EARTHWATCH INSTITUTE INC Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

EARTHWATCH INSTITUTE INC

EIN 23-7168440 · Science & Technology (U20M)

What they do

EARTHWATCH INSTITUTE CONNECTS PEOPLE WITH SCIENTISTS WORLDWIDE to CONDUCT ENVIRONMENTAL FIELD RESEARCH and EMPOWERS THEM WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THEY NEED to CONSERVE THE PLANET. SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 1971, EARTHWATCH HAS EMPOWERED OVER 100,000 VOLUNTEERS FROM ALL WALKS of LIFE to JOIN LEADING SCIENTISTS ON RESEARCH EXPEDITIONS THAT TACKLE CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES AROUND THE GLOBE - FROM CLIMATE CHANGE to OCEAN HEALTH, HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICT, and MORE. EARTHWATCH INVITES PEOPLE FROM ALL SECTORS to JOIN ITS MISSION, FROM THE PUBLIC to TEACHERS, STUDENTS, COMPANIES, and MORE. DURING 2024 WE SUPPORTED MORE THAN 30 RESEARCH PROJECTS.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $76.20 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2023The report may be old. Ask for a newer one.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders20 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

101.59%of revenue went to mission work76.2% of expenses · Program services

7.95%of revenue went to fundraising6.0% of expenses

$151.13spent for every $100 of revenueSpending was higher than revenue this year.

23.73%of revenue went to management and office costs17.8% of expenses

$0.73in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

113.4%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Worth asking: Expenses exceeded revenue by $1,736,508 this year. Ask whether that was planned or caused by a one-time event.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $143,097 for GITTE VENICX (PRESIDENT/CEO). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2023

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

$100revenue

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$3,851,236

Mission workProgram services$3,912,439101.59% of revenue76.2% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$914,05023.73% of revenue17.8% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$306,2057.95% of revenue6.0% of expenses

Total expenses$5,132,694133.27% of revenue

Expenses were greater than revenue, so the colored ring fills the available $100 and the total above 100% is shown below.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails

2023CurrentExpense mix: 76.2% mission · 17.8% management · 6.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 133.27% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 76.1% mission · 17.1% management · 6.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 140.88% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 76.2% mission · 17.6% management · 6.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 101.16% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 71.5% mission · 21.6% management · 6.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 61.78% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 73.8% mission · 20.0% management · 6.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 89.71% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 83.7% mission · 12.7% management · 3.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 117.61% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 82.5% mission · 12.5% management · 5.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 103.47% of revenue

2016Expense mix: 83.5% mission · 13.1% management · 3.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 91.78% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$3,396,186

Expenses$5,132,694

Annual shortfall $1,736,508 Expenses were higher than revenue for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$3,912,439 · 76.2% of expenses

Management and office costs$914,050 · 17.8% of expenses

Fundraising$306,205 · 6.0% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$3,396,186

Expenses$5,132,694

Assets$3,722,902

Income$7,739,757

Contributions$3,850,184

Mission work (program services)$3,912,439

Fundraising$306,205

Grants given$4,811,316

Average grant$50,118

Management and general$914,050

Stocks and bonds$3,593,619

Accounting fees$46,149

Investing fees$27,439

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2023

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

GITTE VENICXPRESIDENT/CEO · 40 hrs/week $143,097Base $137,593 · Other $5,504

STANLEY RULLMANDIRETOR OF RESEARCH · 40 hrs/week $124,597Base $100,676 · Other $23,921

HEATHER WILCOXDIRECTOR OF ANNUAL & PLANNED GIVING · 40 hrs/week $118,953Base $107,318 · Other $11,635

LARRY STAUBCONTROLLER · 32 hrs/week $103,379Base $82,307 · Other $21,072

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (20)

GITTE VENICXPRESIDENT/CEO

STANLEY RULLMANDIRETOR OF RESEARCH

HEATHER WILCOXDIRECTOR OF ANNUAL & PLANNED GIVING

LARRY STAUBCONTROLLER

HAROLD RICKENBACKER PHDMEMBER

WILLIAM MOOMAW PHDMEMBER (UNTIL 10/2023)

VITTORIO SEVERINOVICE CHAIR

LEISHA JOHNCHAIR

KEVIN BRYANMEMBER

JUDITH SANTANOMEMBER

JANE STEINMETZMEMBER

AMY BORUNMEMBER

GILLIAN BOWSER PHDMEMBER

GEORGE KEITH FUNSTONTREASURER

ERIN BILLMANMEMBER

DONALD KENDALL JRMEMBER (UNTIL 10/2023)

DAVID LANGMEMBER

CHRISTINE REPASYMEMBER (UNTIL 5/2024)

CHRIS DYMONDMEMBER

CAREN COOPER PHDMEMBER

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1972
Location: 300 WASHINGTON ST 713, NEWTON, MA 02458-1655
County: Middlesex
In care of: ELLEN MEYER SHORB
Primary officer: ELLEN MEYER SHORB, INTERIM CEO

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Emailinfo@earthwatch.org Phone(800) 776-0188 Officer phone(617) 522-2766

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2023
Tax period began: October 1, 2023
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: AAFCPAS INC
NTEE classification: Science & Technology (U20M)
Grant-giving organization: Yes