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Partnership for the Delaware Estuary Inc

EIN 51-0375307 · Wilmington, DE

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood81 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

PARTNERSHIP FOR THE DELAWARE ESTUARY, INC. (PDE), HOST OF THE DELAWARE ESTUARY PROGRAM, LEADS COLLABORATIVE, SCIENCE-BASED EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE DELAWARE RIVER AND BAY, WHICH COVERS PORTIONS OF DELAWARE, NEW JERSEY, AND PENNSYLVANIA.

Income
$4.6 million
Spending
$4.2 million
Spent on programs
75%
Reserves
5.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 75%
Employees
37
Volunteers
251
Highest pay
$155,595, executive di

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 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 23% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 9% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 20% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    75% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 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 25

    20 of 20 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 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. $3.1 million spent. LIVING SHORELINES - PDE CONTINUED TO CONDUCT STUDIES TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE FRESHWATER MUSSEL HABITAT REQUIREMENTS THAT IMPROVE LIVING SHORELINE DESIGNS, AND CONTINUED TO WORK ON LIVING SHORELINE PLANNING, INSTALLATION, AND MONITORING. THIS INCLUDED LIVING SHORELINE MONITORING AT LEWES, DE; MISPILLION, DE; AND MAURICE RIVER, NJ; AS WELL AS ON THE SCHUYLKILL RIVER IN PHILADELPHIA. BIVALVE RESEARCH AND FRESHWATER MUSSEL PROPAGATION - PDE CONDUCTED FRESHWATER MUSSEL GENETIC RESEARCH AND FRESHWATER MUSSEL GROWTH RESEARCH AT SEVERAL LOCATIONS ACROSS PA, DE, AND NJ. PDE IS ALSO CONTINUING TO WORK TOWARD THE START OF CONSTRUCTION OF THE FRESHWATER MUSSEL HATCHERY. WETLANDS MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT - PDE CONDUCTED WETLANDS MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT AS PART OF THE MID-ATLANTIC COASTAL WETLANDS MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT (MACWA) PROGRAM. MACWA ACTIVITIES INCLUDED SITE SPECIFIC INTENSIVE MONITORING (SSIM), AS WELL AS GROUNDWATER MONITORING AT SITES IN NJ AND DE TO ASSESS THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND SEA LEVEL RISE. THE USE OF NEWLY ACQUIRED ACOUSTIC MONITORING EQUIPMENT IS ALSO BEING INCORPORATED INTO MONITORING AT RESTORATION SITES TO ASSESS THE CHANGE IN WILDLIFE USAGE PRE- AND POST-RESTORATION. PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT - PDE STAFF ENGAGED IN COMMUNITY OUTREACH RELATED TO CLEAN WATER, HEALTHY HABITATS, AND STRONG COMMUNITIES. PDE PARTICIPATED IN AN INCREASED THE NUMBER OF PUBLIC EVENTS AND FESTIVALS IN 2024, PROVIDING PDE WITH MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE WITH PEOPLE FACE-TO-FACE. IN ADDITION TO IN-PERSON EVENTS, PDE REACHED COMMUNITIES THROUGH VARIOUS SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AND PDE'S ESTUARY NEWS NEWSLETTER. URBAN WATERS FEDERAL PARTNERSHIP COORDINATION - PDE SERVED AS THE COORDINATOR OF THE URBAN WATERS FEDERAL PARTNERSHIP (UWFP) FOR THE DELAWARE RIVER LOCATION, WHICH INCLUDES THE CITIES OF PHILADELPHIA (PA), CHESTER (PA), CAMDEN (NJ), AND WILMINGTON (DE). PDE STENGTHENED CONNECTIONS WITHIN EACH OF THESE COMMUNITIES AND WORKED WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS TO PLAN COMMUNITY PROJECTS THAT WILL HELP IMPROVE WATER QUALITY, HABITAT, AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE. LIVING SHORELINES - PDE CONTINUED TO CONDUCT STUDIES TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE FRESHWATER MUSSEL HABITAT REQUIREMENTS THAT IMPROVE LIVING SHORELINE DESIGNS, AND CONTINUED TO WORK ON LIVING SHORELINE PLANNING, INSTALLATION, AND MONITORING. THIS INCLUDED LIVING SHORELINE MONITORING AT LEWES, DE; MISPILLION, DE; AND MAURICE RIVER, NJ; AS WELL AS ON THE SCHUYLKILL RIVER IN PHILADELPHIA. BIVALVE RESEARCH AND FRESHWATER MUSSEL PROPAGATION - PDE CONDUCTED FRESHWATER MUSSEL GENETIC RESEARCH AND FRESHWATER MUSSEL GROWTH RESEARCH AT SEVERAL LOCATIONS ACROSS PA, DE, AND NJ. PDE IS ALSO CONTINUING TO WORK TOWARD THE START OF CONSTRUCTION OF THE FRESHWATER MUSSEL HATCHERY. WETLANDS MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT - PDE CONDUCTED WETLANDS MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT AS PART OF THE MID-ATLANTIC COASTAL WETLANDS MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT (MACWA) PROGRAM. MACWA ACTIVITIES INCLUDED SITE SPECIFIC INTENSIVE MONITORING (SSIM), AS WELL AS GROUNDWATER MONITORING AT SITES IN NJ AND DE TO ASSESS THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND SEA LEVEL RISE. THE USE OF NEWLY ACQUIRED ACOUSTIC MONITORING EQUIPMENT IS ALSO BEING INCORPORATED INTO MONITORING AT RESTORATION SITES TO ASSESS THE CHANGE IN WILDLIFE USAGE PRE- AND POST-RESTORATION. PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT - PDE STAFF ENGAGED IN COMMUNITY OUTREACH RELATED TO CLEAN WATER, HEALTHY HABITATS, AND STRONG COMMUNITIES. PDE PARTICIPATED IN AN INCREASED THE NUMBER OF PUBLIC EVENTS AND FESTIVALS IN 2024, PROVIDING PDE WITH MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE WITH PEOPLE FACE-TO-FACE. IN ADDITION TO IN-PERSON EVENTS, PDE REACHED COMMUNITIES THROUGH VARIOUS SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AND PDE'S ESTUARY NEWS NEWSLETTER. URBAN WATERS FEDERAL PARTNERSHIP COORDINATION - PDE SERVED AS THE COORDINATOR OF THE URBAN WATERS FEDERAL PARTNERSHIP (UWFP) FOR THE DELAWARE RIVER LOCATION, WHICH INCLUDES THE CITIES OF PHILADELPHIA (PA), CHESTER (PA), CAMDEN (NJ), AND WILMINGTON (DE). PDE STENGTHENED CONNECTIONS WITHIN EACH OF THESE COMMUNITIES AND WORKED WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS TO PLAN COMMUNITY PROJECTS THAT WILL HELP IMPROVE WATER QUALITY, HABITAT, AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE.

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 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 December 2024.

    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 October 1996.

    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.