EIN 94-3370994

National Marine Sanctuary Foundation (NMSF)

IRS 501(c) type
501(c)(3)
Num. employees
83
Year formed
2000
Most recent tax filings
2022-12-01
Description
The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is a private, non-profit, 501(c)(3) charity whose vision is to strengthen and expand the network of national marine sanctuaries for the benefit of current and future generations.
Total revenues
$15,953,554
2022
Total expenses
$16,683,505
2022
Total assets
$10,308,887
2022
Num. employees
83
2022

Program areas at NMSF

Our National Marine sanctuaries are hotspots for biodiversity. They are home to iconic species like migratory whales and majestic sea birds, and habitats like massive coral reefs and towering kelp forests; and, they preserve our historical and cultural remains like shipwrecks, aircraft, and artifacts that define our nation's maritime history. The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation's work aids in the conservation, restoration, and protection of these special places.working with individual sanctuaries within the National Marine Sanctuary system, the Foundation supports locally implemented projects to improve conservation and management of our protected waters, engage surrounding communities and stakeholders in stewardship of sanctuaries, and enhances our scientific knowledge of our ocean, coasts, and great lakes. The Foundation supports whale conservation and research, Marine debris removals, and habitat restoration. National Marine sanctuaries and monuments are important areas for finding solutions to help prevent entanglements, rescue whales, and reduce mortality from ship strikes. The Foundation works with its partners to host disentanglement workshops to improve response and preparedness to rescue entangled whales, supports research to identify whale use areas to reduce co-occurrence with fishing activity, vessel traffic and other threats, and actively tests and supports new gear innovations that reduce the risk of entanglements. Underwater Marine debris clean-up is an expanding program for the Foundation. In 2022, the Foundation and its partners removed 32,587 pounds of debris under the goal: clean seas program in the Florida keys and channel islands (as of nov. 2022). In the channel islands, the Foundation continued to work with commercial lobster fishers, local nonprofit partners, and the channel islands National Marine Sanctuary and National park service staff to conduct remote shoreline cleanups. The Foundation is supporting community partners on restoration initiatives across the country to reverse the degradation affecting many key habitats including coral restoration in Florida and the u.s. virgin islands, deepwater and mesophotic coral communities in the gulf of mexico, and submerged aquatic vegetation along the west coast.
The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation fosters a public-private partnership in the Florida keys for the mission: iconic reefs initiative. Mission: iconic reefs builds off of decades of pioneering restoration efforts proven successful in the Florida keys involving growing and transplanting corals, setting the stage for this large-scale, multi-phased restoration effort at seven reefs. The first phase focuses on restoring elkhorn and staghorn corals, fast-growing species that have not been affected by the current outbreak of stony coral tissue loss disease. The second phase will focus on incorporating resilient corals of other slower growing species and introducing grazer species that control invasive algae that smother and outcompete coral. The goal is to restore diversity and ecological function to the reefs by returning coral cover at target reef sites to a self-sustaining level. Modifying fishing gear, identifying areas of high risk of entanglement, and removing derelict gear from the water can decrease the likelihood of large whale entanglement. Innovations like pop-up or ropeless gear would reduce or eliminate vertical fishing lines in the water column. In-water testing of these innovations can provide valuable information, data, and design feedback needed to gauge the technology's efficacy and ease of use by fishermen. The Foundation works collaboratively with fishermen to test different gear innovations in Sanctuary areas and areas of concern. The goal is to foster cooperative and scientifically sound research to simulate real world scenarios that advance innovative solutions. The Foundation also expanded its underwater Marine debris program by continuing goal: clean seas channel islands, modeled after goal: clean seas Florida keys. In goal: clean seas channel islands, the Foundation working with partners to remove 8,630 pounds of Marine debris and 134 lobster traps from 2.5 miles of remote coastlines in channel islands National Marine Sanctuary. Working in partnership with the office of coast management, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation supports restoration of the he'eia National estuarine research reserve (nerr) in Hawaii. The goal of this project is to eradicate invasive mangrove species from this Marine protected area by 2022, the 100th anniversary of their introduction to the state, and replace the invasives with native plants, which in turn helps bring back native wildlife to the reserve as well. The Foundation works with the key Hawaiian partners who manage the he'eia nerr on this project.
The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation connects people to their sanctuaries and implements public education, outreach, conservation, and maritime heritage projects that encourage people to become engaged stewards of u.s. Ocean, coasts, and great lakes waters. We encourage local stewardship and National engagement that leads to big differences for our ocean and great lakes, including promoting sustainable recreation and tourism in National Marine sanctuaries; establishing lifelong connections to National Marine sanctuaries and monuments through education and public awareness; demonstrating how the National Marine Sanctuary system serves as a global model for Marine protected area management; and engaging partners and the public in conservation and stewardship of Marine protected areas.the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation invests in preparing the next generation of conservationists to tackle the challenges facing our ocean and great lakes. Programs reach more than 1,000 k-12 educators annually; and connect sites in the National Marine Sanctuary system to sustainable fisheries/seafood and endangered/protected species. We aim to create aha! Moments that lead to a lifelong passion for the ocean and great lakes by providing students, educators, and lifelong learners with opportunities to explore and discover connections to the natural world, no matter where they live. Our education work includes in- and out-of-classroom learning experiences, teacher trainings, and educational exhibits at zoos and aquariums across the country.the Foundation supports staff, operations, exhibits, and/or programs at nine visitor center sites in each of the three regions of the National Marine Sanctuary system. The Foundation works continuously with its partners at noaa and other organizations for innovative exhibits, facilities, and programs that allow Sanctuary visitor centers to become vibrant hubs centering the role and value of sanctuaries to their surrounding communities. The Foundation engages a variety of stakeholder groups, including recreational and commercial fishers, seafood supply chain and consumers, international stakeholders, and encouraging thorough, informed, science-based dialogue on the value of Marine protected areas like National Marine sanctuaries. The Foundation also supports projects that work closely with indigenous communities to advance the understanding and use of indigenous knowledge, encourage better public understanding of the role of native people in our history with our waters, and celebrate the cultures of indigenous communities. These programs span the entire National Marine Sanctuary system, with particular focus in the pacific islands, olympic coast, and the central coast of california.professional development for formal and informal educators is a large part of our education portfolio, since the train-the-trainer approach allows exponential impact, since one educator might bring ocean science lessons and activities to dozens of students. The Foundation seeks through grant programs that serve title i schools and communities underrepresented in stem fields, to increase the diversity and accessibility of ocean exploration, ocean literacy, and great lakes education, increasing stewardship but also inspiring the future scientific workforce of tomorrow. The Foundation supports networks of educators to share ideas, best practices, and activities that engage students in the post-covid classroom, the Foundation looks outside of the classroom as well to immersive, hands-on education activities, in sanctuaries and their watersheds.the Foundation supports ocean guardian schools, schools throughout the u.s. In 9 states and 2 territories, that make a commitment to the protection and conservation of the school's local watersheds, the world's ocean, and special ocean areas like National Marine sanctuaries, by proposing and implementing a school- or community-based conservation project along five distinct project pathways with measurable outcomes that exceed 152 thousand kilograms of trash collected, 40,000 reusable bags and bottles collected, and nearly a million single-use plastic bottles not used, since its inception. Participating students are advocates and ambassadors, with parents observing a 66% increase in their children speaking up for the environment to friends, family, and their community.the Foundation also conducts the premier ocean-focused conference in the u.s., offered both in-person and virtual in 2022, convening nearly 1,000 stakeholders in ocean and great lakes management and conservation to advance ocean policy initiatives and increase inclusion for the ocean conservation movement and Marine sciences. The Foundation also hosts its annual blue beacon series with locally driven events to shed light on pressing ocean issues.
Science underpins the work of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. Our conservation, restoration, and education work all relies on supporting critical research that supports the management and conservation of sanctuaries. This includes socioeconomic research that provides information on how many people use and how they use National Marine sanctuaries. This work is important because it benefits local communities to have an increased understanding to the importance of National Marine sanctuaries to their local economies as well as have access to critical socioeconomic data that can further inform local community discussions with regards to resource conservation and regulatory processes and decisions. Our work in science and technology includes supporting academic partners' access to National Marine sanctuaries to conduct habitat and species research and monitoring. We support experts providing input to fisheries ecology, whale behavioral ecology, whale and bird tagging to better understand where keystone species found in sanctuaries go and why, we support water quality monitoring, habitat monitoring that provides important baselines on the health of coral reefs that helps identify and mitigate issues more expeditiously, we support acoustic monitoring projects where standardized measurements were used to identify sounds produced by Marine animals, physical processes, and human activities, and comparisons were made across 30 nationally-distributed locations, and also another collaborative project using passive acoustic drifting recorders to study the Marine soundscape in the California current, including the west coast sanctuaries.the Foundation supports integration of science activities across the National Marine Sanctuary system to enhance awareness and engagement with local communities across the country with regards to ongoing research, monitoring and assessment activities. The Foundation also supports the acquisition of oceanographic and hydrographic survey data, as well as soundscape mooring data; maintain oceanographic and hydrographic survey instruments, and conduct technical data processing operations this data is made available to the public and partners for queries and analysis. But we don't just leave science for people with phds. The Foundation also supports community science programs like ocean count, where volunteers spend three saturdays a year spotting and identifying whales in Hawaiian islands humpback whale National Marine Sanctuary, volunteers tally humpback whale sightings and document the animals' surface behavior during the survey. Data collected combined with other research efforts can help reveal trends in humpback whale occurrence within and amongst whale seasons.

Grants made by NMSF

GranteeGrant descriptionAmount
The Coral Restoration FoundationRestoration and Monitoring of Edr$1,009,006
Mote Marine Laboratory and AquariumRestoration and Monitoring of Edr$927,543
the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI)Large Scale Usvi Coral Restoration Using Selective Breeding and Assisted Evolution Technologies$274,330
...and 30 more grants made totalling $3,787,058

Who funds National Marine Sanctuary Foundation (NMSF)

Grants from foundations and other nonprofits
GrantmakerDescriptionAmount
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF)Conservation Projects$1,389,002
Gordon E and Betty I Moore FoundationTo Support Development of A Marine Habitat Conservation and Management Analysis Framework.$200,000
Volgenau FoundationHawaiian Humpback Whale Conservation, West Coast Gear Innovation, Restore Florida Keys Iconic Reefs$150,000
...and 27 more grants received totalling $2,321,809

Personnel at NMSF

NameTitleCompensation
Kristen SarriPresident and Chief Executive Officer$276,174
Linda ToscanoChief Financial Officer$55,736
Carol KingChief of Staff$113,396
Veronica AliVice President of Finance$152,115
Shannon ColbertVice President of External Affairs$110,710
...and 20 more key personnel

Financials for NMSF

RevenuesFYE 12/2022
Total grants, contributions, etc.$15,356,781
Program services$176,757
Investment income and dividends$504,625
Tax-exempt bond proceeds$0
Royalty revenue$0
Net rental income$0
Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets$-75,938
Net income from fundraising events$-86,808
Net income from gaming activities$0
Net income from sales of inventory$56,057
Miscellaneous revenues$22,080
Total revenues$15,953,554

Form 990s for NMSF

Fiscal year endingDate received by IRSFormPDF link
2022-122023-08-22990View PDF
2021-122022-06-07990View PDF
2020-122021-09-29990View PDF
2019-122021-02-24990View PDF
2018-122020-06-08990View PDF
...and 10 more Form 990s
Data update history
December 29, 2023
Received grants
Identified 10 new grant, including a grant for $1,389,002 from National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF)
September 27, 2023
Posted financials
Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2022
September 27, 2023
Updated personnel
Identified 1 new personnel
September 24, 2023
Used new vendors
Identified 2 new vendors, including , and
August 19, 2023
Received grants
Identified 20 new grant, including a grant for $200,012 from Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation
Nonprofit Types
Social advocacy organizationsWildlife protection organizationsAnimal organizationsHeadquarter / parent organizationsCharities
Issues
AnimalsWildlife
Characteristics
Political advocacyLobbyingFundraising eventsOperates internationallyNational levelReceives government fundingEndowed supportCommunity engagement / volunteeringGala fundraisersTax deductible donations
General information
Address
8455 Colesville Rd 1275
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Metro area
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Website URL
marinesanctuary.org/ 
Phone
(301) 608-3040
Facebook page
marinesanctuary 
Twitter profile
@marinesanctuary 
IRS details
EIN
94-3370994
Fiscal year end
December
Taxreturn type
Form 990
Year formed
2000
Eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions (Pub 78)
Yes
Categorization
NTEE code, primary
D30: Wildlife Preservation, Protection
NAICS code, primary
813312: Environment, Conservation, and Wildlife Organizations
Parent/child status
Independent
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