Coastside State Parks Association

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
943130418
IRS 990 coverage
2015–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Location
Pescadero, CA, USA
Phone
6508792041
Rating
91
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Historical Societies, Related Historical Activities

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$771,587
Expenses
$1,098,087
Assets
$1,290,135
Liabilities
$57,383

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

12 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • PAMELA KOCH (PRESIDENT)

People named in this filing

  • PAMELA KOCH (PRESIDENT)
  • ELLEN MOORE (VICE PRESIDE)
  • JANET OULTON (TREASURER)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Our mission is to inspire public appreciation and stewardship of the natural resources and cultural heritage of the san mateo coast by supporting vital educational and interpretive programs and projects at fifteen California state parks.

What it reported doing in 2025

Ao nuevo state park supported the docent recruitment and training program. Funded annual repairs to equal access van. Funded replacement of remote camera on island. Funded renovation of docent trailer, funded installation of solar panels and batteries to provide power when utilities are down. Pigeon point light station state historical park supported the docent recruitment and training program. Funded state park project manager for tower restoration project, funded change orders to tower restoration project including refurbishment of the lens pedestal and returning lens to the tower, provided interpretive banners and photo documentation of the restoration work. Funded items, materials and research time to interpret the office and work rooms in the tower base. Replaced flagpole broken during winter storms, and supported the anniversary celebration. Half moon bay state beach paid for educational materials and staffing for school programs and jr. Ranger program. Hosted public events for coastal wildflower day and earth day. Purchase trailer for use by lifeguards and rangers. Funded taxidermy of harbor seal pelt for interpretive use. Funded bus rides for title 1 school groups to visit the parks. Butano purchased tools and building supplies for the repair of trails by volunteers.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 83% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 79% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Expenses are high relative to revenue and some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 96
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 88
  • Sustainability: 29
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 96.8%; rating input score 97
  • Fundraising efficiency: $42.57 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 72; 72nd 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; 78th 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; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 5 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 71
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -42.3%; rating input score 2; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.17; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.04; rating input score 44; 44th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 78; 78th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 21.5% per year; rating input score 100; 81st percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 7.2% per year; rating input score 100; 49th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 13.2% per year; rating input score 100; 65th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 96.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 12 of 12 board members independent · 5 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $1.1M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 12 people listed
  • Consistency: 25 of 25 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 11 filing years from 2015 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 1 filed related-organization link
  • 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.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 2/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 48/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 44/100.