Beneath the Waves is dedicated to advancing the conservation of sharks and the habitats they occupy through cutting-edge, policy-relevant scientific research.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
48¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 10 volunteers and 3 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

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 $90K a year · 7% 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
48%
of spending
Concern: 48% of spending went to programs; under 50%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$116K
to officers and key staff · 17% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 17% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
8 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 8.3 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
6
named funders · $793K
Looks good: 6 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$27K
4% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 4% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 9 voting members
Looks good: 7 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
$974K
-28% vs prior year
Spent
$682K
To programs
48%
Net assets
$617K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$974K
FY2024▼ -28%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$798K
FY2021$2.0M
FY2022$1.8M
FY2023$1.4M
FY2024$974K
Expenses
$682K
FY2024▼ -45%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$582K
FY2021$2.0M
FY2022$1.9M
FY2023$1.2M
FY2024$682K
Net assets
$617K
FY2024▲ +84%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$379K
FY2021$425K
FY2022$217K
FY2023$334K
FY2024$617K

From the FY2024 Form 990 · 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: FY2024. IRS ruling in Jun 2014.

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

Where the money goes

48 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 48% · $326K Management & general 52% · $356K

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

9 people listed on the 990; $116K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$116,400Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Austin Gallagher PHD’s $116K as Chairman is at the 96th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1220 $100K–1M animals 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
Austin Gallagher PHD$116,400$100,000$100,000$109,200$72,000

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 Beneath the Waves 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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Conducts cutting-edge research to conserve sharks and their habitats.

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Provided by the organization

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2 programs · $326K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Scientific Research

Conducting research to advance the study of ocean giants, blue carbon habitats, and deep-sea ecosystems.

$326Kprogram expense
02

Digital Media

Creating marketing assets and outreach tools to raise awareness andpromote conservation.

Pt IX · col B

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 · FY2024
See all 6 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$974K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$939K
Other incomeLn 4–11$35K
Money outPt IX
$682K
Ln 25
Programscol B$326K
Managementcol C$356K
Owns and owesPt X
$617K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$469K
Total assetsLn 16$644K
LiabilitiesLn 26$27K
PeoplePt VI, VII
9
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$939K
Other incomeLn 4–11$35K
Gains on assetsLn 7$0
Total revenueLn 12$974K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$83K
SavingsLn 2$386K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$469K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$175K
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$644K
LiabilitiesLn 26$27K
Net assetsLn 32$617K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 53
VolunteersI 610
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$220K$469K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$186K$175K
Total assetsLn 16$405K$644K
LiabilitiesLn 26$71K$27K
Net assetsLn 32$334K$617K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$116K$116K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$143K$143K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$7K$7K
Payroll taxesLn 10$13K$13K
Management feesLn 11a$85K$85K
Legal feesLn 11b$1K$1K
Accounting feesLn 11c$10K$10K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$10K$10K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$29K$29K
Office expensesLn 13$14K$14K
Information technologyLn 14$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$0
TravelLn 17$43K$43K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$0
InterestLn 20$5K$5K
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$38K$38K
InsuranceLn 23$5K$5K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$155K$139K$16K
All other expensesLn 24e$7K$7K
Total functional expensesLn 25$682K$326K$356K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $974K$682K$292K$617K 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.4M$1.2M$117K$334K 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.8M$1.9M−$133K$217K 990 PDF
FY2021 $2.0M$2.0M−$45K$425K 990 PDF
FY2020 $798K$582K$217K$379K 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 O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $973,724 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,350,620$938,724
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenue$35,000
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,350,620$973,724
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $382,376$279,754
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $851,055$402,291
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,233,431$682,045
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $117,189$291,679
Part VI · Governance 7 of 9 board members independent, 4 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body9
VI-1b Independent voting members7
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 $973,724 across 8 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $35,000 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$938,724
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$938,724
VIII-3 Investment income$0
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or loss$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assets$0
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $35,000$973,724
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $682,045 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffManagement $116,400$116,400
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $143,107$143,107
IX-8 Pension plan contributions$0
IX-9 Other employee benefitsManagement $7,479$7,479
IX-10 Payroll taxesManagement $12,768$12,768
IX-11a Management feesManagement $84,914$84,914
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $1,446$1,446
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $9,655$9,655
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesManagement $9,872$9,872
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $28,706$28,706
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $14,335$14,335
IX-14 Information technology$0
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 Occupancy$0
IX-17 TravelPrograms $43,446$43,446
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetings$0
IX-20 InterestManagement $5,252$5,252
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $37,577$37,577
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $5,399$5,399
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $139,227 · Management $15,675$154,902
IX-24e All other expensesManagement $6,787$6,787
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $325,780 · Management $356,265 · Fundraising $0$682,045
Part X · Balance sheet $644,409 assets, 19 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $218,688$83,428
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $891$385,699
X-3 Pledges and grants receivable$0
X-4 Accounts receivable$0
X-8 Inventories for sale or use$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$0
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $185,533$175,282
X-11 Publicly traded securities$0
X-12 Other securities$0
X-13 Program-related investments$0
X-14 Intangible assets$0
X-15 Other assets$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $405,112$644,409
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $11,408$1,048
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $59,222$26,313
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $70,630$27,361
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $334,482$617,048
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $334,482$617,048
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $405,112$644,409
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $617,048 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$973,724
XI-2 Total expenses$682,045
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$291,679
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$334,482
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$9,113
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$617,048

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

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