2016-11-15T09:50:33-08:00 2015-12-31 Blazek & Vetterling 2900 Weslayan Suite 200 Houston TX 770275132 990 2015-01-01 760279876 Galveston Bay Foundation Inc GALV 2813323381 1100 Hercules Avenue Ste 200 Houston TX 77058 Robert J Stokes Jr President 2016-11-15 true Jody Blazek P00072674 7134395739 X 2015 2017-02-10 21:41:12Z X Robert J Stokes Jr 17330 Highway 3 Webster TX 77598 6050974 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. 25 25 38 3322 0 4403480 5901685 16054 12680 192256 42269 7870 -38732 4619660 5917902 83966 64607 0 1173251 1366723 50164 492916 3160986 4332481 4418203 5813975 201457 103927 3650321 4272205 845746 1363703 2804575 2908502 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 3811014 57107 GBFs conservation programs focus on estuarine habitat preservation, protection, and restoration. Continuing our work as a nationally accredited land trust, GBF acquired conservation easements on two properties1) a 675-acre tract that is part of Harris County Flood Control Districts mitigation bank near Greens Bayou in northeast Houston that serves to offset wetland impacts associated with future flood control efforts in Harris County and 2) a 1,700-acre tract consisting of high quality coastal wetland and prairie habitat known as Gordy Marsh near Smith Point in Chambers County. In our role as a facilitator for conservation work across the Gulf states, GBF obligated funds from the Knobloch Family Foundation to members of the Partnership for Gulf Coast Land Conservation to help pay for due diligence costs associated with 20 land acquisition projects targeting Deepwater Horizon settlement funds for the proposed conservation of more than 28,000 acres across all five Gulf States. We also worked extensively to restore degraded habitats around Galveston Bay. In 2015, we removed 19 abandoned and derelict vessels from locations all around the Bay; created, restored, and enhanced approximately 50 acres of freshwater wetlands and adjacent prairie habitat at our Rich Sanctuary property as part of the Wetland Reserve Program; created a 30-acre freshwater wetland for waterfowl and enhanced over 150 acres of existing man-made wetlands on the Austin Bayou Woods property to provide habitat for waterfowl, wading birds, and other wetland dependent species; worked with three private landowners and a county park to create living shorelines on their waterfronts; and put to use our first funds stemming from the BP oil spill via NFWFs Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund on the Oyster Lake and Moses Lake/Dollar Bay projects. Our oyster programs ranged from oyster shell recycling to oyster gardening, to nearshore reef restoration. We welcomed a new restaurantCaptain Bennys Seafoodinto the oyster shell recycling program and continued collecting oyster shell from Tommys Oyster Bar, Topwater Grill, the Kemah Boardwalk, and Crazy Alans Swamp Shack, reclaiming an estimated 156 tons of shell during 2015, an 18% increase in shells collected from 2014. We gardened oysters with the assistance of over 30 volunteers who deployed 0.71 cubic yards of recycled oyster shell, 10% of which contained spat, on existing reefs in Kemah and San Leon. We also created over 230 feet of oyster bar breakwaters along Sweetwater Lake, utilizing approximately 44 tons of oyster shell from the recycling program and assistance from 360 volunteers during 12 volunteer workdays. We also hosted numerous community-based habitat enhancement events including TPWDs annual Abandoned Crab Trap Removal event at the Fort Anahuac Park site, in which we removed 147 crab traps from Trinity Bay with the assistance of 50 volunteers and 6 boats; a River, Lakes, Bays,N Bayous Trash Bash event at Bay Area Park, in which 803 volunteers collected an estimated 3.4 tons of trash, recyclables, and compostable materials as well as 53 tires from the Armand Bayou watershed; and Marsh Mania marsh grass planning events in the spring and fall, in which 255 volunteers planted 1.3 acres of estuarine intertidal marsh. We also coordinated a trash cleanup along a half-mile section of shoreline at Morgans Point with the Port of Houston Authority, Audubon Texas, and approximately 40 community volunteers in response to public concern for the littered beach, and planted 133 trees at locations including Exploration Green in Harris County, Sweetwater Nature Preserve in Galveston County, and Turtle Bayou Nature Preserve in Chambers County. 648418 5300 GBFs education programs allowed us to reach thousands of youth and adults in 2015, with events and campaigns aimed at increasing the publics awareness of the importance of Galveston Bay as well as more structured programs that provide science-based environmental education focused on Galveston Bay. We hosted the ninth annual Bike Around the Bay sponsored by Shell, which allowed us to bring our message to more than 1,150 registered cyclists and over 300 volunteers and expose them to the beauty of the Bay. We also hosted the Bay Day Festival at the Kemah Boardwalk, with 30 educational exhibits, support from 50 volunteers, and an estimated attendance of over 5,000 visitors. We concluded the 2014-15 Get Hip to Habitat year by serving 1,949 students at 22 schools and kicked off the 2015-16 school year with participation by 19 schools. We delivered Bay Ambassador presentations to 2,746 students and professional development training workshops and resources to 24 educators. We launched the Cease the Grease campaign with over 15 participating partners, including four campaign videos, a new website featuring a cooking oil recycling map and proper disposal methods for fats, oils, and grease, and educational handouts and games, which altogether made over 389,000 impressions. 435690 12460 GBFs advocacy program attempts to balance the multiple uses of Galveston Bay so that the long-term interests of the Bay itself are not compromised. In 2015, in partnership with the Houston Advanced Research Center, GBF released the inaugural Galveston Bay Report Card, with the Bay earning an overall grade of C, and began spreading the message on how the Galveston Bay community can work to improve this grade. We created and debuted the Galveston Bay Action Network pollution reporting tool that allows the public to report incidences of pollution around the Bay and automatically forwards those reports to one of nine authorities in charge of response/enforcement. In its first year, we received 39 pollution reports and reached 47,296 people on social media. We offered nine Rain Barrel Workshops with a total audience of 358 people who received 423 rain barrels and kits, potentially reducing 468,750 gallons of stormwater runoff from reaching Galveston Bay and improving water conservation in seven different cities within our watershed. Our volunteer Wetland Permit Review Committeeactive for a consecutive 26 yearsreviewed 42 applications for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permits and provided letters of concern or comments on 17 of them. GBF also completed the first draft of the application to designate Galveston Bay as a No Discharge Zone. 85418 2200 220 4980540 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 true false false false false false false false false true 44 0 true 38 true false false false false false false true true false 0 false false false false false false false false false false X 25 25 true false false false false false false true true false false true true true true true true true true false X X Ron Jeffers 7133323381 1100 Hercules Ste 200 Houston TX 77058 Timothy Love Chairman 2.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 John Ragan 1st Vice Chair 2.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Guy Robert Jackson 2nd Vice Chair 2.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Jeff Myerson Secretary 2.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Fred Pounds Treasurer 2.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 George Pontikes Imm Past Chair 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Anna Armitage Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Monty Briscoe Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Winnie Burkett Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Dean Corgey 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 Leonard Hale Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Deforester Jones Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Bill King Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Helen Lane Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Jerry Langdon Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Jeff Miers Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Larry Neuhaus Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Cynthia Pickett-Stevenson Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Matthew Pistner Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Steven Provenzano Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Lawrence Rearick Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Sharon Stewart Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Jack Sutherland Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Tom Tollett Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Lori Traweek Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Jim Winn 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 140238 0 4207 Justine Townsend CFO 40.00 0.00 X 64486 0 5143 204724 9350 1 false false false Apollo Environ Strategies Inc 6000 Highland Ave Beaumont TX 77705 Coastal restoration 1427384 Crawleys Shoreline Construction Inc 225 Jordan Baytown TX 77253 Construction 219405 AECOM USA Inc 3300 Main Street Houston TX 77002 Design/construction 179534 HDR Inc PO Box 3480 Omaha NE 68103 Environ development 171734 4 284829 3036817 2580039 253684 5901685 Workshop fees 900099 12680 12680 12680 1488 1488 0 0 0 40781 40781 40781 40781 79060 284829 129434 -50374 -50374 1533 1533 1533 13747 3638 10109 10109 0 5917902 12680 3537 X 62357 62357 2250 2250 0 0 215742 149931 20225 45586 0 1038381 721626 97346 219409 0 6645 4618 623 1404 105955 73634 9933 22388 0 14400 14400 21233 21233 0 50164 50164 0 2548285 2507589 17713 22983 5932 4214 1718 277169 132800 79142 65227 0 0 77690 48815 28745 130 70607 65514 5093 0 13178 11782 1396 18424 5122 6775 6527 0 19582 14231 3336 2015 141992 87341 29661 24990 Conservation easements 918740 918740 Event expenses 158190 133682 10892 13616 Credit card fees and other 22916 6240 6798 9878 Membership dues & subs 18981 14089 3174 1718 5162 1565 3527 70 5813975 4980540 340519 492916 14395 24524 1848764 1600591 518065 241271 543087 0 0 0 0 25022 82636 1710524 207222 1520869 1503302 0 0 0 0 0 3650321 4272205 195746 545828 650000 817875 845746 1363703 X 1616235 1266460 1122240 1575942 66100 66100 2804575 2908502 3650321 4272205 103927 X false true X true true true X 3250470 2067639 3247159 4403480 5901685 18870433 0 8844 17682 17682 44208 3250470 2067639 3256003 4421162 5919367 18914641 430493 18484148 2710 1752 2574 3856 1488 12380 0 0 18927021 60018 0.97660 0.96260 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED false false false true false false false false true 1463 false false 1463 false false Part II-B, Line 1i - Other Activities Description During 2015, 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 10 43 1 true 15 460 false 1274885 1274885 200126 9450 190676 204449 176558 27891 31064 21214 9850 1503302 5950597 32695 32695 5917902 5917902 5846670 32695 32695 5813975 5813975 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 10 tracts of land totaling approximately 4,349 acres at December 31, 2015 and on 8 tracts of land totaling approximately 1,935 acres at December 31, 2014. Additionally, the Foundation holds title to 11 tracts of land, totaling approximately 3,335 acres at December 31, 2015 and 2014. 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 50000 50000 TX Luncheon 363889 284829 79060 22868 50977 4500 51089 363889 284829 79060 22868 50977 4500 51089 129434 -50374 true Alabama Coastal Heritage Tr 1911 Government St Mobile AL 36606 631127181 501(c)(3) 6980 0 Program support Alachua Conservation Trust 7204 Co Rd 234 Gainesville FL 32641 592919630 501(c)(3) 25000 0 Program support Conservation Fdn of the Gulf 400 Palmetto Avenue Osprey FL 34229 200345249 501(c)(3) 13152 0 Land Conservation projects The Trust for Public Land 101 Montgomery St Ste 900 San Francisco CA 94104 237222333 501(c)(3) 11625 0 Island View conservation 4 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 87750 FMV X Supplies/food 14 114845 FMV X Auction items 36 51089 FMV 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 Bays most valuable coastal resources. Several programs utilize trained citizen scientists to augment professional monitoring data and aid in watershed planning. In 2015, GBFs Water Monitoring Team was represented (at year-end) by 32 volunteers who sampled from 37 sites, including 16 who sampled for Enterococcus bacteria from 21 sites. GBF also contributed to the development of an easy-to-use Citizen Science Data Portal for the entire Gulf of Mexico in partnership with the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS). We began the planning stages for the new Galveston Bay Dolphin Research and Conservation Program in partnership with the Environmental Institute of Houston. GBF continued to be actively engaged in discussion and planning on improving coastal resiliency and to advocate for the allocation of research dollars to the region to ensure the health of Galveston Bay and its users. Form 990, Part VI, Line 2: Description of Business or Family Relationship of Officers, Directors, Et James Doyle and Cynthia Pickett-Stevenson have a business relationship. 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 2009. 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.