Clean Ocean Action Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
CLEAN OCEAN ACTION'S GOAL IS TO IMPROVE AND PROTECT THE WATERS OFF THE NEW JERSEY/NEW YORK COAST FROM POLLUTION, PLASTICS, INDUSTRIALIZATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE WITH RESEARCH, EDUCATION AND CITIZEN ACTION.
- Income
- $1.1 million
- Spending
- $985,527
- Spent on programs
- 86%
- Reserves
- 30 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 89%
- Employees
- 17
- Volunteers
- 10,235
- Highest pay
- $112,194, exec. direct
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 95 out of 100. Higher than 83% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 30.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 14% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 9% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1586% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 60% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
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
10 of 10Gave 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
15 of 15Its accounts were audited 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, 2025, 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 (1)
- $845,045 spent. CLEAN OCEAN ACTION, INC.(COA)IS THE ONLY FULL-TIME COALITION DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE MARINE WATERS OF THE NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY REGION. FOUNDED IN 1984, COA BRINGS TOGETHER AND EMPOWERS ORGANIZATIONS, HUNDREDS OF BUSINESSES AND THOUSANDS OF CITIZENS TO PROTECT NATURE'S MOST IMPORTANT RESOURCE: THE OCEAN. THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF INCLUDES PHD'S, AN ATTORNEY, AND SEVERAL WITH MASTER'S DEGREES. THE DYNAMIC AND EFFECTIVE TEAM APPLIES RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND CITIZEN ACTION TO REDUCE SOURCES OF POLLUTION AND IMPACTS FROM CLIMATE CHANGE WITH FACT-BASED CAMPAIGNS TO IMPLEMENT ENVIRONMENTALLY-SOUND SOLUTIONS. COA ALSO ENGAGES MEANINGFUL AND AUTHENTIC EFFORTS TO ENSURE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE. ACCOMPLISHMENTS: SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS TO MARINE WATER QUALITY BY REDUCING SOURCES OF POLLUTION, PLASTICS, AND CLIMATE CHANGE, INCLUDING: ENDED OCEAN DUMPING OF EIGHT OCEAN DUMPSITES OFF THE COAST OF NJ BLOCKED FOSSIL FUEL OCEAN INDUSTRIALIZATION, INCLUDING FIVE LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS FACILITIES AND OIL AND GAS DRILLING SUCCESSFULLY LED NJ CAMPAIGN TO PASS THE NATION'S STRONGEST SINGLE-USE PLASTIC REDUCTION LAW PASSED THE NATION'S STRONGEST STATE LAW PROHIBITING OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS ACTIVITIES WITH SUPPORT FROM 99% OF NJ LEGISLATURE PASSED THE NATION'S STRONGEST FERTILIZER CONTROL LAW TO PROTECT NJ'S COASTAL WATERWAYS REDUCED SOURCES OF RAW SEWAGE, PROTECTING SWIMMERS FROM SEWAGE ESTABLISHED THE REGION'S LARGEST ENVIROMENTAL LITTER REDUCTION EVENT, BEACH SWEEPS, COLLECTED NEARLY 8 MILLION PIECES OF TRASH FROM NJ BEACHES, AND CREATED A DATABASE FOR REGIONAL LITTER AND PLASTIC REDUCTION EFFORTS REDUCED THE USE OF PLASTICS IN COMMUNITIES AND BUSINESSES, AND BY INDIVIDUALS CONDUCTED A STATEWIDE SAMPLING OF MICROPLASTICS ALONG THE ENTIRE NJ COAST IMPROVED THE MANAGEMENT OF DREDGE MATERIAL CREATED A MODEL COASTAL WATERSHED PROTECTION PROGRAM, CALLED RALLY FOR THE WATERWAYS THAT HAS EXPANDED INTO TWO NJ COUNTIES CREATED A MUNICIPAL POLLUTION REDUCTION CERTIFICATION PROGRAM, CALLED BLUE STAR CHALLENGING RECKLESS OCEAN INDUSTRIALIZATION EXPANDED SEASIDE EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR K-12 GRADE STUDENTS. EDUCATION PROGRAMS COA CREATED THE BEACH SWEEPS - THE REGION'S LONGEST RUNNING, LARGEST BI- ANNUAL VOLUNTEER CITIZEN SCIENCE EVENT FOR ALL AGES THAT PUTS FEET ON THE BEACH AND HANDS IN THE SAND TO REDUCE MARINE DEBRIS AND COLLECT A LEGACY OF INFORMATION THAT IS USED TO IDENTIFY SOURCES OF MARINE DEBRIS, MONITOR TRENDS AND PROMOTE SOLUTIONS. COA ALSO DEVELOPED "WATERSHED MINDFULNESS" PROGRAMS TO ENGAGE PEOPLE IN POLLUTION REDUCTION AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, AS WELL AS COORDINATING DIVERSE AND ENGAGING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS FOR ALL AGES (YOUTH - SENIORS), TO REDUCE POLLUTION, CLIMATE CHANGE AND PLASTICS. COA ALSO PROVIDES MOSTLY-FREE SEASIDE EDUCATION FOR THOUSANDS OF K-12 STUDENTS. RESEARCH PROGRAMS COA CONDUCTS RESEARCH TO IDENTIFY PLASTICS, PATHOGENS, AND CHEMICAL POLLUTION SOURCES BY ENGAGING CITIZEN SCIENCE WITH RIGOROUS OVERSIGHT BY THE PHD WATER QUALITY RESEARCH DIRECTOR. RESEARCH IS COORDINATED WITH STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES, AS WELL AS WITH OUTSIDE SCIENTISTS TO ENSURE QUALITY. WATER QUALITY MONITORING IS ALSO CONDUCTED IN COA'S NEW IN-HOUSE LAB. CAMPAIGNS ARE IMPLEMENTED ALONG WITH MUNICIPAL ENGAGEMENT TO REDUCE THE SOURCES OF POLLUTION AND IMPACTS DISCOVERED THROUGH RESEARCH. COA ALSO RESEARCHES THREATS TO OCEAN RESOURCES FROM INDUSTRIALIZATION, SUCH AS OIL AND GAS DRILLING, POWER PLANTS, AND AQUACULTURE. IN DECEMBER 2024, COA'S RALLY FOR THE TWO RIVERS PROGRAM RECEIVED THE 2024 GOVERNOR'S ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE AWARD UNDER THE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT AND WATER RESOURCES CATEGORY. THESE AWARDS ARE PRESENTED IN A CEREMONY HOSTED BY NJDEP AND "AWARDED ANNUALLY TO INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT DEMONSTRATE COMMITMENT AND LEADERSHIP ON A VARIETY OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, INCLUDING ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, CLIMATE CHANGE, SUSTAINABILITY AND EDUCATION" (NJDEP). COA ESTABLISHED THE RALLY FOR THE NAVESINK COALITION IN 2016 TO ADDRESS THE CHRONIC PATHOGEN POLLUTION AND THE 2015 DOWNGRADE OF 500+ ACRES OF SHELLFISH HARVESTING AREAS IN THE NAVESINK RIVER BY NJDEP AND HAS SINCE THEN EXPANDED AS THE RALLY FOR TWO RIVERS AND INCLUDES THE SHREWSBURY RIVER WATERSHED. THE ONGOING RALLY FOR TWO RIVERS AMBIENT BACTERIA COMMUNITY SCIENCE MONITORING PROGRAM, WHICH WAS RELAUNCHED IN 2023, PROVIDES VALUABLE DATA ON UPSTREAM WATER QUALITY THAT IS BEING USED TO IDENTIFY AND ELIMINATE UPSTREAM POLLUTION SOURCES SUCCESSFULLY. CITIZEN ACTION DEFENDING THE OCEAN REQUIRES VIGILANCE, FLEXIBILITY, AND TENACITY, AS WELL AS BEING ON CALL FOR SWIFT RESPONSE. COA IS THE OCEAN'S WATCHDOG AND ADVOCATE. AS A WATCHDOG, COA RESPONDS TO AND INVESTIGATES CALLS FROM CITIZENS ABOUT POLLUTING ACTIVITIES. ADVOCACY INCLUDES ACTION CAMPAIGNS, MEETINGS, RALLIES,PETITIONS, SOCIAL MEDIA AND PRESS ACTIVITIES, AS WELL AS LETTER-WRITING. THESE ARE COORDINATED WITH SCIENTIFIC, TECHNICAL, AND LEGAL EXPERTISE TO ENSURE PROTECTION OF MARINE WATER QUALITY FROM POLLUTION, INCLUDING FROM PATHOGENS, CHEMICALS, AND MARINE DEBRIS. HIGHLY RATED IN 2025, COA'S CHARITY NAVIGATOR RATING WAS 99%. COA HAS CONSISTENLY HELD CHARITY NAVIGATOR'S HIGHEST RANKING OF FOUR STARS SINCE 2016. COA IS ONE OF THE ONLY MARINE PROTECTION NONPROFITS TO HOLD THESE TOP HONORS FOR AN EXTENDED TIME. ALSO, CANDID (FORMERLY GUIDESTAR) AWARDED COA THEIR HIGHEST RANKING, PLATINUM. CLEAN OCEAN ACTION, INC.(COA)IS THE ONLY FULL-TIME COALITION DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE MARINE WATERS OF THE NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY REGION. FOUNDED IN 1984, COA BRINGS TOGETHER AND EMPOWERS ORGANIZATIONS, HUNDREDS OF BUSINESSES AND THOUSANDS OF CITIZENS TO PROTECT NATURE'S MOST IMPORTANT RESOURCE: THE OCEAN. THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF INCLUDES PHD'S, AN ATTORNEY, AND SEVERAL WITH MASTER'S DEGREES. THE DYNAMIC AND EFFECTIVE TEAM APPLIES RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND CITIZEN ACTION TO REDUCE SOURCES OF POLLUTION AND IMPACTS FROM CLIMATE CHANGE WITH FACT-BASED CAMPAIGNS TO IMPLEMENT ENVIRONMENTALLY-SOUND SOLUTIONS. COA ALSO ENGAGES MEANINGFUL AND AUTHEN
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 1989.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 2026.
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