Biscayne Bay Waterkeeper Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
IN 2024, BISCAYNE BAY WATERKEEPER (D/B/A MIAMI WATERKEEPER) BUILT ON OUR REPUTATION BY NAVIGATING CHALLENGES, SEIZING OPPORTUNITIES, AND CONTINUING OUR UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO SAFEGUARDING OUR PRECIOUS WATERWAYS AND FINDING LOCAL RESILIENCY SOLUTIONS TO GLOBAL CHALLENGES. WE UPDATED OUR MISSION AND VISION TO BETTER REFLECT THE WORK WE DO AND THOSE WE SERVE. THE MISSION OF MIAMI WATERKEEPER IS NOW TO PROTECT SOUTH FLORIDA'S WATERS BY ADVOCATING FOR RESILIENT SOLUTIONS GROUNDED IN SCIENCE, ROOTED IN NATURE, AND DRIVEN BY COMMUNITY. WE HAVE A VISION FOR A RESILIENT SOUTH FLORIDA THAT IS A GLOBAL LEADER IN CLEAN WATER SOLUTIONS, WHERE THRIVING COMMUNITIES AND NATURE COEXIST. SINCE 2010, MIAMI WATERKEEPER HAS DEFENDED THE RIGHT TO USE AND ENJOY CLEAN WATER. WE ARE RECOGNIZED IN THE COMMUNITY AS A TRUSTED SOURCE OF INFORMATION AND A LEADING VOICE AND ADVOCATE FOR BISCAYNE BAY AND ITS SURROUNDING WATERSHED. OUR WORK IS EFFECTIVE BECAUSE WE EMPLOY A MULTI- FACETED APPROACH THAT INCLUDES SCIEN
- Income
- $4.3 million
- Spending
- $3.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 70%
- Reserves
- 5.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 77%
- Employees
- 39
- Volunteers
- 2,568
- Highest pay
- $210,000, chief execut
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: 81 out of 100. Higher than 54% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.1 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 24% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 13% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 13% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1570% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 19 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 2512 of 12 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)
- $2.6 million spent. CLEAN WATER IS WHAT MAKES MIAMI, MIAMI. BISCAYNE BAY IS A VITAL PART OF MIAMI-DADE'S ENVIRONMENT AND ECONOMY. STRETCHING FROM HAULOVER INLET TO KEY LARGO, ITS SHALLOW WATERS PROVIDE CRITICAL HABITAT FOR SEAGRASS AND MARINE LIFE, INCLUDING IMPORTANT RECREATIONAL AND COMMERCIAL FISHERIES. THE BAY FORMS PART OF THE INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY AND IS PROTECTED THROUGH BISCAYNE NATIONAL PARK AND THE BISCAYNE BAY AQUATIC PRESERVES, HIGHLIGHTING ITS ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE. BEYOND ITS NATURAL VALUE, BISCAYNE BAY PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN THE LOCAL ECONOMY. A 2023 STUDY FOUND THAT IT CONTRIBUTES 64 BILLION ANNUALLY, SUPPORTING TOURISM, RECREATION, AND BUSINESSES THAT RELY ON CLEAN WATER (HAZEN AND SAWYER, "BISCAYNE BAY ECONOMIC STUDY UPDATE," SEPT. 15, 2023). HOWEVER, INCREASING POLLUTION, HABITAT LOSS, AND SEA LEVEL RISE THREATS PUT THE BAY AND ITS FISHERIES AT RISK. AT MIAMI WATERKEEPER, WE ENVISION A RESILIENT SOUTH FLORIDA THAT IS A GLOBAL LEADER IN CLEAN WATER SOLUTIONS, WHERE THRIVING COMMUNITIES AND NATURE COEXIST. TO ACHIEVE THIS VISION, WE WORK TOWARD OUR MISSION OF PROTECTING SOUTH FLORIDA'S WATERS BY ADVOCATING FOR RESILIENT SOLUTIONS GROUNDED IN SCIENCE, ROOTED IN NATURE, AND DRIVEN BY COMMUNITY. FOCUSING ON CLEAN WATER, HABITAT PROTECTION, AND SEA LEVEL RISE RESILIENCE, WE IMPLEMENT A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH THAT INCLUDES SCIENCE AND RESEARCH, ADVOCACY, AND EDUCATION AND OUTREACH. FROM WETLANDS TO REEFS, COURTROOMS TO CLASSROOMS, WE'RE PROTECTING THE WATER AND WHAT MAKES SOUTH FLORIDA UNIQUE. SCIENCE OUR WORK ALWAYS STARTS WITH A STRONG FOUNDATION ROOTED IN SCIENCE. WE ANALYZE EXISTING RESEARCH AND LEAD LARGE-SCALE, COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH PROJECTS TO FILL IN KNOWLEDGE GAPS. WATER QUALITY MONITORING: EVERY WEEK, OUR TEAM OF DEDICATED WATER QUALITY TECHNICIANS TEST OVER 25 POPULAR WATERFRONT SITES THROUGHOUT MIAMI-DADE AND BROWARD COUNTIES. ALONG WITH CHECKING BACTERIA LEVELS, WE MEASURE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS LIKE TEMPERATURE, SALINITY AND TURBIDITY. WE REPORT ALL OUR FINDINGS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, OUR WEBSITE AND THE EASY-TO-USE SWIM GUIDE APP. THIS HELPS YOU KNOW WHETHER YOUR FAVORITE BEACHES AND WATERWAYS ARE SAFE TO ENJOY. COMMUNITY POLLUTION REPORT LEADS TO REDUCTION OF CHEMICAL SPRAYING IN OUR WATERWAYS: THANKS TO A COMMUNITY POLLUTION REPORT, WHICH WE COLLECTED THROUGH OUR 1,000 EYES ON THE WATER PROGRAM (DESCRIBED BELOW), WE BECAME AWARE OF THE COUNTY'S LONG-STANDING PRACTICE OF SPRAYING WATERWAYS WITH HERBICIDES TO CONTROL THE ALGAE GROWTH FUELED BY SEPTIC TANKS, STORMWATER, AND FERTILIZER RUNOFF. THIS TYPE OF CHEMICAL CONTROL KEEPS THE ALGAE IN THE WATER AND ADDS THE CHEMICALS ON TOP OF IT, LEADING TO EVEN WORSE WATER QUALITY - BOTH IN OUR CANALS AND BISCAYNE BAY. FOR YEARS, WE WORKED WITH MIAMI-DADE COUNTY TO END CANAL SPRAYING AND SWITCH TO MECHANICAL HARVESTING. IN JANUARY 2024, WITH THE SUPPORT OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY MAYOR DANIELLA LEVINE CAVA, THE COUNTY FINALLY MADE THE SWITCH IN 80% OF THEIR CANALS. WE'RE THRILLED WITH THIS OUTCOME AND WILL CONTINUE WORKING TO IMPROVE THE OVERALL SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR COMMUNITY'S CANAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES. ADVOCACY BACKED BY SCIENCE, WE DEVELOP POLICY SOLUTIONS THAT SOLVE PROBLEMS FACING OUR COMMUNITY. WE TAKE A GRASSROOTS-TO-GRASSTOPS APPROACH, ENGAGING THE PUBLIC WHILE WORKING WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THE GOVERNMENT. OUR POLICY TAKES THREE PRIMARY FORMS: LEGISLATION, LITIGATION, AND ADVOCACY. PROTECTING WILDLIFE: NASSAU GROUPER POPULATIONS HAVE BEEN DWINDLING FOR DECADES DUE TO COASTAL DEVELOPMENT, POLLUTION, AND RISING OCEAN TEMPERATURES. SPECIES WITH FEDERALLY PROTECTED HABITATS ARE TWICE AS LIKELY TO RECOVER, BUT THE NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE (NMFS) HAD FAILED TO MEET DEADLINES TO DESIGNATE CRITICAL HABITAT FOR THIS THREATENED SPECIES. IN 2020, WE JOINED THE CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY AND WILDEARTH GUARDIANS IN A LAWSUIT TO HOLD THE NMFS ACCOUNTABLE. THIS WAS STRATEGIC, AS THE NASSAU GROUPER IS A KEYSTONE SPECIES WHOSE PRESENCE IS LINKED TO HEALTHY REEF ECOSYSTEMS. AS A RESULT OF THIS COLLABORATIVE EFFORT, ON JANUARY 2, 2024, NMFS PROTECTED MORE THAN 900 SQUARE MILES IN THE WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC, WHERE THE NASSAU GROUPER AND OTHER MARINE LIFE CAN FLOURISH. SUCH DESIGNATION IDENTIFIES THE MOST IMPORTANT AREAS FOR THE SPECIES AND PREVENTS ACTIVITIES WITH ADVERSE MODIFICATIONS AND DESTRUCTION IN THE GROUPER'S ESSENTIAL HABITAT. PIVOTING TO NATURE-BASED RESILIENCY SOLUTIONS FOR MIAMI'S FUTURE: WORSENING HURRICANES POSE AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT TO MIAMI'S COASTAL COMMUNITIES. WE MUST ADAPT, BUT HOW WE DO SO WILL GREATLY AFFECT THE QUALITY OF OUR LIVES. IN 2020, THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS SHARED THE RESULTS OF THEIR BACK BAY COASTAL STORM RISK MANAGEMENT FEASIBILITY STUDY (AKA THE "BACK BAY STUDY"), WHICH AIMED TO PROTECT MIAMI-DADE FROM STORM SURGE - A MILES-LONG, MASSIVE WALL AT THE SHORES OF BISCAYNE BAY. THIS PROJECT WOULD HAVE EXACERBATED FLOODING FROM RISING SEAS AND INCREASED RAINFALL, WORSENED WATER QUALITY, AND LEFT SOME COMMUNITIES COMPLETELY UNPROTECTED FROM RISKS. ALONGSIDE PARTNERS, WE RALLIED TO SEND THE CORPS BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD. WE FORMED A COALITION OF ADVOCATES TO EXAMINE THEIR PROGRESS IN DETAIL AND TRANSLATED TECHNICAL JARGON INTO ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION FOR THE PUBLIC TO ENGAGE IN THE PROJECT'S RE-DESIGN. RATHER THAN UGLY GRAY WALLS THAT DIVIDE COMMUNITIES AND HARM BISCAYNE BAY, WE ADVOCATED FOR NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS TO COMBAT STORM SURGE. WE WORKED TO ENSURE THE PLAN ADDRESSED THE NEEDS OF ALL COMMUNITIES, ADVOCATING FOR INVESTMENTS IN FLOOD PROTECTION AND RESILIENCE WHERE THEY ARE NEEDED MOST. AS A RESULT, THE CORPS HAS PIVOTED ON THIS 6 BILLION PROJECT AND IS NOW WORKING TO INCORPORATE ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL CONSIDERATIONS. AS OF AUGUST 2024, THE CORPS HAS AUTHORIZED 180 MILLION FOR NATURE-BASED PILOT STUDIES LIKE CORAL REEF RESTORATION. WE ARE WORKING TO GET AN APPROPRIATION TO FUND THIS PROJECT. WHILE THIS PROJECT IS STILL EARLY IN ITS DESIGN PHASE, WE AND OUR ALLIES - EVERGLADES LAW CENTER, E
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 November 2010.
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.
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