Whale Trust EIN 91-2144632

Whale Trust

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Supports scientific research, education, and conservation for marine mammals and their environment. For fiscal year 2024 it reported $754K in revenue, $804K in expenses, and $1.1M in net assets.Pt I

Founded
2001
Type
Public charity (501(c)(3)) · Science & Technology
Location
Puunene, HI
Website
www.whaletrust.org
Filings
5 on file (2020–2024)
Revenue
$754KFY2024
Expenses
$804K
Net assets
$1.1M
People
8
Filings
5
Updates
0
More identity details & actions ⌄
EIN  91-2144632 Public charity (501(c)(3)) Puunene, HI Founded 2001
Form 990 (PDF)
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Size
$100K–1M
What they do
Supports scientific research, education, and conservation for marine mammals and their environment.
Leadership
Meagan Jones Gray · Executive Di · $87K
Money in and out
$754K revenue, $804K expenses
Bottom line
85% program efficiency
Where the money goes · FY2024
Total revenue
$754K
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$804K
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$1.1M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expenses (Pt I · Ln 19): −$50K
Where spending went · Part IX cols B–D
Program services $0.85 Management & general $0.13 Fundraising $0.02
Program efficiency
85%
of spending reaches programs▲ +6% vs prior filing year
Operating runway
13.7mo
months of highly liquid reserves at operating expense rate▼ -17% vs prior filing year
Surplus margin
-7%
revenue over expenses, this year▼ -117% vs prior filing year

Summary of the Filing

Part I · fiscal year 2024 · Form 990
Revenue
$754K
FY2024▼ -38%
Expenses
$804K
FY2024▲ +10%
Total assets
$1.2M
FY2024▼ -2%
Total liabilities
$188K
FY2024▲ +13%
Total revenue
$754K
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$804K
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$1.1M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expensesPt I · Ln 19−$50K
Total assetsPt X · Ln 16$1.2M
Program-expense ratioPt IX · col B85%
Voting members of governing bodyPt I · Ln 38
Independent voting membersPt I · Ln 47
Mission & Programs · Part III

Where the work happens

3 program services account for $676K of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2024.
01

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.

$333Kprogram expense
02

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.

$175Kprogram expense
03

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.

$168Kprogram expense

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Identity & Classification

Form 990 Header · IRS Business Master File
Legal nameHdr · item CWhale Trust
EINHdr · item D91-2144632
Principal addressHdr · item CPuunene, HI
WebsiteHdr · item Jwww.whaletrust.org
Year of formationHdr · item L2001
State of legal domicileHdr · item MHI
Exempt statusHdr · item I501(c)(3) · active
NTEE classificationIRS BMFScience & Technology (U50)
Ruling yearIRS BMFJan 2002

Governance & Policies

Part VI
Voting members of the governing bodyPt VI · Ln 1a8
Independent voting membersPt VI · Ln 1b7
Conflict-of-interest policyPt VI · Ln 12aYes
Whistleblower policyPt VI · Ln 13Yes
Document retention policyPt VI · Ln 14Yes
CEO/top-official compensation independently reviewedPt VI · Ln 15aYes
Family or business relationships among officers/directorsPt VI · Ln 2Yes

Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Di
$87,415Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Chairman/Tre
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Meagan Jones Gray’s $87K as Executive Di is at the 60th percentile of top reported officer pay among 310 $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

NameFY2024FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
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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Statement of Revenue

Part VIII
Contributions & grants$708K · 94%
Investment income$39K · 5%
Other revenue$7K · 1%
Contributions & grants94%$708K
Investment income5%$39K
Other revenue1%$7K
Total revenueLn 12$754K

Statement of Functional Expenses

Part IX · allocated across program, management, and fundraising
Allocation · columns B–D
Program services $0.85 Management & general $0.13 Fundraising $0.02
Program services85%$682K
Management & general13%$103K
Fundraising2%$18K
Total functional expensesLn 25$804K

Balance Sheet

Part X · end of year
CashLn 1$918K
Total assetsLn 16$1.2M
Total liabilitiesLn 26$188K
Total net assetsLn 32$1.1M
Months of cash on handcomputed13.7

Financial Metrics

Form 990 · FY2024 · each ratio shown with the dollars behind it
Liquidity & Payout
Operating runway
Highly liquid reserves $918K · Operating expenses/yr $804K
13.7 months
Where the money goes
Program services
Program services $682K · Total expenses $804K
85%
Management & General
Management & general $103K · Total expenses $804K
13%
Fundraising
Fundraising $18K · Total expenses $804K
2%
Cost to raise $1
Fundraising expense (3-yr avg) $16K · Solicited contributions (3-yr avg) $794K
$0.02 to raise $1 (3-yr avg)
Where the money comes from
Contribution dependence
Contributions & grants $708K · Total revenue $754K
94%
Government reliance
Government grants — · Total revenue $754K
Earned-income share
Program service revenue $0 · Total revenue $754K
0%
Investment reliance
Investment income $39K · Total revenue $754K
+5%
Program self-sufficiency
Program service revenue $0 · Total expenses $804K
0%
Growth & trend
Revenue growth (YoY)
This year $754K · Prior year $1.2M
-38%
Revenue CAGR
FY2019 $544K · FY2024 $754K
+7%
Net-asset trend (YoY)
End of year $1.1M · Beginning of year —
Beginning net assets not meaningfully positive — showing dollar change
Balance sheet
Surplus Margin
Revenue $754K · Expenses $804K
-7%
Liabilities-to-Assets
Total liabilities — · Total assets $1.2M
Net-asset ratio
Net assets $1.1M · Total assets $1.2M
85%
Marketable Investment Share
Publicly traded securities (Pt X, ln 11) — · Other securities (Pt X, ln 12) — · Total assets (Pt X, ln 16) $1.2M
Excludes program-related investments (Pt X, ln 13)
People & payroll
Highest Reported Total Compensation
Individual Meagan Jones Gray · Reported title EXECUTIVE DI · Highest reported compensation $87K · Total expenses $804K
11%
Personnel share
Salaries, benefits & payroll (Pt IX 5-10) $244K · Total expenses $804K
30%
Peer comparison

Same NTEE category, revenue band, and state where available. Descriptive — not a grade.

MetricThis orgPeer medianPercentile
Program ratio 85%
Overhead ratio 13%
Fundraising cost ratio 3%
Revenue growth -38%

Straight from the Form 990 — descriptive, not an evaluation. A ratio is hidden when its base is zero or too small to be meaningful; the dollars are always shown.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
See all 12 funders →
Grants paid · 8 grants · $162K · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$85,176
Unitemized GrantFY2023$40,000
Unitemized GrantFY2023$2,000

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Filings & Schedule Manifest

Part IV
III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
FY2024$1.2M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2023$663K revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2022$572K revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2021$561K revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2020$544K revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF

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Sources

Every figure above is drawn from these filings
Form 990 e-file (XML) · FY2024IRS
Classification, formation year, addressIRS Business Master File
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