The Carolina Ocean Alliance is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that advances community-driven solutions through strategic coalitions of our partners, develops the next generation of leaders, and fosters a culture of environmental stewardship.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
87¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 300 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
87%
of spending
Looks good: 87% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$12K
to officers and key staff · 19% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 19% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
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
1
named funder · $3K
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
6
of 6 voting members
Looks good: 6 of 6 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$69K
+181% vs prior year
Spent
$64K
To programs
87%
Net assets
$20K
By yearFY2023–FY2025
Revenue
$69K
FY2025▲ +181%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2023$25K
FY2025$69K
Net assets
$20K
FY2025▲ +199%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2023$7K
FY2025$20K

From the FY2025 Form 990 · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jan 2023.

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

Where the money goes

87 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 87% · $56K Management & general 8% · $5K Fundraising 5% · $3K

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; $12K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$12,000Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Whittaker Grey Gowder’s $12K as Executive Director is at the 34th percentile of top reported officer pay among 135 <$100K 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.

See Carolina Ocean Alliance 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

Carolina Ocean Alliance is an environmental nonprofit based in Charleston, SC, formed in 2022.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $56K · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

The Hope Summit is a forum for amplifying intersectional ideas, accelerating solutions, and inspiring hope. Hope is a regenerative act that we will inspire through accessible, tangible, and creative action.

$32Kprogram expense
02

The Creek Collective is a place-based, community-driven resilience initiative of the Carolina Ocean Alliance that merges nature-based design and tactical urbanism with direct action that community members can take through citizen science, native ecosystem restoration, community adaptation planning, environmental justice, and the creation…

$17Kprogram expense
03

Ocean Advocacy, Policy, and Emerging Leader DevelopmentTo have a healthy planet, we need to protect and restore the health of our oceans, and in doing so, we must protect and restore the health of coastal ecosystems and the communities that live alongside them by reimagining and reshaping the systems that create environmental harm and…

$7Kprogram 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 · FY2023
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$3K

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$69K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$39K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$28K
Other incomeLn 4–11$2K
Money outPt IX
$64K
Ln 25
Programscol B$56K
Managementcol C$5K
Fundraisingcol D$3K
Owns and owesPt X
$20K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$20K
Total assetsLn 16$20K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
7
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a6
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$39K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$28K
Other incomeLn 4–11$2K
Total revenueLn 12$69K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$20K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$20K
Total assetsLn 16$20K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$20K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 6300
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$15K$20K
Total assetsLn 16$15K$20K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$0
Net assetsLn 32$15K$20K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$1K$1K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$12K$6K$3K$3K
Accounting feesLn 11c$208$208
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$25K$25K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$2K$2K
Office expensesLn 13$8K$8K$81$68
OccupancyLn 16$12K$12K
TravelLn 17$800$800
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$189$189
InsuranceLn 23$283$283
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$3K$1K$2K
Total functional expensesLn 25$64K$56K$5K$3K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $69K$64K$5K$20K 990 PDF
FY2024 Not on file
FY2023 $25K$7K 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 FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $69,079 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $49,367$39,148
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $5,912$27,506
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$1,498$2,425
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $53,781$69,079
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$1,000
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $9,000$12,000
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $36,900$51,269
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $45,900$64,269
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $7,881$4,810
Part VI · Governance 6 of 6 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body6
VI-1b Independent voting members6
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $69,079 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$39,148
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$39,148
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $27,506$27,506
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $2,425$2,425
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $27,506 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $2,425$69,079
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $64,269 across 11 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $1,000$1,000
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $6,000 · Management $3,000 · Fundraising $3,000$12,000
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $208$208
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $24,932$24,932
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $2,414$2,414
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $7,862 · Management $81 · Fundraising $68$8,011
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $11,663$11,663
IX-17 TravelPrograms $800$800
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsManagement $189$189
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $283$283
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,126 · Management $1,643$2,769
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $55,797 · Management $5,404 · Fundraising $3,068$64,269
Part X · Balance sheet $19,902 assets, 6 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $14,592$19,902
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $14,592$19,902
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $14,592$19,902
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $14,592$19,902
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $14,592$19,902
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $19,902 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$69,079
XI-2 Total expenses$64,269
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$4,810
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$14,592
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$500
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$19,902

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

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