Onereef Worldwide Stewardship
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
OneReefs mission is to ensure healthy ocean ecosystems and thriving coastal communities across the Pacific.
- Income
- $2.3 million
- Spending
- $3.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 73%
- Reserves
- 3.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 97%
- Employees
- 8
- Volunteers
- 7
- Highest pay
- $222,719, president
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 35% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 22% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1573% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 21 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 256 of 9 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, 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)
- $2.3 million spent. OneReef has 3 main priorities: 1) invest in place-based stewardship in Micronesia by helping communities manage marine protected areas, restore mangroves, strengthen fisheries management, empower women, invest in youth learning traditional ocean knowledge, and monitor the health of coastal ecosystems;2) invest in people by training early-career environmental leaders in conservation practice, nonprofit management, project development, budgeting, reporting, grant writing, communications, and leadership skills; 3) invest in institutional capacity by supporting government agencies and local organizations with infrastructure, equipment, training, and connections to sustainable conservation financing. In 2025, OneReef delivered measurable impact at scale across the Pacific. The organization supported 59 communities across 7 countries, helping safeguard approximately 918,627 acres of marine areas and reaching more than 91,559 people directly and indirectly. Through the MiCOAST initiative and related programs, over 600 individuals were directly engaged in activities such as fisheries management, with 50 staff from partner organizations trained in gender equity and social inclusion, and 11 farmers trained in mariculture producing more than 5,000 rabbitfish. OneReef also strengthened on-the-ground capacity through improved ranger safety and operations, infrastructure investments such as patrol vessels and station upgrades, and expanded youth engagement and community outreach programs. In parallel, ecological monitoring and long-term studies showed significant gains in reef health, including doubling of fish abundance in Pohnpei over a 10 year period, demonstrating tangible progress toward improved ocean health and human well-being.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 December 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 2014.
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.