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Nonprofiteer
← MILWAUKEE WATER COMMONS INC

Form 990 for tax year 2024

Filed by MILWAUKEE WATER COMMONS INC.

Totals

Total revenue
$1,508,793
Total expenses
$1,431,359
Contributions and grants received
$1,438,501
Grants paid
$26,535
Program service revenue
$70,292
Investment income
$0
Other revenue
$0
Total assets, end of year
$1,632,525
Total liabilities, end of year
$109,370
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$1,523,155
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$1,099,852
Management and general expenses
$234,850
Fundraising expenses
$96,657
Program service expenses (Part III)
$1,099,852

Program services were 76.8% 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.

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $443,006

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $995,495

  • 2a · Program service revenue: PROJECT REVENUE

    total $70,292 · related or exempt $70,292

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments

    total $26,535 · program services $26,535

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $325,855 · program services $232,997 · management and general $46,861 · fundraising $45,997

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $518,126 · program services $494,217 · management and general $23,909

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $58,144 · program services $50,585 · management and general $4,652 · fundraising $2,907

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $68,743 · program services $59,212 · management and general $5,774 · fundraising $3,757

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $120,426 · program services $87,514 · management and general $32,515 · fundraising $397

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $120,429 · program services $70,060 · management and general $8,369 · fundraising $42,000

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $10,481 · program services $2,028 · management and general $8,453

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $11,079 · program services $2,016 · management and general $9,063

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $10,594 · program services $12 · management and general $10,582

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $31,982 · program services $27,824 · management and general $2,559 · fundraising $1,599

  • 17 · Travel

    total $48,760 · program services $6,469 · management and general $42,291

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $48,012 · program services $19,882 · management and general $28,130

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $2,658 · management and general $2,658

  • 24a · Other expenses: PROGRAM EQUIPMENT AND S

    total $21,365 · program services $18,675 · management and general $2,690 · fundraising $0

  • 24b · Other expenses: HONORARIA AND GIFTS

    total $3,681 · program services $325 · management and general $3,356 · fundraising $0

  • 24c · Other expenses: BANK CHARGES

    total $2,403 · program services $1,501 · management and general $902 · fundraising $0

  • 24d · Other expenses: MEMBERSHIPS AND SUBSCRI

    total $2,086 · program services $0 · management and general $2,086 · fundraising $0

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $418,081 · end of year $453,449

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    end of year $1,081,763

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $1,056,252 · end of year $22,560

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    end of year $2,080

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $95,517 · end of year $72,673

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $16,199 · end of year $26,106

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $107,930 · end of year $83,264

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $404,054 · end of year $558,571

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $1,041,667 · end of year $964,584

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

MILWAUKEE WATER COMMONS IS HELPING CATALYZE MILWAUKEE AS A TRUE MODEL WATER CITY-A PLACE WHERE WE ALL HAVE A STAKE IN THE HEALTH OF OUR WATERS AND ALL SHARE IN THEIR STEWARDSHIP AND BENEFITS. WE ARE ADVANCING OUR COMMUNITY ENVISIONED WATER CITY AGENDA THROUGH THE ORGANIZING FRAMEWORKS OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, COLLECTIVE IMPACT, THE COMMONS, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

Activities or mission (Part I)

MILWAUKEE WATER COMMONS INC. IS A CROSS-CITY NETWORK THAT FOSTERS CONNECTION, COLLABORATION, AND BROAD COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP ON BEHALF OF OUR COMMON WATERS. THE ORGANIZATION PROMOTES STEWARDSHIP OF EQUITABLE ACCESS TO AND SHARED DECISION-MAKING FOR OUR COMMON WATERS. THE ORGANIZATION FOCUSES ON SIX INITIATIVES: WATER QUALITY, DRINKING WATER, ARTS AND CULTURE, BLUE GREEN JOBS, EDUCATION AND RECREATION, AND GREEN INITIATIVE.

  • MILWAUKEE WATER COMMONS MARKED THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF TWO OF OUR SIGNATURE PROGRAMS: WE ARE WATER, OUR ANNUAL EVENT CELEBRATING MILWAUKEE'S SHARED WATERS, AND WATER SCHOOL, OUR COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAM DESIGNED TO DEVELOP WATER LEADERS. WATER SCHOOL EXPANDED TO TWO SESSIONS THIS YEAR, WELCOMING ITS FIRST GROUP OF WINTER PARTICIPANTS. NOW IN ITS FOURTH YEAR, THE BEACH AMBASSADOR PROGRAM DEEPENED ITS COMMUNITY IMPACT WITH EXPANDED FOCUS ON PUBLIC HEALTH AND WATER SAFETY ON LAKE MICHIGAN'S SHORE. FIVE AMBASSADORS WENT BEYOND THEIR BEACHFRONT DUTIES, LEADING WATER SAFETY WORKSHOPS WITH PURPOSEFUL PLAY, NEARBY NATURE MILWAUKEE, AND ALL HANDS BOATWORKS. OUR FIRST COHORT OF ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE UNVEILED FIVE POWERFUL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PIECES, UNIQUE WORKS CREATED BY LOCAL ARTISTS WHO BECAME INFORMED WATER LEADERS THROUGH THE RESIDENCY. THEIR ART AMPLIFIES OUR CITY'S CONNECTION TO WATER AND STRENGTHENS MILWAUKEE'S SHARED WATER CULTURE. THROUGH BRANCH OUT MILWAUKEE, WE CELEBRATED THE PLANTING OF 174 TREES IN THE SHERMAN PARK NEIGHBORHOOD, THE MAINTENANCE OF 43 TREES, AND THE REMOVAL OF 22 HAZARDOUS TREES, GROWING MILWAUKEE'S TREE CANOPY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SHERMAN PARK COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION. THIS YEAR ALSO BROUGHT IMPORTANT MILESTONES IN POLICY AND COLLABORATION. WE WELCOMED AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ADVISOR FOR THE MILWAUKEE ESTUARY AREA OF CONCERN (AOC), THE FIRST ROLE OF ITS KIND FOR AN AOC IN THE NATION, INTEGRATING ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE INTO DECISION-MAKING AND IMPLEMENTATION PROCESSES. AND WE FACILITATED A LEARNING EXCHANGE BETWEEN THE MILWAUKEE AND PITTSBURGH WATER EQUITY TASK FORCES, SHARING STRATEGIES ON EQUITABLE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND BUILDING AUTHENTIC PARTNERSHIPS.

    Expenses $1,099,852 · Grants $26,535 · Revenue $70,292

As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • Brenda Coley

    CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $168,046
    From this org
    $148,522
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $19,524
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $148,522
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $19,524
    Filer's total
    $168,046

  • Kirsten Shead

    CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $157,808
    From this org
    $148,522
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $9,286
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $148,522
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $9,286
    Filer's total
    $157,808

  • Deniene Powell

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Suzanne Mills-Wemm

    SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Jamin Mahan

    CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Dinorah Marquez Abadiano

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Tina Johnson

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Anne O'Connor

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • J Peter Ordway

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Naryan Leazer

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

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

None.

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

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2024
Filed
6 November 2025
IRS schema version
2024v5.2
Source object
202533109349302343

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