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Chesapeake Conservancy Inc

EIN 26-2271377 · Annapolis, MD

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO CONSERVE AND RESTORE THE NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY WATERSHED FOR THE ENJOYMENT, EDUCATION, AND INSPIRATION OF THIS AND FUTURE GENERATIONS. WE SERVE AS A CATALYST FOR CHANGE, ADVANCING STRONG PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, DEVELOPING AND USING NEW TECHNOLOGY, AND EMPOWERING ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP.

Income
$14.0 million
Spending
$12.6 million
Spent on programs
83%
Reserves
5.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 39%
Employees
43
Volunteers
200
Highest pay
$237,429, part-year president and ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 4% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 10% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 35% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    83% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 36% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    18 of 18 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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)
  1. $7.5 million spent. CONSERVE: THE WORLDS LEADING SCIENTISTS ARE CALLING FOR DRAMATIC INCREASES IN CONSERVATION EFFORTS TO CONSERVE 30% OF THE EARTHS LANDS AND WATERS BY 2030. HERE IN THE CHESAPEAKE, WERE WORKING WITH PARTNERS TO CONSERVE 30% OF THE CHESAPEAKES LANDS AND WATERS BY 2030, WHICH IS CRITICAL FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE, BIODIVERSITY AND WATER QUALITY. CONSERVING LAND AND FORESTS PROVIDES HABITAT FOR WILDLIFE AND DOES A JOB THAT NATURE INTENDED - FILTERING STORMWATER BEFORE IT REACHES THE BAY, HELPING TO PREVENT SEDIMENT AND NUTRIENTS FROM ENTERING OUR WATERWAYS. WHEN WE CONSERVE LAND, WE ALSO STRIVE TO ENSURE THAT IT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR RECREATION, OFTEN BY EXPANDING OR CREATING NEW PARKS AND WILDLIFE REFUGES.
  2. $1.4 million spent. RESTORE STREAMS: TOGETHER WITH OUR PARTNERS, CHESAPEAKE CONSERVANCY IS USING THE LATEST GROUNDBREAKING DATA AND PRECISION CONSERVATION TO CREATE A HEALTHIER ENVIRONMENT UPSTREAM, FOR A HEALTHIER CHESAPEAKE BAY DOWNSTREAM. RESTORATION IS POSSIBLE THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS AND A DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH-STARTING WITH THE STREAMS. RESTORING THE BAYS 100,000 SMALL TRIBUTARIES IS KEY TO RESTORING THE CHESAPEAKE AS THE WATERSHEDS LAND-TO- WATER RATIO IS 14:1, THE LARGEST OF ANY OF THE LARGE ENCLOSED COASTAL WATER BODIES IN THE WORLD. WITH ALL OF THAT LAND DRAINING INTO VERY LITTLE WATER BY COMPARISON, STRINGING TOGETHER HIGH-VALUE PROJECTS IS THE FASTEST WAY TO SEE AN IMPROVEMENT IN FISH, BUG AND WILDLIFE HABITAT.
  3. $1.6 million spent. EMPOWER WITH DATA: CHESAPEAKE CONSERVANCYS CONSERVATION INNOVATION CENTER (CIC) SERVES AS A CATALYST FOR CHANGE, LEVERAGING CUTTING-EDGE GEOSPATIAL DATA SCIENCE, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND ADVANCED ANALYTICS TO TACKLE PRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL AND CONSERVATION CHALLENGES IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY WATERSHED. OUR GOAL IS TO TRANSFORM DATA INTO PRECISE AND ACTIONABLE INSIGHTS THAT RESTORE AND SUSTAIN THE BAYS HEALTH FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS. THE CIC HAS PIONEERED THE USE OF HIGH-RESOLUTION DATA PRODUCTS TO DEEPEN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF BOTH PRECISION-BASED AND LANDSCAPE-SCALE CONSERVATION. THROUGH STRONG PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, THE CICS INSIGHTS INFORM POLICIES AND DRIVE TARGETED PROJECT PRIORITIES TO MAXIMIZE CONSERVATION OUTCOMES. USING EVIDENCE- BASED STRATEGIES, QUANTIFIABLE NATURE-BASED CLIMATE SOLUTIONS AND ADVANCED ANALYTICS, WE CREATE INNOVATIVE TOOLS AND ANALYSES THAT EMPOWER EVIDENCE-BASED DECISION-MAKING.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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.

  2. 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 November 6, 2026.

  3. 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.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since July 2008.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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 November 4, 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.