Echo Hill Outdoor School Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO CREATE A CLIMATE OF FREEDOM AND GROWTH IN SHARING SAFE AND FUN EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES IN THE OUTDOORS. THROUGH HANDS-ON LEARNING, WE CULTIVATE CURIOSITY, INCREASE SELF ESTEEM, EMPOWER THE INDIVIDUAL, AND CREATE AWARENESS AND RESPECT FOR OURSELVES AND THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
- Income
- $2.0 million
- Spending
- $1.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- 1.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 66%
- Employees
- 62
- Volunteers
- 1
- Highest pay
- $53,522, 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
Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 23% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.3 months of spending.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 55% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 18% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 23% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 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
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, 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 (1)
- $1.4 million spent. ECHO HILL OUTDOOR SCHOOL, LOCATED IN KENT COUNTY, MARYLAND, PROVIDES YEAR- ROUND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS AND ADULTS. IN 2024, THE SCHOOL SERVED ABOUT 6,000 PARTICIPANTS FROM PUBLIC, PRIVATE, HOMESCHOOL, AND ADULT GROUPS IN THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION THROUGH SINGLE-DAY AND MULTI-DAY EXPERIENCES. PROGRAMS SUPPORT CLASSROOM LEARNING AND MEET ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY STANDARDS, NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS, COMMON CORE, AND MARYLAND COLLEGE AND CAREER READY STANDARDS, WITH PUBLIC SCHOOL PROGRAMS SUPPORTED BY THE MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. IN 2024, ECHO HILL ADDED THE PATHFINDER, A NEW HIGH CHALLENGE COURSE TO HELP STUDENTS SET GOALS, BUILD CONFIDENCE, AND WORK AS A TEAM. THE SCHOOL ALSO BUILT A WIGWAM AND LONG HOUSE TO GIVE STUDENTS HANDS-ON LEARNING ABOUT EARLY LIFE IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AREA. ECHO HILL OUTDOOR SCHOOL, LOCATED IN KENT COUNTY, MARYLAND, PROVIDES YEAR- ROUND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS AND ADULTS. IN 2024, THE SCHOOL SERVED ABOUT 6,000 PARTICIPANTS FROM PUBLIC, PRIVATE, HOMESCHOOL, AND ADULT GROUPS IN THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION THROUGH SINGLE-DAY AND MULTI-DAY EXPERIENCES. PROGRAMS SUPPORT CLASSROOM LEARNING AND MEET ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY STANDARDS, NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS, COMMON CORE, AND MARYLAND COLLEGE AND CAREER READY STANDARDS, WITH PUBLIC SCHOOL PROGRAMS SUPPORTED BY THE MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. IN 2024, ECHO HILL ADDED THE PATHFINDER, A NEW HIGH CHALLENGE COURSE TO HELP STUDENTS SET GOALS, BUILD CONFIDENCE, AND WORK AS A TEAM. THE SCHOOL ALSO BUILT A WIGWAM AND LONG HOUSE TO GIVE STUDENTS HANDS-ON LEARNING ABOUT EARLY LIFE IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AREA.
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 May 1973.
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.
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.