Clearwater Marine Aquarium Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
We believe in preserving our environnment while inspiring the human spirit through leadership in the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of marine life, environmental education, research and conservation.
- Income
- $22.9 million
- Spending
- $25.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- -10.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 48%
- Employees
- 271
- Volunteers
- 320
- Highest pay
- $585,707, president & ceo
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 6% of charities in its peer group (animals, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 27% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 10% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 341% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1575% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 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 19% of charities in its peer group (animals, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 16 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 (3)
- $860,991 spent. Education:In FY 2024, Education Department hosted the Creepy Sea Cavern event as well as the Blizzard Bay event where we opened the Education floor to the public. The Education team taught guests about creepy sea creatures in the depths of the oceans or arctic animals and connected them back with our resident animals at Clearwater Marine Aquarium.For the summer of 2024, the department educated over 1,300 summer campers on marine conservation and stewardship in the R.O. Jacobson Education Center. The summer campers receive a hands-on, educational summer camp experience with lessons covering marine life and conservation. Students are then able to make real-world connections with the environment through offsite field trips, kayaking, and snorkeling adventures.For 2024, nearly 10,000 students and guests participated in educational programming onsite including new programming; such as, Junior Career Quest and Night at the Aquarium. In addition, the Aquarium continued to provide programming to long-standing program partners specializing in travel education.For the 11th year in a row, the "Trash to Toys" contest was conducted to celebrate Earth Day. Local Pinellas and Hillsborough County schools are invited to use trash found in their classroom to create an environmental enrichment device or toy for our resident dolphins. The winning class receives a virtual field trip for their classroom by a Clearwater Marine Aquarium educator.The education continued outside our four walls and into the community. The Education Department attended several events and festivals during 2024. Our educators also participated in the Great American Teach-In where we visited over 24 classrooms and engaged with over 1,300 students. In addition, over 27,000 guests were educated on the Aquarium's Eco-boat tours that discuss the marine environment in Clearwater Bay.
- $1.4 million spent. Zoological Care:Clearwater Marine Aquarium's Zoological Care team had a landmark year focused on advancing animal welfare, expanding rehabilitation programs, and engaging the community through meaningful education and conservation initiatives.Animal Care specialists provided exceptional care across the collection, including developing a long-term treatment plan for Walle, a 13-year-old river otter facing mobility challenges, and successfully integrating Opie, a rescued otter, into Otter Oasis alongside Boomer and Walle. The team achieved annual revenue goals early through expanded guest programs such as Paint with a Dolphin and pelican encounters, pairing hands-on experiences with conservation messaging. Animal Care also advanced research initiatives in partnership with the National Marine Mammal Foundation to implement computerized cognitive enrichment for rough-toothed dolphins, aiming to improve welfare and contribute to marine mammal science.Rescue operations were a core focus, with CMA coordinating eight manatee rescues, transports, and releases, supporting stranding responses, and participating in a sperm whale necropsy. The Rescue team also advanced professional readiness through collaborations in Belize, Myakka State Park, and with Bishop Museum, while securing critical funding requests under the RESTORE Act and Prescott grants to sustain operations and upgrade rehabilitation infrastructure.The Manatee Rehabilitation Program reached a historic milestone with the opening of CMA's new rehabilitation center. The arrival of juvenile patients Yeti and Zamboni marked CMA's first active role in second-stage care, supported by a dedicated new Manatee Rehabilitation Manager, Tanya Ward. These achievements positioned CMA as a model facility for the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership and strengthened collaboration with USFWS and Zoo Tampa.The Aquatic Biology team enhanced guest engagement with innovative programs such as "Tortoise Treat Time and "Big Mouths, Little Appetites," while planning new conservation-focused exhibits including Project Piaba and an Atlantic octopus display. The year also tested CMA's preparedness through two major hurricanes. Guided by CMA's robust weather policy and dedicated ride-out team, all animals remained safe despite significant infrastructure impacts. Lessons learned are now shaping enhanced storm preparedness strategies.Finally, the team introduced the "Florida - Wild and Exotic" exhibit, featuring native and invasive species with ambassador animal programming, while continuing to advance a NOAA import permit for dolphins and sea lions to strengthen global animal welfare collaboration.Through rescue, rehabilitation, education, research, and conservation, the Zoological Care team reinforced CMA's mission to preserve the environment and inspire the human spirit while ensuring the highest standards of animal welfare.
- $1.1 million spent. Animal Health:For fiscal year 2024, the animal health team released 39 sea turtles along with 392 sea turtle hatchlings, which included our very first leatherback hatchlings. In the fall, the hospital was significantly affected from Hurricane Helene which caused over almost four feet of water affecting the surgical suite, medical laboratory and rehabilitation pools. With the damage, the rehabilitation area closed temporarily for six weeks. Despite the challenges during the recovery, the veterinary team was able to continue to provide care for the 1100+ resident animals at CMA.
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 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 2024.
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 November 1973.
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.
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