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THE COMMUNITY ECOLOGY INSTITUTE

EIN 81-0954815 COLUMBIA, MD

Revenue 2024
$1,166,864
Expenses 2024
$1,134,413

Program services were 72.0% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

As filed

Subsection
03
NTEE code
W99
Classification
2800
Street
8000 HARRIET TUBMAN LN

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 · 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.

Officers and directors · 2024

As listed in Part VII of the 2024 return, in the order the filer printed them. Each return names its own; this is not a roster the organization keeps with us.

  • CHIARA 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-ISENSTADT

    PRESIDENT

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    10

  • MONICA LEWIS

    VICE PRESIDENT

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • PATRICK CURTIS

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • MARGO DUESTERHAUS

    SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • JAMES AQUIRRE

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • JEN BLONDO

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • MABROOKA CHAUDHRY

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • ERICA COADY

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • AKIL COLE

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • KIM FLYR END 123124

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • VERNON GRAY

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • ERICA JONES

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • EDUARDO MARIN

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • JONATHAN MCKINNEY END 43024

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • LEAH MILLER

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • KIA PAYNE

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • GARY PILARCHIK

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • JASON 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. Earlier years are each on their own filing page.

Filings

  • 2024
    Revenue
    $1,166,864
    Expenses
    $1,134,413
    Contributions
    $698,518
    Grants paid
    $0
  • 2023
    Revenue
    $1,246,970
    Expenses
    $1,184,006
    Contributions
    $918,702
    Grants paid
    $0
  • 2022
    Revenue
    $1,780,394
    Expenses
    $724,212
    Contributions
    $1,502,213
    Grants paid
    $0

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
    $557,981
    Expenses
    $438,744
    Assets (EOY)
    $903,450

  • 2020 · 990

    Revenue
    $322,431
    Expenses
    $252,588
    Assets (EOY)
    $584,573

  • 2019 · 990

    Revenue
    $400,701
    Expenses
    $130,617
    Assets (EOY)
    $456,334

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.

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

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 26 October 2026, for every organization at once. Returns through tax year 2024, the newest we have parsed for this organization.