Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SECOORA IS THE REGIONAL SOLUTION TO INTEGRATING COASTAL AND OCEAN OBSERVING DATA IN THE SOUTHEAST UNITED STATES TO INFORM DECISION MAKERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THE SECOORA REGION ENCOMPASSES 4 STATES, OVER 42 MILLION PEOPLE AND SPANS THE COASTAL OCEAN FROM NORTH CAROLINA TO THE WEST COAST OF FLORIDA. WE ARE CREATING CUSTOMIZED PRODUCTS TO ADDRESS THESE THEMATIC AREAS: MARINE OPERATIONS; COASTAL HAZARDS; ECOSYSTEMS, WATER QUALITY, AND LIVING MARINE RESOURCES.
- Income
- $7.4 million
- Spending
- $7.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 100%
- Reserves
- 1.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 99%
- Employees
- 7
- Volunteers
- 11
- Highest pay
- $200,056, 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
Fair: 57 out of 100. Higher than 30% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.1 months of spending.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 63% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 12% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 15100% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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 68% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2511 of 11 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 (3)
- $7.2 million spent. PROVIDE OCEAN INFORMATION TO MEMBERS AND OTHER PARTIES. THE ORGANIZATION IS ONE OF 11 REGIONAL COASTAL OBSERVING SYSTEMS. SECOORA COLLECTS DATA AND CREATES TOOLS THAT SUPPORT HUMAN POPULATIONS, COASTAL ECONOMIES AND A HEALTHY, SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT. ITS OBSERVING SYSTEM IS COMPRISED OF MULTIPLE DATA PRODUCTS, MOORED AND COASTAL STATIONS, HIGH-FREQUENCY RADARS, AND A GLIDER OBSERVATORY.
- PRIORITIES FOR SECOORA FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS ARE TO SUSTAIN, REPAIR AND EXPAND CRITICAL OBSERVING INFRASTRUCTURE, AND ENHANCE DATA MANAGEMENT, DATA SHARING, AND DELIVERY OF DATA PRODUCTS, TO STAKEHOLDERS THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEAST, INCLUDING UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. IN SECOORA'S BIL AWARD SECOORA IS PROPOSING WORK UNDER TOPIC AREA 1 AND TOPIC AREA 2:
- SECOORA AND PARTNERS HAVE SUCCESSFULLY PILOTED AND TRANSITIONED TO OPERATIONS A COASTAL WEBCAM NETWORK FOR THE SOUTHEAST US. THE NETWORK, KNOWN AS WEBCOOS, STREAMLINED THE COLLECTION, STORAGE, AND ACCESS TO REAL-TIME AND HISTORIC WEBCAM IMAGERY AND ENABLES IMAGE ANALYSIS AND DEVELOPMENT OF DERIVED PRODUCTS THAT CAN BE USED FOR DECISION-MAKING.
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? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 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 August 2008.
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.