Form 990 for tax year 2024

Filed by THE COMMUNITY ECOLOGY INSTITUTE.

Totals

Total revenue: $1,166,864
Total expenses: $1,134,413
Contributions and grants received: $698,518
Grants paid: $0
Program service revenue: $431,470
Investment income: $819
Other revenue: $36,057
Total assets, end of year: $2,688,870
Total liabilities, end of year: $381,401
Net assets or fund balances, end of year: $2,307,469
Program services expenses (Part IX): $816,893
Management and general expenses: $297,192
Fundraising expenses: $20,328
Program service expenses (Part III): $816,893

Program services were 72.0% 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.

1c · Fundraising events

$70,623
1e · Government grants (contributions)

$342,677
1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

$285,218
2a · Program service revenue: TUITION

total $407,277 · related or exempt $407,277
2b · Program service revenue: CONTRACTED SERVICES

total $18,011 · related or exempt $18,011
2c · Program service revenue: MEMBERSHIP FEES

total $6,182 · related or exempt $6,182
3 · Investment income

total $819 · excluded $819
6a · Gross rents

real property $7,964
6b · Less rental expenses

real property $0
6c · Rental income or loss

real property $7,964
6d · Net rental income or loss

total $7,964 · excluded $7,964
8a · Fundraising events: gross income

$9,249
8a · Fundraising events: contributions included on line 1c

$70,623
8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

$9,249
8c · Net income from fundraising events

total $0
10a · Gross sales of inventory

$35,185
10b · Cost of goods sold

$7,092
10c · Net income from sales of inventory

total $28,093 · related or exempt $28,093

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

total $116,550 · program services $58,275 · management and general $46,620 · fundraising $11,655
7 · Other salaries and wages

total $563,124 · program services $503,958 · management and general $51,907 · fundraising $7,259
8 · Pension plan contributions

total $10,057 · management and general $10,057
9 · Other employee benefits

total $6,221 · management and general $6,221
10 · Payroll taxes

total $54,649 · management and general $54,649
11c · Fees: accounting

total $53,210 · management and general $53,210
11g · Fees: other

total $139,455 · program services $119,529 · management and general $19,926
12 · Advertising and promotion

total $3,164 · program services $828 · management and general $2,336
13 · Office expenses

total $72,462 · program services $58,483 · management and general $12,565 · fundraising $1,414
14 · Information technology

total $11,031 · program services $3,806 · management and general $7,225
16 · Occupancy

total $52,752 · program services $51,298 · management and general $1,454
17 · Travel

total $1,982 · program services $913 · management and general $1,069
20 · Interest

total $9,753 · program services $8,248 · management and general $1,505
22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

total $24,086 · management and general $24,086
23 · Insurance

total $15,917 · program services $11,555 · management and general $4,362

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

beginning of year $438,514 · end of year $354,030
2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

end of year $89,476
3 · Pledges and grants receivable

beginning of year $128,975 · end of year $514,476
4 · Accounts receivable

beginning of year $5,399 · end of year $3,302
9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

beginning of year $7,420 · end of year $8,353
10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

$1,827,523
10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

$108,290
10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

beginning of year $1,669,924 · end of year $1,719,233
17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

beginning of year $63,851 · end of year $96,653
19 · Deferred revenue

beginning of year $124,564 · end of year $142,581
23 · Secured mortgages and notes payable

beginning of year $156,485 · end of year $142,167
27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

beginning of year $1,653,717 · end of year $2,017,620
28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

beginning of year $251,615 · end of year $289,849

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

TO CULTIVATE COMMUNITIES WHERE PEOPLE AND NATURE THRIVE TOGETHER.

CEI OFFERS SEVEN CORE EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS:1. A COMMUNITY OF FAMILIES IN NATURE (CFIN): THE MISSION IS TO PROVIDE FREQUENT, FUN, AND FRIENDLY NATURE-BASED EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION THAT CAN BE ENJOYED BY THE ENTIRE FAMILY - CHILDREN OF ALL AGES AND THEIR CAREGIVERS. 2. ROOTS & WINGS LEARNING COMMUNITY: THE MISSION IS TO OFFER SUPPLEMENTAL EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION FOR HOME-SCHOOLED CHILDREN THAT NURTURES A DEEP CONNECTION TO SELF, COMMUNITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT THROUGH PROGRAMMING THAT EMPHASIZES CREATIVITY, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING, AND HANDS-ON, NATURE-BASED EXPLORATION.3. GREEN SEEDS INTERNSHIP: THE MISSION IS TO PROVIDE EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE FOR HIGH-SCHOOL, COLLEGE, AND GRADUATE STUDENTS ACROSS A RANGE OF SOCIAL AND ECOLOGICAL THEMES.4. NOURISHING GARDENS: THE MISSION IS TO TRANSFORM LAWNS INTO GARDENS THAT NOURISH OUR FAMILIES, THE COMMUNITY, AND THE ENVIRONMENT. THE GOALS OF THE PROGRAM ARE TWO-FOLD: (1) INSTALLING FOOD AND POLLINATOR GARDENS IN YARDS, COMMUNITY SPACES, AND WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESSES, AND (2) PROVIDING A GREEN-INFRASTRUCTURE JOBS TRAINING PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM BRINGS THE BENEFITS, LEARNING, AND EXPERIENCE OF FREETOWN FARM DIRECTLY TO THE FRONT DOORS OF OUR NEIGHBORS.5. ECOSTEWARDS VOLUNTEERS: THE MISSION IS TO CONNECT WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN A WAY THAT WELCOMES THEM INTO CEI'S STEWARDSHIP OF FREETOWN FARM AND THE GREEN FARMACY GARDEN, PROVIDES THEM WITH DIRECT WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR WORK ON THESE PROPERTIES, AND PROVIDES DIRECT EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION THROUGH VOLUNTEERISM.6. SUSTAINABLE SKILLS WORKSHOPS: THE MISSION IS TO OFFER A STRATEGIC SELECTION OF WORKSHOPS THAT WELCOME A WIDE RANGE OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS INTO CEI'S WORK AND PROVIDE EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION ON SKILLS THAT SUPPORT BOTH SUSTAINABILITY AND INDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNITY HEALTH.7. AGROECOLOGY IN ACTION: THE MISSION IS TO STEWARD CEI'S TWO PROPERTIES, FREETOWN FARM AND THE GREEN FARMACY GARDEN, IN WAYS THAT CONNECT THEIR AGRICULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES WITH THEIR ECOLOGICAL OPPORTUNITIES ALL WHILE MAKING BOTH PROPERTIES SPACES IN WHICH OUR OTHER CORE PROGRAMS CAN THRIVE AND BE A HOME FOR EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION.

Expenses $555,881 · Revenue $451,855
IN 2019, CEI PURCHASED A 6.4-ACRE ORGANIC FARM IN OUR HOMETOWN OF COLUMBIA, MARYLAND. WE HAVE CREATED A COMMUNITY CENTER ON THIS UNIQUE PROPERTY WHERE PEOPLE CAN LEARN THROUGH HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES ABOUT HOW THEY CAN HAVE HAPPIER, HEALTHIER, MORE CONNECTED, AND SUSTAINABLE LIVES. WE ARE ACTIVELY FARMING THIS PROPERTY AND COLLABORATIVELY GROW TONS OF PRODUCE FOR OUR COMMUNITY EACH YEAR WITH AN EMPHASIS ON EDUCATION AND PROVISION OF FOOD TO THOSE WHO ARE FACING FOOD INSECURITY. IN 2022 WE PURCHASED A SECOND 6-ACRE PROPERTY, THE GREEN FARMACY GARDEN IN FULTON, WHICH IS A UNIQUE MEDICINAL BOTANICAL GARDEN. FROM BOTH PROPERTIES AND ACROSS OUR SEVEN CORE PROGRAMS, IN 2024 ALONE WE PROVIDED EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION TO OVER 3,500 DISTINCT AND DIVERSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT EQUATED TO OVER 59,000 HOURS OF LEARNING.

Expenses $261,012 · Revenue $7,708

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

Listed in Part VII

Chiara D'AmoreCHIARA D'AMORE

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Total calculated

$116,550

From this org

$113,146

From related orgs

$0

Other

$3,404

Hours/week

40
Jean Silver-IsenstadtJEAN SILVER-ISENSTADT

PRESIDENT

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

10
Monica LewisMONICA LEWIS

VICE PRESIDENT

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

3
Patrick CurtisPATRICK CURTIS

TREASURER

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

3
Margo DuesterhausMARGO DUESTERHAUS

SECRETARY

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

3
James AquirreJAMES AQUIRRE

BOARD MEMBER

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Jen BlondoJEN BLONDO

BOARD MEMBER

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Mabrooka ChaudhryMABROOKA CHAUDHRY

BOARD MEMBER

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Erica CoadyERICA COADY

BOARD MEMBER

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Akil ColeAKIL COLE

BOARD MEMBER

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Kim Flyr End 123124KIM FLYR END 123124

BOARD MEMBER

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Vernon GrayVERNON GRAY

BOARD MEMBER

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Erica JonesERICA JONES

BOARD MEMBER

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Eduardo MarinEDUARDO MARIN

BOARD MEMBER

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Jonathan McKinney End 43024JONATHAN MCKINNEY END 43024

BOARD MEMBER

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Leah MillerLEAH MILLER

BOARD MEMBER

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Kia PayneKIA PAYNE

BOARD MEMBER

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Gary PilarchikGARY PILARCHIK

BOARD MEMBER

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Jason VankirkJASON VANKIRK

BOARD MEMBER

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2

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.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type: form_990
Tax year: 2024
Filed: 28 October 2025
IRS schema version: 2024v5.2
Source object: 202503029349302800

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