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Reef Environmental Education Foundation Incorporated

EIN 65-0270064 · Key Largo, FL

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

REEF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FOUNDATION (REEF) WAS ESTABLISHED AS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION IN 1990. REEF CONSERVES MARINE ENVIRONMENTS WORLDWIDE. OUR MISSION IS TO PROTECT BIODIVERSITY AND OCEAN LIFE BY ACTIVELY ENGAGING AND INSPIRING THE PUBLIC THROUGH CITIZEN SCIENCE, EDUCATION, AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY. REEF CONNECTS OCEAN ENTHUSIASTS AND THE DIVE COMMUNITY WITH SCIENTISTS AND RESOURCE MANAGERS THROUGH DATA COLLECTION ACTIVITIES AND EDUCATION INITIATIVES. THE REEF CAMPUS IN KEY LARGO, FL SERVES AS A VISITORS CENTER FOR EDUCATION AND OUTREACH TO THE PUBLIC.

Income
$5.3 million
Spending
$2.3 million
Spent on programs
87%
Reserves
3.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 84%
Employees
17
Volunteers
972

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: 85 out of 100. Higher than 63% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.7 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 57% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 60% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    87% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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 82% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 10 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.

  • 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. $2.0 million spent. IN 2023, REEF CONTINUED TO PROTECT MARINE ENVIRONMENTS THROUGH EDUCATION, SERVICE AND RESEARCH. REEF PROVIDES EDUCATION AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES TO BUILD AND INSPIRE A COMMUNITY OF OCEAN STEWARDS. THE REEF CAMPUS IN KEY LARGO FL SERVES AS A VISITORS CENTER TO EDUCATE AND ENGAGE THE PUBLIC WITH MARINE CONSERVATION. WE ALSO CONDUCT ONLINE PROGRAMMING SUCH AS WEBINARS AND OTHER INTERACTIVE CONTENT. WE CONDUCT IN-PERSON PROGRAMMING LED BY REEF STAFF AS WELL AS THE WIDE NETWORK OF PARTNERS INCLUDING DIVE SHOPS AND CLUBS, NATURE CENTERS, AND PUBLIC AQUARIA. PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WITH CONSERVATION IS ALSO FULFILLED THROUGH THE VOLUNTEER FISH SURVEY PROJECT, REGARDED AS ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND POWERFUL OCEAN CITIZEN SCIENCE PROGRAMS. IT GIVES DIVERS AND SNORKELERS AN ENGAGING AND MEANINGFUL WAY TO SUPPORT MARINE CONSERVATION. PARTICIPANTS SCUBA DIVE AND SNORKEL TO COLLECT AND REPORT INFORMATION ON MARINE FISH POPULATIONS AS WELL AS SEA TURTLES AND SELECT INVERTEBRATE AND ALGAE SPECIES. THIS DATA IS USED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND AND PROTECT OCEAN ECOSYSTEMS WORLDWIDE. FISHERIES PROTECTIONS AROUND THE WORLD DEPEND ON HIGH-QUALITY DATA. WITH REEF DATA, SUBMITTED BY CITIZEN SCIENTISTS, RESEARCHERS ARE MAKING EXCITING DISCOVERIES ABOUT MARINE ECOSYSTEMS, AND POLICYMAKERS HAVE MORE INFORMATION TO REFINE CONSERVATION EFFORTS. VOLUNTEERS COLLECT AND SUBMIT DATA ON MARINE LIFE SIGHTINGS. IT HAS GENERATED THE LARGEST MARINE LIFE SIGHTINGS DATABASE, AN UNPARALLELED SOURCE OF INFORMATION THAT PROVIDES INVALUABLE INSIGHT INTO THE HEALTH, STATUS, AND THREATS OF OCEAN HABITATS AND ANIMALS. IN 2023, REEF CONTINUED TO PROTECT MARINE ENVIRONMENTS THROUGH EDUCATION, SERVICE AND RESEARCH. REEF PROVIDES EDUCATION AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES TO BUILD AND INSPIRE A COMMUNITY OF OCEAN STEWARDS. THE REEF CAMPUS IN KEY LARGO FL SERVES AS A VISITORS CENTER TO EDUCATE AND ENGAGE THE PUBLIC WITH MARINE CONSERVATION. WE ALSO CONDUCT ONLINE PROGRAMMING SUCH AS WEBINARS AND OTHER INTERACTIVE CONTENT. WE CONDUCT IN-PERSON PROGRAMMING LED BY REEF STAFF AS WELL AS THE WIDE NETWORK OF PARTNERS INCLUDING DIVE SHOPS AND CLUBS, NATURE CENTERS, AND PUBLIC AQUARIA. PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WITH CONSERVATION IS ALSO FULFILLED THROUGH THE VOLUNTEER FISH SURVEY PROJECT, REGARDED AS ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND POWERFUL OCEAN CITIZEN SCIENCE PROGRAMS. IT GIVES DIVERS AND SNORKELERS AN ENGAGING AND MEANINGFUL WAY TO SUPPORT MARINE CONSERVATION. PARTICIPANTS SCUBA DIVE AND SNORKEL TO COLLECT AND REPORT INFORMATION ON MARINE FISH POPULATIONS AS WELL AS SEA TURTLES AND SELECT INVERTEBRATE AND ALGAE SPECIES. THIS DATA IS USED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND AND PROTECT OCEAN ECOSYSTEMS WORLDWIDE. FISHERIES PROTECTIONS AROUND THE WORLD DEPEND ON HIGH-QUALITY DATA. WITH REEF DATA, SUBMITTED BY CITIZEN SCIENTISTS, RESEARCHERS ARE MAKING EXCITING DISCOVERIES ABOUT MARINE ECOSYSTEMS, AND POLICYMAKERS HAVE MORE INFORMATION TO REFINE CONSERVATION EFFORTS. VOLUNTEERS COLLECT AND SUBMIT DATA ON MARINE LIFE SIGHTINGS. IT HAS GENERATED THE LARGEST MARINE LIFE SIGHTINGS DATABASE, AN UNPARALLELED SOURCE OF INFORMATION THAT PROVIDES INVALUABLE INSIGHT INTO THE HEALTH, STATUS, AND THREATS OF OCEAN HABITATS AND ANIMALS.

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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since March 1992.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 2026.

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