PLATINUM2023

THE CORAL REEF ALLIANCE

Saving the World's Coral Reefs

aka 94-3211245   |   San Francisco, CA   |  http://www.coral.org

Mission

The Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL) is an environmental NGO that is on a mission to save the world's coral reefs. Founded in 1994, CORAL has a history of working collaboratively with communities to reduce direct threats to reefs. Recently, CORAL led scientific research into how corals adapt to climate change and what this means for conservation today. By combining its community-centered conservation approach and scientific expertise, CORAL creates the conditions that give reefs around the world the best chance to thrive for generations to come.

Ruling year info

1994

Executive Director

Heather Starck

Main address

548 Market St Suite 29802

San Francisco, CA 94104 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

94-3211245

NTEE code info

Natural Resource Conservation and Protection (C30)

Water Resource, Wetlands Conservation and Management (C32)

Wildlife Preservation/Protection (D30)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

Sign in or create an account to view Form(s) 990 for 2023, 2022 and 2021.
Register now

Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Under our current strategic plan, we are advancing the scientific understanding of how evolution rescues reefs from the effects of climate change, and building alliances across the conservation community to turn that science into action. We are also demonstrating how to promote coral adaptation through our programs in Hawai`i and the Mesoamerican region, where we work directly with communities to reduce local threats to reefs.

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?

Global Conservation Science

CORAL is actively expanding the scientific understanding of how corals adapt to climate change and applying this information to give reefs the best chance to thrive for generations to come. This combined expertise uniquely positions us to achieve our mission by rallying the conservation community around scalable and effective solutions for coral reefs.

We are currently incorporating best practices derived from CORAL’s Modeling Adaptation Potential project (coral reefs can adapt to climate change) into global and regional guidance documents for 30x30 and other broad spatial planning/policy opportunities (eg MAR rezoning). By 2030, in geographies where we are directly working, we will contribute to converting 20% of area of the MAR and in key areas of Hawaii, into diverse, connected, large, highly protected and well-managed networks of coral reefs. In geographies where we do not work directly we will influence widely recognized highly-influential processes.


Population(s) Served
Adults
Economically disadvantaged people

CORAL is tackling two of the most overlooked threats to reefs: wastewater and sediment. An overabundance of either nutrients or sediment damages coral reef ecosystems by promoting the growth of excess algae and bacteria, and blocking the sunlight reefs need to survive. Despite mounting evidence that these are major contributors to coral reef decline, very few organizations are addressing them directly. Furthermore, if we do not address wastewater issues, we risk squandering the investments that have been made in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).

Through CORAL’s Clean Water for Reefs project, we implement science-based conservation strategies to ensure coral reefs have the clean water they need to thrive and to protect our coastal environments for people and wildlife.

Population(s) Served

CORAL recognizes that overfishing remains a critical threat to the health of the Western Caribbean reefs including the Mesoamerican reef which stretches 625 miles along the coast of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras. To keep this vital reef healthy, we protect and work to ensure there are a high number of reef building corals and that herbivorous fish and commercial fish populations thrive. Each of these has a very important role to play. For example, herbivorous fish help control seaweed-like algae (macroalgae) growth and when overfishing occurs in this region, the entire food web is impacted. On healthy reefs, intense grazing by herbivorous fish like parrotfish and surgeonfish keep algae levels low. When these fish disappear, the delicate balance of the coral reef ecosystem is disrupted. The macroalgae are then allowed to grow unchecked, eventually outcompeting reef-building corals for space.

Population(s) Served

Where we work

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 conservation actions at site(s)

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

CORAL defines a conservation action site as a community in which we have staff actively engaged in conservation work or we have influence within the community through our conservation and science.

Number of initiatives where site(s) have been declared protected areas

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

Healthy Fisheries for Reefs

Type of Metric

Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

CORAL has established 11 MPAs and improved effective management of 5 since 2007.

Number of conservation areas with evidence that illegal activities causing key threats have declined or stabilized

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

Healthy Fisheries for Reefs

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

CORAL supported 33,148 km of ocean/coastline being surveyed by patrol boats between Utila, Roatan, and Tela to ensure illegal fishing actions are prevented and stopped.

Number of individuals applying skills learned through the organization's training

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

Global Conservation Science

Type of Metric

Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

CORAL has trained 600+ scientists through our coral bleaching monitoring training to improve near-real time detection of bleaching events

Number of publications identifying sector best practices

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

In the last 2 years we’ve had 10 peer reviewed articles published, with additional manager-focused outreach publications toward our shared goal of saving coral reefs.

Number of tons of nitrogen pollution reduced

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

Clean Water for Reefs

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

CORAL’s efforts in Roatan, Honduras have prevented 29.3 million gallons of sewage annually from being pumped onto the reef. The West End wastewater treatment facility is now a flagship of our work

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.

The Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL) is a non-profit, environmental NGO that is on a mission to save the world’s coral reefs. We work collaboratively with communities to reduce direct threats to reefs in ways that provide long-term benefits to people and wildlife. In parallel, CORAL is actively expanding the scientific understanding of how corals adapt to climate change and is applying this information to give reefs the best chance to thrive for generations to come. Our broad expertise uniquely positions us to rally the conservation community around scalable and effective solutions for coral reefs around the world.

CORAL has a bold plan to establish 45 Adaptive Reefscapes around the world by 2045. Our strategic plan includes a roadmap to help save coral reefs at a global scale. We're engaging the whole coral conservation community and rallying the field around a scalable, realistic, global approach to saving coral reefs.

We're continuing to grow our organization's scientific capacity to solve the biggest roadblocks to saving coral reefs. In parallel, we're using these scientific findings to inform our conservation programmatic work.

Our research shows that to save the world's coral reefs and preserve their benefits for people and wildlife, reef-building corals must successfully adapt to a changing climate through the process of evolutionary rescue.

For the last 25 years, CORAL has been delivering high-quality conservation programs that have made a difference in the world. Our work has even pioneered a new area of science related to helping corals adapt at regional scales. All this has prepared CORAL to take the next step

We have launched an innovative global effort to save coral reefs to share our approach to developing and implementing Adaptive Reefscapes.

We are leading several scientific research projects that aim to improve our understanding of how species adapt to rapid environmental change and apply that information to develop conservation plans for the regions in which we work.

We work in two regions: Hawai'i and Honduras. We are improving reef health by building effective and durable local management systems through strategic partnerships, regional leadership, mitigating threats to water quality, and strengthening fisheries management thereby contributing to the creation of an Adaptive Reefscape in each of the following regions where we work: Tela Bay Honduras, Bay Islands Honduras, West Maui, South Kohala Hawaii Island.

We employ two initiatives that are aimed at addressing key threats to coral reefs. Our Clean Water for Reefs programs improves water quality, including reducing sedimentation and treating wastewater. Our Healthy Fisheries initiatives strive to restore ecosystem processes to reefs by increasing the number of herbivores.

Some of our recent key successes are:
• Connecting homes and businesses in West End, Roatán, Honduras to a wastewater treatment facility, resulting in 19 million gallons of sewage being treated each year rather than directly discharged into the marine environment.
• Supporting the growth of the Roatán Marine Park (RMP) in Honduras by building staff capacity to enforce local regulations. As reported by the Healthy Reefs Initiative, fish biomass is higher in the areas in which RMP conducts regular patrols.
• Supporting the establishment of two new marine protected areas in Honduras: Cordelia Banks and Tela Bay.
• Seeing the Honduran government declare its first coastal managed-access fishery in Laguna de Los Micos, Honduras.
• Inspiring Maui County in Hawai'i to create an ordinance that requires all new parking lots to incorporate reef-friendly design principles
• Motivating shoreline property owners in Maui to invest $19M in low impact design projects, which filter several millions of gallons of stormwater each year.
• Developing and implementing a two-pronged stream restoration approach that will reduce the amount of sediment reaching Maui's reefs
• Working with the Puakō community on Hawai'i Island to develop a solution to replace outdated wastewater treatment infrastructure with a treatment plant
• Developing a science-based monitoring plan that can be in part implemented by citizen scientists and which will measure the benefits of reducing wastewater pollution in Hawai'i Island's nearshore environment

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 inform the development of new programs/projects, 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 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 engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, We don’t have the right technology to collect and aggregate feedback efficiently, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time

Financials

THE CORAL REEF ALLIANCE
lock

Unlock financial insights by subscribing to our monthly plan.

Subscribe

Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more about GuideStar Pro.

Operations

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

lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

THE CORAL REEF ALLIANCE

Board of directors
as of 11/13/2023
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Kirby Ryan

Salesforce

Term: 2018 -

James Tolonen

Silicon Valley High Tech Industry

C. Elizabeth Wagner

Senior Advisor to the Commissioner of the IRS

Michael Bennett

High Tech

Jeffrey Chanin

Keker & Van Nest LLP

Rob Watt

Hudson River Trading

Adam Tratt

Squirrelfish

Lauretta Burke

World Resources Institute

María José González

Mesoamerican Reef Fund

Judy McNary

University of Colorado Leeds School of Business

James Minarik

J.E.Minark, LLC

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

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 6/8/2023
info Candid has made improvements to the race and ethnicity options.

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
Female

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

Transgender Identity

Sexual orientation

No data

Disability

No data

Equity strategies

Last updated: 10/14/2022

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
  • We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
  • We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
  • We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
  • We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
  • We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
  • We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
  • We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.