Salish Sea Sciences

Tax-deductible

Friday Harbor, WA501(c)(3)Since 2017EducationEIN 82-3307581

We fully exploit the physical and human resources of the Salish Sea to equip high school students with knowledge, skills, career awareness, and confidence for civic life and college and career success, most especially in STEAM fields. Salish Sea Sciences brings motivated high school students from all backgrounds together with scientists and other professionals to learn from and protect the Salish Sea, its creatures, and people in multi-week summer residential programs and intensive multi-week school-day programs in Seattle public schools focused primarily on marine field and lab research and ecology and conservation. We serve students from the San Juan Islands, the greater Salish Sea region, the state of Washington and multiple other states as well as other countries. Our mission is (1) grow a community of critical thinkers, 2) bring innovation to public engagement in science, 3) raise awareness of science as a career path, and 4) advance a more diverse cohort of investigators.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
100¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 31 volunteers.
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
Spent on programs
100%
of spending
Looks good: 100% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$109K
to officers and key staff · 45% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 79% of similar orgs
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 45% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Worth a look: 0.7 months of spending in cash; under 1.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $8K
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
3
of 5 voting members
Looks good: 3 of 5 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$229K
Spent
$243K
To programs
100%
Net assets
$15K

From the FY2025 Form 990 · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Exemption reinstated (2024-05-15). Per the IRS revocation list. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in May 2025.

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

Where the money goes

100 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 100% · $243K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25. Every line is in By the numbers.

Who runs it and what they're paid

5 people listed on the 990; $109K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Board Treasurer/Executive Director
$91,500Pt VII · Sec A
Board Secretary / Part-Time in Program & Website
$17,740Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Caroline C Grauman-Boss’s $92K as Board Treasurer/Executive Director is at the 79th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1613 $100K–1M education 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.

See Salish Sea Sciences 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 15aYes

Programs and updates

Salish Sea Sciences is an education nonprofit based in Friday Harbor, WA, formed in 2017.

Provided by the organization

This section is blank until Salish Sea Sciences claims this page.

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3 program services account for $243K of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2025.
01

Residential Programs on San Juan Island include our flagship summer 4 week Marine Field & Lab Research program and the 2 week Marine Ecology & Conservation program. The 4-week program concludes with student presentations of science posters, completed to professional specifications, of independently designed and executed research projects…

$151Kprogram expense
02

During School Year Development

As is always the case, the non-in-program period of the year requires focus on maintaining and cultivating our programming with a functional, up-to-date website, admissions, relationship building, grant writing, and ordinary administrative tasks.

$92Kprogram expense
03

School-Based Programming for Summit Public Schools

2-week Ecology & Conservation intensive for Summit Atlas High School and 2-week Ecology & Conservation intensive for Summit Sierra High School, both of Seattle, WA. Marine Ecology & Conservation: engage students with marine science, ecology, and conservation institutions, practitioners, methods and tools, deepening students' scientific…

Pt IX · col B

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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
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$8K

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$229K
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$198K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$31K
Money outPt IX
$243K
Ln 25
Programscol B$243K
Owns and owesPt X
$15K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$15K
Total assetsLn 16$15K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
5
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a5
IndependentVI 1b3
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$31K
Government grantsLn 1e$0
Noncash giftsLn 1g$0
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$0
Fees for servicesLn 2g$198K
Gains on assetsLn 7$0
Total revenueLn 12$229K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$15K
SavingsLn 2$0
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$15K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$15K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$15K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 631
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$29K$15K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0$0
Total assetsLn 16$29K$15K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$0
Net assetsLn 32$29K$15K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$109K$109K$0$0
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0$0$0$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$0$0$0$0
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0$0$0$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$0$0$0$0
Payroll taxesLn 10$0$0$0$0
Management feesLn 11a$0$0$0$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0$0$0$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$0$0$0$0
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0$0$0$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0$0$0$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$35K$35K$0$0
Advertising and promotionLn 12$0$0$0$0
Office expensesLn 13$6K$6K$0$0
Information technologyLn 14$3K$3K$0$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0$0$0$0
OccupancyLn 16$25K$25K$0$0
TravelLn 17$13K$13K$0$0
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0$0$0$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$347$347$0$0
InterestLn 20$0$0$0$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0$0$0$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$0$0$0$0
InsuranceLn 23$3K$3K$0$0
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$50K$50K$0$0
All other expensesLn 24e$0$0$0$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$243K$243K$0$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $229K$243K−$14K$15K 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 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $228,803 across 15 lines filed
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$0
VIII-1b Membership dues$0
VIII-1c Fundraising events$0
VIII-1d Related organizations$0
VIII-1e Government grants$0
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$30,797
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$0
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$30,797
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $198,006 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$198,006
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-5 RoyaltiesRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsUnrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $198,006 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$228,803
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $243,036 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $0$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $0$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $0$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for membersPrograms $0$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $109,240 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$109,240
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $0$0
IX-11f Investment management feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $34,975 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$34,975
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $5,527 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$5,527
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $2,675 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$2,675
IX-15 RoyaltiesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $25,000 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$25,000
IX-17 TravelPrograms $12,678 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$12,678
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officialsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $347 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$347
IX-20 InterestPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliatesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $3,006 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$3,006
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $49,588 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$49,588
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $243,036 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$243,036
Part X · Balance sheet $15,111 assets, 22 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $29,344$15,111
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $0$0
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $0$0
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $0$0
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $0$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $0$0
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $0$0
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $0$0
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $0$0
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $0$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $0$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $29,344$15,111
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $0$0
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $0$0
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $0$0
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $0$0
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $29,344$15,111
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $0$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $29,344$15,111
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $29,344$15,111
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $15,111 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$228,803
XI-2 Total expenses$243,036
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$14,233
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$29,344
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$0
XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$0
XI-7 Investment expenses$0
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$0
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$15,111

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

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