Biscayne Bay Waterkeeper Inc

What it reported doing in 2025

Miami waterkeeper protects the water you love. We work to ensure a resilient south Florida that is a global leader in clean water solutions, where thriving communities and nature coexist. We protect south floridas waters by advocating for resilient solutions grounded in science, rooted in nature, and driven by the community by employing a multidisciplinary strategy: science and research; policy and legal advocacy; education and outreach. We find local solutions to the global problems of climate change and water pollution. You might find us in a courtroom one day, and in a kayak the next; scuba diving along the reef in the morning, and bending the ear of commissioners in the afternoon. Were in classrooms and wetlands, laboratories and community events. Weve secured significant protections for our waterways by focusing on three areas: clean water, thriving habitats, and a resilient community. By fighting for clean water and our community, we are making miami a model of resilience for the worldwater win by water win. Clean water from the everglades to the ocean, from the groundwater to reefs, we tackle pollution issues throughout the biscayne bay watershed to protect south floridas waters. Every week, miami waterkeepers team of dedicated water quality technicians tests more than 34 popular waterfront sites throughout miami-dade and broward counties for bacteria levels. We report all of our findings on social media, on our website, and in the easy-to-use swim guide app helping the public know whether beaches and waterways are safe to enjoy. Over 159,000 people have viewed our results via swim guide this year. 1. Water quality samples collected: 1,387 samples 2. Public views on swim guide: 159,482 views 3. Pollution reports received and responded to: 96 4. Swim advisories shared with the public: 4 thriving habitats we protect the native ecosystems of south floridacoral reefs, mangroves, seagrasses, and wetlandsthat depend on clean water and help protect our coasts from the impacts of storm surge and sea level rise. Floridas rivers, lakes, and coastal waters should be safe for drinking, swimming, fishing, and shellfish harvestingbut outdated rules put people at risk. Floridas water quality standards that limit exposure to toxic, cancer-causing chemicals havent been updated since 1992despite a requirement to review them every three years. The states human health criteria, meant to protect people from dozens of harmful chemicals, including neurotoxins and endocrine disruptors, are overdue for revision. Both the state and the epa have acknowledged that the current limits are not fully protective, yet updates have stalled for decades. After decades of delay, weve stepped in. Along with waterkeepers Florida and the environmental defense alliance, we petitioned the epa to enforce stronger protections. The agency began drafting new standards for 77 toxic pollutants, but in january 2025, the epa halted all new rules and withdrew the draft standards. Updating these standards is essential to protect public health, local fisheries, and the communities that rely on floridas waters. Port everglades, one of floridas busiest ports, is also home to some of the last staghorn corals and queen conch left in Florida. A plan to deepen and widen the channeleerily reminiscent of the project planned at portmiami- threatens to result in the largest impact to coral reefs permitted in u.s. History, according to noaa. A recent report warns that more than 10 million corals could be at risk. Miami waterkeeper and our partners earthjustice, center for biodiversity, the dive equipment and marketing association, and Florida wildlife federation have been challenging this project in court since 2016. Weve succeeded in requiring new environmental reviews and stronger protections for the corals, fish, and wildlife in the area. But the importance of protecting this reefafter staghorn corals were declared functionally extinct in Florida this yearmeans that the stakes are

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 54.8%; rating input score 55
• Program expense ratio: 69.3%; rating input score 69
• Fundraising efficiency: $6.14 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 20; 20th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 93.3%; rating input score 93; 18th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Pass
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 96.1%; rating input score 96; 37th 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: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • 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: 21.9%; rating input score 74; 74th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.28; rating input score 42; 42nd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.15; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 20.1%; rating input score 15; 15th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 29.6% per year; rating input score 100; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 27% per year; rating input score 100; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 26.5% per year; rating input score 100; 91st percentile among comparable filings