Center for Aquatic Sciences
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 521647018
- IRS 990 coverage
- 2009–2024
- Forms available
- Form 990 2024
- Location
- Camden, NJ, USA
- Phone
- 8563653300
- Rating
- 80
- Verdict
- STRONG
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
- Sector
- Zoo, Zoological Society
Reported finances
- Revenue
- $1,215,781
- Expenses
- $1,346,866
- Assets
- $2,304,537
- Liabilities
- $222,315
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.
Leadership & pay
13 people listed
Executive titles in this filing
- BARBARA KELLY (PRESIDENT & CEO)
Highest reported compensation
- BARBARA KELLY (PRESIDENT & CEO): $113,502 total reported compensation
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.
Overview
Mission
To promote the understanding, appreciation and protection of aquatic life and habitats through research, education and youth development programs. The organization is dedicated to excellence in educational programming, conservation ventures both globally and locally and advancing scientific research.
What it reported doing in 2024
The cause program is designed to address the needs of under represented minorities in the science and education workforce and to provide quality science education through early intervention to underserved youth k-12. Briefly described, the cause program trains high school youth in marine science and biology to prepare them for paid employment as "cause interns," in jobs as summer science camp education and as educators and mentors for youngsters k-8 in the afterschool science clubs. Teen interns in the cause program have experienced successes in employment and learning that greatly enhance self-esteem, widen horizons, and indelibly shape ambitions for future education and employment. Perhaps for the first time in their lives, the teens are the expert the person to whom people will listen and learn. Equally powerful benefits result for the k-8 youngsters who have the chance to develop mentoring relationships with teenagers from their own community, who are enthusiastic role models and committed teachers. 100% of cause seniors have graduated from high school (150 since 1993). This fact is particularly notable given the dropout rate of camden high school students that exceeds 50% and the fact that teens are recruited into the program without regard to school performance.
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
- 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.
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 program spending has declined or grown slowly.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 72
- Transparency & Controls: 92
- Accountability: 100
- Sustainability: 35
- Growth: 40
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 78.6%; rating input score 79
- Program expense ratio: 68.6%; rating input score 69
- Fundraising efficiency: $14.13 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 49; 49th 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: 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: 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: Pass
- Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
- Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
- Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
- Audit committee oversight: Pass
- Independent financial-statement audit: Pass
Sustainability
- Operating margin: -10.8%; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.71; rating input score 60; 60th percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.1; rating input score 43; 43rd percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 8.4%; rating input score 42; 42nd percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: -2.5% per year; rating input score 0; 11th percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: 1.1% per year; rating input score 100; 20th percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: -5% per year; rating input score 0; 7th percentile among comparable filings
Details
- Where the money goes: 78.6% of revenue deployed · 68.6% of spending went to programs
- Governance: 12 of 12 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
- Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $923K in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $114K · 13 people listed
- Consistency: 27 of 27 current checks pass
- Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors
- Filing history: 14 filing years from 2009 to 2024
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
- Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
- 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.
Key Signals
Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.
- Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 49/100.
- High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
- High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 16/100.
- High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
- Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 43/100.
- Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 42/100.