Our name means watershed defenders. A non-profit dedicated to helping the latino community connect with the natural world through knowledge, shared experiences, and opportunities to preserve and defend the chesapeake bay watershed for a healthier mind, body and soul.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
76¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 1,100 volunteers and 2 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 3
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $145K a year · 18% of revenue · last 3 filings
Fine: a surplus in 2 of the last 3 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 3 filings
Spent on programs
76%
of spending
Looks good: 76% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$126K
to officers and key staff · 12% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 12% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.2 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
6
named funders · $586K
Looks good: 6 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$171K
27% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 27% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
6
of 7 voting members
Looks good: 6 of 7 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.3M
+172% vs prior year
Spent
$1.0M
To programs
76%
Net assets
$464K
By yearFY2022–FY2024
Revenue
$1.3M
FY2024▲ +172%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2022$575K
FY2023$490K
FY2024$1.3M
Expenses
$1.0M
FY2024▲ +51%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2022$227K
FY2023$693K
FY2024$1.0M
Net assets
$464K
FY2024▲ +166%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2022$369K
FY2023$174K
FY2024$464K

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 Jul 2020.

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

Where the money goes

76 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 76% · $788K Management & general 24% · $255K

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

7 people listed on the 990; $126K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$125,585Pt VII · Sec A
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Co-Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice-President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Co-Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Abel Olivo’s $126K as Executive Director is at the 49th 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 · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022
Abel Olivo$125,585$107,000$98,635

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 Defensores De La Cuenca 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

Connects Latino communities with nature to preserve the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

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Provided by the organization

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2 programs · $788K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

La Academia

DDLC creates engagement opportunities for the community to have positive connections with nature. These events help create opportunities to share about adult training programs that help build knowledge on watershed related issues. This program is a capacity building program.

$417Kprogram expense
02

Other Programs

Over the past year we have been able to engage thousands of community members, both in-person and online, across the chesapeake bay watershed with the goal of building a network of leaders who are taking action to support the environment.

$371Kprogram 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 6 funders →
Grants paid · 4 grants · $282K · 2023–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$169,694
Unitemized GrantFY2024$3,262
Unitemized GrantFY2023$108,400
Unitemized GrantFY2023$480

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.3M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.3M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$53K
Investment incomeLn 3$731
Money outPt IX
$1.0M
Ln 25
Programscol B$788K
Managementcol C$255K
Owns and owesPt X
$464K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$282K
Total assetsLn 16$636K
LiabilitiesLn 26$171K
PeoplePt VI, VII
7
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.3M
Government grantsLn 1e$895K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$53K
Investment incomeLn 3$731
Total revenueLn 12$1.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$282K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$282K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$9K
Other assetsLn 15$256K
Total assetsLn 16$636K
LiabilitiesLn 26$171K
Net assetsLn 32$464K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 52
VolunteersI 61,100
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$71K$282K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$11K$9K
Total assetsLn 16$196K$636K
LiabilitiesLn 26$22K$171K
Net assetsLn 32$174K$464K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$173K$173K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$110K$110K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$341K$261K$80K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$49K$49K
Payroll taxesLn 10$39K$8K$30K
Accounting feesLn 11c$36K$36K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$89K$76K$12K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$225$79$146
Office expensesLn 13$17K$8K$9K
Information technologyLn 14$4K$4K$344
OccupancyLn 16$8K$4K$4K
TravelLn 17$35K$34K$1K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$4K$4K
InsuranceLn 23$3K$550$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$135K$109K$26K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.0M$788K$255K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $1.3M$1.0M$290K$464K 990 PDF
FY2023 $490K$693K−$202K$174K 990 PDF
FY2022 $575K$227K$347K$369K 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 $1,332,831 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $437,743$1,278,649
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $51,969$53,451
I-10 Investment income$731
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $564$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $490,276$1,332,831
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $108,880$172,956
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $292,814$538,995
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $291,030$330,785
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $692,724$1,042,736
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$202,448$290,095
Part VI · Governance 6 of 7 board members independent, 4 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members6
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 $1,332,831 across 7 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$894,799
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$383,850
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,278,649
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $53,451$53,451
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $731$731
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $53,451 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $731$1,332,831
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,042,736 across 15 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $172,956$172,956
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $110,383$110,383
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $260,696 · Management $80,280$340,976
IX-9 Other employee benefitsManagement $49,040$49,040
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $8,444 · Management $30,152$38,596
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $36,120$36,120
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $76,358 · Management $12,163$88,521
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $79 · Management $146$225
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $7,952 · Management $9,036$16,988
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $3,606 · Management $344$3,950
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $4,290 · Management $3,758$8,048
IX-17 TravelPrograms $33,567 · Management $1,270$34,837
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $4,496$4,496
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $550 · Management $2,021$2,571
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $108,750 · Management $26,279$135,029
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $787,631 · Management $255,105 · Fundraising $0$1,042,736
Part X · Balance sheet $635,593 assets, 14 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $70,972$281,532
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $114,239$82,332
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $352$6,600
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $10,604$8,864
X-15 Other assets$256,265
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $196,167$635,593
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $21,790$64,889
X-19 Deferred revenue$11,433
X-25 Other liabilities$94,919
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $21,790$171,241
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $16,057$284,386
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $158,320$179,966
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $174,377$464,352
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $196,167$635,593
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $464,352 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,332,831
XI-2 Total expenses$1,042,736
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$290,095
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$174,377
XI-8 Prior period adjustments−$120
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$464,352

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

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