Ocean Voyages Institute
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
The mission of the institute is preservation of the maritime arts and sciences, ocean environment and island cultures. Over the last couple of years, a primary program has involved solutions.
- Income
- $582,457
- Spending
- $205,993
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- Over 10 years of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 0
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
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover more than ten years of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 65% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 22% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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
Weak: 48 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 254 of 6 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.
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, 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 (1)
- $166,175 spent. OCEAN VOYAGES INSTITUTE WAS FOUNDED IN 1979 AND WAS ENGAGED IN LOCAL AND GLOBAL SAIL-TRAINING PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS NAUTICAL HISTORY PROGRAMS IN DIVERSE AREAS RANGING FROM THE SAUSALITO WATERFRONT TO WORKING WITH THE POLYNESIAN VOYAGING SOCIETY IN THE PACIFIC. IN 2009 ,WHEN OVI DID OUR FIRST MAJOR MONTH-LONG EXPEDITION TO THE NORTH PACIFIC SUBTROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE , OUR MAIN FOCUS HAS BECOME ENACTING SOLUTIONS TO OCEAN CLEANUP AND RESTORATION. THE TOXIC PLASTIC PROLIFERATION BESIEGING OUR GLOBAL OCEAN HAS TO BE CURTAILED TO RESTORE OCEAN HEALTH.DURING 2024, OCEAN VOYAGES INSTITUTE HAS PUT MAJOR EMPHASIS ON COMPLETING THE DESIGN PHASE AND WORKING ON FUNDING TWO CUSTOM DESIGNED SAILING CARGO CLEANUP SHIPS. OVI IS WORKING TO COMPLETE DESIGN AND FUNDRAISING SO CONSTRUCTION CAN BEGIN IN 2026.FOR THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE OF EFFECTIVELY REMOVING PLASTICS FROM OUR OCEAN.OUR PRIMARY WORK OVER THE PAST 16 YEARS HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON FINDING SOLUTIONS FOR THE ESCALATING PROBLEM OF PLASTICS IN OUR GLOBAL OCEAN, INCLUDING EFFECTIVE CLEANUP MISSIONS. OCEAN VOYAGES INSTITUTE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN SHIP OPERATIONS AND PROJECT OVERSIGHT FOR THE PAST 42 YEARS INVOLVING OCEAN EDUCATION PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS SCIENTIFIC PROJECTS AND OCEAN RESTORATION. OUR OCEAN CLEANUP EFFORTS IN THE NORTH PACIFIC SUBTROPICAL CONVERGENCE ZONE AREA, (NORTH PACIFIC GYRE) HAVE BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE IN REMOVING PLASTIC CONSUMER DEBRIS AND PLASTIC GHOSTNETS FROM THIS REGION. WE HAVE FOUND BY USING BOTH SAILING SHIPS AND MOTOR VESSELS, THAT USING WINDPOWER MAKES THE EXPEDITIONS MUCH MORE ECOLOGICAL AND ALLOWS US MORE REASONABLE PRICING TO DO THE MASSIVE REMOVAL OF PLASTICS NECESSARY FOR OCEAN REMEDIATION/CLEANUP. OVI CONTINUES TO BELIEVE IN USING OUR GPS SATELLITE TRACKERS FOR VESSELS OF OPPORTUNITY TO TAG GHOSTNETS AND OTHER LARGE DEBRIS ALLOWING FOR EXTREMELY EFFICIENT CLEANUP. WE HAVE PROVEN THAT OUR METHODS WORK AND ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO SCALING UP OUR EFFORTS WITH ADDITIONAL VESSELS. OCEAN VOYAGES INSTITUTE HAS EFFECTIVELY REMOVED ALMOST 1,000,000 POUNDS OF PLASTIC DEBRIS FROM OUR OCEAN DURING OUR CLEANUP OPERATIONS. IN 2025/26 AND BEYOND WE EXPECT TO BE CONTINUING OUR CLEANUPS IN THE NORTH PACIFIC GYRE DURING THE SUMMER SEASONS AND ADDING CLEANUPS IN THE PANAMA/COSTA RICA/COLUMBIA AND GALAPAGOS ISLAND AREAS AS WELL AS THE PACIFIC ISLANDS, NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRALIA AND GLOBALLY. WE ARE PLEASED TO HAVE CONTINUING SUCCESS IN FULFILLING OUR COMMITMENT THAT 100% OF THE PLASTIC WE REMOVE FROM THE OCEAN IS UPCYCLED/RECYCLED/REPURPOSED . WE ARE COMMITTED TO INSURING NONE OF THE PLASTIC ENDS UP BACK IN THE OCEAN OR IN A LANDFILL.IN 2024, IN ADDITION TO OUR DIRECT REMOVAL WORK OF COLLECTING DERELICT FISHING GEAR AND CONSUMER DEBRIS AS WELL AS DORIES, SKIFFS AND SMALL VESSELS FOUND IN THE GYRE AREAS. WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS ATTENTION ON EDUCATING PEOPLE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING PLASTICS OUT OF OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, RIVERS, BEACHES, OCEANS, ETC. OCEAN VOYAGES INSTITUTE EDUCATES THROUGH LECTURES, FILM, ATTENDING & PARTICIPATING IN VARIETY OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND OCEAN CONFERENCES/EVENTS, SOCIAL MEDIA AND COLLABORATION WITH VARIOUS OTHER NON-PROFITS AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. WE WORK WITH A NETWORK OF TEACHERS AND STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE U.S. AND INTERNATIONALLY. WE OFFER INFORMATION AND COLLABORATION WITH MANY ORGANIZATIONS. EDUCATING THE PUBLIC THOUGH LECTURES, EVENTS, SOCIAL MEDIA, INFORMATIVE FILM & VIDEO PUBLICATIONS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF A HEALTHY OCEAN FOR OUR OWN HEALTH AND THE HEALTH OF OUR PLANET.OVI'S EFFORTS ARE FOCUSED BOTH ON STOPPING THE FLOW OF PLASTICS INTO THE OCEAN AND TO ENCOURAGE MORE CLEAN UPS, IN PARKS, RIVERS, BEACHES, AT SEA,AND MID-OCEAN. WE NEED TO CHANGE THE AMOUNT OF DISPOSABLE PLASTICS THAT ARE UTILIZED IN OUR WORLD AND ULTIMATELY END UP IN OUR OCEAN. WE NEED TO LIMIT WAYS OF USING PLASTIC FOR THINGS WE KEEP AND DO NOT DISPOSE OF SUCH AS RAILROAD TIES, CONSTRUCTION, INSULATION BOARDS, ETC. AND STOP THE PROLIFERATION OF THROW AWAY PLASTIC KNIVES, FORKS, PLATES, CUPS, BAGS, ETC.AND THE DESTRUCTIVE NETS THAT LAST FOR DECADES.OUR OCEAN IS BECOMING CLOGGED WITH OUR GARBAGE, MOST SPECIFICALLY PLASTIC GARBAGE/DEBRIS. AT THE UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON OCEANS IN JUNE OF 2017, THE PLASTIC DEBRIS IN OUR OCEAN WAS CONSIDERED THE MAIN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE FACING US TODAY. THE HEALTH OF OUR OCEANS ARE DETERIORATING AND OCEAN CREATURES RANGING FROM FISH TO SEA TURTLES TO PORPOISES TO WHALES ARE BEING KILLED BY OUR PLASTIC GARBAGE. WE ARE CURRENTLY FOCUSING PARTICULARLY ON THE AREA OF GHOST NETS AND ARE WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH TEAMS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AND ELSEWHERE. THE OCEAN VOYAGES INSTITUTE THINK TANK CONTINUES TO WORK ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MOST EFFICIENT METHODS OF OCEAN CLEAN UP EQUIPMENT FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF OCEAN PLASTICS. WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR FILM FOOTAGE AND PROJECTS ON OUR DOCUMENTARY FILM PROJECTS AND FILM CLIPS USED FOR LECTURES AND GENERAL EDUCATION. WE GIVE PRESENTATIONS RANGING FROM GROUPS SUCH AS THE SOCIETY OF WOMEN GEOGRAPHERS TO SCHOOL GROUPS AT ALL LEVELS TO YACHT CLUBS AND AT A RANGE OF OCEAN EVENTS. WE WORK WITH AND COLLABORATE WITH EXPERTS AROUND THE WORLD TO ADVOCATE FOR SUCCESSFUL AT SEA CLEANUPS. OCEAN VOYAGES INSTITUTE ACTS AS THE FISCAL SPONSOR FOR THE ADRIATIC MARITIME INSTITUTE WHICH IS DEDICATED TO THE PRESERVATION OF MARITIME HERITAGE THROUGH THE PRACTICE OF USING TRADITIONAL WATERCRAFT AS A PLATFORM FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT.AS WE CONTINUE OUR LOCAL WORK ON PRESERVING THE MARITIME HISTORY OF SAUSALITO, CALIFORNIA WHERE WE ARE BASED AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD SUCH AS THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS, ETC.
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 December 1980.
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.