Erie Maritime Foundation Bayfront Maritime Center
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 251812163
- IRS 990 coverage
- 2011–2024
- Forms available
- Form 990 2024
- Location
- Erie, PA, USA
- Phone
- 8144564077
- Rating
- 71
- Verdict
- SUPPORTED
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
- Sector
- Educational Services and Schools - Other
Reported finances
- Revenue
- $142,535
- Expenses
- $120,726
- Assets
- $700,985
- Liabilities
- $35,900
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.
Leadership & pay
7 people listed
Executive titles in this filing
- Vince Nientimp (President)
- Brian Seelinger (Vice President)
People named in this filing
- Vince Nientimp (President)
- Mitch Miller (Secretary)
- Andy Gibbon (Officer)
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 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.
Overview
Mission
To develop and implement engaging maritime-themed educations and recreational programming that connects youth and local residents to Presque Isle Bay
What it reported doing in 2024
Bayfront Maritime Center (BMC) continues its mission of providing innovative, inclusive, and educational maritime experiences to the Erie community.This year, BMC delivered several impactful programs: Project Compass offers youth a structured, supportive environment with maritime-based learning and skill-building.EASE (Erie Adaptive Sailing Experience) continues to provide therapeutic sailing opportunities for individuals with physical and cognitive challenges, supported by over 1,000 volunteer hours.The Annual Cardboard Boat Regatta remains a community favorite, attracting thousands of attendees and highlighting BMCs creative educational approach.The Community Boating Program increases public access to safe and engaging on-the-water experiences.BMC partnered with the IU5 Summer Migrant Program to offer educational boating opportunities for children of migrant families.Volunteers contributed over 4,700 hours, underscoring strong community support and involvement.BMCs programs emphasize experiential learning, accessibility, and community impact, reinforcing its role as a unique maritime educational hub in the region.
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
SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and program spending has declined or grown slowly.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 54
- Transparency & Controls: 92
- Accountability: 88
- Sustainability: 68
- Growth: 20
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 57.1%; rating input score 57
- Program expense ratio: 67.4%; rating input score 67
- Fundraising efficiency: Limited
Transparency & Controls
- Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th 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: 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: 15.3%; rating input score 68; 68th percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 5.81; rating input score 82; 82nd percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.05; rating input score 32; 32nd percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: -17.3% per year; rating input score 0; 7th percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: -9.6% per year; rating input score 0; 6th percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: 6.1% per year; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
Details
- Where the money goes: 57.1% of revenue deployed · 67.4% of spending went to programs
- Governance: 7 of 7 board members independent · 5 of 7 filing controls reported
- Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $81K in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 7 people listed
- Consistency: 22 of 22 current checks pass
- Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
- Filing history: 13 filing years from 2011 to 2024
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- Money network: Resolved incoming and outgoing counterparties from filed money flows.
- 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.
- Review — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 57/100.
- High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
- High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
- Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
- Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 32/100.