Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
911122839
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
Location
Port Hadlock, WA, USA
Phone
3603854948
Rating
80
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Folk Arts

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$4,152,500
Expenses
$2,758,588
Assets
$8,394,451
Liabilities
$2,565,283

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

Leadership & pay

11 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • SONJA MATHEWS (PRESIDENT)
  • KATHLEEN BRTOOKER (VICE PRESIDENT)
  • BETSY DAVIS (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
  • REBECCA BENJAMIN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • BETSY DAVIS (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $81,416 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

The northwest school of wooden boatbuilding (nwswb) is an accredited post-secondary vocational school in port hadlock, wa. Since 1981, the nonprofit has provided quality education in traditional wooden boatbuilding and modern marine systems, developing students into skilled craftspeople for the maritime workforce.

What it reported doing in 2024

The 9-month marine systems diploma program covers subjects integral to boat building and repair, such as electrical systems, electronics, corrosion, diesel engines, outboard motors, steering and controls, propulsion, hydraulics, marine plumbing and marine hvac. Modeled on competency-based training, students demonstrate the work as well as understand the theory behind it. The program is specifically designed with input from subject matter experts, focusing on skills that employees need in the workplace. The hands-on training follows cfr, abyc, nfpa, abs, and nmea industry standards and relies heavily on safety and workmanship. In-field training happens on real boats of all construction types: wood, fiberglass, aluminum, and steel. The school also provides one-week intensive courses in individual disciplines taught in the marine systems program.

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 90% 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

STRONG - 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 fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 58
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 74
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 49.3%; rating input score 49
  • Program expense ratio: 73.2%; rating input score 73
  • Fundraising efficiency: $18.1 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 56; 56th 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; 72nd 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; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 33.6%; rating input score 86; 86th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 3.04; rating input score 74; 74th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.31; rating input score 34; 34th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 3%; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 5.5% per year; rating input score 100; 43rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 8.6% per year; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 11.3% per year; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 49.3% of revenue deployed · 73.2% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 6 of 6 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $2M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $81K · 11 people listed
  • Consistency: 32 of 32 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2011 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • 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.

  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 49/100.
  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 56/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 34/100.