Mission is to continue Walter munk's legacy of daring exploration and discovery through scientific research, education, and ocean conservation.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
66¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 20 volunteers and 6 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
4 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $39K a year · 6% of revenue · last 5 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
66%
of spending
Fine: 66% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.5 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
5
named funders · $304K
Looks good: 5 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$2K
1% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 1% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
9
of 9 voting members
Looks good: 9 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
$693K
-1.0% vs prior year
Spent
$693K
To programs
66%
Net assets
$128K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$693K
FY2024▼ -1.0%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$341K
FY2021$746K
FY2022$678K
FY2023$700K
FY2024$693K
Expenses
$693K
FY2024▲ +5%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$353K
FY2021$653K
FY2022$608K
FY2023$659K
FY2024$693K
Net assets
$128K
FY2024+0.3%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$61K
FY2021$107K
FY2022$86K
FY2023$128K
FY2024$128K

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 May 2019.

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% · $459K Management & general 32% · $220K Fundraising 2% · $14K

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.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
See Walter Munk Foundation for the Oceans 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

Explores, researches, and conserves oceans, continuing a legacy of discovery.

Questions for Walter Munk Foundation for the Oceans

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $459K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Walter munk visited altaussee, austria in august 2018 to arrange for an expedition to study lake altaussee in the spring of 2019. It was his way of giving back to his boyhood community he loved, by providing information on the lake that would allow the community to preserve its pristine alpine treasure.

$256Kprogram expense
02

The walter munk foundation for the oceans continues walter munk's legacy of daring exploration and discovery through scientific research, education and ocean conservation with focus on inspring stewardship through a variety of activities: - walter munk educational plaza, located in kellogg park (la jolla shores), features the map of the…

$196Kprogram expense
03

Wmfo supports conservation efforts for the mobula munkiana, walter's namesake, the smallest of the manta rays, found in warm and temperate seas. It is considered vulnerable due to fishing bycatch pressure and habitat loss.

$8Kprogram 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 · FY2024
See all 5 funders →
Grants paid · 3 grants · $50K · 2022–2023
Action for MantasCA · FY2023$9,300
Action for MantasCA · FY2022$13,100

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$693K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$674K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$19K
Money outPt IX
$693K
Ln 25
Programscol B$459K
Managementcol C$220K
Fundraisingcol D$14K
Owns and owesPt X
$128K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$85K
Total assetsLn 16$130K
LiabilitiesLn 26$2K
PeoplePt VI, VII
9
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b9
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$674K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$19K
Total revenueLn 12$693K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$85K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$85K
Total assetsLn 16$130K
LiabilitiesLn 26$2K
Net assetsLn 32$128K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 56
VolunteersI 620
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
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$144K$85K
Total assetsLn 16$144K$130K
LiabilitiesLn 26$16K$2K
Net assetsLn 32$128K$128K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$4K$4K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$72K$58K$2K$12K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$3K$3K
Payroll taxesLn 10$7K$6K$255$1K
Legal feesLn 11b$8K$8K
Accounting feesLn 11c$31K$31K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$207K$58K$149K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$2K$2K
Office expensesLn 13$7K$7K
Information technologyLn 14$3K$3K
TravelLn 17$21K$16K$5K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$100K$97K$3K
InsuranceLn 23$3K$3K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$226K$216K$10K
All other expensesLn 24e$25$25
Total functional expensesLn 25$693K$459K$220K$14K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $693K$693K$363$128K 990 PDF
FY2023 $700K$659K$41K$128K 990 PDF
FY2022 $678K$608K$70K$86K 990 PDF
FY2021 $746K$653K$93K$107K 990 PDF
FY2020 $341K$353K−$12K$61K 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 $693,038 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $699,935$673,597
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$19,441
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $699,935$693,038
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $28,159$3,900
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $155,726$82,104
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $474,842$606,671
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $658,727$692,675
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $41,208$363
Part VI · Governance 9 of 9 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body9
VI-1b Independent voting members9
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
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $693,038 across 4 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$673,597
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$673,597
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $19,441$19,441
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $19,441 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$693,038
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $692,675 across 15 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $3,900$3,900
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $57,808 · Management $1,840 · Fundraising $12,375$72,023
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $3,100$3,100
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $5,563 · Management $255 · Fundraising $1,163$6,981
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $8,441$8,441
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $30,997$30,997
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $58,224 · Management $148,692$206,916
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $1,696$1,696
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $6,608$6,608
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $2,899$2,899
IX-17 TravelPrograms $15,641 · Management $4,917$20,558
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $96,895 · Management $2,833$99,728
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $2,637$2,637
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $216,467 · Management $9,699$226,166
IX-24e All other expensesManagement $25$25
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $459,294 · Management $219,843 · Fundraising $13,538$692,675
Part X · Balance sheet $129,908 assets, 8 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $144,181$84,908
X-14 Intangible assets$45,000
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $144,181$129,908
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $16,477$1,841
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $16,477$1,841
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $127,704$128,067
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $127,704$128,067
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $144,181$129,908
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $128,067 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$693,038
XI-2 Total expenses$692,675
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$363
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$127,704
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$128,067

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

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