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The Elizabeth River Project

Tax-deductible

Norfolk, VA501(c)(3)Since 1993EnvironmentEIN 54-1663058Revenue $3.5M in FY2025

On file with the IRSelizabethriver.org4610 Colley Ave, 23508-2033 · Norfolk, VATax-exempt since Jun 1994Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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To restore the health of the Elizabeth River by working with our neighbors, businesses, and governments.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
66¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 728 volunteers and 53 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

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 $1.9M a year · 36% 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
66%
of spending
Fine: 66% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$110K
to officers and key staff · 3% of spending
Top officer’s pay lower than 64% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 3% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.1 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $35K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$356K
3% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 3% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
22
of 22 voting members
Looks good: 22 of 22 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$3.5M
+3% vs prior year
Spent
$4.1M
To programs
66%
Net assets
$12.9M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$3.5M
FY2025▲ +3%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$8.6M
FY2021$7.5M
FY2022$4.8M
FY2023$3.0M
FY2024$3.4M
FY2025$3.5M
Expenses
$4.1M
FY2025▲ +5%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$2.4M
FY2021$2.4M
FY2022$3.1M
FY2023$3.6M
FY2024$4.0M
FY2025$4.1M
Net assets
$12.9M
FY2025▼ -4%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$7.4M
FY2021$12.7M
FY2022$14.3M
FY2023$13.8M
FY2024$13.3M
FY2025$12.9M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending September 2025) · 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: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jun 1994.

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

Where the money goes

66 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 66% · $2.8M Management & general 29% · $1.2M Fundraising 5% · $198K

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

23 people listed on the 990; $110K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Lacy Shirey
Executive Director
$109,538Pt VII · Sec A
Dr Maynard Schaus
Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Ken Kimball
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Louis F Ryan
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Melissa Page Deutsch
Adjunct VP & Board Governance Co-Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Aimee Batten
PR, Marketing, & Education Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Burr Henderson
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
David White
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Lacy Shirey’s $110K as Executive Director is at the 36th 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Lacy Shirey$109,538—————
Marjorie Mayfield Jackson—$98,942$98,427$99,125$89,482$89,245

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 The Elizabeth River Project 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

Restores the Elizabeth River's environmental quality through hands-on habitat restoration, pollution reduction partnerships, and coastal resilience education for students and businesses.

Questions for The Elizabeth River Project

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $2.8M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

The Elizabeth River Project advanced its mission through restoration, education, and resilience programs across Hampton Roads. The Ryan Resilience Lab operated as a hub for urban coastal resilience, research, and public engagement, hosting 5,000 visitors and 146 programs.

$2.8Mprogram 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
Virginia Environmental EndowmentFY2025$35K
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$35K
Grants paid · 4 grants · $1.5M · 2020–2022
City of PortsmouthFY2022$944,167
City of PortsmouthFY2021$527,872
City of PortsmouthFY2020$45,461
The Living River Restoration TrustVA · FY2020$7,000

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$3.5M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.9M
Investment incomeLn 3$402K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$121K
Money outPt IX
$4.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.8M
Managementcol C$1.2M
Fundraisingcol D$198K
Owns and owesPt X
$12.9M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.4M
Total assetsLn 16$13.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$356K
PeoplePt VI, VII
23
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a22
IndependentVI 1b22
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.9M
Government grantsLn 1e$1.3M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$121K
Investment incomeLn 3$402K
Other incomeLn 4–11$27K
Gains on assetsLn 7$366K
Total revenueLn 12$3.5M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$668K
SavingsLn 2$754K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$840K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$10.2M
Other assetsLn 15$33K
Total assetsLn 16$13.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$356K
Net assetsLn 32$12.9M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 553
VolunteersI 6728
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.2M$1.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$795K$840K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$10.5M$10.2M
Total assetsLn 16$13.9M$13.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$594K$356K
Net assetsLn 32$13.3M$12.9M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$35K$35K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.8M$995K$748K$46K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$17K$10K$7K$440
Other employee benefitsLn 9$94K$52K$39K$2K
Payroll taxesLn 10$132K$73K$55K$3K
Legal feesLn 11b$2K$2K
Accounting feesLn 11c$127K$127K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$832K$667K$120K$45K
Office expensesLn 13$82K$73K$4K$6K
Information technologyLn 14$50K$43K$2K$4K
OccupancyLn 16$51K$45K$5K$902
TravelLn 17$19K$18K$196$649
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$8K$1K$6K$148
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$300K$269K$24K$7K
InsuranceLn 23$158K$139K$16K$4K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$399K$300K$26K$72K
All other expensesLn 24e$52K$33K$13K$6K
Total functional expensesLn 25$4.1M$2.8M$1.2M$198K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $3.5M$4.1M−$664K$12.9M 990 PDF
FY2024 $3.4M$4.0M−$570K$13.3M 990 PDF
FY2023 $3.0M$3.6M−$574K$13.8M 990 PDF
FY2022 $4.8M$3.1M$1.7M$14.3M 990 PDF
FY2021 $7.5M$2.4M$5.1M$12.7M 990 PDF
FY2020 $8.6M$2.4M$6.1M$7.4M 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 FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $3,481,982 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $3,174,806$2,932,004
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $149,746$120,664
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $65,974$401,822
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $4,653$27,492
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $3,395,179$3,481,982
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$35,047
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,911,335$2,032,029
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $26,200$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $2,027,591$2,078,949
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $3,965,126$4,146,025
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$569,947−$664,043
Part VI · Governance 22 of 22 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body22
VI-1b Independent voting members22
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 $3,481,982 across 10 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $2,452 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$626
VIII-1b Membership dues$90,397
VIII-1e Government grants$1,322,206
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,518,775
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$2,932,004
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $120,664$120,664
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $35,696$35,696
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $366,126$366,126
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $25,040$25,040
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $148,156 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $401,822$3,481,982
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $4,146,025 across 17 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $35,047$35,047
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $994,891 · Management $748,210 · Fundraising $46,153$1,789,254
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $9,500 · Management $7,123 · Fundraising $440$17,063
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $52,339 · Management $39,242 · Fundraising $2,425$94,006
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $73,328 · Management $54,980 · Fundraising $3,398$131,706
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $1,715$1,715
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $126,504$126,504
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $666,793 · Management $120,390 · Fundraising $44,582$831,765
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $73,046 · Management $3,515 · Fundraising $5,848$82,409
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $43,251 · Management $2,468 · Fundraising $4,175$49,894
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $45,294 · Management $4,796 · Fundraising $902$50,992
IX-17 TravelPrograms $18,286 · Management $196 · Fundraising $649$19,131
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $1,284 · Management $6,388 · Fundraising $148$7,820
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $268,537 · Management $24,245 · Fundraising $7,139$299,921
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $138,686 · Management $15,661 · Fundraising $3,791$158,138
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $300,008 · Management $26,093 · Fundraising $72,443$398,544
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $33,061 · Management $12,733 · Fundraising $6,322$52,116
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,753,351 · Management $1,194,259 · Fundraising $198,415$4,146,025
Part X · Balance sheet $13,213,561 assets, 16 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $477,237$667,607
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $722,561$754,357
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $746,571$608,260
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $587,922$84,702
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $17,875$7,564
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $10,536,473$10,217,634
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $794,902$840,305
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $46,979$33,132
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $13,930,520$13,213,561
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $507,279$280,370
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $86,740$75,798
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $594,019$356,168
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $10,906,970$10,364,241
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $2,429,531$2,493,152
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $13,336,501$12,857,393
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $13,930,520$13,213,561
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $12,857,393 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$3,481,982
XI-2 Total expenses$4,146,025
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$664,043
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$13,336,501
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$82,202
XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$96,961
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$5,772
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$12,857,393

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

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