Waterfowl Festival Inc
Public records raise at least one point you should look into before giving.
What it says it does
WATERFOWL CHESAPEAKE WILL CREATE, RESTORE AND CONSERVE WATERFOWL HABITAT THROUGHOUT THE CHESAPEAKE BAY WATERSHED AND NEARBY COASTAL BAYS BY ENGAGING IN COLLABORATIVE, STRATEGIC INITIATIVES WITH ORGANIZATIONS, GOVERNMENTS, CORPORATIONS, FOUNDATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS.
- Income
- $2.2 million
- Spending
- $1.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 62%
- Reserves
- 12.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 58%
- Employees
- 8
- Volunteers
- 1,000
- Highest pay
- $81,346, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 64% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 12.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 34% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 25% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1562% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 73% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 16 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 June 30, 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)
- $883,302 spent. FOR MORE THAN FOUR DECADES, THE ORGANIZATION HAS STAGED AN ANNUAL EVENT THAT HAS RAISED A TOTAL OF MORE THAN 5 MILLION FOR WILDLIFE AND HABITAT CONSERVATION, EDUCATION, AND RESEARCH. MORE THAN FIFTY ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BENEFITED THROUGH GRANTS OF NEARLY 4 MILLION ON CONSERVATION PROJECTS, MORE THAN 1 MILLION ON ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS, AND MORE THAN 26,000 ON HABITAT AND WILDLIFE RESEARCH INITIATIVES. IN RECENT YEARS WE BEGAN TURNING OUR FOCUS TOWARDS MORE COLLABORATIVE AND PARTICIPATORY PROJECTS, LEVERAGING FUNDS AND CREATING PARTNERSHIPS ON MORE EXPANSIVE PROJECTS. THE ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN A CONTRIBUTING PARTNER IN ASSOCIATION WITH SEVERAL PRIVATE, GOVERNMENTAL, AND NONPROFIT ENTITIES TO RESTORE AND PROTECT CRITICAL WETLAND HABITAT AT EASTERN NECK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE. IN THE COMPLETION OF THE CONSERVATION/RESTORATION OF 27 ACRES OF MARSH TO WETLANDS AT BLACKWATER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE. THE NEW WETLAND SERVES AS A VITAL FOOD SOURCE FOR MIGRATORY WINTER WATERFOWL. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO OPERATES A SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM KNOWN AS THE WILLIAM A. PERRY SCHOLARSHIP FUND, FOR STUDENTS THAT HAVE VOLUNTEERED SERVICE TO THE ORGANIZATION OR ITS AFFILIATE, WATERFOWL FESTIVAL INC. AWARDS ARE MADE TO INCOMING OR EXISTING STUDENTS ENROLLED AT AN UNDERGRADUATE INSTITUTION WITH THE AMOUNTS BASED ON A STUDENTS YEARS OF SERVICE TO THEORGANIZATION, HIS OR HER YEAR IN COLLEGE, GRADE POINT AVERAGE, AND RECENT OR CONTINUED EFFORTS TO SERVE THE ORGANIZATION AFTER STARTING COLLEGE.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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? Caution.
Its 2023 filing told the IRS that the organization has closed.
Source: Form 990-N (e-Postcard) filings, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 19, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 1975.
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.