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Debris Free

EIN 46-4581532 · Miami, FL

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceGood82 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

DEBRIS FREE OCEANS IS A MIAMI-BASED ORGANIZATION THAT EMPOWERS LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO GO ZERO-WASTE.

Income
$208,908
Spending
$186,576
Spent on programs
72%
Reserves
14.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 47%
Employees
3
Volunteers
2,115
Highest pay
$64,913, president

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

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 60% of charities in its peer group (environment, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 14.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 9% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 29% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    72% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 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

Good: 82 out of 100. Higher than 75% of charities in its peer group (environment, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    3 of 5 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

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (5)
  1. $8,400 spent. EDUCATION - SINCE INCEPTION, WE HAVE PROVIDED EDUCATIONAL LESSONS ABOUT PLASTIC POLLUTION AND HOW TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION TO 15,000 IN-PERSON INDIVIDUALS; MENTORED 16 COLLEGE-LEVEL FUTURE OCEAN CONSERVATION LEADERS IN PLASTIC POLLUTION KNOWLEDGE, PRESENTATION SKILLS, CLEANUP AND EVENT ORGANIZATION, AND ADVOCACY; AND MENTORED APPROXIMATELY 100 HIGH-SCHOOL LEVEL FUTURE OCEAN CONSERVATION LEADERS TO SPEAK WITH 54 BUSINESSES ABOUT REDUCING THEIR PLASTIC WASTE AND SAVING MONEY ULTIMATELY ELIMINATING 28,000 SINGLE-USE PLASTIC ITEMS FROM THE WASTE STREAM. IN TOTAL, DEBRIS FREE OCEANS HAS HELPED ENTITIES IN MIAMI ELIMINATE OVER 2 MILLION, AND COUNTING, PLASTIC ITEMS FROM THE WASTE STREAM.
  2. $63,917 spent. ZERO WASTE MIAMI - IN 2024, DEBRIS FREE OCEANS LAUNCHED ZERO WASTE MIAMI - A COALITION WORKING TO BUILD MIAMI'S CIRCULAR ECONOMY THROUGH EXPANDING REDUCTION, REUSE, REFILL, REPAIR, RECYCLING, AND COMPOSTING IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY. 160+ BUSINESSES, NONPROFITS, GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS TAKE PART IN ZERO WASTE MIAMI'S MONTHLY MEETINGS, WHATSAPP COMMUNITY, MAILING LIST, AND MORE.
  3. $16,746 spent. CLEANUPS - AS OF 6/30/2025, WE HAVE REMOVED APPROXIMATELY 75,000 POUNDS OF TRASH FROM MIAMI'S STREETS, BEACHES, AND REEFS WITH OVER 13,000 VOLUNTEERS.
  4. $44,498 spent. LIFESTYLE & AWARENESS EVENTS - FROM OUR START, WE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN, AUDITED, AND/OR HOSTED 500+ ZERO WASTE EVENTS REACHING NEARLY 16,000 PEOPLE, INSPIRING SUSTAINABILITY ACROSS THE EVENT SECTOR AND SHIFTING CULTURE TOWARDS ZERO-WASTE IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY.
  5. LIFESTYLE & AWARENESS EVENTS - FROM OUR START, WE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN, AUDITED, AND/OR HOSTED 500+ ZERO WASTE EVENTS REACHING NEARLY 16,000 PEOPLE, INSPIRING SUSTAINABILITY ACROSS THE EVENT SECTOR AND SHIFTING CULTURE TOWARDS ZERO-WASTE IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY.

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

  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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. 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 September 7, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since November 2014.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.