Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
COASTAL BEND BAYS & ESTUARIES PROGRAM IS DEDICATED TO PROTECTING AND RESTORING BAYS AND ESTUARIES OF THE TEXAS COASTAL BEND. COASTAL BEND BAYS AND ESTUARIES REMAIN A VITAL PART OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE BY PRESERVING AND ENHANCING THEIR ROLES AS A RECREATIONAL RESOURCE, INTERNATIONAL SEAPORT, AND HABITAT FOR FISH AND WILDLIFE.
- Income
- $12.6 million
- Spending
- $10.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 91%
- Reserves
- 17.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 66%
- Employees
- 28
- Volunteers
- 443
- Highest pay
- $151,200, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 95 out of 100. Higher than 84% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 17.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 8% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 19% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 6% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1591% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 258 of 8 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 August 31, 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)
- $2.5 million spent. THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY'S (EPA) NATIONAL ESTUARY PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED BY CONGRESS IN 1987 TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF ESTUARIES OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE. THE CLEAN WATER ACT SECTION 320 DIRECTS EPA TO DEVELOP PLANS FOR ATTAINING AND MAINTAINING WATER QUALITY IN AN ESTUARY. THIS INCLUDES PROTECTION OF PUBLIC WATER SUPPLIES AND PROTECTION AND PROPOGATION OF A BALANCE INDIGENOUS POPULATION OF SHELLFISH, FISH, AND WILDLIFE THAT ALLOWS RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, IN AND ON WATER, REQUIRES THAT CONTROL OF POINT AND NONPOINT SOURCES OF POLLUTION TO SUPPLEMENT EXISTING CONTROLS OF POLLUTION. IN SEVERAL CASES, MORE THAN ONE STATE IS PARTICIPATING IN A NATIONAL ESTUARY PROGRAM. EACH PROGRAM ESTABLISHES A COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT PLAN TO MEET THE GOALS OF SECTION 320. TO ASSIST THE STATE OF TEXAS IN THE EFFORTS OF PROMOTING JUDICIOUS USE AND MAXIMUM CONSERVATION AND PROTECTION OF THE QUALITY OF THE STATE'S WATERS, SECTION 604 (B) OF THE FEDERAL CLEAN WATER ACT (CWA), AS AMENDED, AUTHORIZES EPA TO FUND WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT PLANNING ACTIVITIES. UNDER THE FISCAL YEAR 2017 604(B) TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (TCEQ) WORK PLAN, THE WATER QUALITY PLANNING DIVISION STAFF OF TCEQ WILL ADMINISTER THE GRANT AND MANAGE THE WATER QUALITY CONTRACTS WITH REGIONAL PLANNING AGENCIES.
- $2.4 million spent. THE TEXAS GENERAL LAND OFFICE ORGINATED THE CEPRA AND GOMESA PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS DECLINING COLONIAL WATERBIRD POPULATIONS AND DISAPPEARING ROOKERY ISLANDS IN NUECES BAY AND THROUGHOUT THE COASTAL BEND. COASTAL BEND BAYS AND ESTUARIES PROGRAMS USED THESE APPROVED FUNDS TO SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENT AND PUT INTO ACTION THE ROOKERY ISLAND SHORELINE PROTECTION PLAN AND THE RESTORING COLONIAL WATERBIRD POPULATIONS ALONG THE TEXAS COAST.
- $1.1 million spent. THE COASTAL PROGRAM IS ONE OF THE U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE'S MOST EFFECTIVE RESOURCES FOR RESTORING AND PROTECTING FISH AND WILDLIFE HABITAT ON PUBLIC AND PRIVATELY-OWNED LANDS. FUNDING FROM U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE PROVIDES ASSISTANCE FOR HABITAT RESTORATION AND PROTECTION IN THE COASTAL BEND AREA, INCLUDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PRESCRIBED FIRE TO ENHANCE HABITATS FOR ATTWATER'S PRAIRIE CHICKEN, APLOMADO FALCON, WHOOPING CRANE, AND ASSOCIATED GRASSLAND AND MIGRATORY BIRDS THAT WILL BENEFIT FROM PRESCRIBED FIRE. THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE ENHANCEMENTS PROGRAM (CFDA 15.654) PROVIDES RESOURCES TO IDENTIFY, CONSERVE, MANAGE AND ENHANCE THE PHYSICAL AND ECOLOGICAL INFRASTRUCTURE OF NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES (NWR). THIS AWARD ASSISTS IN THE PROTECTION OF THE ARANSAS NWR SHORELINE, WHICH ERODED DURING HURRICANE HARVEY, FROM FUTURE STORMS BY RECONSTRUCTING WATER MANAGEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE. IT ALSO PROVIDES ASSISTANCE FOR THE RESTORATION AND ENHANCEMENT OF LEAVES AND WATER CONTROL STRUCTURES THAT BENEFIT FEDERAL TRUST RESOURCES. A PORTION OF THE SHORELINE SUPPORTS A COASTAL WOODLAND PLANT COMMUNITY THAT IS AN IMPORTANT HABITAT FOR MIGRATORY BIRDS AND OTHER WILDLIFE. THE MIGRATORY BIRD MONITORING, ASSESSMENT, AND CONSERVATION (CFDA 15.655) FUNDING FROM U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE AIMS AT WORKING WITH OTHERS TO CONSERVE, ENHANCE, AND BETTER UNDERSTAND THE ECOLOGY AND HABITATS OF MIGRATORY BIRD SPECIES. THIS AWARD SPECIFICALLY IS TO SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT OF THE MIDCONTINENT SHOREBIRD CONSERVATION INITIATIVE (MSCI). THE MSCI IS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BY USFWS AND OTHER FEDERAL, STATE, AND PARTNERS TO DEVELOP A CONSERVATION FRAMEWORK AND INCREASE COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION AMONG SHOREBIRD PRACTITIONERS.
- THE TEXAS COASTAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (CMP) SEEKS TO ENSURE THE LONG-TERM ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC HEALTH OF THE TEXAS COAST THROUGH MANAGEMENT OF THE STATE'S COASTAL NATURAL RESOURCE AREAS. THE COASTAL COORDINATION COUNCIL IS A PUBLIC/PRIVATE COUNCIL CHAIRED BY THE TEXAS LAND COMMISSIONER, MANAGES THE CMP, ON BEHALF OF THE COUNCIL, THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE (GLO), AWARDS APPROXIMATELY 2.2 MILLION ANNUALLY IN GRANTS, REVIEWS FEDERAL ACTIONS IN THE TEXAS COASTAL ZONE TO ENSURE CONSISTENCY WITH THE GOALS AND POLICIES OF THE CMP, SUPPORT PROTECTION OF NATURAL HABITATS AND WILDLIFE, AND PROVIDES BASELINE DATA ON THE HEALTH OF GULF WATERS. TEXAS GENERAL LAND OFFICE AWARD IS A PASS-THROUGH FROM NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION TO ASSIST IN DISASTER RELIEF. THE MISSION-ARANSAS NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESERACH RESERVE (NERR) TOOK A DIRECT HIT FROM HURRICANE HARVEY IN AUGUST OF 2017. REMOVAL OF DEBRIS ON SENSITIVE WETLAND HABITAT, STATE PARK AND CRITICAL RESEARCH AREA ARE BEING FACILITATED BY THIS FUNDING. THE COASTAL EROSION PLANNING AND RESPONSE ACT, TEXAS NATURAL RESOURCES CODES PROVIDES STATE ASSISTANCE TO MAINTAIN AND PROTECT TEXAS' BARRIER ISLAND AND BAY SYSTEMS. THIS ENSURES A STRONG AND RESILIENT TEXAS COASTAL ECOSYSTEM.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 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 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 August 2025.
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 January 2002.
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.