Defend Our Health

Overview

Mission

Defend our health works to create a world where all people are thriving, with equal access to safe food and drinking water, healthy homes, and products that are toxic-free and climate-friendly. We'll stand up for this right wherever it is threatened.

What it reported doing in 2024

We work at the front lines to eliminate toxic chemical exposures in our homes, water, farms, and food systems - through a proven model that combines grassroots action and community empowerment, cutting-edge research and testing, and targeted corporate and policy advocacy. We are a national leader in the fight against pfas "forever chemicals," plastics, and other hazardous toxics, holding a leadership role in the worlds first near-total ban on pfas in consumer products - a win that began in Maine but is influencing policy and supply chains worldwide. Our work shapes safer solutions scale-up, corporate responsibility, and policies for healthier communities in Maine, across the u.s., and beyond, focusing on safe drinking water and clean food systems, responsible sourcing and toxic-free consumer goods, and climate, environmental justice, and public health (including cancer prevention and childrens health).

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 100% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 81% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
383791803
IRS 990 coverage
2012–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-N 2010
Headquarters
Portland, ME, USA
Phone
2076995795
Rating
82
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Pollution Abatement and Control Services

Official website

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 77
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 86
  • Sustainability: 14
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 60.4%; rating input score 60
  • Fundraising efficiency: $3.39 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 10; 10th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 6 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 67
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -114.1%; rating input score 1; 1st percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.52; rating input score 24; 24th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.1; rating input score 42; 42nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 20.3%; rating input score 14; 14th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 7.1% per year; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 6.7% per year; rating input score 100; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 15.5% per year; rating input score 100; 73rd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 60.4% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 10 of 10 board members independent · 6 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $1.1M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $140K · 13 people listed
  • Consistency: 30 of 30 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 13 annual filings from 2012 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 6 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 3 filed related-organization links
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Leadership & pay

13 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • EMILY CAREY (PRESIDENT &): $139,912 total reported compensation
  • SARAH WOODBURY (VP POLICY &): $116,216 total reported compensation
  • MICHAEL BELLIVEAU (EXECUTIVE DI): $100,374 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.