Baykeeper

Overview

Mission

San francisco baykeepers ("baykeeper") mission is to defend san francisco bays communities and wildlife from the biggest environmental threats. Baykeepers field investigators and scientists patrol the bay to uncover those threats. Our lawyers reduce environmental problems at the source and advocate for agencies to strengthen laws.

What it reported doing in 2024

Baykeeper investigates environmental threats and advocates for agencies to adopt stronger policies that will protect communities and wildlife in and around san francisco bay. Since 1989, we have secured 300 wins and conducted over 17,000 hours of boat patrols to investigate environmental problems.we have a staff of sixteen, a board of directors with a breadth of experience with the bay, an expert advisory board, a team of volunteer boat skippers, and the only patrol boat regularly monitoring and investigating environmental issues in the bay.baykeeper incorporated as a nonprofit, public benefit corporation in California on january 23, 1987, as the san francisco bay-delta preservation association, and became baykeeper in may 1989, the fourth waterkeeper organization in the country. For 37 years, standing up to constant threats, baykeeper has been a fierce champion for san francisco bay. For more information, please visit us online at baykeeper.org.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 66% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% 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.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
680120240
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Headquarters
Oakland, CA, USA
Phone
5107359700
Rating
76
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Water Resource, Wetlands Conservation and Management

Official website

The verdict

SUPPORTED - 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 total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 62
  • Transparency & Controls: 79
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 56
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 59.8%; rating input score 60
  • Program expense ratio: 78.8%; rating input score 79
  • Fundraising efficiency: $6.68 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 25; 25th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Pass
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • 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: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 24.7%; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.3; rating input score 46; 46th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.31; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 32.8%; rating input score 4; 4th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 6.7% per year; rating input score 100; 49th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 6.8% per year; rating input score 100; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 7.8% per year; rating input score 100; 48th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 59.8% of revenue deployed · 78.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 10 of 10 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $2.4M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $199K · 17 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 1 contractor listed · $291K reported
  • Consistency: 37 of 37 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 16 annual filings from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 7 filed money-flow records
  • 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.

Leadership & pay

17 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • Sejal Choksi-Chugh (Executive Dir.): $198,955 total reported compensation
  • ERIC BUESCHER (MANAGING ATTORNEY): $146,012 total reported compensation
  • AMY DONOVAN (FIN & ADMIN DIR): $141,505 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.