BBB Wise Giving Report for
Restore America's Estuaries

BBB Wise Giving Report issued September 2010
BBB Wise Giving Report expires September 2012


Does not meet one or more standards
This charity does not meet one or more of the 20 standards for Charity Accountability. Find out more...


Find out more about this charity:

Back To Top

Charity Contact Information

Name: Restore America's Estuaries
Address: 2020 North 14th Street
  Arlington, VA 22201
Phone: 703-524-0248
Web Address: www.estuaries.org
Back To Top

BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1995, Virginia
Affiliates: None

Stated Purpose: "to preserve the nation's network of estuaries by protecting and restoring the lands and waters essential to the richness and diversity of coastal life."

Back To Top

Evaluation Conclusions

              

Restore America's Estuaries (RAE) does not meet the following 3 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Standard 6: Board Policy on Effectiveness - Have a board policy of assessing, no less than every two years, the organization's performance and effectiveness and of determining future actions required to achieve its mission.

RAE does not meet this Standard because:

  • The board of directors does not have a written policy stating that, at least every two years, an appraisal be done assessing the organization’s performance and effectiveness and determining future actions required to achieve its mission.

Standard 7: Board Approval of Written Report on Effectiveness - Submit to the organization's governing body, for its approval, a written report that outlines the results of the aforementioned performance and effectiveness assessment and recommendations for future actions.

RAE does not meet this Standard because:

  • It has never completed an effectiveness assessment in the past two years and does not have one planned for the near future.

Standard 14: Budget - Have a board-approved annual budget for its current fiscal year, outlining projected expenses for major program activities, fund raising, and administration.

RAE does not meet this Standard because, when the organization provided budget information, it indicated that the budget:

  • Did not identify projected expenses for each major program.
  • Did not identify total projected fund raising expenses.
  • Did not identify total projected administrative expenses.
In addition, the BBB Wise Giving Alliance requested but did not receive complete information on the organization’s governance and oversight and solicitation materials and is unable to verify the organization's compliance with the following Standard for Charity Accountability: 15.
Restore America's Estuaries (RAE) meets the remaining 16 Standards for Charity Accountability.
Back To Top

Programs

              

RAE and its alliance members work to restore our nation's coastal areas and bring them back to life. Through its Community-based Restoration Program (CRP), RAE joins with government agencies, corporations, civic organizations, scientists, and local volunteers on restoration projects with real impacts. Among RAE's aims are the return of abundant fisheries, strong local economies, and shorelines that are resilient to storms and flooding. RAE's reports that CRP has funded about 900 local restoration projects throughout the United States.

For the year ended December 31, 2009, RAE's program expenses were:

  
Program services 2,123,376
Lobbying 32,388
Total Program Expenses: $2,155,764
Back To Top

Governance

              

Chief Executive : Jeffrey Benoit, President and CEO
Compensation*:
$158,250

Chair of the Board: David Lewis
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Executive Director, Save the Bay-San Francisco

Board Size: 11

Paid Staff Size: 9

*2009 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.
Back To Top

Fund Raising

              

Method(s) Used:

Direct mail, Internet appeals, grant proposals, and membership appeals.
Fund raising costs were 5% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $2,002,475, are donations received as a result of fund raising activities.)
Back To Top

Tax Status

              

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.
Back To Top

Financial

              

The following information is based on RAE's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2009.

Source of Funds  
Government grants 1,773,596
Grants and contributions 228,879
Conference 99,025
Investment income 16,302
Other revenue 4,001
Total Income $2,121,803


chart



Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 95%  Fund Raising: 4%  Administrative: 1% 

Total income   $2,121,803
  Program expenses $2,155,764
  Fund raising expenses 102,799
  Administrative expenses 31,191
 
Total expenses   $2,289,754
Expenses in Excess of Income   (167,951)
Beginning net assets   1,224,868
Ending net assets   1,056,917
Total liabilities   265,093
Total assets   $1,322,010


Back To Top

An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc.

This report is not to be used for fund raising or promotional purposes.

Send to:



What is an Accredited Charity