The Surfrider Foundation
The Surfrider Foundation reported $14.5 million in revenue and $14.5 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $80.65 went to program services, $8.60 to management and general costs and $10.75 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 87.4% of the total. Government grants made up 6.9%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $269,662 (CEO). 17 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 26% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $15MFor 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 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $14MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 80.6% | 83.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 8.6% | 10.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 10.8% | 3.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.12 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 87.4% | 87.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 6.9% | 4.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.6% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $269,662 | $293,532 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.85% | 1.74% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 17 | 7 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 16.5 | 18.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 19 of 19 | 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
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseChapter & student clubs network support - we developed training materials, trained and assisted volunteers with campaign planning, and facilitated the chapters in their grass roots activist works
Various environmental activities such as grass roots volunteer organizing, promoting reduction in single use plastics, promoting ocean friendly garden techniques, promoting beach water quality, beach access and beach and wave preservation
Plastic pollution initiatives - we encourage individuals, industry and governments to protect our ocean, waves and beaches by reducing plastics in the marine environment. Our rise above plastics and ocean friendly restaurants programs advocate for a reduction in single use plastics, for the recycling of all plastics and drives change in behavior that creates scalable impact to reduce plastics in the ocean
Highest reported compensation
2024 · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $251,790 | $0 | $17,872 | $269,662 |
| COO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $209,275 | $0 | $17,594 | $226,869 |
| SR. DIR. OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATION Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $172,028 | $0 | $16,404 | $188,432 |
| SR. DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $160,783 | $0 | $14,365 | $175,148 |
| ASSOC. DIR.OF INSTITUTIONAL GIVING Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $133,961 | $0 | $18,358 | $152,319 |
| WESTERN ASSOC. DR. OF DEVELOPMENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $135,200 | $0 | $10,983 | $146,183 |
| SR. ENVIRONMENTAL DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $134,061 | $0 | $11,717 | $145,778 |
| EASTERN ASSOC. DIR. OF DEVELOPMENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $121,758 | $0 | $15,458 | $137,216 |
17 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Surfrider Foundation (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $860K (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2024 · 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–1b19 · 19 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 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 595
- Volunteers Part I, line 650,000
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| COMMUNITY COUNSELING SERVICE CO LLC Fundraising consultants | $420,000 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 2 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
135 private foundations reported grants to The Surfrider Foundation totaling $2.2M 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 The Surfrider Foundation's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for The Surfrider Foundation, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 The Surfrider Foundation spent in 2024, $80.65 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Questions people ask
How much of The Surfrider Foundation's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, The Surfrider Foundation reported that 80.6% of its $14.5 million in expenses went to program services, 8.6% to management and general and 10.8% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Surfrider Foundation pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Surfrider Foundation reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $269,662, for the role of CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Surfrider Foundation get its money?
Of $14.5 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 87.4% came from contributions and grants (including 6.9% from government grants) and 0.6% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Surfrider Foundation a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 95-3941826 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202513189349315721 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202433199349312263 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202333199349321803 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202213209349301401 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202113169349313606 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202003189349313145 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 95-3941826: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.