2025-04-09T09:08:16-04:00 2023-09-30 474306215 Mullins PC 7625 Wisconsin Avenue Bethesda MD 20814 990 2022-10-01 521683270 Earth Conservation Corps EART 1520 First Street SE Washington DC 20003 Robert H Nixon Co-Chairman 2024794505 2025-04-04 true John Mullins P01429307 2027706371 2025-04-09 2022 2025-03-06 01:10:19Z X Robert H Nixon 2119906 false X earthconservationcorps.org X 1990 DC To reclaim the Anacostia River, our communities and our lives. 12 12 4 1160 0 0 306444 2079947 20714 26865 1 0 25860 13094 353019 2119906 0 0 159334 144900 1022 890 15968 177233 1715724 337589 1861514 15430 258392 419274 1762701 53642 890684 365632 872017 To reclaim the Anacostia River, our communities and our lives. false false 1683448 26865 Anacostia River Environmental Action:Earth Conservation Corps members volunteer for 300 hours of active conservation leading the community in Anacostia River restoration, raptor education and hands-on science to deliver solutions to the urgent challenges of climate change and environmental injustice.See Schedule O for Continuation. 1683448 true true false false false false false false false false true false false false false true true false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false true 8 0 true 4 true false false false false false false false false false false false false X 12 12 true false false false false false false true true false false true true true true true true true true false DC X X X The Organization 2024794505 1520 First Street SE Washington DC 20003 X LaShauntya Moore Reynolds Director 5.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Megan Smith Director 5.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Sarah Guinan Nixon Director 5.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 L Michael Cantor Director 5.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Cathy Lanier Director 5.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Reverand Ivory Teague Director 5.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 LeVar Burton Director 5.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Dr Sylvia Earle Director 5.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Dylan C Glenn Director 5.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Hon John Bridgeland Co-Chairman 15.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Robert H Nixon Co-Chairman 40.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Dan Tangherlini Secretary Treasurer 15.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 false false false 1829990 249957 2079947 Program Service Fees 900099 26865 26865 26865 Other 900099 13094 13094 13094 2119906 39959 0 0 124020 65222 46263 12535 20880 10981 7789 2110 26313 26313 890 890 119240 117405 1549 286 1408947 1402108 6839 9992 31 9836 125 65182 24569 40613 30978 21574 9382 22 31205 29369 1836 18918 12189 6729 Miscellaneous 4949 4949 1861514 1683448 162098 15968 60933 59741 71936 1194693 5075 1160955 657763 286405 503192 419274 1762701 53642 888138 2546 53642 890684 X 353404 872017 12228 365632 872017 419274 1762701 X 258392 247993 X false false false X 278544 206282 256172 306444 2080015 3127457 278544 206282 256172 306444 2080015 3127457 173836 2953621 1 1 13545 13094 26639 3154097 0.93640 0.79860 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 1110432 612704 497728 50523 45059 5464 503192 X 2119974 68 68 2119906 2119906 1861582 68 68 1861514 1861514 Footnote for uncertain tax position under FIN 48 (Part X) The Organization is exempt from federal income taxes under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The accounting standard on accounting for uncertainty in income taxes addresses the determination of whether tax benefits claimed or expected to be claimed on a tax return should be recorded in the financial statements. Under that guidance, The Organization may recognize the tax benefit from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained on examination by taxing authorities based on thetechnical merits of the position. Examples of tax positions include the tax-exempt status of The Organization and various positions related to the potential sources of unrelated business taxable income (UBIT). The tax benefits recognized in the financial statements from such a position are measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement. There were no unrecognized tax benefits identified or recorded as liabilities at September 30, 2023.The Organizations policy would be to recognize interest and penalties, if any, on tax positions related to its unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense in the financial statements. No interest and penalties were assessed or recorded during 2023. Amended return information The 990 was filed before the audit was completed. Officer directors etc family relationship Part VI line 2 A co-chairperson is married to a director. Form 990 governing body review Part VI line 11 The 990 is presented to the Board of Directors before it is filed. Conflict of interest policy compliance Part VI line 12c Annually, the staff and members of the Board of Directors sign the Conflict of Interest Policy at meetings in which the policy is discussed. CEO executive director top management comp Part VI line 15a Compensation for the Executive Director is reviewed annually by the board in comparison to similar organizations in the Metropolitan area. Other officer or key employee compensation Part VI line 15b Compensation for all key employees is reviewed annually by the board in comparison to similar organizations in the Metropolitan area. Governing documents etc available to public Part VI line 19 The Organization makes its governing documents, conflict of interest and financial statements available online to the public and upon reasonable request. Explanation of other changes in net assets or fund balances Part XI line 9 Adjustment to net assets to tie to audit. General explanation attachment Program Service Accomplishments (Continuation):Our impact model builds tomorrows leaders though vital conservation work today. Our AmeriCorps members are trained to handle and care for our raptor education ambassadors. The Corps members then give conservation focused raptor presentations to the public, lead teams of volunteers in local habitat restoration and share their stories of solution-based work through Youth Media Arts. Across thirty years, we have witnessed how hands-on experiences with the environmentwhether through interactions with our raptors or in assisting field biologists is a transformative experience for youth that increase graduation rates, spark interest in higher education, and improve employment prospects and lifelong commitments to conservation. Who:Earth Conservation Corps engages DC-based youth through several avenues, including through our AmeriCorps program in partnership with the Corps Networks Opportunity Youth Service Initiative (OYSI), and through our after-school service learning program in partnership with the Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy (CGYCA).The Corps Networks OYSI is designed to provide education and conservation service experience to young people experiencing barriers (e.g. poverty, unemployment, past court involvement, physical or learning disability). During their term of service, OYSI Corpsmembers develop job skills, earn certifications, complete their high school requirements, and receive assistance in transitioning to postsecondary education or the workforce. Upon completion of their term of service, Corpsmembers receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award.The Capital Guardian Youth ChalleNGe Academy (CGYCA) is a high-school dropout prevention program run by the National Guard that offers youth who have dropped out of school or are not progressing a way to succeed outside of a traditional school setting by learning life skills while working to obtain their high school diploma or equivalency. Cadets who participate in Earth Conservation Corps Raptor Research & Conservation Elective earn service hours necessary to obtain a high school diploma from the District of Columbia. Why:A 2021 study conducted by the Social Science Research Council found that 12.1% of youth ages 16-24 in the United Statesover 4.5 million individualsare disconnected, meaning they are neither working nor in school. Washington D.C. ranks first among all states for Black youth disconnection, with a rate of 30.5%. In Wards 7 and 8, where communities are more than 90% non-white, young people face even higher disconnection rates. These youth are not only more likely to be disconnected but also experience lower levels of preparation for college, the workforce, and other postsecondary options. Most of our corps members come from Wards 7 and 8 in DC, where over 88% of residents are Black/African American. The median income in these areas is less than $50,000, and more than 23% of families live below the poverty line. Additionally, the unemployment rate in Wards 7 and 8 averages 18%, and less than 30% of residents have more than a high school diploma. The high school dropout rate in DC is 32%. There is a stark disparity between Wards 8 and 2: as of February 2021, the unemployment rate in Ward 8 is 16.8%, while in Ward 2 it is just 4.0%. According to the International Journal of STEM Education, many minority youth feel they do not belong in STEM subjects and, as a result, do not pursue them (Kricorian et al.). Nationally, the youth disconnection rate stands at 14.7%, affecting 5.8 million young people. In DC, the most disconnected neighborhoods are in Northeast and Southeast (Wards 7 and 8), where the rate is 33.1%, compared to just 2.9% in Northwest DC (Burd-Sharps et al.). In these predominantlynon-white communities, young people not only face higher rates of disconnection but also lower levels of preparation for college and other postsecondary opportunities. Impact:Our innovative programming has been recognized in scientific publications including Leaders, Archetypes, and Totems: A Psychodynamic Theory of Sustainable Culture by Dr. Janis L. Dickinson, Professor, Natural Resources, Professor of Citizen Science, Cornell Lab of Ornithology; and popular publications including, The Wonder of Birds by New York TimesScience Writer, Jim Robbins. Earth Conservation Corps has engaged over 50,000 students in its school programs and 200 million around the world through our innovative raptor education program eaglecam.org. Program Focus 1 - Raptor Education & Conservation:Humans have an innate fascination with raptors. We have found success through our formula of training adjudicated youth to care for our non-releasable education birds and present the public raptor education presentations mandated under FWS Permit #MB071444-0, Special Purpose Possession for Education Live Migratory Birds. In 2023, we again saw that the pairing of birds and youth offers mutual healing and often drives engagement in STEM can change the course ofa young persons life. A primary goal of both of our programs is to inspire our high school volunteers to become full time AmeriCorps leaders at our Anacostia River education centers. Earth Conservation Corps engaged cadets in a weekly elective experience that inspires a new generation of citizen scientists through the study of migratory birds and the challenges they face both in our urban environment and rapidly warming planet. We engaged two cohorts of volunteers in the 5 month sessions (CGYCA class 59 and 60) that included citizen science and workforce development. The workforce development component included goal setting, resume writing and interview skills. In FY23 27 cadets completed the Raptor Research and Conservation Elective program, completing a total of 2,375 hours of service. Raptor Education Programs:Corpsmembers make an impact on the river through our raptor education programs. One of the most impactful ways we do this is by engaging our citys school children and the public. Our team of educators and raptor ambassadors go into the public schools and teach the students the importance of conservation in their own communities. Children learn how their decisions and actions impact birds of prey who visit them in their classroom. These up close and excitingencounters ignite good conversations and inspire change in behavior towards our environment. In FY23, the Earth Conservation Corps raptor team engaged 471 people in our Bird of Prey programs. Program Focus 2 - Anacostia River Restoration & Environmental Leadership:Earth Conservation Corps members service focuses on restoring the Anacostia through direct action that exposes the entire community to the river and the reclamation fight. Full time Corps members lead our environmental education programs giving students an opportunity to connect with the Anacostia Rivers past, present and future. Corps members make a broad and hopeful long-term impact through education and make a direct impact on the river through restoration projects. In FY23, Corps members engaged volunteers in service projects including trash removal and invasive plant removal in riparian areas along the Anacostia. Through these volunteer engagements, our Corps members and approximately 258 volunteers continued to keep the Anacostia River clean.Eco-Schools:In June 2021, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded a two-year Environmental Education Grant to train teachers in 5 areas schools how to better engage their students in nature. Eco-schools use school-based action teams of students, administration, educators and community volunteers to drive environmental stewardship in schools. As part of these plans, students executed environmental education projects, such as observing butterfly life cycles in classrooms, creating perennial pollinator gardens, and learning about native plants to support local bird populations. To enhance their learning environment, students also installed a webcam inside a raptor aviary. This comprehensive program not only enhanced environmental awareness and education among participants but also fostered a practicalunderstanding of ecological principles and conservation strategies. Green Zone Environmental Program (GZEP):Earth Conservation Corps continued its partnership with the District Department of the Environments (DOEE) summer workforce development program - Green Zone Environmental Program (GZEP). In FY23, our team ran programming for 30 youth, focusing on a patch of natural wetland on the Anacostia, dubbed by our Corps as Turtle Beach.Wetlands are natural filters for a river system and vital for their health and 90 percent of the Anacostia wetlands were gone when we started in 1992. One patch at a time, we have turned dumpsites back into functioning wetlands. The foot of First St. SE was for decades the snowplow graveyard for DC Water. After 20 years of restorat