SAVE THE WAVES COALITION

EIN 36-4515216 SANTA CRUZ, CA

Revenue 2025: $1,358,277
Expenses 2025: $1,731,972

Program services were 75.8% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

As filed

Subsection: 03
NTEE code: C34
Classification: 2100
Street: 849 ALMAR AVE STE C

These codes are the IRS's own and are shown exactly as filed. What each one means is in the Business Master File documentation (opens in a new tab).

Mission and programs · 2025

Mission

Note re: FYE Dec 2025 Revenues less expenses of -373,695. See 3rd page of Schedule O for detailed explanation. This deficit was covered under a three-year grant which provided for $500,000 each year, all of which was recognized in a previous year.

Activities or mission (Part I)

Save the Waves protects surf ecosystems around the world, forming coalitions with local communities and utilizing a unique combination of protected areas, stewardship, and grass-roots mobilization.

PROTECTED AREAS:Save The Waves advanced stewardship activities across our World Surfing Reserves, protecting surf breaks and engaging volunteers and community members in local conservation initiatives. We supported environmental education programs for youth in El Salvador and completed a first-of-its-kind mangrove documentation study in Costa Rica. We continued Surf Protected Area strategies in California, Mexico, Costa Rica, and the Azores, including promoting statewide surf ecosystem protection in California.

Expenses $564,531 · Grants $30,000
Campaigns and Outreach:Save The Waves executed campaigns to defend surf ecosystems from development, pollution and threats globally. We released a groundbreaking report documenting the annual economic value from surfing in Santa Cruz and promoted statewide surf ecosystem protection and surf reserve concepts. We expanded the Save The Waves Film Festival to events across multiple countries, reaching thousands of in-person attendees and millions of individuals through digital campaigns.

Expenses $424,416
Stewardship and Resilience:Save The Waves conducted workshops and outreach training for local communities across Costa Rica, the Azores, California, and Mexico. We published a comprehensive resource on surf ecosystem conservation best practices in partnership with Conservation International. We advanced a new model of parametric insurance in El Salvador to safeguard surf breaks, mangroves, and community livelihoods from extreme weather events.

Expenses $324,151 · Grants $1,000

As filed on the 2025 return.

Officers and directors · 2025

As listed in Part VII of the 2025 return, in the order the filer printed them. Each return names its own; this is not a roster the organization keeps with us.

Nik Strong-Cvetich

CEO

Total calculated

$176,219

From this org

$138,697

From related orgs

$0

Other

$37,522

Hours/week

40

Schedule J breakdown matched by us

Base

$138,697

Bonus

not reported

Other

not reported

Deferred

$4,163

Nontaxable benefits

$33,359

Filer's total

$176,219
Susan Coffey

Dir Ops and Fin

Total calculated

$123,499

From this org

$95,659

From related orgs

$0

Other

$27,840

Hours/week

35
Lauren Parrino

Dir Communications

Total calculated

$120,471

From this org

$103,039

From related orgs

$0

Other

$17,432

Hours/week

40
Mara Arroyo Rodriguez

SrMgr Conservation

Total calculated

$109,490

From this org

$109,490

From related orgs

$0

Other

$0

Hours/week

40
Hugo Tagholm

Chairman

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

3
Annie Vranizan

Vice Chair

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Rahim Walker

Treasurer

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Laura F Rodriguez

Secretary

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

2
Will Henry

Board Member

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Christy Chin

Board Member

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Scott Atkinson

Board Member

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Pat Gonzales-Rogers

Board Member

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Greg Jones

Board Member

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Richard Margoluis

Board Member

Total calculated

$0

Hours/week

1
Ian Stewart

Board Member

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. Earlier years are each on their own filing page.

Filings

2025

Revenue

$1,358,277

Expenses

$1,731,972

Contributions

$1,339,198

Grants paid

$31,000
2024

Revenue

$1,078,963

Expenses

$1,527,181

Contributions

$1,063,462

Grants paid

$500
2023

Revenue

$2,569,172

Expenses

$1,402,356

Contributions

$2,573,220

Grants paid

$49,195
2022

Revenue

$1,177,157

Expenses

$1,112,956

Contributions

$1,181,327

Grants paid

$25,030

Tax year	Revenue	Expenses	Contributions	Grants paid
2025	$1,358,277	$1,731,972	$1,339,198	$31,000
2024	$1,078,963	$1,527,181	$1,063,462	$500
2023	$2,569,172	$1,402,356	$2,573,220	$49,195
2022	$1,177,157	$1,112,956	$1,181,327	$25,030

The four totals the IRS asks for on Part I of the Form 990, as filed. A dash means the figure was not present on the return — not that it was zero.

Other returns filed

2021 · 990

Revenue

$1,218,711

Expenses

$1,185,848

Assets (EOY)

$498,551
2020 · 990

Revenue

$1,086,875

Expenses

$945,764

Assets (EOY)

$452,414
2019 · 990

Revenue

$777,935

Expenses

$773,158

Assets (EOY)

$339,383
2018 · 990

Revenue

$571,735

Expenses

$567,501

Assets (EOY)

$146,265
2017 · 990

Revenue

$466,593

Expenses

$465,658

Assets (EOY)

$288,038
2016 · 990

Revenue

$528,995

Expenses

$452,294

Assets (EOY)

$458,145
2016 · 990

Revenue

$395,436

Expenses

$370,791

Assets (EOY)

$458,145
2015 · 990

Revenue

$357,286

Expenses

$329,501

Assets (EOY)

$379,914
2015 · 990

Revenue

$633,082

Expenses

$337,727

Assets (EOY)

$379,914
2014 · 990

Revenue

$330,176

Expenses

$305,557

Assets (EOY)

$86,049

Tax year	Form	Revenue	Expenses	Assets (EOY)
2021	990	$1,218,711	$1,185,848	$498,551
2020	990	$1,086,875	$945,764	$452,414
2019	990	$777,935	$773,158	$339,383
2018	990	$571,735	$567,501	$146,265
2017	990	$466,593	$465,658	$288,038
2016	990	$528,995	$452,294	$458,145
2016	990	$395,436	$370,791	$458,145
2015	990	$357,286	$329,501	$379,914
2015	990	$633,082	$337,727	$379,914
2014	990	$330,176	$305,557	$86,049

Nonprofiteer parses Forms 990, 990-EZ and 990-PF, in a window of recent tax years. These returns are recorded from the IRS e-file index, so their figures were extracted by that index rather than read from the return here — treat them as a different source from the filings above, not as more of the same record. A dash means the index carries no figure; Form 990-T listings carry none at all. Showing the 10 most recent; the API carries the rest.

Grants made

No itemized grants to organizations. Schedule I is filed only by organizations that granted more than $5,000 to a recipient, so most filers have none.

Grants received

CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION

$145,192

2024 EXPANDING BLUE ECONOMY BENEFITS AND THE CONSERVATION OF CRITICAL BIOLOGICAL VARIETY AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES BY MANAGING SURF ECOSYSTEMS
CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION

$69,453

2022 ADVANCING MARINE AND COASTAL CONSERVATION THROUGH THE SURF CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP
MORGAN STANLEY GLOBAL IMPACT FUNDING TRUST INC

$60,000

2022 UNRESTRICTED GENERAL SUPPORT
OCEAN RISK AND RESILIENCE ACTION ALLIANCE INC

$50,000

2022 WINNER OF OCEAN RISK INNOVATION CHALLENGE
FIDELITY INVESTMENTS CHARITABLE GIFT FUND

$32,050

2023 For grant recipient's exempt purposes
PAYPAL CHARITABLE GIVING FUND

$17,249

2024 GENERAL SUPPORT
RESOURCES LEGACY FUND

$15,000

2022 LAND OR MARINE CONSERVATION, PROMOTION OF EDUCATION AND/OR HEALTHY COMMUNITIES
AMERICAN ONLINE GIVING FOUNDATION INC

$14,272

2023 GENERAL SUPPORT
DONOR ADVISED CHARITABLE GIVING

$13,400

2024 ENVIRONMENTAL AND ANIMALS
MARIN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

$12,000

2022 GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Other IRS files

Auto-Revocation List

Not listed. The IRS publishes this list for organizations whose exemption was automatically revoked for failing to file for three consecutive years.

Publication 78

Listed as of 13 October 2026, under deductibility PC.

These are two separate IRS files on two separate schedules, shown as published and not reconciled with each other. Neither is a statement about whether a contribution is deductible today: 19,245 organizations appear in Publication 78 while the IRS's own revocation file lists them as currently revoked, more than half of those revoked before 2019. Absence from Publication 78 is evidence of nothing, and presence is not evidence either. Verify current status with the IRS before relying on it.

What this page reflects

The registration facts above come from the IRS Business Master File published 13 October 2026 and read 29 October 2026, for every organization at once. Returns through tax year 2025, the newest we have parsed for this organization.