The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF THE COALITION TO RESTORE COASTAL LOUISIANA (CRCL) IS TO UNITE PEOPLE IN ACTION TO ACHIEVE A THRIVING, SUSTAINABLE LOUISIANA COAST FOR ALL.
- Income
- $3.6 million
- Spending
- $3.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 2.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 52%
- Employees
- 20
- Highest pay
- $170,520, executive di
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
Fair: 68 out of 100. Higher than 36% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 10% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 42% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 60% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2519 of 20 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 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 (5)
- $1.4 million spent. RESTORATION PROGRAMS: THE RESTORATION PROGRAMS HAVE TWO MAIN COMPONENTS, THE OYSTER SHELL RECYLING PROGRAM AND NATIVE PLANTS PROGRAM. OYSTER SHELL RECYCLING PROGRAM: LAUNCHED IN JUNE 2014, CRCL'S OSRP WAS ESTABLISHED TO KEEP SHELL OUT OF LANDFILLS AND SLOW COASTAL LAND LOSS. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NEW ORLEANS AND BATON ROUGE RESTAURANTS AND HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS EACH YEAR, CRCL COLLECTS, CURES AND BAGS OYSTER SHELL BEFORE USING IT TO BUILD OYSTER REEFS AND LIVING SHORELINE HABITAT. THROUGH THE OSRP, THE FIRST PROGRAM OF ITS KIND IN LOUISIANA, CRCL HAS RECYCLED MORE THAN 16 MILLION POUNDS OF SHELL AND TOGETHER WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS HAS BUILT SEVEN OYSTER REEFS TOTALING MORE THAN 8,000 LINEAR FEET OF SHORELINE PROTECTION. CRCL'S OYSTER SHELL RECYCLING PROGRAM PROVIDES COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOLUNTEER IN COASTAL RESTORATION WORK, TO LEARN HOW LOUISIANA'S WETLANDS PROTECT AND PROVIDE FOR OUR COMMUNITIES, AND TO SEE FIRSTHAND HOW OYSTER SHELLS CAN SUPPORT COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF LARGER RESTORATION PLANS. MORE THAN 40 RESTAURANTS PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM. NATIVE PLANTS PROGRAM: FOUNDED IN 2000, CRCL'S NATIVE PLANTS PROGRAM (NPP) LEADS OUR EFFORTS TO RESTORE LOUISIANA'S COASTAL HABITATS BY ENGAGING VOLUNTEERS AND STAKEHOLDERS TO BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION. THROUGH LARGE-SCALE PLANTINGS OF NATIVE PLANTS AND TREES, OUR PARTNERSHIPS AND EVENTS FACILITATE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP BY LOUISIANA INDUSTRIES, LANDOWNERS, BUSINESS LEADERS, RESIDENTS AND VISITORS. THE NPP PROVIDES VALUABLE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES FOR ITS VOLUNTEERS. PARTICIPANTS LEARN ABOUT OUR COASTAL LAND LOSS CRISIS, ITS MAIN CAUSES AND THE VARIOUS SOLUTIONS BEING IMPLEMENTED ACROSS THE ENTIRE LOUISIANA COAST. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE NPP HAS ENGAGED HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS EACH YEAR PLANTING MORE THAN 1 MILLION TREES, GRASSES AND OTHER VEGETATION. RESTORATION PROGRAMS: THE RESTORATION PROGRAMS HAVE TWO MAIN COMPONENTS, THE OYSTER SHELL RECYLING PROGRAM AND NATIVE PLANTS PROGRAM. OYSTER SHELL RECYCLING PROGRAM: LAUNCHED IN JUNE 2014, CRCL'S OSRP WAS ESTABLISHED TO KEEP SHELL OUT OF LANDFILLS AND SLOW COASTAL LAND LOSS. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NEW ORLEANS AND BATON ROUGE RESTAURANTS AND HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS EACH YEAR, CRCL COLLECTS, CURES AND BAGS OYSTER SHELL BEFORE USING IT TO BUILD OYSTER REEFS AND LIVING SHORELINE HABITAT. THROUGH THE OSRP, THE FIRST PROGRAM OF ITS KIND IN LOUISIANA, CRCL HAS RECYCLED MORE THAN 16 MILLION POUNDS OF SHELL AND TOGETHER WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS HAS BUILT SEVEN OYSTER REEFS TOTALING MORE THAN 8,000 LINEAR FEET OF SHORELINE PROTECTION. CRCL'S OYSTER SHELL RECYCLING PROGRAM PROVIDES COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOLUNTEER IN COASTAL RESTORATION WORK, TO LEARN HOW LOUISIANA'S WETLANDS PROTECT AND PROVIDE FOR OUR COMMUNITIES, AND TO SEE FIRSTHAND HOW OYSTER SHELLS CAN SUPPORT COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF LARGER RESTORATION PLANS. MORE THAN 40 RESTAURANTS PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM. NATIVE PLANTS PROGRAM: FOUNDED IN 2000, CRCL'S NATIVE PLANTS PROGRAM (NPP) LEADS OUR EFFORTS TO RESTORE LOUISIANA'S COASTAL HABITATS BY ENGAGING VOLUNTEERS AND STAKEHOLDERS TO BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION. THROUGH LARGE-SCALE PLANTINGS OF NATIVE PLANTS AND TREES, OUR PARTNERSHIPS AND EVENTS FACILITATE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP BY LOUISIANA INDUSTRIES, LANDOWNERS, BUSINESS LEADERS, RESIDENTS AND VISITORS. THE NPP PROVIDES VALUABLE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES FOR ITS VOLUNTEERS. PARTICIPANTS LEARN ABOUT OUR COASTAL LAND LOSS CRISIS, ITS MAIN CAUSES AND THE VARIOUS SOLUTIONS BEING IMPLEMENTED ACROSS THE ENTIRE LOUISIANA COAST. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE NPP HAS ENGAGED HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS EACH YEAR PLANTING MORE THAN 1 MILLION TREES, GRASSES AND OTHER VEGETATION.
- $587,805 spent. STATE OF THE COAST: THE STATE OF THE COAST CONFERENCE IS THE LARGEST STATEWIDE CONFERENCE OF ITS KIND, PROVIDING AN INTERDISCIPLINARY FORUM TO EXCHANGE TIMELY AND RELEVANT INFORMATION ON THE DYNAMIC CONDITOINS OF LOUISIANA'S COASTAL COMMUNITIES, ENVIRONMENT, AND ECONOMY.
- $777,708 spent. COASTAL RESTORATION POLICY AND PROJECTS: CRCL WORKS COLLABORATIVELY TO ADVANCE LARGE-SCALE PROJECTS, TO RESTORE WETLANDS, OYSTER REEFS, BARRIER ISLANDS, DUNES AND OTHER COASTAL HABITATS IN SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA TO ADVANCE AN EQUITABLE, SAFER, AND FLOURISHING COAST FOR OUR STATE'S COMMUNITIES, ECOSYSTEMS, AND ECONOMY.
- $221,783 spent. FUTURE COASTAL LEADERS PROGRAM: CRCL'S FUTURE COASTAL LEADERS (FCL) PROGRAM IS A LEADERSHIP, EDUCATION, AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE FOCUSED ON ENGAGING PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS, INCLUDING THOSE ENROLLED IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES, WITH INTEREST IN COASTAL RESTORATION. ITS PURPOSE, THROUGH EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING, IS TO HIGHLIGHT THE PLENTIFUL CAREERS AND/OR DEGREES THAT EXIST IN ADDRESSING COASTAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES. FROM ENGINEERS, SCIENTISTS, ACCOUNTANTS, TO ARCHITECTS AND NON-PROFIT LEADERS, CRCL HOPES TO MOTIVATE THE NEXT GENERATION OF STUDENTS TO CHOOSE COASTAL RESTORATION AS THEIR PROFESSION. CRCLECTURES CRCL HOSTS LECTURES IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AROUND SOUTH LOUISIANA, SHARING INTERESTING SUBJECT MATTER IN A WAY THAT CONNECTS NEW PEOPLE TO THE MOVEMENT TO RESTORE COASTAL LOUISIANA. COASTAL LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE CRCL'S CLI IS A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES PARTICIPANTS WITH THE DEEP KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS NECESSARY TO BE LEADERS IN COASTAL RESTORATION. THE CLASS IS COMPRISED OF 30 RESIDENTS FROM ACROSS LOUISIANA'S COAST WORKING IN CAREERS INCLUDING ENGINEERING, ARTS, EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THEY WILL JOIN EIGHT SESSIONS OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR, WITH GUEST SPEAKERS AND IN-THE-FIELD EXPERIENCES THAT WILL INTRODUCE THEM TO THE DIFFERENT FACETS OF LOUISIANA'S COAST: ECOLOGY, CULTURE, INDUSTRY AND POLICY. POLICY / OUTREACH / EDUCATION: CRCL EDUCATES DECISION MAKERS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF COASTAL RESTORATION IN LOUISIANA. IT INTERACTS DIRECTLY WITH MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO INFORM THEM ABOUT COASTAL LAND LOSS AND PROJECTS THAT ARE AIMED AT RESTORING THE COAST. THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM SHARES INFORMATION ABOUT VOLUNTEER PROJECTS AND LARGE-SCALE RESTORATION EFFORTS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, MASS EMAILS AND TRADITIONAL MEDIA. THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES EXPERTISE TO JOURNALISTS WRITING ABOUT THE COASTAL CRISIS. CRCL USES SOCIAL MEDIA, EMAIL AND PRINTED COMMUNICATIONS TO EXPAND ITS BASE OF VOLUNTEERS AND SUPPORTERS. CRCL HOSTS THE BIENNIAL STATE OF THE COAST CONFERENCE TO PROVIDE AN INTERDISCIPLINARY FORUM TO EXCHANGE TIMELY AND RELEVANT INFORMATION ON THE DYNAMIC CONDITIONS OF LOUISIANA'S COASTAL COMMUNITIES, ENVIRONMENT, AND ECONOMY AND TO APPLY THAT INFORMATION TO EXISTING AND FUTURE COASTAL RESTORATION AND PROTECTION EFFORTS, POLICIES, AND DECISION-MAKING. CRCL ALSO HOSTS A ONE-DAY SUMMIT IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA.
- FUTURE COASTAL LEADERS PROGRAM: CRCL'S FUTURE COASTAL LEADERS (FCL) PROGRAM IS A LEADERSHIP, EDUCATION, AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE FOCUSED ON ENGAGING PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS, INCLUDING THOSE ENROLLED IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES, WITH INTEREST IN COASTAL RESTORATION. ITS PURPOSE, THROUGH EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING, IS TO HIGHLIGHT THE PLENTIFUL CAREERS AND/OR DEGREES THAT EXIST IN ADDRESSING COASTAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES. FROM ENGINEERS, SCIENTISTS, ACCOUNTANTS, TO ARCHITECTS AND NON-PROFIT LEADERS, CRCL HOPES TO MOTIVATE THE NEXT GENERATION OF STUDENTS TO CHOOSE COASTAL RESTORATION AS THEIR PROFESSION. CRCLECTURES CRCL HOSTS LECTURES IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AROUND SOUTH LOUISIANA, SHARING INTERESTING SUBJECT MATTER IN A WAY THAT CONNECTS NEW PEOPLE TO THE MOVEMENT TO RESTORE COASTAL LOUISIANA. COASTAL LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE CRCL'S CLI IS A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES PARTICIPANTS WITH THE DEEP KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS NECESSARY TO BE LEADERS IN COASTAL RESTORATION. THE CLASS IS COMPRISED OF 30 RESIDENTS FROM ACROSS LOUISIANA'S COAST WORKING IN CAREERS INCLUDING ENGINEERING, ARTS, EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THEY WILL JOIN EIGHT SESSIONS OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR, WITH GUEST SPEAKERS AND IN-THE-FIELD EXPERIENCES THAT WILL INTRODUCE THEM TO THE DIFFERENT FACETS OF LOUISIANA'S COAST: ECOLOGY, CULTURE, INDUSTRY AND POLICY. POLICY / OUTREACH / EDUCATION: CRCL EDUCATES DECISION MAKERS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF COASTAL RESTORATION IN LOUISIANA. IT INTERACTS DIRECTLY WITH MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO INFORM THEM ABOUT COASTAL LAND LOSS AND PROJECTS THAT ARE AIMED AT RESTORING THE COAST. THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM SHARES INFORMATION ABOUT VOLUNTEER PROJECTS AND LARGE-SCALE RESTORATION EFFORTS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, MASS EMAILS AND TRADITIONAL MEDIA. THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES EXPERTISE TO JOURNALISTS WRITING ABOUT THE COASTAL CRISIS. CRCL USES SOCIAL MEDIA, EMAIL AND PRINTED COMMUNICATIONS TO EXPAND ITS BASE OF VOLUNTEERS AND SUPPORTERS. CRCL HOSTS THE BIENNIAL STATE OF THE COAST CONFERENCE TO PROVIDE AN INTERDISCIPLINARY FORUM TO EXCHANGE TIMELY AND RELEVANT INFORMATION ON THE DYNAMIC CONDITIONS OF LOUISIANA'S COASTAL COMMUNITIES, ENVIRONMENT, AND ECONOMY AND TO APPLY THAT INFORMATION TO EXISTING AND FUTURE COASTAL RESTORATION AND PROTECTION EFFORTS, POLICIES, AND DECISION-MAKING. CRCL ALSO HOSTS A ONE-DAY SUMMIT IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA.
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
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 November 6, 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 June 2025.
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 October 1988.
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 November 4, 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.