Nonprofit · EIN 85-2131191
CONNECTOCEAN CONSERVATION AND OUTREACH
Tax-exempt · FORT COLLINS, CO 80526
Financials
| Year ended | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Total assets | Liabilities | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 31, 2025 | 990-EZ | $30,250 | $21,015 | $9,235 | $22,739 | $0 | $22,739 |
| December 31, 2024 | 990-EZ | $0 | $32,112 | -$32,112 | $13,504 | $0 | $13,504 |
| December 31, 2023 | 990-EZ | $47,504 | $83,773 | -$36,269 | $45,616 | $0 | $45,616 |
Financial details: 990-EZ for the year ended December 31, 2025
Revenue
- Contributions, gifts and grants
- $30,250
Expenses
- Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
- $0
- Professional fees and payments to contractors
- $2,642
- Other expenses
- $18,373
Balance sheet and other
- Total assets, start of year
- $13,504
- Total assets, end of year
- $22,739
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $0
- Net assets, end of year
- $22,739
- Cash, savings and investments
- $22,739
- Gross receipts
- $30,250
From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.
Officers, directors and key employees
As listed on the 990-EZ for the year ended December 31, 2025, highest compensation first.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ERNST VAN DER POLL | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 48 | $0 |
| SARAH TRAVERS | CONSERVATION DIRECTOR | 10 | $0 |
| ERIC MADEJA | DEPUTY DIRECTOR | 10 | $0 |
990-EZ for the year ended December 31, 2024: 3 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ERNST VAN DER POLL | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 48 | $0 |
| SARAH TRAVERS | CONSERVATION DIRECTOR | 10 | $0 |
| ERIC MADEJA | DEPUTY DIRECTOR | 10 | $0 |
990-EZ for the year ended December 31, 2023: 3 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ERNST VAN DER POLL | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 48 | $0 |
| SARAH TRAVERS | CONSERVATION DIRECTOR | 10 | $0 |
| ERIC MADEJA | DEPUTY DIRECTOR | 10 | $0 |
Address and contacts
- Address (IRS master file)
- 1250 BELLEVIEW DR, FORT COLLINS, CO 80526-3842
- In care of
- % CONNECTOCEAN - SARAH TRAVERS
- Mailing address (990-N for 2022)
- 1250 Belleview drive, Fort Collins CO 80526
- Principal officer (990-N for 2022)
- Sarah Travers, 1250 Belleview drive, Fort Collins CO 80526
- Signed the 990-EZ
- SARAH TRAVERS, COMPLIANCE OFFICER
- Website
- www.connectocean.com
- Return prepared by
- JPC INTERNATION TAX ADVISORS PA
Mission
CONNECTOCEAN CONSERVATION AND OUTREACH IS DEDICATED TO FOSTERING OCEAN STEWARDSHIP AND CONSERVING AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, EDUCATION, AND COLLABORATIVE CONSERVATION EFFORTS. OUR MISSION IS TO CONNECT COMMUNITIES TO THE OCEAN BY DELIVERING STEM-BASED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, CITIZEN SCIENCE INITIATIVES, AND WATER SAFETY TRAINING, INCLUDING OUR SWIM SAFE COSTA RICA PROGRAM, WHICH AIMS TO PREVENT DROWNING AND PROMOTE WATER SAFETY NATIONWIDE. COSTA RICA RANKS AS THE SECOND-HIGHEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD WHERE U.S. CITIZENS DROWN ABROAD. TO ADDRESS THIS CRITICAL ISSUE, WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE U.S. EMBASSY AND THE NATIONAL DROWNING PREVENTION COMMISSION TO ADVOCATE FOR LEGISLATIVE CHANGES AND GARNER GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR WATER SAFETY INITIATIVES.
Program accomplishments
- SWIM SAFE COSTA RICA - WATER SAFETY AND DROWNING PREVENTIONCONNECTOCEAN CONSERVATION AND OUTREACH ESTABLISHED SWIM SAFE COSTA RICA, A NATIONAL WATER SAFETY INITIATIVE AIMED AT PREVENTING DROWNING AND PROMOTING WATER SAFETY AWARENESS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.-LIFEGUARD TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION: FROM MARCH 2019 TO NOVEMBER 2024, WE TRAINED AND CERTIFIED 243 LIFEGUARDS IN COSTA RICA AND 120 LIFEGUARDS IN THE BAHAMAS SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCING THE CAPACITY FOR LIFESAVING INTERVENTIONS ON THE BEACHES IN THESE COASTAL COMMUNITIES.-NIPPER SURF LIFESAVING CLINICS: OVER 700 CHILDREN PARTICIPATED IN THESE EDUCATIONAL CLINICS, TEACHING THEM ESSENTIAL WATER SAFETY SKILLS AND FOSTERING DROWNING PREVENTION AWARENESS. WATCH THE VIDEO HERE.-LEARN TO SWIM CLASSES: WE DELIVERED OVER 600 SWIM LESSONS, INTEGRATING OCEAN STEWARDSHIP EDUCATION TO EMPOWER LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO UNDERSTAND AND PROTECT MARINE ECOSYSTEMS.-FREE SURF LIFESAVING WORKSHOPS: PROVIDED TO AN ADDITIONAL 550 COMMUNITY MEMBERS, EQUIPPING THEM WITH SKILLS TO ENHANCE WATER SAFETY IN THEIR REGIONS.TO FURTHER SUPPORT LIFE SAVING EFFORTS, CONNECTOCEAN HAS INVESTED IN SURF SKIS, RESCUE BOARDS, AND OTHER LIFESAVING EQUIPMENT TO DEVELOP LIFESAVING AS A SPORT IN COSTA RICA AND THE BAHAMAS. BY INTEGRATING A SPORTS ELEMENT, THE PROGRAM PROVIDES AN ENGAGING PLATFORM TO MENTOR YOUTH, PROMOTE TEAMWORK, AND ENCOURAGE HEALTHY COASTAL LIVING, WHILE INSPIRING A NEW GENERATION OF WATER SAFETY ADVOCATES.IMPACT: THESE INITIATIVES DIRECTLY BENEFITED OVER 1,800 INDIVIDUALS, CREATING SAFER AQUATIC ENVIRONMENTS, FOSTERING A CULTURE OF WATER SAFETY, AND EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES TO STEWARD THEIR COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS.
- REGENERATIVE FISHERIES AND TOURISM PROGRAMSCONNECTOCEAN HAS IMPLEMENTED PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE FISHING PRACTICES AND PROVIDE ALTERNATIVE INCOME SOURCES FOR ARTISANAL FISHERS IN COSTA RICA AND MADAGASCAR.-FISHERY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (FIP) IN COSTA RICA:IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL AND LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS, CONNECTOCEAN SUPPORTS SUSTAINABLE FISHING PRACTICES IN THE NORTHERN PACIFIC. VISITORS PARTICIPATE IN REGENERATIVE TOURISM EXPERIENCES, FISHING ALONGSIDE LOCAL FISHERS USING HAND LINES, GUIDED BY SCIENCE OFFICERS TO ENSURE SUSTAINABLE CATCHES. VULNERABLE SPECIES ARE RELEASED, PROMOTING BIODIVERSITY. THIS INITIATIVE, WHICH WON FIRST PRIZE AT THE UN GLOBAL COMPACT REBOOT THE OCEAN IN 2020, HAS REGENERATED INCOMES POST-PANDEMIC.-VEZO SHARK FISHERMEN INITIATIVE IN MADAGASCAR:IN COLLABORATION WITH BLUE VENTURES, WE SPONSORED 7 VEZO SHARK FISHERMEN TO BECOME PADI INSTRUCTORS, ENABLING THEM TO TRANSITION TO REGENERATIVE TOURISM AS AN ALTERNATIVE LIVELIHOOD WHILE ADVANCING MARINE CONSERVATION.IMPACT: THESE PROGRAMS HAVE ENHANCED ECONOMIC RESILIENCE FOR OVER 100 ARTISANAL FISHERS, PROMOTED SUSTAINABLE FISHING PRACTICES, AND SUPPORTED MARINE BIODIVERSITY, CREATING A MODEL FOR COMBINING CONSERVATION WITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
- REGENERATIVE COMMUNITY CONSERVATION AND HERITAGE PROGRAMSCONNECTOCEAN EMPOWERS COMMUNITIES TO REGENERATE ECOSYSTEMS AND PRESERVE CULTURAL HERITAGE THROUGH ITS COMMUNITY MANAGED CONSERVATION MODEL, BASED ON THE DISCOVER, CONNECT, PROTECT PILLARS.-DISCOVER:COMMUNITIES LEARN TO MAP SENSITIVE ECOSYSTEMS, IDENTIFY CONSERVATION SUCCESSES, AND RECOGNIZE THEIR ENVIRONMENT'S VALUE. REGIONAL CONSERVATION ALLIANCES GUIDE THESE EFFORTS, FOSTERING A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP OVER LOCAL ECOSYSTEMS.WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS THROUGH THE INCORPORATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN E-LEARNING PLATFORM THAT CONNECTOCEAN CONSERVATION AND OUTREACH ARE DEVELOPING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CONSERVATION PARTNERS TO CREATE ONLINE COURSES THROUGH OPEN AI FOR SOURCE TO SEA, MANGROVES, INTERTIDAL ZONES, CORAL REEFS, OPEN OCEAN AND SHARKS AND RAYS.CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO -CONNECT:CONSERVATION ASSOCIATIONS ARE FORMED IN EACH COMMUNITY, LED BY LOCAL CHAMPIONS. THESE GROUPS, SUPPORTED BY THE CONSERVATION ALLIANCE AND PADI DIVE CENTRES, USE "HOW-TO GUIDES" TO IMPLEMENT SCALABLE CONSERVATION PROJECTS. THIS PHASE COMBINES GLOBAL EXPERTISE WITH LOCAL LEADERSHIP, CREATING A RIPPLE EFFECT OF EDUCATION AND EMPOWERMENT.-PROTECT:COMMUNITIES APPLY THEIR SKILLS TO CREATE COMMUNITY MANAGED CONSERVATION AREAS (CMCAS), REGENERATING ECOSYSTEMS LIKE MANGROVES, CORAL REEFS, AND WATERSHEDS. THESE AREAS OFTEN BECOME HUBS FOR REGENERATIVE TOURISM, WELCOMING VISITORS WHO SUPPORT CONSERVATION EFFORTS WHILE BOOSTING LOCAL ECONOMIES. [LEARN MORE HERE.](CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS)-HERITAGE AND YOUTH EMPOWERMENT IN LIMN:CONNECTOCEAN COLLABORATES WITH EMBAJADORES DEL MAR IN LIMN, COSTA RICA, TO EMPOWER AT-RISK YOUTH.--SPONSORED 3 FULL PADI INSTRUCTOR SCHOLARSHIPS AND A SWIMMING INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATION FOR LOCAL YOUTH.--PURCHASED EQUIPMENT FOR A MOBILE DIVE TRAINING STATION, ENABLING DIVE TRAINING IN REMOTE AREAS LIKE CUAJINIQUIL, WHERE COASTAL COMMUNITIES ARE NOW BEING TRAINED.--SUPPORTED SNORKELING TOURS TO 17TH-CENTURY SLAVE SHIPWRECKS, CONNECTING YOUTH TO THEIR AFRO-CARIBBEAN HERITAGE WHILE FOSTERING SUSTAINABLE TOURISM OPPORTUNITIES. PLANS INCLUDE A COMMUNITY MARITIME ARCHAEOLOGY CERTIFICATION TO PRESERVE THIS HISTORY. WATCH THE VIDEO HERE.IMPACT: THESE INITIATIVES HAVE DIRECTLY BENEFITED THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE IMPLEMENTED THESE PROGRAMS IN, FOSTERING SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS, REGENERATING ECOSYSTEMS, AND PRESERVING CULTURAL HERITAGE WHILE ALIGNING WITH GLOBAL CONSERVATION GOALS SUCH AS THE 30X30 INITIATIVE AND THE UN DECADE OF OCEAN SCIENCE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.
What it must file and when
IRS records say it files Form 990-N (e-Postcard). Gross receipts normally $50,000 or less. Its accounting year ends in December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.
| Tax year | Year ended | Due | IRS public records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | December 31, 2025 | May 15, 2026 | 990-EZ on file |
| 2024 | December 31, 2024 | May 15, 2025 | 990-EZ on file |
| 2023 | December 31, 2023 | May 15, 2024 | 990-EZ on file |
IRS record
- EIN
- 85-2131191
- Tax-exempt status
- 501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
- Foundation status
- Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
- Donations deductible (Pub 78)
- Public charity, 50% deduction limit
- Exempt since
- 2021
- Accounting year ends
- December
- Files
- Form 990-N (e-Postcard)
- Category (NTEE)
- Human services (P20)
- Assets (IRS master file)
- $22,739
- Income (IRS master file)
- $30,250
Filing history
| Form | Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990-EZ | December 2025 | $30,250 | $21,015 | $22,739 | XML |
| 990-EZ | December 2024 | $0 | $32,112 | $13,504 | XML |
| 990-EZ | December 2023 | $47,504 | $83,773 | $45,616 | XML |
| 990-N for 2022 Officer: Sarah Travers | December 31, 2022 | ≤ $50,000 receipts | – | – | e-Postcard |
990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 85-2131191).
Questions about CONNECTOCEAN CONSERVATION AND OUTREACH
- What is the EIN of CONNECTOCEAN CONSERVATION AND OUTREACH?
- The employer identification number (EIN) of CONNECTOCEAN CONSERVATION AND OUTREACH is 85-2131191.
- Is CONNECTOCEAN CONSERVATION AND OUTREACH tax-exempt?
- Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 2021.
- Are donations to CONNECTOCEAN CONSERVATION AND OUTREACH tax-deductible?
- Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
- Which annual return does CONNECTOCEAN CONSERVATION AND OUTREACH file?
- Form 990-N (e-Postcard). Gross receipts normally $50,000 or less.
- When is the next return of CONNECTOCEAN CONSERVATION AND OUTREACH due?
- The return for tax year 2026 (the year ending December 31, 2026) is due May 17, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
- When did CONNECTOCEAN CONSERVATION AND OUTREACH last file with the IRS?
- The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990-EZ for the year ended December 2025.
- Who is the principal officer of CONNECTOCEAN CONSERVATION AND OUTREACH?
- The 990-N for 2022 names Sarah Travers.
- Who are the officers and directors of CONNECTOCEAN CONSERVATION AND OUTREACH?
- The 990-EZ for the year ended December 31, 2025 lists 3 people; 0 received compensation from the organization.
- How much revenue does CONNECTOCEAN CONSERVATION AND OUTREACH have?
- On its 990-EZ for the year ended December 31, 2025 it reported revenue of $30,250, expenses of $21,015 and total assets of $22,739 at year end.
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