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Nonprofiteer
← SUSTAINABLE SURF

Form 990 for tax year 2024

Filed by SUSTAINABLE SURF.

Totals

Total revenue
$4,046,029
Total expenses
$3,533,930
Contributions and grants received
$3,200,579
Grants paid
$480,012
Program service revenue
$800,598
Investment income
$44,054
Other revenue
$798
Total assets, end of year
$2,926,654
Total liabilities, end of year
$317,114
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$2,609,540
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$3,046,296
Management and general expenses
$298,282
Fundraising expenses
$189,352
Program service expenses (Part III)
$3,046,296

Program services were 86.2% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $3,200,579

  • 1g · Noncash contributions included above

    $13,730

  • 2a · Program service revenue: SEATREES PROGRAM

    total $800,000 · related or exempt $800,000

  • 2b · Program service revenue: ECOBOARD PROJECTS

    total $598 · related or exempt $598

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $44,054 · excluded $44,054

  • 10a · Gross sales of inventory

    $1,910

  • 10b · Cost of goods sold

    $2,100

  • 10c · Net income from sales of inventory

    total -$190 · related or exempt -$190

  • 11a · Other revenue: MISCELLANEOUS

    total $988 · excluded $988

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $988

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments

    total $480,012 · program services $480,012

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $348,809 · program services $305,513 · management and general $16,830 · fundraising $26,466

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $623,292 · program services $465,675 · management and general $88,390 · fundraising $69,227

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $4,263 · program services $3,077 · management and general $627 · fundraising $559

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $91,868 · program services $62,942 · management and general $14,746 · fundraising $14,180

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $73,434 · program services $55,397 · management and general $7,727 · fundraising $10,310

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $2,523 · program services $1,963 · management and general $560

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $41,811 · management and general $41,811

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $242,560 · program services $204,879 · management and general $25,070 · fundraising $12,611

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $36,495 · program services $33,595 · management and general $500 · fundraising $2,400

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $67,992 · program services $29,509 · management and general $32,799 · fundraising $5,684

  • 17 · Travel

    total $64,886 · program services $60,874 · management and general $1,553 · fundraising $2,459

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $47,087 · program services $40,646 · management and general $1,555 · fundraising $4,886

  • 20 · Interest

    total $3,954 · management and general $3,954

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $24,905 · program services $22,548 · management and general $2,357

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $20,782 · program services $12,968 · management and general $7,814

  • 24a · Other expenses: PROJECT EXPENSES

    total $915,469 · program services $915,089 · management and general $365 · fundraising $15

  • 24b · Other expenses: EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS

    total $201,428 · program services $201,428

  • 24c · Other expenses: DIGITAL MARKETING

    total $91,977 · program services $68,180 · fundraising $23,797

  • 24d · Other expenses: ALL OTHER EXPENSES

    total $73,222 · program services $20,168 · management and general $40,698 · fundraising $12,356

  • 24e · All other expenses

    total $77,161 · program services $61,833 · management and general $10,926 · fundraising $4,402

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $332,769 · end of year $767,528

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $1,230,564 · end of year $685,161

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $526,112 · end of year $776,271

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    end of year $200,000

  • 8 · Inventories for sale or use

    beginning of year $6,340 · end of year $5,333

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $71,141 · end of year $45,417

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $244,881

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $47,342

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $66,134 · end of year $197,539

  • 14 · Intangible assets

    beginning of year $203,055 · end of year $246,905

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $2,500

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $130,397 · end of year $175,283

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    beginning of year $630 · end of year $630

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $144,938 · end of year $141,201

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $1,746,819 · end of year $2,609,540

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $413,331 · end of year $0

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

OUR MISSION IS TO REGENERATE THE HEALTH OF OUR OCEAN PLANET AND REVERSE CLIMATE CHANGE. WE PROTECT AND RESTORE BLUE CARBON ECOSYSTEMS AROUND THE WORLD, AND CREATE EDUCATIONAL STORIES THAT INSPIRE PEOPLE AND CORPORATIONS TO TAKE ACTION.

Activities or mission (Part I)

OUR MISSION IS TO REGENERATE THE HEALTH OF OUR OCEAN PLANET AND REVERSE CLIMATE CHANGE.

  • SUSTAINABLE SURF STARTED THE SEATREES PROGRAM AS PART OF ITS MISSION TO REVERSE CLIMATE CHANGE AND RESTORE BLUE CARBON COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS BY DIRECTLY SUPPORTING LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND SCIENTISTS. ALL-TIME AT THE END OF 2024 OVER 4.7 MILLION SEATREES COMBINED HAVE BEEN RESTORED, PLANTED AND CONSERVED THROUGH THE WORK OF THE PROGRAM. FURTHER 140K CARBON CREDITS HAVE BEEN RETIRED, SEQUESTERING OVER 140,000 TONNES OF C02 FROM THE ATMOSPHERE.

    Expenses $2,884,789 · Grants $480,012 · Revenue $801,910

  • SUSTAINABLE SURF ESTABLISHED THE ECOBOARD PROJECT AS THE FIRST INDEPENDENT 3RD PARTY CONSUMER-FACING "ECO-LABEL" FOR SURFBOARDS. IN 2024 THE PROGRAM CONTINUED TO FOCUS ON BUILDING NEW PARTNERSHIPS WITH BOARDSHAPERS, WHO SPECIFICALLY USE INNOVATIVE AND SUSTAINABLE MANUFACTURING MATERIALS AND APPROACHES. OVER HALF A MILLION BOARDS HAVE NOW BEEN MANUFACTURED SINCE THE LAUNCH OF THE PROGRAM IN 2012. AS WE CONTINUE TO BRING TOGETHER SURFBOARD MANUFACTURERS AND THE SURF COMMUNITY, OUR FOCUS IS TO EDUCATE AND FOSTER COMMUNICATION AND SUSTAINAIBILITY COMMITMENTS FROM BOTH SIDES.

    Expenses $161,507 · Revenue $598

As filed on the 2024 return.

Listed in Part VII

  • Kevin Whilden

    CO-FOUNDER/ DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $168,303
    From this org
    $150,778
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $17,525
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $137,528
    Bonus
    $13,250
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $1,325
    Nontaxable benefits
    $16,200
    Filer's total
    $168,303

  • Michael Stewart

    CO-FOUNDER/ DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $180,505
    From this org
    $154,264
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $26,241
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $141,014
    Bonus
    $13,250
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $1,182
    Nontaxable benefits
    $25,059
    Filer's total
    $180,505

  • Jim Moriarty

    EX-BOARD PRESIDENT

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Kevin Tighe

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Steve Shipsey

    SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Danni Washington

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Maria Gonzalez-Blanch

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Brian Thurston

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Justin Wilkenfeld

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Cathy Campbell

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Arne Arens

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Nancy Dynan

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Alexandra Von Winterfeldt

    FINANCE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $120,905
    From this org
    $102,413
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $18,492
    Hours/week
    40

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Answered yes

  • 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee

Answered no

  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
  • 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
  • 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
  • 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
  • 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
  • 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

  • SCRIPPS INSTITUTE OF OCEANOGRAPHY

    $330,000

    FOR THE PURPOSES OF TESTING MULTIPLE HYPOTHESIS OF RESTORING KELP, INCL. OUTPLANTING LAB-GROWN JUVENILES AND IDENTIFYING IF THESE MORE THERMALLY-TOLERANT STRAINS BETTER SURVIVE A WARMING CLIMATE.

  • PHILANTHROPY WORKS

    $100,000

    TO SPONSOR ARTIST TO BUILD A BIODIVERSITY BLOCKS MONUMENT TO PROMOTE BIODIVERSITY CREDIT SYSTEM.

  • UC SAN DIEGO

    $50,000

    TO DO A SCIENCE RESEARCH FOR A KELP SCIENCE PROJECT

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2024
Filed
11 November 2025
IRS schema version
2024v5.2
Source object
202513169349304001

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