Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Boothbay Sea and Science Center

EIN 45-5504690 · East Boothbay, ME

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair50 out of 100GovernanceGood78 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MISSION OF THE BOOTHBAY SEA AND SCIENCE CENTER IS THE ADVANCEMENT OF SAILING, BOATING AND OCEAN SCIENCES BY MINIMIZING ECONOMIC AND PHYSICAL OBSTACLES AND FURTHER TO DEVELOP INDEPENDENCE, SELF-CONFIDENCE, TEAMWORK AND VOLUNTEERISM IN THE PARTICIPANTS. TO INSPIRE INDIVIDUALS TO STRENGHTEN THEMSELVES AND THEIR COMMUNITY THROUGH THE ENJOYMENT OF THE SEA. BSSC'S VISION IS TO PROVIDE A COMMUNITY SEA AND SCIENCE EDUCATION CENTER THAT OFFERS EQUAL AND AFFORDABLE ACCESS TO THE WATERFRONT FOR YOUTH THROUGH SAILING, BOATING, AND MARINE SCIENCE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES NOT PROVIDED BY OTHER REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.

Income
$586,339
Spending
$445,811
Spent on programs
78%
Reserves
-17.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 69%
Employees
22
Volunteers
50
Highest pay
$1,500, president

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

Fair: 50 out of 100. Higher than 17% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 54% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 24% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 13% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    78% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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: 78 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 9 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 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)
  1. $345,639 spent. FOR 12 SUMMERS BOOTHBAY SEA AND SCIENCE CENTER (BSSC) HAS BEEN PUTTING KIDS IN BOATS AND BUILDING A PROGRAM THAT TEACHES THEM, FIRST-HAND, ABOUT THE SEA. LINEKIN BAY AND ITS SHORELINE ARE ITS CLASSROOMS. BY TOUCHING, SEEING AND DOING, KIDS LEARN ABOUT WIND AND SAIL TRIM, TIDES AND CURRENTS, THE WIDE VARIETY OF MARINE ORGANISMS THAT MAKE THE BAY THEIR HOME, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD STEWARDSHIP OF SHORELINE RESOURCES. BSSC CONTINUES TO DEVELOP PROGRAMS THAT EMBRACE BOATING, SAILING, AND OCEAN SCIENCE ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING SUMMER PROGRAMS AT THEIR LINEKIN BAY CAMPUS AT 12 CARTER RD IN EAST BOOTHBAY, MAINE AND IN 16 SCHOOLS IN 8 MAINE COUNTIES. THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS BSSC INSTILLS IN YOUNGSTERS NOT ONLY A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE OCEAN ON WHICH THEY SAIL, BUT ALSO HOW TO SAFELY ENJOY, RESPECT, AND PROTECT MAINE'S MAGNIFICENT AND NATURALLY BEAUTIFUL SEA AND LAND SO THAT THEY REMAIN HEALTHY PLACES TO LIVE. FOR 12 SUMMERS BOOTHBAY SEA AND SCIENCE CENTER (BSSC) HAS BEEN PUTTING KIDS IN BOATS AND BUILDING A PROGRAM THAT TEACHES THEM, FIRST-HAND, ABOUT THE SEA. LINEKIN BAY AND ITS SHORELINE ARE ITS CLASSROOMS. BY TOUCHING, SEEING AND DOING, KIDS LEARN ABOUT WIND AND SAIL TRIM, TIDES AND CURRENTS, THE WIDE VARIETY OF MARINE ORGANISMS THAT MAKE THE BAY THEIR HOME, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD STEWARDSHIP OF SHORELINE RESOURCES. BSSC CONTINUES TO DEVELOP PROGRAMS THAT EMBRACE BOATING, SAILING, AND OCEAN SCIENCE ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING SUMMER PROGRAMS AT THEIR LINEKIN BAY CAMPUS AT 12 CARTER RD IN EAST BOOTHBAY, MAINE AND IN 16 SCHOOLS IN 8 MAINE COUNTIES. THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS BSSC INSTILLS IN YOUNGSTERS NOT ONLY A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE OCEAN ON WHICH THEY SAIL, BUT ALSO HOW TO SAFELY ENJOY, RESPECT, AND PROTECT MAINE'S MAGNIFICENT AND NATURALLY BEAUTIFUL SEA AND LAND SO THAT THEY REMAIN HEALTHY PLACES TO LIVE.

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

  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 October 13, 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 December 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 March 2014.

    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 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.