Northwest School of Wooden Boat Building
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE NORTHWEST SCHOOL OF WOODEN BOATBUILDING (NWSWB) IS AN ACCREDITED POST-SECONDARY VOCATIONAL SCHOOL IN PORT HADLOCK, WA. SINCE 1981, THE NONPROFIT HAS PROVIDED QUALITY EDUCATION IN TRADITIONAL WOODEN BOATBUILDING AND MODERN MARINE SYSTEMS, DEVELOPING STUDENTS INTO SKILLED CRAFTSPEOPLE FOR THE MARITIME WORKFORCE.
- Income
- $4.2 million
- Spending
- $2.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 73%
- Reserves
- -4.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 48%
- Employees
- 28
- Volunteers
- 50
- Highest pay
- $81,416, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 55 out of 100. Higher than 26% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 31% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 34% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 46% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1573% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 6 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 September 30, 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 (2)
- $1.1 million spent. THE 12-MONTH BOATBUILDING ASSOCIATE OF OCCUPATIONAL (AOS) DEGREE PROGRAM OFFERS A COMPACT AND COMPREHENSIVE CURRICULUM THAT TAKES TIME-TESTED TRADITIONAL SKILLS MIXED WITH MODERN WOOD COMPOSITE TECHNIQUES TO OFFER STUDENTS THE BEST PROGRAM AND GET STUDENTS INTO THE WORKFORCE QUICKLY. THIS HANDS-ON TRAINING FOLLOWS INDUSTRY STANDARDS AND TECHNIQUES AND PROVIDES EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT BOAT BUILDING AND WOODWORKING TECHNIQUES THROUGH A COMBINATION OF HAND AND POWER TOOL USE. STUDENTS LEARN WHILE BUILDING A WIDE RANGE OF BOAT PROJECTS RANGING FROM 8 TO 36 FEET, CONSTRUCTED THROUGH CARVEL, LAPSTRAKE, AND COMPOSITE CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES ON POWER, SAIL, AND ROW BOATS.
- $947,764 spent. THE 9-MONTH MARINE SYSTEMS DIPLOMA PROGRAM COVERS SUBJECTS INTEGRAL TO BOAT BUILDING AND REPAIR, SUCH AS ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS, ELECTRONICS, CORROSION, DIESEL ENGINES, OUTBOARD MOTORS, STEERING AND CONTROLS, PROPULSION, HYDRAULICS, MARINE PLUMBING AND MARINE HVAC. MODELED ON COMPETENCY-BASED TRAINING, STUDENTS DEMONSTRATE THE WORK AS WELL AS UNDERSTAND THE THEORY BEHIND IT. THE PROGRAM IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED WITH INPUT FROM SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, FOCUSING ON SKILLS THAT EMPLOYEES NEED IN THE WORKPLACE. THE HANDS-ON TRAINING FOLLOWS CFR, ABYC, NFPA, ABS, AND NMEA INDUSTRY STANDARDS AND RELIES HEAVILY ON SAFETY AND WORKMANSHIP. IN-FIELD TRAINING HAPPENS ON REAL BOATS OF ALL CONSTRUCTION TYPES: WOOD, FIBERGLASS, ALUMINUM, AND STEEL. THE SCHOOL ALSO PROVIDES ONE-WEEK INTENSIVE COURSES IN INDIVIDUAL DISCIPLINES TAUGHT IN THE MARINE SYSTEMS PROGRAM.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 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 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 September 2025.
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 March 1981.
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.