Kieve-Wavus Education Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
- Raising each dollar of donations cost 65 cents.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
Kieve Wavus Education is guided by its mission: to empower people to contribute positively to society by promoting the values of kindness, respect for others, and environmental stewardship through year-round experiential programs, camps for youth and adults, and guidance through experiential programs led by inspirational role models.
- Income
- $13.6 million
- Spending
- $13.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 83%
- Reserves
- 10.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 79%
- Employees
- 296
- Volunteers
- 19
- Highest pay
- $1.2 million, exe. director emeritus (end 1/24)
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
Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 71% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 10.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 9% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 9% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1583% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 65 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: 80 out of 100. Higher than 8% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2514 of 14 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
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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)
- $3.7 million spent. Camp Kieve for boys is a wilderness tripping camp with a robust traditional summer camp program. 606 campers were in the 2024 camp program across four sessions (two 26-day and two 10-day). Founded in 1926 on Damariscotta Lake in Nobleboro, Maine, Kieve is a Celtic verb meaning to strive in emulation of - to work hard to acquire skills, knowledge, and attitudes from others so as to improve yourself; the program is built on this foundation, providing a staff full of tremendous role models worthy of emulation. Campers ranging from 8-17 years old learn and grow through fun and explorative traditional activities on campus and increasingly challenging wilderness trips, ranging from two to 22 days, that foster independence and build resilience. (Camp Kieve continued) Led by largely college-aged counselors, campers build skills and lasting connections that empower them to go back and positively affect their communities by spreading the values of kindness, respect, and environmental stewardship.
- $3.4 million spent. Wavus Camp for girls is a wilderness tripping camp with a robust traditional summer camp program. 561 campers were in the 2024 camp program across our sessions (two 26-day and two 10-day). Founded in 1922, the Wavus Foundation merged with Kieve Affective Education to form Kieve Wavus Education in 2005, with Wavus Camp reopening as Kieve's sister camp and program in 2006. Campers ranging from 8-17 years old learn and grow through fun and explorative traditional activities on campus and increasingly challenging wilderness trips, ranging from two to 22 days, that foster independence and build resilience. (Wavus Camp continued) Led by largely college-aged counselors, campers build skills and lasting connections that empower them to go back and positively affect their communities by spreading the values of kindness, respect, and environmental stewardship.
- $3.9 million spent. The Leadership School (TLS) is a teacher education program that cultivates career educators who learn by providing experiential outdoor education programs to thousands of Maine students each year. TLS is a Maine Department of Education (DOE) non-traditional, limited-purpose private school (grades 1-12), guided by our environmental stewardship and experiential approach to social-emotional learning (EASEL) curricula. At TLS, our teaching fellows spend their fall and spring terms leading overnight Outdoor School programs for Maine students and teachers on our Kieve campus, and their winter terms in residency at local, Midcoast Maine public schools. (Leadership School & KWE Events continued) Through a partnership with the University of Southern Maine, a TLS Fellow can earn their professional DOE teaching certification with all coursework and student teaching credit hours paid for by KWE. In 2024, TLS served approximately 6,353 students across 77 programs on campus and at our local schools.KWE Events incorporates the wide range of programs led across our campuses and in our community, above and beyond TLS, Kieve, and Wavus. Each year, KWE hosts dozens of events - from wellness retreats for humanitarian and mission-based groups ranging from veterans to families fighting cancer, to board meetings, team-building programs, and more. Our campuses feature cozy lakeside cottages, as well as the Kennedy Learning Center, a 16-bedroom event center at our Kieve campus, where alumni and people aligned with our mission can come together to learn, grow, and benefit from this transformational place. This work also incorporates the Lincoln County Food Initiative, where, during the 20 weeks of winter in Maine, members of our operations team combine their efforts to serve our neighbors in need. This program evolved from a community-wide initiative at the peak of the COVID pandemic. It leverages local partnerships and KWE's industrial kitchens and talented full-time cooks to procure local ingredients and produce more than 6,000 delicious, pre-made meals to our five local pantries, helping sustain our neighbors facing food insecurity during the hardest time of the year.
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 February 1974.
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.