United States Lifesaving Association

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
237067234
IRS 990 coverage
2019–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Location
Laguna Beach, CA, USA
Phone
8663678752
Rating
78
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Fairs

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$721,275
Expenses
$658,678
Assets
$507,004
Liabilities
$12,709

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

Leadership & pay

48 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • PETER DAVIS (PRESIDENT)
  • TOM GILL (VICE PRESIDENT)

People named in this filing

  • PETER DAVIS (PRESIDENT)
  • CORAL KEMP (LIAISON OFFICER)
  • PETER WERNICKI MD (MEDICAL ADVISOR)

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

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

Overview

Mission

Drowning prevention via public education and promotion of lifesaving professionalism

What it reported doing in 2025

Collaborated with the national oceanic and atmospheric administration (noaa) national weather service (nws) and sea grant to promote rip current awareness through out the USA by teaching the public how to identify and survive rip currents.working on an ongoing basis with nws to facilitate the provision daily feedback from beach lifeguard agencies to assist them in their marine forecasts, and updates to improve coastal safety forecasting. Support the international life saving federation, americas region, in efforts to provide drowning prevention and lifesaving services in the caribbean, central america, and south america. Collected and published national statistics on beach lifeguard rescues, drowning, medical AIDS, attendance, and other key performance measures.this data is used by the media, researchers, and decision-makers. Over 95,000 rescues from drowning were reported to the usla national lifesaving statistics in 2025 from over 120 public and private beach lifeguard agencies. Usla chapters and affiliated agencies reported providing over 197,000 public safety lectures to over 5,600,000 students.supported united states representatives on the board of directors and commissions of the international life saving federation, which seeks to reduce drowning worldwide.conducted national beach safety week.supported junior lifeguard programs throughout the united states with model guidelines and recognition of performance. Participated as a member of water safety USA, a national multi- agencyeffort in the united sates dedicated to addressing water safety anddrowning prevention.collaborated with water safety USA to enhance the messaging on watersafety and drowning prevention in the united states.issued awards for heroism to several citizens and lifeguards, as well as awards for outstanding performance to several lifeguard operations. Continued to spread the message about rip currents and rip current survival, spinal injury prevention, lifejacket use and other beach and swimming safety messages.maintained a joint website with the american red cross and ymca of the USA to offer standards for lifeguard training and equipment. Provided beach safety and drowning prevention educational materials andresources in english and spanish including coloring books

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 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

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and a large share of available resources goes toward mission work. Some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 67
  • Transparency & Controls: 90
  • Accountability: 82
  • Sustainability: 50
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 73.4%; rating input score 73
  • Program expense ratio: 80%; rating input score 80
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

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: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Limited
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 4 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 57
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • 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: 8.7%; rating input score 53; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.77; rating input score 35; 35th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.03; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 78; 78th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 12.6% per year; rating input score 100; 65th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 11.1% per year; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 3.8% per year; rating input score 100; 30th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 73.4% of revenue deployed · 80% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 44 of 44 board members independent · 4 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $527K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 48 people listed
  • Consistency: 19 of 19 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules
  • Filing history: 7 filing years from 2019 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • 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.

  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 3 of 7 not reported.
  • Review — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 53/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 35/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 51/100.