Disable all preview features

Environment : Environmental Protection and Conservation

Oceana

Protecting the world's oceans

impact data icon

Impact Information is available from our partner, GlobalGiving

four stars

94.11

1025 Connecticut Avenue, NW Suite 200
Washington, DC 20036
tel: (877) 762-3262   Web Site
EIN: 51-0401308

Board Leadership
Valarie van Cleave
Chair

CEO
Andrew Sharpless
Chief Executive Officer

 
 
  Score
(out of 100) 		Rating
Overall Score & Rating 94.11 four stars
  Financial 91.68 four stars
  Accountability & Transparency 100.00 four stars
This rating was published 12/21/2018 and includes data from FY2017, the most recent 990 received at that time.
Why isn't this based on more recent data?

Founded in 2001, Oceana is the largest international group focused solely on ocean conservation. Our offices in North America, South America and Europe, work together on a limited number of strategic, directed campaigns to achieve measurable outcomes that will help return our oceans to former levels of abundance. We believe in the importance of science in identifying problems and solutions. Our scientists lead our team of economists, lawyers, and advocates focused on achieving tangible results for the oceans. Saving the oceans may take decades, but in each of our campaigns we aim to accomplish an important milestone in that effort within two to five years.

Founded in 2001, Oceana is the largest international group focused solely on ocean conservation. Our offices in North America, South America and Europe, work together on a limited number of strategic, directed campaigns to achieve measurable outcomes that will help return our oceans to former levels of abundance. We believe in the importance of science in identifying problems and solutions. Our scientists lead our team of economists, lawyers, and advocates focused on achieving tangible results for the oceans. Saving the oceans may take decades, but in each of our campaigns we aim to accomplish an important milestone in that effort within two to five years.

Impact Information

data icon
GlobalGiving is a trusted Impact Information provider for Charity Navigator. GlobalGiving has vetted this charity. GlobalGiving also further provides further information about each charity's commitment to learning and improvement. GlobalGiving's statuses and badges, below, provide information about this charity's effectiveness.  Learn More about Impact Information.
GlobalGiving Status
Partner Status
This organization holds GlobalGiving Partner Status. GG Rewards is the system GlobalGiving uses to reward nonprofits that demonstrate listening to the people they serve, learning, and improving their impact. Organizations receive points which translate into their Status: 52% of organizations are Partner, 22% are Leader, and the top 26% of organizations are Superstar. GlobalGiving is a trusted Impact Information partner of Charity Navigator.
Additional Badges from GlobalGiving
Vetted
This organization has been vetted by GlobalGiving.
Site Visit Verified
A GlobalGiving representative has visited this organization and verified its work.
GlobalGiving is the largest global crowdfunding community connecting nonprofits, donors, and companies in nearly every country. For donors, GlobalGiving provides an additional layer of vetting and due diligence for each of its nonprofit partners every two years, which may include site visit verification. For nonprofits, GlobalGiving works to provide nonprofits access to the tools, training, and support they need to be more effective. GlobalGiving's aim is to drive more donations to more effective, community-led organizations. GG Rewards is the system that GlobalGiving uses to recognize and reward its nonprofit partners for their efforts to learn, improve, and grow their impact. Within the GG Rewards system, organizations receive points for their Effectiveness (commitment to learning) and Engagement (participation on the GlobalGiving community). These points will translate into the GG Rewards Status (Partner, Leader, or Superstar). GlobalGiving's nonprofit partners also receive badges (visible on their Charity Navigator profile) when they are verified by a GlobalGiving site visit, when they have demonstrated exceptional efforts to learn from feedback, improve, and grow their impact, or when they have been named as an exceptional nonprofit through GlobalGiving's Project of the Month program.
Learn more about GG Rewards.
This impact information is current as of March 2019, when it was provided to us by GlobalGiving. At this time, Impact information published on this organization's page has no effect on its rating per our methodology. Further, the availability of GG Rewards information for charities on our site has no effect on Charity Navigator's evaluation of GlobalGiving.

Learn more about how we calculate the overall score and rating.

Financial

four stars

91.68

Accountability & Transparency

four stars

100.00

This rating was published 12/21/2018 and includes data from FY2017, the most recent 990 received at that time.
Why isn't this based on more recent data?
Overall Rating Chart
  Program Expenses
(Percent of the charity's total expenses spent on the programs
and services it delivers)		 73.4%
  Administrative Expenses 17.2%
  Fundraising Expenses 9.3%
  Fundraising Efficiency $0.10
  Working Capital Ratio (years) 1.14
  Program Expenses Growth 23.0%
  Liabilities to Assets 8.6%
All data for Financial Performance Metrics calculations was provided by Oceana on recent 990s filed with the IRS.
All data for Financial Performance Metrics calculations was provided by Oceana on recent 990s filed with the IRS.
Information Provided on the Form 990  
  Independent Voting Board Members
  No Material diversion of assets
  Audited financials prepared by independent accountant
  Does Not Provide Loan(s) to or Receive Loan(s) From related parties
  Documents Board Meeting Minutes
  Provided copy of Form 990 to organization's governing body in advance of filing
  Conflict of Interest Policy
  Whistleblower Policy
  Records Retention and Destruction Policy
  CEO listed with salary
  Process for determining CEO compensation
  Board Listed / Board Members Not Compensated
Is the following information easily accessible on the charity's website?  
  Donor Privacy Policy
  Board Members Listed
  Audited Financials
  Form 990
  Key staff listed

Highly Rated

Charity Name & State Overall Score Overall Rating
Oceana (DC) 94.11 four stars
Chesapeake Bay Trust (MD) 97.23 four stars
Healthy Gulf (LA) 88.68 three stars
Orange County Coastkeeper (CA) 94.74 four stars
Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast (FL) 100.00 four stars

Compare These Charities (Highly Rated)

REVENUE  
Contributions  
   Contributions, Gifts & Grants $44,588,299
   Federated Campaigns $57,376
   Membership Dues $0
   Fundraising Events $3,078,818
   Related Organizations $0
   Government Grants $597,715
Total Contributions $48,322,208
   Program Service Revenue $0
Total Primary Revenue $48,322,208
   Other Revenue $-42,479
TOTAL REVENUE $48,279,729
   
EXPENSES  
   Program Expenses $28,301,733
   Administrative Expenses $6,689,431
   Fundraising Expenses $2,889,417
TOTAL FUNCTIONAL EXPENSES $37,880,581
   
Payments to Affiliates $0
Excess (or Deficit) for the year $10,399,148
   
Net Assets $37,593,914

Program names and associated costs are listed for the top programs as reported on the charity's most recently filed Form 990. The top programs displayed will include the largest three programs, or those programs covering at least 60% of the charity's total expenses, whichever comes first.

Program Name Amount Spent % of Program Expenses
North American Oceans $11,741,871 41.5%
International Activities $11,667,947 41.2%
Communications $2,666,855 9.4%
Marine Science $1,434,236 5.1%
Law $790,824 2.8%

Ratings History

Form 990 FYE Date Published Overall Score Overall Rating
CN 2.1
2017-12 12/21/2018 94.11 four stars
2016-12 03/01/2018 88.47 three stars
2015-12 11/01/2017 93.71 four stars
2015-12 09/01/2017 93.10 four stars
2014-12 06/01/2016 87.12 three stars
 
CN 2.0
2014-12 04/01/2016 81.86 three stars
2013-12 03/01/2015 89.27 three stars
2012-12 07/01/2014 87.18 three stars
2012-12 02/01/2014 87.01 three stars
2011-12 10/01/2013 94.88 four stars
2011-12 03/01/2013 94.46 four stars
2010-12 03/01/2012 94.06 four stars
2009-12 11/01/2011 93.77 four stars
2009-12 10/01/2011 92.33 four stars
2009-12 09/20/2011 90.81 four stars
 
CN 1.0
2009-12 05/01/2011 90.44 four stars
2008-12 06/01/2010 94.33 four stars
2007-12 05/01/2009 97.93 four stars
2006-12 04/01/2008 89.69 three stars
2005-12 05/01/2007 92.11 four stars

The data displayed on this tab is provided by the IRS in the form of Publication 78 and the Business Master File (BMF).

EIN 51-0401308
Name in IRS Master File OCEANA INC
NTEE Code C01
NTEE Classification Alliance/Advocacy Organizations
NTEE Type Environmental Quality, Protection and Beautification
Classification Charitable Organization
Subsection 501(c)(3)  (View the list of codes)
Activities
Foundation Status Organization which receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or the general public   170(b)(1)(A)(vi)
Deductibility Contributions are deductible
Affiliation Independent - the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations).
Group Name [Not Applicable]
Ruling Date January, 2000
Filing Requirement 990 (all other) or 990EZ return
Fiscal Year End December
IRS Forms 990
(provided courtesy of Foundation Center)		 (Log In or Register Now to View Forms 990!)
  • December, 2017
  • December, 2016
  • December, 2015
  • December, 2014
  • December, 2013
Compensation % of Expenses Paid to Title
$367,877 0.97% Andrew F. Sharpless Chief Executive Officer

Highly Rated

Charity Name & State Overall Score Overall Rating
Oceana (DC) 94.11 four stars
Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen's Alliance (MA) 88.88 three stars
Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries (ME) 94.15 four stars
Chesapeake Conservancy (MD) 96.93 four stars
Galveston Bay Foundation (TX) 88.19 three stars

Compare These Charities (Highly Rated)

This charity has an official representative registered with Charity Navigator.

Charity Contact Info

Oceana
1025 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Suite 200
Washington, DC 20036
tel: (877) 762-3262
fax: (202) 833-2070
EIN: 51-0401308

Visit Web Site

Board Leadership

Valarie van Cleave
Chair

CEO

Andrew Sharpless
Chief Executive Officer

please wait...

    • I want to donate to Oceana

      $
      next

    • Frequency

      back
      next

    • Would you like us to email someone and CC you?

      This email identifies you as the donor but does not specify the amount of your gift.
      back
    A donation of to has been added to your Giving Basket!

    Basket Total:
    Check Out Now or Continue Researching

Join Our Mailing List

Join over 400,000 other informed givers and get updates on charity ratings, new features, hot topics, and tips for donating.

As seen on