Oyster Recovery Partnership Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
PLAN, PROMOTE IMPLEMENT SCIENCE-BASED SUSTAINABLE SHELLFISH RESTORATION, AQUACULTURE, AND WILD FISHERY ACTIVITIES TO PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT, SUPPORT OUR ECONOMY PRESERVE OUR CULTURE HERITAGE
- Income
- $8.8 million
- Spending
- $8.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- 2.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 88%
- Employees
- 25
- Volunteers
- 1,340
- Highest pay
- $187,547, executive director
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
Fair: 66 out of 100.
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.9 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 26% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 9% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1588% 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.
Independent board
25 of 2518 of 18 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)
- $7.4 million spent. OYSTER RECOVERY AND HABITAT CREATION IN MARYLAND OYSTER RECOVERY PARTNERSHIP UNDERTAKES A SYNCHRONIZED OYSTER RECOVERY EFFORT. LEVERAGING THE RESOURCES AND CAPABILITIES FROM ALL THE PARTNERS AND USING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE 2008 OYSTER ADVISORY COMMISSION REPORT AND THE CHESAPEAKE BAY PROGRAMS OYSTER MANAGEMENT PLAN, THIS PROJECT BEGINS TO IMPLEMENT THE BAY WIDE STRATEGY TO RESTORE OYSTERS AS IDENTIFIED IN THE PRESIDENTS EO 13508 STRATEGY AND TO IMPLEMENT THE MD GOVERNORS OYSTER RESTORATION PLAN. MAJOR ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE 1 CONTINUED MULTI-YEAR RESTORATION PROCESS OF TARGETED LARGE SCALE RESTORATION AND ENFORCEMENT, 2 CONDUCTING RESTORATION IN TARGETED TRIBUTARIES USING SPAT ON SHELL, NATURAL SET, AND ALTERNATIVE SUBSTRATE AS APPROPRIATE, CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O PROGRAM ONE CONTINUATION-3 ESTABLISHING AND APPLYING COMMON MONITORING PROTOCOLS TO EVALUATE PROJECT PERFORMANCE AND 4EXPANDING AQUACULTURE INITIATIVES. UP TO 750 MILLION SEED OYSTERS PRODUCED TRIBUTARIES TO ACCELERATE RECOVERY. FOLLOW UP MONITORING OF OYSTER HEALTH AND DISEASE PRESSURE, REEF ASSOCIATED FISHES, AND NEARBY SHALLOW WATERS WILL BE CONDUCTED TO EVALUATE SUCCESS OF EACH TECHNIQUE. THE REEFS ARE EXPECTED TO IMMEDIATELY BE AMONG THE LARGEST CONTIGUOUS OYSTER REEFS IN CHESAPEAKE BAY. SHELL RECYCLING TO SUPPORT THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES SHELL COLLECTION PROGRAM, THE OYSTER RECOVERY PARTNERSHIP INITIATED A SHELL RECYCLING PROGRAM TO COLLECT DISCARDED SHELL FROM RESTAURANTS, CATERING BUSINESSES AND SEAFOOD WHOLESALERS. SHELL IS A VITAL MATERIAL NEEDED FOR OYSTER RECOVERY ACTIVITIES. ELECTRONIC HARVEST REPORTING UNDER CONTRACT FROM THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, ORP MANAGED A PROGRAM TO DEVELOP A ROBUST ELECTRONIC REPORTING AND HAILING SYSTEM TO TRACK AND INCREASE THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF CRAB HARVESTS. SINCE THEN, MORE THAN 200 WATERMEN HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM.
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 September 1972.
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.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.