Skeleton Crew Adventures
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
SKELETON CREW ADVENTURES IS A 501(C)3 NONPROFIT THAT OFFERS ADVENTURE THERAPY (AT) TO AMERICA'S WARRIORS. OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE RELIEF AND OPPORTUNITY TO VETERANS, MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS, AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH SAIL TRAINING, COASTAL CRUISING EXCURSIONS, AND OFFSHORE SAILING EXPEDITIONS. ADVENTURE THERAPY (AT) IS DEFINED AS THE PRESCRIPTIVE USE OF ADVENTURE EXPERIENCES PROVIDED BY MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, OFTEN CONDUCTED IN NATURAL SETTINGS, THAT KINESTHETICALLY ENGAGE CLIENTS ON COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE, AND BEHAVIORAL LEVELS.
- Income
- $459,641
- Spending
- $284,162
- Spent on programs
- 59%
- Reserves
- -2.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 2
- Volunteers
- 8
- Highest pay
- $47,017, director of
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2023, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 54 out of 100. Higher than 17% of charities in its peer group (public benefit, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 21% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 38% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 380% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1559% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2023, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Weak: 46 out of 100. Higher than 15% of charities in its peer group (public benefit, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 5 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2023, 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)
- $123,607 spent. GODSPEED OFFSHORE SAILING PROGRAM THE OFFSHORE SAILING PROGRAM PROVIDES ADVENTURE THERAPY AND SAIL TRAINING TO VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES SUFFERING FROM PTSD. DURING 2023, THE OFFSHORE SAILING PROGRAM SAILED MORE THAN 35,000 MAN MILES (MILES SAILED MULTIPLIED BY NUMBER OF VETERANS SAILING) INCLUDING PARTICIPATION IN A PART OF A ROUND THE WORLD RACE. THIS PARTICIPATION RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT ATTENTION BEING BROUGHT TO SKELETON CREW ADVENTURES ATTRACTING SUBSTANTIAL DONATIONS TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAM.
- $14,505 spent. INSHORE SAILING & TRAINING PROGRAM THE PROGRAM OFFERS SAIL TRAINING AND ADVENTURE THERAPY ON INSHORE WATERS, PRIMARILY TARGETTING VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES WHO ARE NEW TO SAILING. THE AIM IS TO PROVIDE A THERAPUTIC ENVIRONMENT THAT FOSTERS SKILLS DEVELOPMENT, TEAMWORK AND CONFIDENCE BUILDING. DURING THE YEAR, SKELETON CREW ADVENTURES CONDUCTED REGULAR SAIL TRAINING SESSIONS AND INSHORE SAILING PRACTICE.
- $6,105 spent. VETERANS OUTREACH & SUPPORT PROGRAM THIS FOCUSES ON CREATING PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT VETERAN SUICIDE AND DISABILITIES THROUGH EVENTS, OUTREACH ACTIVITIES AND FOLLOW-UP SUPPORT. THE AIM IS TO BUILD A SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY FOR VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS, PROVIDING THEM WITH NECESSARY RESOURCES AND CONNECTIONS TO MANAGE THEIR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING. DURING THE YEAR, SKELETON CREW ADVENTURES ORGANIZED NUMEROUS AWARENESS EVENTS AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES, AND PROVIDED CONTINUOUS SUPPORT FOR VETERANS THROUGH FOLLOW-UP PROGRAMS AND COMMUNITY EVENTS.
- $22,330 spent. SKELETON CREW ADVENTURES HAS LEAD SAILING SINGLE AND MULTI- DAY TRIPS FOR OVER 275 VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS COVERING OVER 27,000 NAUTICAL MILES. ADDITIONALLY, SCA HAS ENTERED THE OCEAN GLOBE RACE WHICH WILL TAKE THE ONLY TEAM FROM THE USA, WHICH IS MANNED COMPLETELY BY VETERANS, IN A RACE AROUND THE WORLD USING LIMITED TECHNOLOGY TO RELY ON THEIR SAILING PROWESS. WHILE UNDERWAY, SCA WILL BE MAKING A DOCUMENTARY THAT WILL HELP RAISE AWARENESS FOR THE CAUSE - THE LAST SUCH DOCUMENTARY THAT THE FOUNDER OF SCA MADE HAS BEEN VIEWED OVER 4,000,000 TIMES ACROSS NUMEROUS STREAMING PLATFORMS. SKELETON CREW HAS BEEN FEATURED IN NUMEROUS SAILING OR VETERAN RELATED MAGAZINES, AND HAS BEEN FEATURED ON NEWS PROGRAMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
- SKELETON CREW ADVENTURES HAS LEAD SAILING SINGLE AND MULTI- DAY TRIPS FOR OVER 275 VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS COVERING OVER 27,000 NAUTICAL MILES. ADDITIONALLY, SCA HAS ENTERED THE OCEAN GLOBE RACE WHICH WILL TAKE THE ONLY TEAM FROM THE USA, WHICH IS MANNED COMPLETELY BY VETERANS, IN A RACE AROUND THE WORLD USING LIMITED TECHNOLOGY TO RELY ON THEIR SAILING PROWESS. WHILE UNDERWAY, SCA WILL BE MAKING A DOCUMENTARY THAT WILL HELP RAISE AWARENESS FOR THE CAUSE - THE LAST SUCH DOCUMENTARY THAT THE FOUNDER OF SCA MADE HAS BEEN VIEWED OVER 4,000,000 TIMES ACROSS NUMEROUS STREAMING PLATFORMS. SKELETON CREW HAS BEEN FEATURED IN NUMEROUS SAILING OR VETERAN RELATED MAGAZINES, AND HAS BEEN FEATURED ON NEWS PROGRAMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2023, 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 October 13, 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 2023.
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 October 21, 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.