
VI-1b Independent voting members4
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
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
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $507,888 across 7 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $53,490 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$86,146
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$296,675
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$382,821
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $26,091$26,091
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $24,466$24,466
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $21,020$21,020
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $74,510 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $50,557$507,888
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $656,607 across 11 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $297,876$297,876
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $61,373 · Management $16,738 · Fundraising $61,373$139,484
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $12,936 · Management $3,528 · Fundraising $12,936$29,400
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $4,695 · Management $1,280 · Fundraising $4,695$10,670
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $4,473$4,473
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $19,650$19,650
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $17,259 · Management $25$17,284
IX-12 Advertising and promotionFundraising $8,377$8,377
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $730 · Management $40,060 · Fundraising $690$41,480
IX-17 TravelManagement $18,449 · Fundraising $60,000$78,449
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $8,531 · Management $933$9,464
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $403,400 · Management $105,136 · Fundraising $148,071$656,607
Part X · Balance sheet $431,397 assets, 8 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $580,087$431,397
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $0$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $580,087$431,397
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $422$451
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $422$451
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $579,665$430,946
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $579,665$430,946
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $580,087$431,397
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $430,946 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$507,888
XI-2 Total expenses$656,607
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$148,719
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$579,665
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$430,946

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

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