Maritime Defense League

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
116180601
IRS 990 coverage
2019–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Camp Springs, MD, USA
Phone
3018990675
Rating confidence
Limited

Reported finances

Revenue
$324,642
Expenses
$20,626
Assets
$4,426,932
Liabilities
$10,000

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

Leadership & pay

3 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • AUGUSTIN TELLEZ (TRUSTEE, CHAIRMAN): $294,239 total reported compensation
  • DAWN TALIFORD (TRUSTEE, TREASURER): $239,603 total reported compensation
  • LESLIE TARANTOLA (TRUSTEE): $33,010 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 evaluate all requests from maritime workers and their representatives, directly or indirectly to retain counsel, for bail, for investigators, expert witnesses, etc. In connection with their defense in civil actions and defense and/or appeal of charges of criminal conduct placed against them by any and all persons, governmental authorities, bodies, agencies or subdivisions thereof, and for the economic maintenance of such persons and their families who may be adversely affected, as a result of such charges or actions and to lawfully assist persons who may be incarcerated as a result of such charges and to pay moneys in compliance with the above request- to initiate such lawful proceedings as may be warranted or advisable, to aid and assist any persons, and to expend moneys for such lawful activities as may be necessary or advisable to aid and/or assist such persons and their families

What it reported doing in 2024

Grants - for members of the seafarers international union of north america - atlantic, gulf, lakes, and inland waters and its affiliated entities, charged with offenses to assure that such persons can retain competent counsel in connection with their defense against such charges, and to retain competent counsel in connection with defending themselves in civil actions.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Cannot be determined from the filing. The filing does not provide enough consistent spending detail to tell whether the nonprofit works directly or through others.

The verdict

- The available evidence is not sufficient to produce an overall rating for this filing. This is not a warning sign.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: NotEnoughData
  • Transparency & Controls: 60
  • Accountability: 26
  • Sustainability: 82
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: Limited
  • Program expense ratio: Limited
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 0 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 0
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Missing
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Limited
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 0%; rating input score 0; 7th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 5 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 62
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Limited
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Fail
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 93.6%; rating input score 99; 99th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 214.63; rating input score 100; 100th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 54; 54th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 387.7%; rating input score 0; 0th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: Limited
  • Revenue growth: 27.1% per year; rating input score 100; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 6.7% per year; rating input score 100; 54th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: Financial trends and filed revenue, expense, asset, and liability detail
  • Governance: 0 of 3 board members independent · 5 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment
  • Leadership: top reported pay $294K · 3 people listed · 0 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 11 of 11 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes executive pay
  • Filing history: 6 filing years from 2019 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Related organizations: 4 filed related-organization links
  • 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 — Accountability: Independent voting board scored 0/100.
  • High — Transparency & Controls: Pay-setting controls scored 0/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 3 of 8 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 0/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 54/100.