Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Coastal Education and Research Foundation Inc

EIN 59-2302170 · Charlotte, NC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceWeak46 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MISSION OF THE COASTAL EDUCATION AND RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC. IS TO SAVE AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF OCEAN AND SHORELINE RESOURCES AROUND THE WORLD THROUGH RESEARCH STUDIES AND SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS.

Income
$353,018
Spending
$601,088
Spent on programs
95%
Reserves
16.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 61%
Employees
0
Highest pay
$210,000, sr. vice-pre

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.

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 16.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 70% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 13% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    95% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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

Weak: 46 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 10 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no 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

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 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 (4)
  1. $443,369 spent. PUBLISHING EDUCATIONAL AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH (LARGEST PROGRAM SERVICE): THIS PROGRAM SERVICE OBJECTIVE IS TO PRINT, PUBLISH, AND DISSEMINATE THE LATEST COASTAL RESEARCH INFORMATION WORLDWIDE IN THE FORM OF OUR ORGANIZATION'S INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, THE JOURNAL OF COASTAL RESEARCH. WE ESTIMATE THAT WE SERVE HUNDREDS OF AUTHORS 365 DAYS OUT OF THE YEAR THROUGH THE ONGOING PROCESSING OF THEIR COASTAL RESEARCH FOR PRINTING, BINDING, AND RELATED PUBLISHING SERVICES. THIS INFORMATION IS ESTIMATED FOR THIS TIME PERIOD AND FOR LONGER-TERM GOALS. THE PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR THIS TIME PERIOD HAS BEEN SIX (6) REGULAR ISSUES AND VARIOUS SPECIAL ISSUES OF THE JOURNAL OF COASTAL RESEARCH.
  2. $124,685 spent. PROFESSIONAL EDITORIAL SERVICES (SECOND LARGEST PROGRAM SERVICE): THIS PROGRAM SERVICE OBJECTIVE IS TO REVIEW AND PROCESS THE LATEST COASTAL RESEARCH STUDIES THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO OUR ORGANIZATION'S INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, THE JOURNAL OF COASTAL RESEARCH, AS WELL AS PRODUCE OUR MONTHLY SOCIETY ORGANIZATION NEWSLETTER (JUST CERFING). WE ESTIMATE THAT WE SERVE HUNDREDS OF AUTHORS 365 DAYS OUT OF THE YEAR THROUGH THE ONGOING REVIEW OF THEIR COASTAL RESEARCH TO MAINTAIN THE QUALITY AND INTEGRITY OF OUR PUBLICATION. THE PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR THIS TIME PERIOD HAS BEEN THE REVIEW AND PREPARATION OF OVER A HUNDRED SCIENTIFIC PAPERS AND THE CREATION OF SOCIETY ORGANIZATION NEWSLETTERS. THIS INFORMATION IS ESTIMATED FOR THIS TIME PERIOD AND FOR LONGER-TERM GOALS. PROFESSIONAL EDITORIAL SERVICES (SECOND LARGEST PROGRAM SERVICE): THIS PROGRAM SERVICE OBJECTIVE IS TO REVIEW AND PROCESS THE LATEST COASTAL RESEARCH STUDIES THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO OUR ORGANIZATION'S INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, THE JOURNAL OF COASTAL RESEARCH, AS WELL AS PRODUCE OUR MONTHLY SOCIETY ORGANIZATION NEWSLETTER (JUST CERFING). WE ESTIMATE THAT WE SERVE HUNDREDS OF AUTHORS 365 DAYS OUT OF THE YEAR THROUGH THE ONGOING REVIEW OF THEIR COASTAL RESEARCH TO MAINTAIN THE QUALITY AND INTEGRITY OF OUR PUBLICATION. THE PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR THIS TIME PERIOD HAS BEEN THE REVIEW AND PREPARATION OF OVER A HUNDRED SCIENTIFIC PAPERS AND THE CREATION OF SOCIETY ORGANIZATION NEWSLETTERS. THIS INFORMATION IS ESTIMATED FOR THIS TIME PERIOD AND FOR LONGER-TERM GOALS.
  3. TO DISSEMINATE INFORMATION ON COASTAL ISSUES THROUGH SCIENTIFIC PAPERS, BOOK AND ENCYCLOPEDIA SERIES, AND THE WEB. CERF DISSEMINATES INFORMATION IN AN EFFORT TO MAINTAIN OR IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF SHORELINE RESOURCES.
  4. TO DISSEMINATE INFORMATION ON COASTAL ISSUES THROUGH SCIENTIFIC PAPERS, BOOK AND ENCYCLOPEDIA SERIES, AND THE WEB. CERF DISSEMINATES INFORMATION IN AN EFFORT TO MAINTAIN OR IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF SHORELINE RESOURCES.

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 April 2020.

    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.