Santa Barbara Maritime Museum

What it reported doing in 2024

Educationthe museum's education programming continues to expand, now providing programs for elementary and high school students across santa barbara county and beyond. In the past few years programming has expanded to lompoc high school students, and new elementary schools in carpinteria, in addition to having schools from bakersfield and ventura county visit. In fy2025 sbmm served 4,813 students through 146 programs and 2,434 adults through 50 programs. Sbmm serves as the fiscal agent for the santa barbara channel whale heritage area (sbcwha), which became the ninth such designated area and only the second in the united states. The museum's whales are superheroes! Program, which provides both instruction and an art activity to show how whales help with climate change, helps fulfill the sbcwha's education role. The museum's nationally recognized maritime on the move (motm) program has won numerous awards, including: being named a finalist in the american alliance of museums 2021 edcom award for innovation and education award pandemic edition, being awarded the California association of museums California natural resources agency secretarys public education award for excellence in sustainability, being asked by the council of american maritime museums to present about the program at their 2021 national conference, and received the epic award for excellence in education. The majority of students participating in sbmm education programs attend under-resourced public schools in santa barbara county that qualify for title i funding and serve low income households. Adults educational programs include a monthly lecture series, museum tours, and a docent program. Thanks to the generosity of sbmm board member roger chrisman and his wife sarah, the museum now has access to the tall ship mystic whaler, allowing young students to experience open-ocean sailing based on the 1830's experience of richard henry dana, jr. Students gain a clearer understanding of the 19th century lives of those that brought cargo around the world and had the same responsibilities that persist into the 21st century. They exercised their understanding of math, physics, history, and engineering to practice traditional skills such as navigation and mechanical advantage. In september 2024 sbmm continued to expand its girls in ocean science program for junior high school and high school females. Both groups got to go out on the ocean, working with female naturalists and scientists, including those from ucsb's jenn caselle lab, which is focused on marine conservation and research. The high school students performed hands on experiments aboard the noaa research vessel shearwater with their crew. The purpose of this program is to inspire these young ladies to go to college and pursue studies and careers in various ocean related fields. Whales are superheroes! Complemented sbmms permanent exhibit of the same name. Sbmm sends staff and naturalists to classrooms countywide to show how whales help with climate change, and includes an art component taught by sondra weiss. Students learn to appreciate the role whales play in providing oxygen to our planet, helping our oceans provide more of the air we breathe each day than trees do.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 58.3%; rating input score 58
• Program expense ratio: 71%; rating input score 71
• Fundraising efficiency: $9.69 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 37; 37th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 1 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 17
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • 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: 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: 19.5%; rating input score 76; 76th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.42; rating input score 68; 68th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.09; rating input score 60; 60th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 11.4%; rating input score 26; 26th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 7.5% per year; rating input score 100; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 7.9% per year; rating input score 100; 59th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 2% per year; rating input score 100; 19th percentile among comparable filings