Alaska Whale Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Alaska Whale Foundation is dedicated to marine mammal conservation through research monitoring and education.
- Income
- $331,469
- Spending
- $290,332
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 4.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 63%
- Employees
- 2
- Volunteers
- 14
- Highest pay
- $92,083, executive director
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 57% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 5% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 12% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 36% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 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
Good: 76 out of 100. Higher than 46% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 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 (3)
- $92,978 spent. Research: The Alaska Whale Foundation continues to conduct research under its Ocean Health Program. The research focuses on establishing causal links between changing ocean conditions, ocean health, and whale health and is conducted in collaboration with the University of Hawaii at Manoa, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the University of Alaska Southeast.
- $92,979 spent. Ecological Monitoring: The Alaska Whale Foundation continued its long-term monitoring program to track the health and abundance of Southeast Alaskas humpback whales and their underlying marine ecosystem. The whale component of this program was launched in 2016 in collaboration with NOAAs Auke Bay Laboratory Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve and the University of Alaska Southeast following the removal of the population from the Endangered Species List and subsequent observations suggesting declines in population health and abundance. Each year thereafter AWF has added additional monitoring efforts and expanded the program to include a large portion of northern Southeast Alaska every month from June through September. AWF is also part of the Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Network. This team of trained responders is authorized to free marine mammals from entanglement and to gather critical information that may reduce the frequency and impact of future entanglements.
- $46,489 spent. Education: Alaska Whale Foundation provides active learning opportunities and mentorship for graduate students and undergraduate interns through focused training and involvement in both field work and data analyses. Three (3) graduate students and nine (9) interns joined the Alaska Whale Foundation field team in 2024.
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
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? Worth knowing.
Status was revoked on May 15, 2019 for not filing returns for three years, and reinstated on May 15, 2019.
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 December 2024.
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 February 2020.
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.