2018-11-15T13:10:27-08:00 2017-12-31 760269860 Blazek & Vetterling 2900 Weslayan Suite 200 Houston TX 770275132 990 2017-01-01 760279876 Galveston Bay Foundation Inc GALV 2813323381 1100 Hercules Avenue Ste 200 Houston TX 77058 Robert J Stokes Jr President 2018-11-15 true Jody Blazek P00072674 7134395739 X 2017 2019-02-21 02:37:17Z Robert J Stokes Jr 17330 Highway 3 Webster TX 77598 7983839 false false X www.galvbay.org X 1987 TX The Galveston Bay Foundation works to ensure a clean and healthy Galveston Bay that can be enjoyed by people today and for generations to come. Our diverse programs preserve and protect Texas largest and most productive estuary. 26 26 40 2770 0 7783061 7892722 1327 27718 22942 6059 -16336 -49205 7790994 7877294 155643 86074 0 1514156 1569520 85731 131314 657975 4944045 1703789 6699575 3490697 1091419 4386597 10446415 13956748 6446494 5570230 3999921 8386518 X The mission of the Galveston Bay Foundation is to preserve, protect, and enhance the natural resources of the Galveston Bay estuarine system and its tributaries for present users and for posterity. false false 1042535 28658 GBFs conservation programs focus on protection and restoration of ecologically valuable estuarine habitat, such as wetlands, oyster reefs, and coastal prairies. Many of our efforts are community-based and allow the public to have a hand in restoring healthy habitats around Galveston Bay. In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in August 2017, GBF mobilized 140 volunteers in removing an estimated 3.5 tons of flood debris in Kemah, Morgan's Point, and Texas City, and also assisted with dune access work and other recovery efforts at the Galveston Island State Park. Beyond Harvey, GBFs marine debris and trash cleanup efforts were considerable and ongoing throughout the year. In 2017, we removed more than 60 tons of large-scale marine debris (including 12 derelict and abandoned boats, a jet ski, and 51 free-floating wooden pilings) and smaller-scale trash and recyclables (including 329 abandoned crab traps, eight tires, and many tons of general debris) from Galveston Bay waterways and shorelines. GBFs Oyster Shell Recycling Program reclaimed 188 tons of oyster shells from participating local seafood restaurants. We utilized an estimated 88 tons of stockpiled and sun-cured oyster shells to construct 660 feet of shoreline protection reef structures (oyster bars) in nearshore areas adjacent to Sweetwater Lake in Galveston and Baytown Nature Center. With the assistance of local waterfront homeowners, we gardened 945 baby oysters (spat) in mesh bags hung from piers and transplanted these young oysters to restoration reefs in San Leon and Galveston. In our role as a nationally accredited land trust, GBF stewarded our protected properties by planting 220 trees, treating 270 acres of invasive species, and clearing over five miles of trails and over 1,500 feet of fence line at our conservation properties and easements. We also created a 140-acre wetland and coastal prairie habitat project at our Rich Sanctuary property in Chambers County and involved volunteers in planting marsh grass at another 1+ acre of restoration sites in Dickinson and Anahuac. 723763 31680 30659 GBFs education programs cultivate life-long stewards of Galveston Bay through environmental education experiences that nurture exploration and inquisition. Hurricane Harvey in 2017 both challenged our programs and allowed us new opportunities to connect with students and other members of the community in new and different ways. A former student in our Get Hip to Habitat program, for instance, reached out to tell us that she credits her experience with GBFs education program and specifically getting over her fear of water to her ability to lead her family to safety from the rising floodwaters in her home during the height of Harvey. While attendance in the Get Hip to Habitat program was affected by Harvey (we served 900 students at 15 schools in the 2016-17 school year and kicked off the 2017-18 school year with participation by 12 schools), we know that the personal connections we made between students and their environment was very tangible. Our other youth education programs allowed us to engage 1,000 students in one-day service projects through the Students In Action program and 1,200 students though the classroom-based Bay Ambassador presentations as well as provide professional development training workshops and resources to 30 educators in 2017. The impact of Hurricane Harvey was also felt in some of our community education and outreach programs and events, specifically our annual Bike Around the Bay event. We hosted the eleventh annual bike ride in October, less than two months after Harvey, with involvement by 870 cyclists and nearly 400 volunteers. Beyond its purpose of educating the public about the importance of Galveston Bay, we utilized this event as our opportunity to give back to the community in the aftermath of Harvey by donating half of all funds raised above each registrant's fundraising minimumfor a total of $30,000to local charities dealing with Harvey recovery. Our other annual community education and outreach events continued to show success and growth. The Bay Day Festival featured 35 hands-on educational exhibits and had an estimated attendance of over 6,000 visitors at the Kemah Boardwalk. The 2017 Rain Barrel Workshop series delivered 316 rain barrels and kits to residents in local communities, potentially reducing 329,000 gallons of storm water runoff from reaching Galveston Bay and improving water conservation within our watershed. We continued our outreach efforts on the Cease the Grease campaign and established two new cooking oil recycling stations in local communities. We also debuted the new Family Adventures on the Bay program to 51 participants of all ages at GBFs Trinity Bay Discovery Center in Beach City. 446249 GBFs advocacy program allows us to serve as the guardian of Galveston Bay. We attempt to balance the multiple uses of Galveston Bay so that the long-term interests of the Bay itself are not compromised. Perhaps our biggest success of this program came in October 2017, when the EPA announced its decision to require the removal of the dioxin-laden waste from the San Jacinto River Waste Pits Superfund Site at I-10 in Channelview. GBF spent years advocating for the removal of the old paper mill waste, which was first pumped into pits along the San Jacinto River in the mid-1960s. We celebrated this decision from the EPA as a huge step in the direction of complete remediation and cleanup of the site. In addition to the San Jacinto River Waste Pits, we also engaged in dialogue with local staff of our U.S. and State representatives and senators on a variety of other important Galveston Bay issues such as storm surge mitigation, seafood consumption safety, oyster regulations, and the Clean Waters Rule (Waters of the U.S.). In partnership with the Houston Advanced Research Center, GBF released the third annual Galveston Bay Report Card in 2017, with the Bay earning an overall grade of C and continued our efforts to spread the message through both English- and Spanish-speaking communities on how the Galveston Bay community as a whole can work to improve this grade. Through our partnership with Texas Living Waters, we developed and launched the Water Wise Bay Cities Challenge, a friendly water conservation competition that engaged 24 Bay Area cities and their residents in water conservation for the Bay and resulted in 2.5 million gallons of potential annual water savings in the Bay area. We also launched a mobile app for the Galveston Bay Action Network (GBAN) pollution reporting tool that allows the public to report pollution around the Bay and automatically forwards those reports to one of 11 authorities in charge of response/enforcement. The app, with over 4,000 downloads and 60 pollution reports filed in 2017, received an Oil Spill Preparedness and Response Award from the Texas General Land Office. GBF also held a public meeting to inform the public on progress made on the GBF-managed Oyster Waters Bacteria Reduction Implementation Plan and assisted and participated in the creation and implementation of regional Watershed Protection Plans and Total Maximum Daily Load Implementation Plans, including the Coalition of Watersheds (Bastrop Bayou, Dickinson Bayou, Highland Bayou, Jarboe Bayou plans) and the Bacteria Implementation Group (Houston Region plans). 175220 25736 2387767 true true false true false false true false false false true false false false false false true false false false false false false true true false false true false false false false false false false false false false false false false true false false false false false false false false true 64 0 true 40 true false false false false false false true true false 0 false false false false false false false false false false X 26 26 false false false false false false false true true false false true true true true true true true false false X X X Dawn Wahl 7133323381 1100 Hercules Ste 200 Houston TX 77058 Guy Robert Jackson Chairman 2.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Fred Pounds 1st Vice Chair 2.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Jeff Miers 2nd Vice Chair 2.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Jeff Myerson Treasurer 2.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Lori Traweek Secretary 2.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Timothy Love Imm Past Chair 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Monty Briscoe Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Charles Buckner Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 James Dismukes Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 James Doyle Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Clayton Forswall Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Dale Friedrichs Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Tom Heidt Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Helen Lane Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Jay Levy Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Madeleine Montes Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Larry Neuhaus Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Matthew Pistner Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 George Pontikes Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Charlie Prioleau Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Steve Provenzano Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Lawrence Rearick Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Cynthia Pickett-Stevenson Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Tom Tollett Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Chris Wailes Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Matt Woodruff Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Robert J Stokes Jr President 40.00 0.00 X 140400 0 4050 Ronald T Jeffers CFO to Aug 17 40.00 0.00 X 73749 0 1936 Bob Bright CFO from Oct 17 40.00 0.00 X 16597 0 443 230746 6429 1 false false false Kirksey Architecture 6909 Portwest Drive Houston TX 77024 Architecture Service 198341 HDR Engineering Inc PO Box 74008202 Chicago IL 60674 Engineering Services 131328 Kimberly Sterling Associates 55 Waugh Dr 601 Houston TX 77007 Fundraising Services 131314 3 291260 1119117 6482345 122375 7892722 Workshop fees 900099 27718 27718 27718 2346 2346 0 0 0 3713 3713 3713 3713 57200 291260 102372 -45172 -45172 0 140 4173 -4033 -4033 0 7877294 27718 -43146 X 86074 86074 0 0 0 237175 151009 34975 51191 0 1125860 716832 166025 243003 21964 13984 3239 4741 80764 51422 11910 17432 103757 66062 15301 22394 0 1705 451 205 1049 4443 4443 0 131314 131314 0 741674 732913 6013 2748 53661 49703 376 3582 325839 221699 25729 78411 53897 53897 0 86682 52500 18015 16167 66903 61246 5657 0 13757 10145 1932 1680 141629 141629 0 24725 14462 10263 36284 30793 2495 2996 Event expenses 123390 110549 364 12477 Membership dues & subs 25713 14436 2041 9236 Volunteer support 3487 3487 0 3490697 2387767 444955 657975 41714 46168 814589 1601027 1116539 3301279 421962 764148 0 0 0 0 42212 30770 8302552 89196 8009399 8213356 0 0 0 0 0 10446415 13956748 416448 381656 176027 5144996 4712547 885050 300000 6446494 5570230 X 2194114 3359022 1739707 4961396 66100 66100 3999921 8386518 10446415 13956748 4386597 X false true X true true true X 3247159 4403480 5901685 7443587 7892722 28888633 0 8844 17682 17682 17682 17688 79578 3256003 4421162 5919367 7461269 7910410 28968211 2440843 26527368 2574 3856 1488 442 2346 10706 0 0 28978917 112661 0.91540 0.99520 X false false false true false false false false true 1125 false false 1125 false false Part II-B, Line 1i - Other Activities Description During 2017, the Foundation contacted and visited U.S. congressional representatives to discuss appropriations related to various federal estuarine programs and educate them about the benefits of conservation easement incentives. GBF staff also contacted Texas legislators to discuss state funding for conservation easements in Texas. X X X 12 45 1 true 19 4466 false 7637557 7637557 200126 71142 128984 16710 5013 11697 119941 13041 106900 328218 328218 8213356 7894982 17688 17688 7877294 7877294 3508385 17688 17688 3490697 3490697 Part II, Line 5: Summarized Policy Monitoring and inspections of conservation easements are conducted at least once per year via ground inspection by the Conservation Lands Manager or his appropriately trained designee. Enforcement of easements is conducted primarily through landowner education and relationship building, but also carries legal insurance if litigation becomes necessary. All easements are monitored, inspected, and enforced. Part II, Line 9: Organization Reporting of conservation easements. Conservation easements represent rights to restrict the use, access, and development of certain properties. The Foundation holds conservation easements on 12 tracts of land totaling approximately 4,567 acres at December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016. The Foundation monitors these easements in the normal course of its operations and associated costs are expensed as incurred. The Foundation receives gifts of conservation easements and grants toward the purchase of conservation easements, which represent numerous restrictions over the use and development of land not owned by the Foundation. The donated value of conservation easements are recorded, based on the estimated appraised value, as revenue when received and estimated conservation easement expense is recorded for an equal amount. Easements are not reported as assets because the Foundation does not believe the easements represent a future economic benefit. X X X X X X X true Sterling & Associates 55 Waugh Dr Ste 601 Houston TX 77007 Capital campaign false 4083014 131314 3951700 4083014 131314 3951700 TX Luncheon 348460 291260 57200 42279 15662 8551 35880 348460 291260 57200 42279 15662 8551 35880 102372 -45172 true 4B Disaster Response Network 999 N Egret Blvd League City TX 77573 501(c)(3) 15815 0 Hurricane Harvey Relief Greater Houston Comnty Found 5120 Woodway Dr Houston TX 77056 237160400 501(c)(3) 15815 0 Hurricane Harvey Relief Land Tr for MS Coastal Plain PO Box 245 Biloxi MS 39533 640936130 501(c)(3) 8100 0 Land Conservation projects The Conservation Fund 812 Park Ave Suite D Mandeville LA 70448 521388917 501(c)(3) 8000 0 Land Conservation Projects Univ of Houston Clear Lake 2700 Bay Area Blvd Houston TX 77058 501(c)(3) 25736 0 Dolphin Program 5 0 Grantmaker's Description of How Grants are Used Reimbursable grants issued to other conservation organizations require that organizations submit proof of expenditures and validity of expenditures to the Conservation Lands Manager. The Conservation Lands Manager reviews and approves the expenses, the CFO confirms that the records are complete, and then the Grants Billing Specialist issues payment. All grants paid upfront require the receiving entity to provide weekly updates on the progress of the project and expenditures. A final report is due upon completion of the project which details the use of the funds and the project accomplishments. X 1 16757 Value date rec X Marsh grass 1 68138 FMV X Tree 1 1600 FMV X Auction items 60 35880 Sales proceeds false true false Form 990, Part III, Line 4d: Other Program Services Description OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES 4: GBFs research program focuses on the monitoring of some of Galveston Bay's most valuable coastal resources. Several programs, like the Water Quality Monitoring Program and the Galveston Bay Dolphin Research and Conservation Program, utilize trained citizen scientists to augment professional monitoring. In 2017, GBFs Volunteer Water Monitoring Team was represented by 61 volunteers who regularly sampled from 63 sites all around Galveston Bay and its tributaries. We also trained 14 citizen monitors for the Bottlenose Dolphin Field Research Assistant program and utilized their services on seven boat-based dolphin surveys in Upper Galveston Bay conducted by program partner, Environmental Institute of Houston. Hurricane Harvey's impact on Galveston Bay created an even greater need for enhanced monitoring efforts. Our post-Harvey dolphin research efforts, in partnership with the Environmental Institute of Houston, were featured on the front page of the Houston Chronicle. We also monitored and published water quality impacts immediately after Harvey and partnered with University of Houston-Downtown and Bayou City Waterkeeper on a more extensive effort at post-Harvey water quality monitoring. Also in 2017, we entered into a partnership with Harris County and University of Houston to begin fish and crab tissue and sediment sampling within the area of the San Jacinto River Waste Pits Superfund Site. Throughout the year, GBF continued to be actively engaged in discussion and planning on improving coastal resiliency and to advocate for the allocation of more research dollars to the region to ensure the health of Galveston Bay and its users. Form 990, Part VI, Line 11b: Form 990 Review Process The Form 990 is electronically distributed to the Board of Directors prior to filing and is reviewed in detail with the finance and audit committee of the board prior to filing. The finance and audit committee reviews both the Form 990 and the independent annual audit and presents reports to the full Board of Directors. Form 990, Part VI, Line 12c: Explanation of Monitoring and Enforcement of Conflicts All board members and key employees are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest and relationships via an annual disclosure statement and signed written conflict of interest policy. The management reviews and ensures that all board members and key employees complete and submit a signed disclosure and policy annually. Form 990, Part VI, Line 15a: Compensation Review & Approval Process - CEO, Top Management Board members looked at outside data sources, Charity Navigator and the local United Way wages and benefits summary, to determine reasonable compensation when the President was hired in 2004 and again when the President received his last salary increase in 2015. Form 990, Part VI, Line 15b: Compensation Review and Approval Process for Officers and Key Employees Management looks at outside data sources, Charity Navigator or the local United Way wages and benefits summary, to determine reasonable compensation for all employees. This process is used every time any employee is hired or evaluated for salary increases. Form 990, Part VI, Line 19: Other Organization Documents Publicly Available Annual audited financial statements are available via the organization's website. All other documents are available by request.