Center for Coastal Studies
Center for Coastal Studies reported $16.3 million in revenue and $8.6 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $77.78 went to program services, $8.51 to management and general costs and $13.71 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 97.4% of the total. Government grants made up 32.4%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $177,148 (ENDOWMENT AD). 5 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 302% between 2019 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $8.6MFor context, the median across 371 covered environment charities: $85.82 programs, $10.80 management, $3.38 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $16MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 77.8% | 83.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 8.5% | 10.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 13.7% | 3.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.07 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 97.4% | 87.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 32.4% | 4.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $177,148 | $293,532 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.06% | 1.74% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 5 | 7 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 25.7 | 18.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 24 of 24 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseCcs operations include coastal and marine research in and around cape cod bay including water chemistry, geology, biology (whale, shark, and seal population and habitat evaluations), marine fisheries, nearshore habitat assessments, coastal planning, mapping, and marine policy. In addition, ccs conducts marine plastic research and a robust marine debris recovery program and does extensive public education for k-gray audiences. Ccs' marine disentanglement program provides local marine mammal and sea turtle rescue and informs international groups through equipment provision and training. Ccs'…
Highest reported compensation
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENDOWMENT AD Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $174,815 | $0 | $2,333 | $177,148 |
| DEVELOPMENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $140,200 | $0 | $24,793 | $164,993 |
| PROGRAM DIRE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $138,883 | $0 | $19,367 | $158,250 |
| EXECUTIVE OF Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $154,046 | $0 | $1,972 | $156,018 |
| DIR ADMIN & Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $134,700 | $0 | $14,530 | $149,230 |
5 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Center for Coastal Studies (Part VII, line 2).
7 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b24 · 24 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 572
Largest outside contractors
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| GULF OF MAINE LOBSTER FOUNDATION Consulting | $472,869 |
| NIMBUS AERIAL SOLUTIONS INC Aircraft chart | $282,325 |
| ROZALIA PROJECT Consulting | $113,804 |
| COMMUNITY COUNSELING SERVICE Consulting | $105,965 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 4 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
37 private foundations reported grants to Center for Coastal Studies totaling $435K on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Center for Coastal Studies's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Center for Coastal Studies, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Center for Coastal Studies spent in 2025, $77.78 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All environment charities · Largest charities in Massachusetts
Questions people ask
How much of Center for Coastal Studies's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, Center for Coastal Studies reported that 77.8% of its $8.6 million in expenses went to program services, 8.5% to management and general and 13.7% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Center for Coastal Studies pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Center for Coastal Studies reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $177,148, for the role of ENDOWMENT AD (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Center for Coastal Studies get its money?
Of $16.3 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 97.4% came from contributions and grants (including 32.4% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Center for Coastal Studies a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 04-2609788 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2025: Form 990 for calendar year 2025, object 202611769349300831 · read the filing · XML
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202512049349301221 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202412269349300621 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202322269349301492 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202202069349300140 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202111249349301476 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202011569349300201 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 04-2609788: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.