Ocean Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
221804345
IRS 990 coverage
2013–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Location
Toms River, NJ, USA
Phone
7322445333
Rating
76
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$14,077,217
Expenses
$15,312,805
Assets
$22,657,012
Liabilities
$14,166,759

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

13 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • TAMICA MICKLE (PRESIDENT/CEO)

Highest reported compensation

  • TAMICA MICKLE (PRESIDENT/CEO): $178,881 total reported compensation
  • BETH HUDSON (CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER): $153,363 total reported compensation
  • SHERRIE HUFF (VP OF HUMAN RESOURCES): $122,955 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Administration of federal head start program, weatherization programs, rental assistance programs and other assistance to low income families.

What it reported doing in 2025

Head start includes the head start child development program, which is a comprehensive preschool program for children ages 3-5 years old from disadvantaged families. Eligibility is based on income guidelines from the federal government, as well as the head start centers program, which is a is a comprehensive preschool program for low-income 3-5 year olds that provides services in five major areas: education, health, social services, parent involvement, and special needs. Head start programs not only enhance the growth and development of children, they promote family self-sufficiency and develop community partnerships. O.c.e.a.n., inc. Currently operates head start programs at five locations throughout ocean county in brick, berkeley, barnegat, toms river, and manchester.

Operating model

Revenue model
Grant-funded. 89% of the money available for current operations came from government grants.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 93% 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 - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Expenses are high relative to revenue and program spending has declined or grown slowly.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 80
  • Transparency & Controls: 79
  • Accountability: 91
  • Sustainability: 25
  • Growth: 20

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 91.3%; rating input score 91
  • Program expense ratio: 87.5%; rating input score 87
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th 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: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Pass
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th 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; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 78
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • 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: -8.8%; rating input score 7; 7th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.48; rating input score 41; 41st percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.63; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 3.8%; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -9.1% per year; rating input score 0; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -8% per year; rating input score 0; 1st percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 1.9% per year; rating input score 100; 13th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 91.3% of revenue deployed · 87.5% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 9 of 9 board members independent · 7 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $13.4M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $179K · 13 people listed · 2 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 33 of 33 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 13 filing years from 2013 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 19 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 18 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 — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 7/100.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 9 not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 41/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 18/100.