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PUGET SOUNDKEEPER ALLIANCE

Protecting and Enhancing Puget Sound

Seattle, WA   |  http://www.pugetsoundkeeper.org

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GuideStar Charity Check

PUGET SOUNDKEEPER ALLIANCE

EIN: 91-1285783


Mission

To be a trusted leader and collaborator for all communities, in court and on the water, fighting for a healthy Puget Sound.

Ruling year info

1985

Soundkeeper & Executive Director

Sean T Dixon

Main address

130 Nickerson St Ste 107

Seattle, WA 98109-1658 USA

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EIN

91-1285783

Subject area info

Environment

Population served info

Adults

Children and youth

NTEE code info

Environmental Quality, Protection, and Beautification N.E.C. (C99)

What we aim to solve

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Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Soundkeeper

PSA reviews National Pollution Discharge Permits, checks for compliance, and files citizen's lawsuits when not in compliance. PSA works to regulate storm water pollution and patrols and monitors the waters of Puget Sound in order to detect, document and report sources of illegal pollution.

Population(s) Served
Adults

PSA has developed and maintains a redesigned web page and printed materials for outreach and education. The target audience is students, agency personnel, foundations and the general public, including recreational boaters.

Population(s) Served
Adults

PSA prevents pollution by working with businesses, boaters and residents to reduce harmful pollution.

Population(s) Served
Adults
Children and youth

Where we work

  • King County (Washington, United States)

  • Kitsap County (Washington, United States)

  • Pierce County (Washington, United States)

  • Skagit County (Washington, United States)

  • Snohomish County (Washington, United States)

Affiliations & memberships

Waterkeeper Alliance - Founding Member 1990

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Number of public events held to further mission

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Related Program

Clean Water Program

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

Cleanup events, outreach, education

Number of pounds of marine debris removed from Puget Sound shorelines and waterways

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Related Program

Clean Water Program

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Decreasing

Number of volunteers

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Related Program

Clean Water Program

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

Participants in cleanups, community science activities, water quality monitoring

Our Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

(1) Fully occupy our law and policy jurisdiction around the Sound.
(2) Build and foster better community connections to the Puget Sound and its watersheds.
(3) Improve water quality through local action, volunteerism, and innovation.

Strategies include:
• Sustain a legal docket and policy
advocacy initiatives which will impact
the entire Puget Sound
• Increase the number of community
and environmental enforcement
cases launched
• Achieve durable legislative victories,
locally, state-wide, and nationally
Deepen volunteer engagement and
leadership opportunities across
Soundkeeper’s public programs
• Build Sound-wide community science
networks
• Sustain impactful public outreach and
engagement
• Drive storytelling opportunities for
our legal and legislative work
• Ensure community engagement
programs drive clean water
improvements
• Track-down and eliminate sources of
plastic pollution through action and
education
• Improve shoreline and aquatic
habitat through cleanups and
restoration
• Support sound science and
innovations in public policy

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We demonstrated a willingness to learn more by reviewing resources about feedback practice.
done We shared information about our current feedback practices.
  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

    We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We act on the feedback we receive, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback

Revenue vs. expenses:  breakdown

SOURCE: IRS Form 990 info
NET GAIN/LOSS:    in 
Note: When component data are not available, the graph displays the total Revenue and/or Expense values.

Liquidity in 2023 info

SOURCE: IRS Form 990

2.89

Average of 8.27 over 10 years

Months of cash in 2023 info

SOURCE: IRS Form 990

8

Average of 8.7 over 10 years

Fringe rate in 2023 info

SOURCE: IRS Form 990

20%

Average of 19% over 10 years

Funding sources info

Source: IRS Form 990

Assets & liabilities info

Source: IRS Form 990

Financial data

SOURCE: IRS Form 990

PUGET SOUNDKEEPER ALLIANCE

Revenue & expenses

Fiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31

SOURCE: IRS Form 990 info

Fiscal year ending: cloud_download Download Data

PUGET SOUNDKEEPER ALLIANCE

Balance sheet

Fiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31

SOURCE: IRS Form 990 info

The balance sheet gives a snapshot of the financial health of an organization at a particular point in time. An organization's total assets should generally exceed its total liabilities, or it cannot survive long, but the types of assets and liabilities must also be considered. For instance, an organization's current assets (cash, receivables, securities, etc.) should be sufficient to cover its current liabilities (payables, deferred revenue, current year loan, and note payments). Otherwise, the organization may face solvency problems. On the other hand, an organization whose cash and equivalents greatly exceed its current liabilities might not be putting its money to best use.

Fiscal year ending: cloud_download Download Data

PUGET SOUNDKEEPER ALLIANCE

Financial trends analysis Glossary & formula definitions

Fiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31

SOURCE: IRS Form 990 info

This snapshot of PUGET SOUNDKEEPER ALLIANCE’s financial trends applies Nonprofit Finance Fund® analysis to data hosted by GuideStar. While it highlights the data that matter most, remember that context is key – numbers only tell part of any story.

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Business model indicators

Profitability info 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Unrestricted surplus (deficit) before depreciation $158,723 -$91,680 $21,986 $24,957 -$123,708
As % of expenses 11.9% -7.0% 1.8% 1.9% -10.1%
Unrestricted surplus (deficit) after depreciation $154,225 -$94,934 $21,986 $24,957 -$123,708
As % of expenses 11.5% -7.2% 1.8% 1.9% -10.1%
Revenue composition info
Total revenue (unrestricted & restricted) $1,432,873 $1,240,339 $1,231,429 $1,251,576 $1,102,823
Total revenue, % change over prior year -4.7% -13.4% -0.7% 1.6% -11.9%
Program services revenue 14.3% 12.7% 5.4% 5.2% 3.1%
Membership dues 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Investment income 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.5%
Government grants 5.3% 4.5% 16.8% 17.9% 5.0%
All other grants and contributions 79.5% 82.7% 77.8% 76.9% 91.7%
Other revenue 0.8% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% -0.3%
Expense composition info
Total expenses before depreciation $1,334,675 $1,312,365 $1,216,262 $1,334,504 $1,226,126
Total expenses, % change over prior year -4.4% -1.7% -7.3% 9.7% -8.1%
Personnel 64.8% 66.0% 61.4% 65.1% 67.2%
Professional fees 14.4% 16.2% 21.2% 15.0% 11.8%
Occupancy 5.6% 6.4% 6.2% 7.8% 9.0%
Interest 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Pass-through 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.6%
All other expenses 15.2% 11.5% 11.2% 12.0% 11.4%
Full cost components (estimated) info 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Total expenses (after depreciation) $1,339,173 $1,315,619 $1,216,262 $1,334,504 $1,226,126
One month of savings $111,223 $109,364 $101,355 $111,209 $102,177
Debt principal payment $0 $0 $6,892 $167,508 $0
Fixed asset additions $0 $0 $10,697 $0 $0
Total full costs (estimated) $1,450,396 $1,424,983 $1,335,206 $1,613,221 $1,328,303

Capital structure indicators

Liquidity info 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Months of cash 9.2 9.8 11.1 8.7 8.0
Months of cash and investments 9.2 9.8 11.1 8.7 8.0
Months of estimated liquid unrestricted net assets 8.4 7.7 8.4 7.9 7.5
Balance sheet composition info 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Cash $1,021,507 $1,073,327 $1,125,342 $963,523 $821,849
Investments $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Receivables $105,084 $129,189 $183,160 $70,749 $95,650
Gross land, buildings, equipment (LBE) $38,207 $38,207 $31,958 $31,958 $20,613
Accumulated depreciation (as a % of LBE) 75.7% 84.3% 47.7% 59.8% 66.2%
Liabilities (as a % of assets) 9.1% 20.9% 26.5% 29.4% 26.8%
Unrestricted net assets $942,151 $847,217 $869,203 $894,160 $770,452
Temporarily restricted net assets N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Permanently restricted net assets N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Total restricted net assets $126,475 $146,129 $139,310 $31,425 $31,830
Total net assets $1,068,626 $993,346 $1,008,513 $925,585 $802,282

Key data checks

Key data checks info 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Material data errors No No No No No

Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

Documents
Form 1023/1024 is not available for this organization

Soundkeeper & Executive Director

Sean T Dixon

As Executive Director, Sean works with the entire Soundkeeper staff team, board, and network of community partners, volunteers, and advocates to drive clean water progress across the Puget Sound and its watershed. As an attorney, entrepreneur, and environmental advocate, Sean has worked for years defending communities and ecosystems from pollution, supporting sustainable fisheries, pushing for climate adaptation and mitigation, and fighting for innovative approaches to solving the myriad threats facing our oceans, coasts, and waterways. Before moving to the PNW, Sean worked as an attorney at Hudson Riverkeeper, a local sustainable seafood fishmonger, and, most recently, as Chief of Staff for the Region 1 (New England) office of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Number of employees

Source: IRS Form 990

PUGET SOUNDKEEPER ALLIANCE

Officers, directors, trustees, and key employees

SOURCE: IRS Form 990

Compensation
Other
Related
Show data for fiscal year
Compensation data
Download up to 5 most recent years of officer and director compensation data for this organization

There are no highest paid employees recorded for this organization.

PUGET SOUNDKEEPER ALLIANCE

Board of directors
as of 2/19/2025
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board of directors data
Download the most recent year of board of directors data for this organization

Allan Chartrand

Chartrand Environmental, LLC

Erin Breslin

Community Advocate

Janette Brimmer

Earthjustice

John Koblinsky

SAP Concur

Jonathan Frodge

Retired, Stormwater Scientist and Limnologist

Lizzie Jespersen

Pyramid Communications

Marla Dunn

Attorney at Law

Sara Parker DIRECTOR

Tim Carlson

REI

Tom Putnam

Putnam Films, Director Emeritus & Founding Member

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? yes
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? yes

Organizational demographics

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Male, Not transgender
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or Straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

Transgender Identity

Sexual orientation

Disability

We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.