Blue Water Baltimore
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO RESTORE THE QUALITY OF BALTIMORE'S RIVERS, STREAMS AND HARBOR TO FOSTER A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT, A STRONG ECONOMY, AND THRIVING COMMUNITIES.
- Income
- $2.9 million
- Spending
- $3.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 63%
- Reserves
- 3.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 71%
- Employees
- 37
- Volunteers
- 793
- Highest pay
- $131,954, director of finance and ad
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: 58 out of 100. Higher than 21% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.7 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 21% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 9% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 6% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1563% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 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 2518 of 18 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 (4)
- $279,288 spent. NURSERY:BLUE WATER BALTIMORE'S HERRING RUN NURSERY GROWS PLANTS, TREES AND SHRUBS NATIVE TO THE CHESAPEAKE BAY WATERSHED. THESE PLANTS ARE USED IN RESTORATION PROJECTS AND SOLD TO RESIDENTS AND WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS. SPECIALTIES OF OUR LANDSCAPING PROGRAM ALSO INCLUDE DESIGNING AND INSTALLING RAIN GARDENS AND LOW MAINTENANCE NATIVE LANDSCAPES TO REDUCE STORM RUNOFF. BLUE WATER BALTIMORE'S HERRING RUN NURSERY GROWS PLANTS, TREES AND SHRUBS NATIVE TO THE CHESAPEAKE BAY WATERSHED. THESE PLANTS ARE USED IN RESTORATION PROJECTS AND SOLD TO RESIDENTS AND WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS. SPECIALTIES OF OUR NURSERY INCLUDE DESIGNING AND INSTALLING RAIN GARDENS AND LOW MAINTENANCE NATIVE LANDSCAPES TO REDUCE STORM RUNOFF. TO AID RESIDENTS WE PROVIDED LANDSCAPE ADVICE TO 74 HOMES IN THE REGION. IN 2024, 34 DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS GAVE 646 HOURS OF TIME TO SELL 32,000 NATIVE PLANTS AND 16 RAIN BARRELS.
- $651,738 spent. WATERSHED RESTORATION:BLUE WATER BALTIMORE'S STORMWATER REDUCTION EFFORTS AIM TO REDUCE THE VOLUME OF RAIN WATER RUNOFF, OR STORMWATER AND THE AMOUNT OF POLLUTION FLOWING INTO OUR STREAMS. WE WORK WITH COMMUNITIES, PLACES OF WORSHIP, AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS. WE ARE WORKING TO ENGAGE RESIDENTS IN ACTIONS TO REDUCE NUTRIENT, SEDIMENT AND OTHER POLLUTION FROM ENTERING LOCAL STREAMS IN THE PATAPSCO AND BACK RIVER WATERSHEDS AND ULTIMATELY THE CHESAPEAKE BAY.IN 2024, WE WORKED WITH MORE THAN 25 PARTNERS INCLUDING CONGREGATIONS, SCHOOLS, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND HOSPITALS TO PLAN AND CONSTRUCT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT REDUCE AND FILTER STORMWATER RUNOFF. WE MANAGED THE INSTALLATION OF 4 GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS, INCLUDING PAVEMENT REMOVAL, RAIN GARDENS AND CONSERVATION LANDSCAPING. PROJECTS INCLUDE VILLAGE OF 12 TREES, PRINCE OF PEACE LUTHERAN CHURCH, BOLTON STREET SYNAGOGUE, AND ASENCION SAINT AGNES HOSPITAL. THESE PROJECTS TREAT 2.42 ACRES (1.50 IMPERVIOUS) OF OUR WATERSHED EACH TIME IT RAINS.
- $430,402 spent. GREENING:WE PLANTED 952 STREET TREES IN PARKS, SCHOOLS, RESIDENTS AND ALONG NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS IN OUR WATERSHED. WE GAVE AWAY OVER 1,180 TREES TO BE PLANTED IN YARDS WITHIN BALTIMORE CITY AND COUNTY. OUR STREET TREE PROGRAM CREATED 103 NEW TREE BEDS WHILE REMOVING 4,843 SQUARE FEET OF IMPERVIOUS SURFACE IN BALTIMORE CITY. IF ALL GIVEAWAY TREES WERE PLANTED THIS IS THE EQUIVALENT OF 7.10 ACRES OF NEW TREE CANOPY. THIS WILL EXPAND AS THE TREES GROW AND SPREAD THEIR LIMBS.
- $590,137 spent. WATERKEEPER:BLUE WATER BALTIMORE MAINTAINS A RIGOROUS LONG-TERM WATER QUALITY MONITORING PROGRAM IN BALTIMORE'S STREAMS, RIVERS, AND HARBOR IN ORDER TO CHARACTERIZE THE HEALTH OF OUR LOCAL WATERWAYS, HOLD POLLUTERS ACCOUNTABLE, AND ADVOCATE FOR STRONGER LAWS FOR CLEAN WATER. IN 2024, WE COLLECTED THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUAL MEASUREMENTS OF WATER HEALTH WHICH WE USED TO DEVELOP REGIONAL WATER QUALITY SCORES FOR OUR ANNUAL REPORT CARD. THE REPORT CARD AND ALL OF THE DATA WE GENERATE ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT BALTIMOREWATERWATCH.ORG. OUR DATA-MAPPING WEBSITE IS AN INVALUABLE TOOL FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS THAT HELPS THEM MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT HOW AND WHEN THEY CAN SAFELY FISH, PADDLE, AND WADE IN OUR LOCAL WATERWAYS. OUR WATERKEEPER TEAM RECEIVED AND RESPONDED TO 100 POLLUTION REPORTS FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGH VARIOUS CHANNELS INCLUDING SOCIAL MEDIA, EMAIL, OUR POLLUTION REPORTING HOTLINE, AND OUR ONLINE POLLUTION REPORTING TOOL. THESE REPORTS RANGED FROM ISSUES SUCH AS EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL VIOLATIONS AT CONSTRUCTION SITES, TO SEWAGE OVERFLOWS AND WATER MAIN BREAKS. IN 2024 WE NEGOTIATED A STRONG CONSENT DECREE IN OUR CLEAN WATER ACT LAWSUIT AGAINST FLEISCHMANN'S VINEGAR COMPANY INC., KERRY INC., AND KERRY HOLDING CO. WITH OUR PARTNERS, WE SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATED FOR THE MARYLAND CLEAN WATER JUSTICE ACT WHICH ALLOWS INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES TO ENFORCE MARYLAND'S CLEAN WATER LAWS, INCLUDING THOSE PERTAINING TO EPHEMERAL STREAMS, INTERMITTENT STREAMS, AND NONTIDAL WETLANDS.OUTREACH AND EDUCATION:IN 2024 WE HAD 50 DIFFERENT OUTREACH AND EDUCATION ACTIVITIES ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION AND REACHED NEARLY 1300 INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY AT COMMUNITY EVENTS, WORKSHOPS, THROUGH DOOR KNOCKING AND COMMUNITY MEETINGS AS WELL AS DELIVERING EDUCATION PROGRAMMING LIKE HOW'S THE WATER HON?, BUG HUNTS, AND WALK & TALKS.
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 August 1994.
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.
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.