Heal the Bay

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
954031055
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Official website data refreshed
Sep 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Santa Monica, CA, United States
Phone
3104511500
Rating
77
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Environmental Education and Outdoor Survival Programs

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$5,270,383
Expenses
$5,516,045
Assets
$6,645,875
Liabilities
$3,945,485

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

34 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • TRACY QUINN (PRESIDENT & CEO)

Highest reported compensation

  • TRACY QUINN (PRESIDENT & CEO): $233,295 total reported compensation
  • MEREDITH MCCARTHY (SR. DIR. - COMMUNITY OUTREACH & CONNECTION): $133,774 total reported compensation
  • JOHN SEIBER (CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER): $122,290 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 make southern california coastal waters & watersheds safe & clean. Heal the Bay is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. All gifts are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Heal the Bay's Tax ID number is 95-4031055. Are your favorite beach and freshwater spots safe to swim? Equity means everyone has what they need to succeed and all people are welcome, embraced, treated with respect, and empowered to contribute and thrive—regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, age, culture, ability, ethnicity, nationality, religion, or income. Achieving equity is the result of the proportional distribution of necessary resources, support, and opportunities, so that successful outcomes are available to everyone. Heal the Bay acknowledges that historically marginalized and underserved people and communities are often overburdened by systemic injustices, face disproportionate...

What it reported doing in 2024

Santa monica pier aquariumheal the bay operates the santa monica pier aquarium, which is located beach level at the east end of the santa monica pier. The santa monica pier aquarium provides a unique, hands-on way to interact with local marine life in a safe and educational environment. The aquarium features live exhibits, including a shark tank, eels and tide-pool touch tanks, while promoting the conservation and protection of California coastal habitats. The heal the bay aquarium attracts over 20,000 school children and 60,000 public visitors each year.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 76% 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.

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 expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 75
  • Transparency & Controls: 74
  • Accountability: 93
  • Sustainability: 28
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 83.5%; rating input score 83
  • Program expense ratio: 79.3%; rating input score 79
  • Fundraising efficiency: $6.63 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: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • 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: 96.4%; rating input score 96; 26th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -4.7%; rating input score 21; 21st percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.2; rating input score 44; 44th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.59; rating input score 17; 17th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 11.5%; rating input score 26; 26th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 3.5% per year; rating input score 100; 31st percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 1.6% per year; rating input score 100; 18th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 12.1% per year; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: 2 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 1 operating location identified
  • Where the money goes: 83.5% of revenue deployed · 79.3% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 27 of 28 board members independent · 8 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $4.4M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $233K · 34 people listed · 2 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 4 contractors listed · $2.5M reported
  • Consistency: 38 of 38 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 15 filing years from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 5 filed money-flow records
  • 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.

Key Signals

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

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 25/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 21/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Other executive compensation review process not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 44/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 17/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 26/100.