Sound Experience FY2022 filing

Tax-deductible

Port Townsend, WA501(c)(3)Science & TechnologyEIN 91-6170893

Educate, inspire and empower an inclusive community that works to improve our marine environment

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
84¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$92K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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FY2022 · 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
0 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $249K a year · 32% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 0 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
84%
of spending
Looks good: 84% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$92K
to officers and key staff · 8% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 8% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
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
2
named funders · $18K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$175K
10% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 10% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
15
of 15 voting members
Looks good: 15 of 15 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$750K
+9% vs prior year
Spent
$1.1M
To programs
84%
Net assets
$1.5M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$750K
FY2022▲ +9%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$565K
FY2021$687K
FY2022$750K
FY2023$891K
FY2024$1.0M
Expenses
$1.1M
FY2022▲ +34%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$879K
FY2021$850K
FY2022$1.1M
FY2023$1.1M
FY2024$1.2M
Net assets
$1.5M
FY2022▼ -20%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$2.1M
FY2021$1.9M
FY2022$1.5M
FY2023$1.3M
FY2024$1.2M

From the FY2022 Form 990 · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2022 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Status and standing

Is it real, and can you give to it?

Tax-deductible?
Yes
Per the IRS master file.
Can I give now?
No revocation on IRS record
Not on the IRS revocation list.
Filing up to date?
Filed FY2024 (typical filing lag)
Legal name (IRS)Hdr · item CSound Experience
EINHdr · item D91-6170893
Exempt statusHdr · item I501(c)(3) · active
Ruling yearIRS BMFMay 1990
Latest filingForm 990FY2024 · Form 990
Principal addressHdr · item CPort Townsend, WA
NTEE classificationIRS BMFScience & Technology (U99Z)
WebsiteHdr · item Jwww.soundexp.org

Where the money goes

What each dollar paid for.

Statement of Functional Expenses

Part IX · allocated across program, management, and fundraising
Allocation · columns B–D
Program services $0.84 Management & general $0.04 Fundraising $0.12
Program services84%$960K
Management & general4%$47K
Fundraising12%$134K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.1M

Finances

Money in and out, what it owns and owes

Program efficiency
84%
of spending reaches programs
Months of spending covered by cash
3.6mo
months of highly liquid reserves at operating expense rate
Surplus margin
-52%
revenue over expenses, this year

Summary of the Filing

Part I · fiscal year 2022 · Form 990
Total assets
$1.7M
FY2022▼ -14%
Total assets by fiscal year
FY2020$2.1M
FY2021$2.0M
FY2022$1.7M
FY2023$1.5M
FY2024$1.4M
Total liabilities
$175K
FY2022▲ +190%
Total liabilities by fiscal year
FY2020$49K
FY2021$60K
FY2022$175K
FY2023$174K
FY2024$174K
Revenue less expensesPt I · Ln 19−$392K
Total assetsPt X · Ln 16$1.7M
Program-expense ratioPt IX · col B84%
Voting members of governing bodyPt I · Ln 315
Independent voting membersPt I · Ln 415

Balance Sheet

Part X · end of year
CashLn 1$139K
Total assetsLn 16$1.7M
Total liabilitiesLn 26$175K
Total net assetsLn 32$1.5M
Months of cash on handcomputed1.5

Statement of Revenue

Part VIII
Contributions & grants$488K · 65%
Program service revenue$236K · 32%
Investment income$25K · 3%
Contributions & grants65%$488K
Program service revenue32%$236K
Investment income3%$25K
Other revenue$713
— government grantsLn 1e$65K
Total revenueLn 12$750K

Financial Metrics

Form 990 · FY2022 · each ratio shown with the dollars behind it
Liquidity & Payout
Months of spending covered by cash
Highly liquid reserves $346K · Operating expenses/yr $1.1M
3.6 months
Where the money goes
Program services
Program services $960K · Total expenses $1.1M
84%
Management & General
Management & general $47K · Total expenses $1.1M
4%
Fundraising
Fundraising $134K · Total expenses $1.1M
12%
Cost to raise $1
Fundraising expense (3-yr avg) $132K · Solicited contributions (3-yr avg) $461K
$0.29 to raise $1 (3-yr avg)
Where the money comes from
Contribution dependence
Contributions & grants $488K · Total revenue $750K
65%
Government reliance
Government grants $65K · Total revenue $750K
9%
Earned-income share
Program service revenue $236K · Total revenue $750K
32%
Investment reliance
Investment income $25K · Total revenue $750K
+3%
Program self-sufficiency
Program service revenue $236K · Total expenses $1.1M
21%
Growth & trend
Revenue growth (YoY)
This year $750K · Prior year $687K
+9%
Net-asset trend (YoY)
End of year $1.5M · Beginning of year —
Beginning net assets not meaningfully positive — showing dollar change
Balance sheet
Surplus Margin
Revenue $750K · Expenses $1.1M
-52%
Liabilities-to-Assets
Total liabilities — · Total assets $1.7M
—
Net-asset ratio
Net assets $1.5M · Total assets $1.7M
90%
Marketable Investment Share
Publicly traded securities (Pt X, ln 11) $207K · Other securities (Pt X, ln 12) — · Total assets (Pt X, ln 16) $1.7M
12%
People & payroll
Highest Reported Total Compensation
Individual Catherine Collins · Reported title Executive Director · Highest reported compensation $92K · Total expenses $1.1M
8%
Personnel share
Salaries, benefits & payroll (Pt IX 5-10) $629K · Total expenses $1.1M
55%
Peer comparison

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

MetricThis orgPeer medianPercentile
Program ratio 84%——
Overhead ratio 4%——
Fundraising cost ratio 28%——
Revenue growth 9%——
Accounting fee ratio 4%——

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.

Leadership and pay

Who runs it, and what are they paid?

Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$92,193Pt VII · Sec A
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Catherine Collins’s $94K as Executive Director is at the 11th percentile of top reported officer pay among 363 $1–10M 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

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Catherine Collins$93,600$93,600$92,193$75,723$81,756

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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Governance & Policies

Part VI
  • 15Voting board membersPt VI · Ln 1a
  • 15Independent board membersPt VI · Ln 1b
  • Conflict-of-interest policyPt VI · Ln 12aYes
  • Whistleblower policyPt VI · Ln 13Yes
  • Document retention policyPt VI · Ln 14Yes
  • Top official’s pay independently reviewedPt VI · Ln 15aYes
  • Family or business ties among leadersPt VI · Ln 2No

Mission and programs

What it does.

Inspire and empower people to improve our marine environment through education.

Provided by the organization

This section is blank until Sound Experience claims this page.

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Mission & Programs · Part III

Where the work happens

3 program services account for $960K of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2022.
01

In 2022, Sound Experience delivered day and overnight programs to some 500 children and teens totalingmore than 3,000 on-the-water learning hours who came aboard the schooner Adventuress for "educaonunder sail" on Salish Sea ecology, science and engineering.

$664Kprogram expense
02

2022 saw the growth of partnership programs which included Seale Skills Center/Seale Public Schools weeklongsummer Career and Technical Educaon (CTE) programs where students earned high school credit forlearning in-depth shipboard systems and skills needed to "run the deck" of a vessel.

$233Kprogram expense
03

In 2022, Sound Experience continued to expertly maintain its National Historic Landmark, U.S. Coast Guardcommercially-licensed sailing ship Adventuress with regular maintenance. In the laer part of the year followingthe end of the sailing season in October, the organization embarked on the final elements of the ship's restoration…

$64Kprogram expense

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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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$18K

Filing history

Every return on file.

YearRevenueExpensesChangeFiling
FY2024 Latest $1.0M$1.2M+17% 990 PDF
FY2023 $891K$1.1M+19% 990 PDF
FY2022 Viewing $750K$1.1M+9% 990 PDF
FY2021 $687K$850K+22% 990 PDF
FY2020 $565K$879K 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

Full filing: Form 990 for FY2022

Every line we hold from the return, cited to its Part and line.
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $749,741 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$46,724
VIII-1e Government grants$64,947
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$376,016
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$487,687
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $236,281$236,281
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $25,060$25,060
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $713$713
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $236,281 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $25,773$749,741
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,141,245 across 15 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $23,048 · Management $23,048 · Fundraising $46,097$92,193
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $399,809 · Fundraising $40,163$439,972
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $3,340 · Management $1,107 · Fundraising $2,083$6,530
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $28,208 · Management $5,106 · Fundraising $9,150$42,464
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $37,698 · Management $2,131 · Fundraising $7,667$47,496
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $31,692 · Management $4,134 · Fundraising $10,105$45,931
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $277$277
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $916 · Fundraising $2,395$3,311
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $13,536 · Management $2,042 · Fundraising $2,100$17,678
IX-17 TravelPrograms $9,416 · Management $248 · Fundraising $726$10,390
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $7,968 · Management $130 · Fundraising $971$9,069
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $211,813$211,813
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $47,998 · Management $5,109$53,107
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $103,787 · Management $803 · Fundraising $5,555$110,145
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $40,851 · Management $2,798 · Fundraising $7,220$50,869
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $960,357 · Management $46,656 · Fundraising $134,232$1,141,245
Part X · Balance sheet $1,721,694 assets, 13 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $82,478$138,920
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $50,621$44,275
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $1,381$1,381
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $14,110$686
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $1,541,647$1,329,834
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $305,750$206,598
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,995,987$1,721,694
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $22,481$24,632
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payable$149,900
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $60,224$174,532
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,935,763$1,547,162
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,935,763$1,547,162
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,995,987$1,721,694
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,547,162 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$749,741
XI-2 Total expenses$1,141,245
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$391,504
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,935,763
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$30,641
XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$14,211
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$19,333
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,547,162

Not shown yet: ratings, outcomes, and peer benchmarks. A Form 990 doesn’t report them.

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Sources

Every figure above is drawn from these filings
Form 990 e-file (XML) · FY2022IRS
Classification, formation year, addressIRS Business Master File
Names, privacy, and removal requests More

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