Is it real?
Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jan 2002.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
85 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.
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
8 people listed on the 990; $87K paid to officers and key staff.
Meagan Jones Gray’s $87K as Executive Di is at the 61st percentile of top reported officer pay among 312 $100K–1M science & technology 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
| Name | FY2025 | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 | FY2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meagan Jones Gray | $87,415 | $64,400 | $53,200 | $52,000 | $42,500 | $41,200 |
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.
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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
Supports scientific research, education, and conservation for marine mammals and their environment.
Questions for Whale Trust
Your first name shows with your question. Whale Trust answers here, for everyone.
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Education and outreach-whale trust's mission includes communicating scientific research and conducting education programs on whales and the marine environment. Whale trust fulfills that mission through community outreach events, educational field experiences, school outreach programs, mentorship, and internship programs for students.
Humpback whale research and photo documentation-whale trust's mission includes conducting and promoting scientific research on whales and the marine environment. Research projects include reproductive and mating behavior, and photographic and video illustration documenting the behavior of humpback whales in their natural environment.
Humpback whale song study-whale trust's mission includes conducting scientific research on whales and the marine environment. Key research includes investigation into the structure and function of humpback whale song across the north pacific ocean.
Funders
Who pays for it.
From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.
Grants
By the numbers
The FY2025 990, line by line.
Download 990
| Line | Start FY25 | End FY25 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and savingsLn 1–2 | $998K | $918K |
| Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c | $237K | $198K |
| Total assetsLn 16 | $1.3M | $1.2M |
| LiabilitiesLn 26 | $167K | $188K |
| Net assetsLn 32 | $1.1M | $1.1M |
| Line | Total | Programs | Management | Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1 | $2K | $2K | ||
| Grants to domestic individualsLn 2 | $85K | $85K | ||
| Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3 | $37K | $37K | ||
| Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5 | $87K | $57K | $28K | $3K |
| Other salaries and wagesLn 7 | $132K | $132K | ||
| Pension plan contributionsLn 8 | $334 | $334 | ||
| Other employee benefitsLn 9 | $5K | $5K | ||
| Payroll taxesLn 10 | $20K | $17K | $2K | $201 |
| Accounting feesLn 11c | $20K | $20K | ||
| Other fees for servicesLn 11g | $90K | $89K | $1K | |
| Advertising and promotionLn 12 | $14K | $14K | $333 | |
| Office expensesLn 13 | $14K | $5K | $5K | $4K |
| Information technologyLn 14 | $902 | $902 | ||
| OccupancyLn 16 | $20K | $4K | $16K | |
| InterestLn 20 | $6K | $5K | $2K | |
| Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22 | $32K | $32K | ||
| InsuranceLn 23 | $22K | $2K | $20K | |
| Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24 | $197K | $190K | $3K | $4K |
| All other expensesLn 24e | $20K | $6K | $8K | $6K |
| Total functional expensesLn 25 | $804K | $682K | $103K | $18K |
Filing history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 Latest Viewing | $754K | $804K | −$50K | $1.1M | 990 PDF |
| FY2024 | $1.2M | $730K | $485K | $1.1M | 990 PDF |
| FY2023 | $663K | $616K | $47K | $620K | 990 PDF |
| FY2022 | $572K | $455K | $117K | $573K | 990 PDF |
| FY2021 | $561K | $387K | $174K | $456K | 990 PDF |
| FY2020 | $544K | $460K | $84K | $282K | 990 PDF |
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Schedules filed Part IV
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $753,501 revenue, 12 lines filed
Part VI · Governance 7 of 8 board members independent, 1 to look at
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $753,501 across 6 lines filed
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $803,600 across 19 lines filed
Part X · Balance sheet $1,243,240 assets, 16 lines filed
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,054,815 net assets at year end
Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File
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