Walter Munk Foundation for the Oceans
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
MISSION IS TO CONTINUE WALTER MUNK'S LEGACY OF DARING EXPLORATION AND DISCOVERY THROUGH SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND OCEAN CONSERVATION.
- Income
- $693,038
- Spending
- $692,675
- Spent on programs
- 66%
- Reserves
- 2.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 97%
- Employees
- 4
- Volunteers
- 375
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
Fair: 67 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 0% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 1% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1566% 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
Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 42% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 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.
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 (4)
- $195,655 spent. THE WALTER MUNK FOUNDATION FOR THE OCEANS CONTINUES WALTER MUNK'S LEGACY OF DARING EXPLORATION AND DISCOVERY THROUGH SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, EDUCATION AND OCEAN CONSERVATION WITH FOCUS ON INSPRING STEWARDSHIP THROUGH A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES: - WALTER MUNK EDUCATIONAL PLAZA, LOCATED IN KELLOGG PARK (LA JOLLA SHORES), FEATURES THE MAP OF THE GRAND CANYONS OF LA JOLLA, A 2,434 SQ. FT. LITHOMOSAIC EDUCATIONAL TOOL DEPICTING THE UNDERWATER PARK AND ECOLOGICAL RESERVES OFFSHORE, ILLUSTRATING 123 LOCAL LIFE-SIZED SPECIES; MARINE PROTECTED AREAS; LOCAL DIVE SITES AND FEATURES; TIDEPOOLS; EDUCATIONAL PANELS. THE FOUNDATION HOSTS MEET ME AT THE MAP, DOCENT, AND BEACH CLEAN-UP PROGRAMS.- WE PROVIDE FIELD TRIPS TO THE MAP (OCEAN) FOR STUDENTS FROM THE SAN DIEGO'S UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES APPROXIMATELY 80% HAVE NEVER BEEN TO THE OCEAN!- WE HOST AN ANNUAL WALTER MUNK DAY ~ CELEBRATE OUR OCEANS EVENT TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE FRAGILITY OF THE OCEANS AND OUR ENVIRONMENT AND INSPIRE STEWARDSHIP. IT INCLUDES 30+ EXHIBITORS WITH INTERACTIVE EDUCATIONAL OCEAN-RELATED ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN OF ALL AGES.
- $255,562 spent. WALTER MUNK VISITED ALTAUSSEE, AUSTRIA IN AUGUST 2018 TO ARRANGE FOR AN EXPEDITION TO STUDY LAKE ALTAUSSEE IN THE SPRING OF 2019. IT WAS HIS WAY OF GIVING BACK TO HIS BOYHOOD COMMUNITY HE LOVED, BY PROVIDING INFORMATION ON THE LAKE THAT WOULD ALLOW THE COMMUNITY TO PRESERVE ITS PRISTINE ALPINE TREASURE. IT WAS A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY RESEARCH EFFORT TO OBTAIN A BETTER SCIENTIC UNDERSTANDING OF LAKE ALTAUSSEE IN TERMS OF ITS CULTURAL, ECOLOGICAL, AND GEOLOGICAL SIGNICANCE. OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS, THE STUDY HAS EXPANDED TO INCLUDE 28 SCIENTISTS, RESEARCHERS, PHD AND MASTERS STUDENTS. ERWIN HEINE, PH.D., UNIVERSITY OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND APPLIED LIFE SCIENCE IN VIENNA IS THE PI FOR THE EXPEDITIONS. DIMITRI DEHEYN, PH.D., FROM SCRIPPS INSTITUTION OF OCEANOGRAPHY JOINED US TO WORK WITH THE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO FURTHER HIS STUDY OF PLASTICS AND THEIR IMPACT IN THE LAKE AND THE SURROUNDING AREA. WE ARE ARRANGING A STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM THAT WILL PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INTERNSHIPS IN DIMITRI DEHEYN'S LAB AT SCRIPPS.
- $8,077 spent. WMFO SUPPORTS CONSERVATION EFFORTS FOR THE MOBULA MUNKIANA, WALTER'S NAMESAKE, THE SMALLEST OF THE MANTA RAYS, FOUND IN WARM AND TEMPERATE SEAS. IT IS CONSIDERED VULNERABLE DUE TO FISHING BYCATCH PRESSURE AND HABITAT LOSS. THE FOUNDATION SUPPORTS SCIENTISTS AND ORGANIZATIONS CONDUCTING MOBULA MUNKIANA RESEARCH, CONSERVATION AND EDUCATION ACTIVITIES. THE GOAL IS TO FIND EFFECTIVE CONSERVATION MEASURES TO PROTECT CRITICAL HABITAT.
- ORGANIZATION'S PRIMARY EXEMPT PURPOSE THE PURPOSE OF THIS CORPORATION IS TO CONTINUE WALTER MUNK'S WORK AND LEGACY OF DARING EXPLORATION AND DISCOVERY THROUGH SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND OCEAN CONSERVATION. IN PARTICULAR, THE CORPORATION'S GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ARE AS FOLLOWS: A) TO PROMOTE STEWARDSHIP OF OUR OCEANS BY: I. CREATING AWARENESS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS RELATED TO THE OCEANS; II. TEACHING RESPONSIBLE USE AND PROTECTION OF OUR OCEANS THROUGH CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES; III. CONSERVING OUR AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS AND PROTECTING SPECIES THAT ARE ENDANGERED; IV. DEVELOPING AND REACHING OUT TO DOERS, DONORS, AND PRACTITIONERS. CONTINUED B) WORK WITH STUDENTS OF ALL AGES THROUGH OUTREACH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS: I. PUBLICIZING EXPEDITIONS AND RELATED ACTIVITIES; II. COLLECTING AND SHARING DATA; AND III. PUBLISHING SCIENTIFIC PAPERS. C) TO ESTABLISH COLLABORATIONS AND INTERDISCIPLINARY PARTNERSHIPS WITH GLOBAL GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES, INSTITUTIONS, AND ORGANIZATIONS WITH SIMILAR GOALS; D) TO ADVOCATE FOR A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND SEA LEVEL RISE; AND E) TO RAISE MONEY TO SUPPORT THE COPORATION'S CHARITABLE GOALS.
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 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 December 2024.
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 May 2019.
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.