Quoddy Tides Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
BRIDGING BOUNDARIES, EXPLORING BORDERS FOUNDED IN 2002 IN EASTPORT MAINE, THE TIDES INSTITUTE & MUSEUM OF ART IS LOCATED ON LONG STANDING TRADITIONAL AND CONTINUING PASSAMAQUODDY HOMELANDS ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST AT THE UNITED STATES/CANADA BORDER. THIS BOUNDARY LOCATION SHAPES ITS PERSPECTIVE ON THE REGION AND THE BROADER WORLD: THROUGH ITS INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMS TO FOSTER NEW INNOVATIVE AND CROSS-SECTOR WORKS; THROUGH ITS WIDE RANGING COLLECTIONS, EDUCATION AND PRESERVATION EFFORTS; AND THROUGH ITS PARTNERSHIPS AND ENDEAVORS TO STRENGTHEN THE REGION'S ECONOMIC PROSPERITY, VITALITY AND WIDER CONNECTIONS.
- Income
- $432,874
- Spending
- $421,128
- Spent on programs
- 79%
- Reserves
- 14.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 95%
- Employees
- 6
- Highest pay
- $30,332, executive di
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 95 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 14.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 4% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 9% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1579% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 81 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 258 of 8 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $20,266 spent. 4A COLLECTIONS - SUPPORTERS SECURED KEY ADDITIONS TO THE ORGANIZATION'S COLLECTIONS INCLUDING AN IMPORTANT 1945 WATERCOLOR BY JOHN MARIN OF CAPE SPLIT, MAINE, A RARE 1849 EASTPORT SONS OF TEMPERANCE BANNER THAT CAME UP FOR AUCTION, AND A LARGE C.1930 OIL PAINTING BY NEW YORK CITY BASED ARTIST, GEORGE PEARSE ENNIS, OF A WATERFRONT SCENE HERE. THE ENNIS PAINTING WAS PRESENTED IN 2025 IN AN EXHIBITION ON THE ARTIST AND HIS WORK. A LARGE COLLECTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHRISTIAN SUNDE AND ALSO CECIL GREENLAW WERE DONATED TO THE ORGANIZATION'S COLLECTIONS. NEARLY 7,000 ENTRIES ARE NOW AVAILABLE TO SEE IN THE ONLINE DATABASE INCLUDING THE ORGANIZATION'S COLLECTIONS OF ART AND ARTIFACTS, LIBRARY OF BOOKS AND HISTORIC BUILDINGS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, MAINE. THE ORGANIZATION'S CASSETTE TAPE ORAL HISTORY RECORDINGS OF AREA RESIDENTS HAVE NOW BEEN FULLY DIGITIZED. 4A COLLECTIONS - SUPPORTERS SECURED KEY ADDITIONS TO THE ORGANIZATION'S COLLECTIONS INCLUDING AN IMPORTANT 1945 WATERCOLOR BY JOHN MARIN OF CAPE SPLIT, MAINE, A RARE 1849 EASTPORT SONS OF TEMPERANCE BANNER THAT CAME UP FOR AUCTION, AND A LARGE C.1930 OIL PAINTING BY NEW YORK CITY BASED ARTIST, GEORGE PEARSE ENNIS, OF A WATERFRONT SCENE HERE. THE ENNIS PAINTING WAS PRESENTED IN 2025 IN AN EXHIBITION ON THE ARTIST AND HIS WORK. A LARGE COLLECTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHRISTIAN SUNDE AND ALSO CECIL GREENLAW WERE DONATED TO THE ORGANIZATION'S COLLECTIONS. NEARLY 7,000 ENTRIES ARE NOW AVAILABLE TO SEE IN THE ONLINE DATABASE INCLUDING THE ORGANIZATION'S COLLECTIONS OF ART AND ARTIFACTS, LIBRARY OF BOOKS AND HISTORIC BUILDINGS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, MAINE. THE ORGANIZATION'S CASSETTE TAPE ORAL HISTORY RECORDINGS OF AREA RESIDENTS HAVE NOW BEEN FULLY DIGITIZED.
- $157,772 spent. 4B PRESERVATION - FOLLOWING THE REMOVAL OF THE ASBESTOS SIDING ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE 1819 NORTH CHURCH BUILDING, THE ORGANIZATION HAD THE ORIGINAL WOOD SIDING UNDERNEATH REPAIRED AND INSTALLED A NEW ROOF OVER THE SANCTUARY SPACE. THE ORGANIZATION TOOK THE FIRST STEPS TO CREATE A SMALL PARK AT THE REAR OF THE ORGANIZATION'S SEAMAN'S CHURCH BUILDING WITH THE REMOVAL OF SEVERAL TREES.
- $153,879 spent. 4C -EDUCATION THE ORGANIZATION PRESENTED TWO EXHIBITIONS IN 2024, AT THE MAIN BUILDING THAT WERE EXTREMELY WELL RECEIVED: "HOME, DOWNEAST: WOOD ENGRAVINGS OF PAULINE WINCHESTER INMAN" FEATURING A SELECTION OF 27 WOOD ENGRAVING PRINTS AND WOOD BLOCKS BY THE ARTIST THAT ARE PART OF A MUCH LARGER GIFT OF HER WORKS BY EUGENE AND MARILYN OSTREICHER TO THE PERMANENT COLLECTIONS; AND "EDWARD BURTYNSKY: A VISUAL ARCHAEOLOGY" FEATURING EIGHT LARGE-SCALE COLOR PHOTOGRAPHS ON LOAN FROM THE BEAVERBROOK ART GALLERY IN FREDERICTON, NEW BRUNSWICK, THANKS TO SUPPORT FROM THE UNOBSKEY FOUNDATION. HONOR WILKINSON, WHO JOINED THE ORGANIZATION'S STAFF AS CONSULTING CURATOR, ORGANIZED BOTH EXHIBITIONS. FOSTER NEW WORK IN 2024, 17 ARTISTS, INCLUDING THREE ALUMNI, WERE INVITED TO LIVE AND WORK AT THE ORGANIZATION'S STUDIOWORKS ARTIST-IN- RESIDENCE PROGRAM, IN ITS 12TH YEAR. ARTISTS CAME FROM CALIFORNIA, WASHINGTON DC, MASSACHUSETTS, FLORIDA, OREGON, IRELAND AND NORTHERN IRELAND AND INDIA, AND OTHER LOCATIONS, AND THEIR WORK RANGED FROM LARGE SCALE PAINTINGS TO SMALL INTIMATE DRAWINGS, FROM SCULPTURE TO MULTI- MEDIA INSTALLATIONS. THEIR PUBLIC TALKS AND WORKSHOPS REFLECTED THIS RANGE OF CONTEMPORARY WORK. ALUMNI KAREN STENTAFORD RETURNED TO TAKE TINTYPE PORTRAITS AT STUDIOWORKS. THE FIRST CONTINGENT OF ARTISTS AND CURATORS STAYED AND WORKED AT THE ORGANIZATION'S SELIGMANN COTTAGE IN CAPE SPLIT, MAINE UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF ALUMNI ARTIST, TESSA GREEN O'BRIEN, IN NOVEMBER, THE ORGANIZATION WELCOMED GESHE TSEWANG DORJE, OF INDIA WHO, WITH OTHERS, CREATED A SAND MANDALA AT STUDIOWORKS AS PART OF A CULTURAL EXCHANGE. PARTNERSHIPS IN 2024, THE ORGANIZATION WORKED WITH DONALD SOCTOMAH, HISTORIC PRESERVATION DIRECTOR OF THE PASSAMAQUODDY TRIBE, AND DWAYNE TOMAH, DIRECTOR OF THE SIPAYIK MUSEUM, TO INSTALL A BRONZE DESCRIPTIVE PLAQUE IN PASSAMAQUODDY AND ENGLISH FOR THE PLACE NAME MUSELENK (EASTPORT) ON THE FRONT OF THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE MASONIC HALL BUILDING. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME AND ONLY PLACE THAT THE PASSAMAQUODDY WRITTEN LANGUAGE IS VISIBLE IN EASTPORT. WE WERE INVITED TO TAKE PART IN A CAREER DAY AT SIPAYIK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND PRESENTED MATERIALS AND TALKS ON WHAT IT IS LIKE TO WORK AT A MUSEUM. ALISON CALDWELL-BEERS, THE ORGANIZATION'S EDUCATION SPECIALIST, CONTINUED HER MONTHLY OUTREACH PROGRAMS TO THE EASTPORT SENIOR CENTER AND DEVELOPED PROGRAMS FOR LOCAL SCHOOLS AND OTHER GROUPS. TIMA STAFF AND ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE PRESENTED ART MAKING ACTIVITIES AT SIX FESTIVALS AND IN THE STUDIOWORKS BUILDING AND WORKED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DOWNEAST RAINBOW ALLIANCE, THE DOWNEAST TEEN LEADERSHIP CAMP, EASTPORT ARTFESTS, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS 4C -EDUCATION THE ORGANIZATION PRESENTED TWO EXHIBITIONS IN 2024, AT THE MAIN BUILDING THAT WERE EXTREMELY WELL RECEIVED: "HOME, DOWNEAST: WOOD ENGRAVINGS OF PAULINE WINCHESTER INMAN" FEATURING A SELECTION OF 27 WOOD ENGRAVING PRINTS AND WOOD BLOCKS BY THE ARTIST THAT ARE PART OF A MUCH LARGER GIFT OF HER WORKS BY EUGENE AND MARILYN OSTREICHER TO THE PERMANENT COLLECTIONS; AND "EDWARD BURTYNSKY: A VISUAL ARCHAEOLOGY" FEATURING EIGHT LARGE-SCALE COLOR PHOTOGRAPHS ON LOAN FROM THE BEAVERBROOK ART GALLERY IN FREDERICTON, NEW BRUNSWICK, THANKS TO SUPPORT FROM THE UNOBSKEY FOUNDATION. HONOR WILKINSON, WHO JOINED THE ORGANIZATION'S STAFF AS CONSULTING CURATOR, ORGANIZED BOTH EXHIBITIONS. FOSTER NEW WORK IN 2024, 17 ARTISTS, INCLUDING THREE ALUMNI, WERE INVITED TO LIVE AND WORK AT THE ORGANIZATION'S STUDIOWORKS ARTIST-IN- RESIDENCE PROGRAM, IN ITS 12TH YEAR. ARTISTS CAME FROM CALIFORNIA, WASHINGTON DC, MASSACHUSETTS, FLORIDA, OREGON, IRELAND AND NORTHERN IRELAND AND INDIA, AND OTHER LOCATIONS, AND THEIR WORK RANGED FROM LARGE SCALE PAINTINGS TO SMALL INTIMATE DRAWINGS, FROM SCULPTURE TO MULTI- MEDIA INSTALLATIONS. THEIR PUBLIC TALKS AND WORKSHOPS REFLECTED THIS RANGE OF CONTEMPORARY WORK. ALUMNI KAREN STENTAFORD RETURNED TO TAKE TINTYPE PORTRAITS AT STUDIOWORKS. THE FIRST CONTINGENT OF ARTISTS AND CURATORS STAYED AND WORKED AT THE ORGANIZATION'S SELIGMANN COTTAGE IN CAPE SPLIT, MAINE UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF ALUMNI ARTIST, TESSA GREEN O'BRIEN, IN NOVEMBER, THE ORGANIZATION WELCOMED GESHE TSEWANG DORJE, OF INDIA WHO, WITH OTHERS, CREATED A SAND MANDALA AT STUDIOWORKS AS PART OF A CULTURAL EXCHANGE. PARTNERSHIPS IN 2024, THE ORGANIZATION WORKED WITH DONALD SOCTOMAH, HISTORIC PRESERVATION DIRECTOR OF THE PASSAMAQUODDY TRIBE, AND DWAYNE TOMAH, DIRECTOR OF THE SIPAYIK MUSEUM, TO INSTALL A BRONZE DESCRIPTIVE PLAQUE IN PASSAMAQUODDY AND ENGLISH FOR THE PLACE NAME MUSELENK (EASTPORT) ON THE FRONT OF THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE MASONIC HALL BUILDING. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME AND ONLY PLACE THAT THE PASSAMAQUODDY WRITTEN LANGUAGE IS VISIBLE IN EASTPORT. WE WERE INVITED TO TAKE PART IN A CAREER DAY AT SIPAYIK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND PRESENTED MATERIALS AND TALKS ON WHAT IT IS LIKE TO WORK AT A MUSEUM. ALISON CALDWELL-BEERS, THE ORGANIZATION'S EDUCATION SPECIALIST, CONTINUED HER MONTHLY OUTREACH PROGRAMS TO THE EASTPORT SENIOR CENTER AND DEVELOPED PROGRAMS FOR LOCAL SCHOOLS AND OTHER GROUPS. TIMA STAFF AND ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE PRESENTED ART MAKING ACTIVITIES AT SIX FESTIVALS AND IN THE STUDIOWORKS BUILDING AND WORKED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DOWNEAST RAINBOW ALLIANCE, THE DOWNEAST TEEN LEADERSHIP CAMP, EASTPORT ARTFESTS, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since January 1976.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.
A much larger organization has a similar name: Tides Foundation (San Francisco, CA), EIN 51-0198509. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
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