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Heal the Ocean

EIN 77-0565183 · Santa Barbara, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood89 out of 100GovernanceGood78 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

HEAL THE OCEAN FOCUSES ON REDUCING OCEAN POLLUTION AND PROVIDING SCIENCE- BASED SOLUTIONS TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF OUR OCEAN AND RESILIENCE OF OUR COASTS TO BENEFIT PEOPLE AND WILDLIFE. WE ARE FOCUSED ON SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, AND OUR METHODS SERVE AS MODELS FOR OTHER COASTAL COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

Income
$1.0 million
Spending
$1.2 million
Spent on programs
74%
Reserves
17.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 97%
Employees
7
Volunteers
300
Highest pay
$225,781, strategic ad

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 69% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 17.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 11% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 17% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    74% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 14 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 23% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    6 of 7 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

    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

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    0 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 December 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 (5)
  1. $258,236 spent. PUBLIC EDUCATION, OUTREACH, AND VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS: HTO CONDUCTS MANY PUBLIC EDUCATION AND VOLUNTEER EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, INCLUDING TABLING AT FESTIVALS, EARTH DAY, HOSTING BEACH CLEANUPS, COMMUNITY GATHERINGS, PUBLIC WORKSHOPS, WEBINARS, AND MORE. HTO ALSO MANAGES MULTIPLE VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS, INCLUDING INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY SERVICE BEACH CLEANUPS, RECRUITING NEW VOLUNTEERS, AND RESPONDING TO REQUESTS FROM THE PUBLIC. THIS PROGRAM ALSO CONDUCTS OUTREACH THROUGH ELECTRONIC AND PRINT NEWSLETTERS, A WEBSITE, AND MULTIPLE SOCIAL MEDIA SITES.
  2. $185,669 spent. ONSHORE POLLUTION REMOVAL: HTO WORKS TO REMOVE LARGE SOURCES OF ONSHORE POLLUTION BEFORE THEY CAN CONTAMINATE WATERWAYS AND THE OCEAN. THIS WORK INCLUDES: REMOVAL OF ABANDONED ENCAMPMENTS, INCLUDING TRASH, WASTE, FLAMMABLE MATERIALS, AND OTHER CONTAMINANTS; REMOVING BEACHED BOAT WRECKS, INCLUDING SEWAGE WASTE AND OTHER TOXIC MATERIALS; LARGE-SCALE WATERSHED AND BEACH CLEANUPS; AND IMPLEMENTATION OF AN EXPANDED POLYSTYRENE (EPS) RECYCLING PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MARBORG INDUSTRIES. IN 2025, OVER 35 TONS OF POLLUTION WAS CLEANED AND KEPT OUT OF THE OCEAN.
  3. $181,904 spent. SUMMERLAND OIL MITIGATION STUDY: HTO LEADS A GEOLOGICAL RESEARCH PROGRAM AND STUDY EVALUATING THE SEAFLOOR, EMISSIONS, AND AIR QUALITY ASSOCIATED WITH LEGACY OIL WELLS IN SUMMERLAND, CA, TO INFORM PRIORITY WELL ABANDONMENT (PERMANENT CAPPING) IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CALIFORNIA STATE LANDS COMMISSION AND BUBBLEOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE. PRELIMINARY FINDINGS SUGGEST PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN GEOLOGICAL CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN WELLS.
  4. $230,327 spent. IN ADDITION TO THE THREE LARGEST PROGRAMS, HTO IMPLEMENTS MANY ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS, INCLUDING: COASTAL RESILIENCE ADAPTATION PLANNING, COASTAL HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECTS, ADVISING ON LOCAL POLICIES, INFORMING WASTEWATER AND WATER RECYCLING PROGRAMS AND LOCAL DISTRICTS, INFORMING REGIONAL SEDIMENT MANAGEMENT, CONDUCTING SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, AND IMPROVING LOCAL WATER QUALITY.
  5. IN ADDITION TO THE THREE LARGEST PROGRAMS, HTO IMPLEMENTS MANY ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS, INCLUDING: COASTAL RESILIENCE ADAPTATION PLANNING, COASTAL HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECTS, ADVISING ON LOCAL POLICIES, INFORMING WASTEWATER AND WATER RECYCLING PROGRAMS AND LOCAL DISTRICTS, INFORMING REGIONAL SEDIMENT MANAGEMENT, CONDUCTING SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, AND IMPROVING LOCAL WATER QUALITY.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 December 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 October 2001.

    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.