National Waterways Foundation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
521124026
IRS 990-EZ coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990-EZ 2024
Location
Washington, DC, USA
Phone
2027652166
Rating
85
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Fund Raising and/or Fund Distribution

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$67,556
Expenses
$96,077
Assets
$61,529
Liabilities
$1,945

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

Leadership & pay

12 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • TRACY ZEA (PRESIDENT/TRUSTEE)

People named in this filing

  • MATT WOODRUFF (CHAIRMAN)
  • CHERRIE FELDER (VICE CHAIRMAN/TRUSTEE)
  • TRACY ZEA (PRESIDENT/TRUSTEE)

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

Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

To conduct peer-reviewed research related to the importance of the inland waterways system.

What it reported doing in 2024

In 2024, nwf finalized the update of its state waterways profiles that were created by cambridge systematics and provided a roll-out via social media that included a short video explaining each state profile and its research methodology.also in 2024, nwf continued its work on a waterways beneficiaries study being performed by eno center for transportation center to examine the range of non-navigation benefits.as well, in 2024, nwf continued its work on an inland waterways workforce study conducted by Texas transportation institute that would compare the waterways industry to other modes of transportation, as well as non-transportation industry/jobs such as an amazon/warehouse position. Part of the study deliverables is a video and a brochure on the benefits of waterways employment.in 2024, the foundation also held a fundraising effort in mid-february to our database of givers that resulted in $38,460 in donations.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 98% 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.

The verdict

STRONG - The filed numbers largely add up and a large share of available resources goes toward mission work. Expenses are high relative to revenue and assets have declined or grown slowly.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 79
  • Transparency & Controls: 100
  • Sustainability: 27
  • Growth: 80

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 89.1%; rating input score 89
  • Program expense ratio: 62.4%; rating input score 62

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -42.2%; rating input score 15; 15th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.64; rating input score 35; 35th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.03; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 4.5% per year; rating input score 100; 61st percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 3.3% per year; rating input score 100; 65th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -8.3% per year; rating input score 0; 19th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 89.1% of revenue deployed · 62.4% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: Filed governance answers
  • Accomplishments: 1 filed program accomplishment · $60K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 12 people listed
  • Consistency: 8 of 8 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 3 filed schedules
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2010 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.

  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 15/100.
  • High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 35/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 23/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 56/100.