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Blue Water Baltimore

Tax-deductible

Baltimore, MD501(c)(3)EnvironmentEIN 52-1420138Revenue $2.9M in FY2024

On file with the IRSbluewaterbaltimore.org2631 Sisson St, 21211-3119 · Baltimore, MDTax-exempt since Aug 1994Publicly supported — 509(a)(2)

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To restore the quality of baltimore's rivers, streams and harbor.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
63¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 1,110 volunteers and 36 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
2 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $169K a year · 6% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
63%
of spending
Worth a look: 63% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$244K
to officers and key staff · 8% of spending
Top officer’s pay lower than 52% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 8% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.7 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $19K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$383K
21% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 21% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
18
of 18 voting members
Looks good: 18 of 18 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$2.9M
-6% vs prior year
Spent
$3.1M
To programs
63%
Net assets
$1.5M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$2.9M
FY2024▼ -6%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$3.3M
FY2021$2.6M
FY2022$2.9M
FY2023$3.0M
FY2024$2.9M
Expenses
$3.1M
FY2024+0.4%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$2.3M
FY2021$2.3M
FY2022$2.9M
FY2023$3.1M
FY2024$3.1M
Net assets
$1.5M
FY2024▼ -14%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$1.5M
FY2021$1.8M
FY2022$1.7M
FY2023$1.7M
FY2024$1.5M

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 Aug 1994.

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

Where the money goes

63 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 63% · $2.0M Management & general 29% · $900K Fundraising 8% · $257K

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

20 people listed on the 990; $244K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Sydnee Wilson Ruff
Executive Director
$125,054Pt VII · Sec A
Jill Cecil
Director of Finance and Ad
$119,160Pt VII · Sec A
Anne Yastremski
Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Steven Ragsdale
Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
John Savage
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Yury Gimburg
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Sydnee Wilson Ruff’s $125K as Executive Director is at the 48th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1851 $1–10M 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 · 5 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Deoleous Bridges—$49,328$126,290——
Sydnee Wilson Ruff$125,054$78,580———
Jill Cecil$119,160$120,942$115,634——
Jennifer Aiosa———$57,939$107,836
Deoleous a Bridges———$19,240—

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 Blue Water Baltimore 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

Cleans and restores Baltimore's rivers, streams, and harbor.

Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $1.4M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Watershed Restoration

Blue water baltimore's stormwater reduction efforts aim to reduce the volume of rain water runoff, or stormwater and the amount of pollution flowing into our streams. We work with communities, places of worship, and other institutions.

$652Kprogram expense
02

Greening

We planted 952 street trees in parks, schools, residents and along neighborhood streets in our watershed. We gave away over 1,180 trees to be planted in yards within baltimore city and county. Our street tree program created 103 new tree beds while removing 4,843 square feet of impervious surface in baltimore city.

$430Kprogram expense
03

Nursery

Blue water baltimore's herring run nursery grows plants, trees and shrubs native to the chesapeake bay watershed. These plants are used in restoration projects and sold to residents and wholesale customers.

$279Kprogram expense

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 · FY2025
Waterkeepers Chesapeake INCFY2025$10K
T Rowe Price Program for Charitable Giving INCFY2025$9K
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$19K

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$2.9M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.2M
Other incomeLn 4–11$448K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$225K
Money outPt IX
$3.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.0M
Managementcol C$900K
Fundraisingcol D$257K
Owns and owesPt X
$1.5M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$961K
Total assetsLn 16$1.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$383K
PeoplePt VI, VII
20
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a18
IndependentVI 1b18
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.2M
Government grantsLn 1e$155K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$225K
Investment incomeLn 3$922
Other incomeLn 4–11$448K
Gains on assetsLn 7−$17K
Total revenueLn 12$2.9M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$961K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$961K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$111K
Other assetsLn 15$18K
Total assetsLn 16$1.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$383K
Net assetsLn 32$1.5M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 536
VolunteersI 61,110
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
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$1.2M$961K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$133K$111K
Total assetsLn 16$2.1M$1.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$396K$383K
Net assetsLn 32$1.7M$1.5M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$126K$77K$36K$13K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.8M$1.1M$494K$187K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$200K$108K$71K$22K
Payroll taxesLn 10$144K$78K$51K$16K
Accounting feesLn 11c$20K$17K$3K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$299K$258K$41K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$17K$687$14K$3K
OccupancyLn 16$96K$18K$76K$2K
TravelLn 17$37K$17K$15K$5K
InterestLn 20$32K$21K$6K$5K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$35K$22K$10K$3K
InsuranceLn 23$43K$23K$21K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$283K$229K$52K$1K
All other expensesLn 24e$19K$7K$11K$548
Total functional expensesLn 25$3.1M$2.0M$900K$257K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $2.9M$3.1M−$246K$1.5M 990 PDF
FY2023 $3.0M$3.1M−$55K$1.7M 990 PDF
FY2022 $2.9M$2.9M−$90K$1.7M 990 PDF
FY2021 $2.6M$2.3M$298K$1.8M 990 PDF
FY2020 $3.3M$2.3M$940K$1.5M 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 $2,862,440 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $2,392,997$2,188,267
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $196,647$225,139
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $54,378$922
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $396,551$448,112
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $3,040,573$2,862,440
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 $1,933,268$2,227,289
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,162,507$881,008
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $3,095,775$3,108,297
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$55,202−$245,857
Part VI · Governance 18 of 18 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body18
VI-1b Independent voting members18
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 $2,862,440 across 10 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $316,004 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1b Membership dues$468,190
VIII-1e Government grants$155,221
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,564,856
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$2,188,267
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $225,139$225,139
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $18,339$18,339
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax −$17,417−$17,417
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $31,070$31,070
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $101,038$101,038
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $642,181 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $31,992$2,862,440
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $3,108,297 across 14 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $77,059 · Management $35,515 · Fundraising $13,395$125,969
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,075,585 · Management $494,383 · Fundraising $186,769$1,756,737
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $107,984 · Management $70,510 · Fundraising $21,815$200,309
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $77,776 · Management $50,785 · Fundraising $15,713$144,274
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $17,194 · Management $2,706$19,900
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $258,367 · Management $40,656$299,023
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $687 · Management $13,591 · Fundraising $3,083$17,361
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $18,113 · Management $76,304 · Fundraising $1,969$96,386
IX-17 TravelPrograms $17,236 · Management $15,031 · Fundraising $4,750$37,017
IX-20 InterestPrograms $20,844 · Management $6,293 · Fundraising $4,686$31,823
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $22,238 · Management $10,269 · Fundraising $2,553$35,060
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $22,554 · Management $20,757$43,311
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $229,155 · Management $52,098 · Fundraising $1,260$282,513
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $6,773 · Management $11,293 · Fundraising $548$18,614
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,951,565 · Management $900,191 · Fundraising $256,541$3,108,297
Part X · Balance sheet $1,839,905 assets, 16 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,197,596$960,698
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $641,134$667,175
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $35,333$18,472
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $33,494$43,281
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $21,007$17,942
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $133,383$110,991
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $4,997$3,798
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $31,844$17,548
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $2,098,788$1,839,905
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $270,928$293,347
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $85,948$68,665
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $396,252$383,226
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,061,879$1,059,061
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $640,657$397,618
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,702,536$1,456,679
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $2,098,788$1,839,905
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,456,679 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,862,440
XI-2 Total expenses$3,108,297
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$245,857
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,702,536
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,456,679

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

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