TOTAL REVENUE - FISCAL 2025
$34,034,517
Up 7.0% from $31,819,627 in fiscal 2024.
Sea Research Foundation Inc
Mystic, Connecticut - EIN 06-1480300 - Latest filing: fiscal 2025 (Jan 1, 2025 - Dec 31, 2025)
HOW TO READ THIS PAGE
How to read this page: every figure below is from the fiscal-2025 Form 990, filed Sep 21, 2026. People named below are shown as reported on the fiscal-2025 Form 990, filed Sep 21, 2026 - the filing is a snapshot of that fiscal year, not a list of current officeholders.
THE FILING IN ONE PARAGRAPH
Sea Research Foundation Inc reported $34,034,517 in revenue and $32,374,947 in expenses in fiscal 2025, a surplus of $1,659,570 for the year. Program services took $25,699,067 of expenses, or 79.4%. The organization closed the year with $49,483,414 in net assets - about 18.3 months of expenses at the fiscal-2025 spending level.
At a Glance - Fiscal 2025
All values are fiscal 2025 unless a tile says otherwise.
TOTAL EXPENSES - FISCAL 2025
$32,374,947
Revenue minus expenses: $1,659,570 in fiscal 2025.
PROGRAM EXPENSE SHARE - FISCAL 2025
79.4%
$25,699,067 of $32,374,947 went to program services.
NET ASSETS - END OF FISCAL 2025
$49,483,414
Total assets $60,456,324 minus total liabilities $10,972,910.
TOP EXECUTIVE PAY - FISCAL 2025
$558,031
Susette Tibus, President/ CEO, as reported on the fiscal-2025 Form 990, filed Sep 21, 2026. Total across all compensation columns.
PEOPLE REPORTED - FISCAL 2025
345 Employees
Plus 1,180 volunteers reported on the fiscal-2025 Form 990.
Money In, Money Out - Fiscal 2025
Revenue and expenses as reported on the fiscal-2025 Form 990, filed Sep 21, 2026. Donated goods are separated from cash so food and supply donations do not read as cash income.
Where the Money Went - Fiscal 2025
Management and general is the figure reported on the filing (Part IX total); where a filing does not carry it, it is computed as the residual of total expenses minus program and fundraising expenses. Cost to raise a dollar in fiscal 2025: $0.35 - $2,783,938 in fundraising expenses divided by $8,058,586 in total contributions. On cash contributions only: $0.35.
Where the Money Came From - Fiscal 2025
| Source | Fiscal 2025 |
|---|---|
| Total Contributions | $8,058,586 |
| Of Which Cash Contributions | $7,888,934 |
| Of Which Donated Goods (Noncash) | $169,652 |
| Fundraising Events | $565,678 |
| Government Grants | $4,812,628 |
| All Other Contributions | $2,680,280 |
| Program Service Revenue | $24,596,598 |
| Investment Income | $1,431,024 |
| Other Revenue | -$51,691 |
| Total Revenue (All Sources) | $34,034,517 |
Reserves and Balance Sheet - Fiscal 2025
Reserves and Runway
18.3 Months
of reserves - $49,483,414 in net assets at the end of fiscal 2025, divided by average monthly expenses of about $2,697,912 in fiscal 2025.
Net assets can include donor-restricted funds, buildings and other assets that cannot be spent like cash. Treat months of reserves as a scale measure, not as cash in the bank.
Balance Sheet - End of Fiscal 2025
| Total Assets | $60,456,324 |
| Total Liabilities | $10,972,910 |
| Liabilities as Share of Assets | 18.1% |
| Net Assets | $49,483,414 |
Leadership Pay - Fiscal 2025
Pay is the summed total across all compensation columns on the Form 990 - pay from the organization, pay from related organizations, and other compensation. People are shown as reported on the fiscal-2025 Form 990, filed Sep 21, 2026.
| Name and Title, as Reported | Total Pay - Fiscal 2025 | Share of Expenses |
|---|---|---|
| Susette Tibus - President/ CEO | $558,031 | 1.72% |
| Koray Gurz - Coo/cfo | $417,013 | 1.29% |
| Allison Tuttle - SVP, Zoological Operations | $350,451 | 1.08% |
| Tina Couch - VP Development | $343,283 | 1.06% |
| Keith Sorensen - Sr VP Of Facilities And Capital Project | $252,294 | 0.78% |
| Eric Anderson - Dir. Of Animal Care And Welfare | $230,601 | 0.71% |
| Justin Sorel - VP Finance | $225,657 | 0.70% |
The full Part VII table lists every officer, director, trustee and key employee named on the filing, with hours and the same summed total. Compensation is reported for the calendar year ending within the fiscal year, per the Form 990.
Board and Governance - Fiscal 2025
Board and policy answers as reported on the fiscal-2025 Form 990, filed Sep 21, 2026.
Board Roster - as Reported on the Fiscal-2025 Form 990
22 voting members, 21 independent - independence count as reported on the fiscal-2025 Form 990.
| Name, as Reported | Role, as Reported |
|---|---|
| Susette Tibus | President/ CEO |
| Koray Gurz | Coo/cfo |
| Allison Tuttle | SVP, Zoological Operations |
| Tina Couch | VP Development |
| Keith Sorensen | Sr VP Of Facilities And Capital Project |
| Eric Anderson | Dir. Of Animal Care And Welfare |
| Justin Sorel | VP Finance |
| Alex Marku | Board Member |
| Antonio Roberto | Board Member |
| Cecilie Jedlicka | Board Member |
| David Freeman | Board Member |
| Dr George M Milne Jr | Chairman |
| Dr Sarah Kelly | Board Member |
| Ed Cassidy | Board Member |
| Jason Reese | Board Member |
| John Holstein | Treasurer |
| Joli Gross | Secretary |
| Michael Lech | Board Member |
| Patrick Green | Board Member |
| Paul Robertson | Board Member |
| Peter G Drakos | Board Member |
| Peter Kuhn | Board Member |
| Richard Katz | Board Member (Outgoing) |
| Robert Valenti | Board Member |
| Robert Williams Jr | Board Member |
| Rodney Butler | Board Member |
| Steve K Perrelli | Vice Chairman |
| Thomas Marra | Vice Chairman |
| Veronica Dowling | Board Member |
| William Middleton | Board Member |
Governance Policy Flags - Fiscal 2025
Conflict of Interest PolicyYes - Reported
Whistleblower PolicyYes - Reported
Document Retention PolicyYes - Reported
Audited Financial StatementsYes - Reported
Audit CommitteeYes - Reported
Board Size and Independence22 voting / 21 independent
Flags report what the organization answered on the Form 990. A Yes means the policy was reported on the filing; it is not an outside review of how the policy works in practice.
Grants - Fiscal 2025
Grants Made - Fiscal 2025
This organization reported $77,502 in grants paid in fiscal 2025.
| Recipient, as Reported | Amount |
|---|---|
| Association Of Zoos And Aquariums GENERAL SUPPORT | $42,502 |
| Chamber Of Commerce Of Eastern Connecticut Inc GENERAL SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| Mystic Chamber Of Commerce Inc GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
Trend - Revenue
Years are shown only where a filing is held. Missing years are absent, never filled in.
| Fiscal Year | Revenue | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Fiscal 2024 (Prior-Year Column on the Fiscal-2025 Filing) | $31,819,627 | - |
| Fiscal 2025 | $34,034,517 | +7.0% |
This table grows to a 10-year view (revenue, expenses, net assets and top pay) as earlier filings for this organization are added to the record. Missing years are absent, never filled in.
Filings on Record
| Tax Period | Form | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1, 2025 - Dec 31, 2025 | Form 990 | In Force - Filed Sep 21, 2026 | Original Filing at the IRS |
If an amended return is filed, the newest amended return supersedes the earlier one and the table marks which filing is in force.