EIN 91-1327775

North Cascades Institute (NCI)

IRS 501(c) type
501(c)(3)
Num. employees
76
Year formed
1986
Most recent tax filings
2023-12-01
Description
Since 1986, North Cascades Institute have helped connect people, nature and community through science, art, literature and the hands-on study of the natural and cultural history of the Pacific Northwest.
Total revenues
$4,708,863
2023
Total expenses
$4,512,025
2023
Total assets
$8,910,640
2023
Num. employees
76
2023

Program areas at NCI

Mountain school - this program is an immersive environmental education program for 5th grade classes that has been serving regional schools since 1990. Through hands-on interdisciplinary activities, students are connected to the natural and cultural history of our region, form connections with their classmates and the environment, and sharpen their understanding of their own identities.in spring 2023, the Institute modified the schedule to serve students who had their programs canceled in fall 2022 due to smoke from two nearby wildfires, which resulted in serving students from 15 schools with shorter programs. The Institute also debuted a new curriculum, "North Cascades connections," which presents a theme of interconnection between students, the North Cascades bioregion and the places that they call home. In total, 2,059 students visited the learning center this season, with a total of 5,285 learner days.the fall 2023 season was canceled due to the sourdough fire. An additional 1,500 students, chaperones, and teachers would have visited the learning center this season. Some of these schools have been rescheduled in the spring, and others have found alternative programs for the 2023-24 school year.
Youth leadership - this program engages local teens in 9-day backpacking and canoe camping trips in North Cascades national park. In addition to outdoor skills, yla focuses on leadership skills, team building, and climate change solutions, giving students the knowledge and tools they need to become stewards of the natural world and engage in community advocacy. Opportunities for engagement after the summer include youth for people and the environment (yep!) In partnership with resources. In 2023, the Institute offered two canoe-camping trips for 17 participants (a planned third trip was canceled due to the sourdough fire) and 9 students participated in yep! Activities representing 200 learner days.
Connections - this program provides whatcom county students opportunities to explore, learn, and connect with each other outdoors near their school. Connections started during the school closures in 2020 when nonprofits banded together to address academic inequities magnified by the pandemic, and continues to address community needs as in-person learning returns. Through providing locally-focused outdoor education for all k-6 students in the rural mount baker and blaine school districts, connections fosters environmental stewardship and joyful habits of outdoor exploration that are strongly linked to academic and social emotional learning.
Adult and family education - the Institute's suite of family getaways, base camp learning and lodging, field seminars, online classes and skagit tours continue to bring diverse audiences to the North Cascades to learn, recreate and be inspired. The number of adult programs offered in 2023 was compromised due to closure of the learning center from the end of july through the end of the year, resulting in the cancellation of summer and fall programs like diablo boat tours. Additional field and online programs were added to help make up for this loss. In 2023, there were 1,989 participants and 2,365 learner days.conferences and retreats - custom educational programs, lodging and meals at the environmental learning center inspire reflection and connection to the natural world as well as to each other. The Institute welcomes conferences, events, retreats, workshops, trainings, reunions and other gatherings. In 2023, the Institute hosted 15 programs including wellness retreats, business and academic conferences, medical training courses and outdoor immersion excursions for diverse youth groups. In 2023, there were 552 participants and 902 learner days.bookstores - the Institute operates seven retail stores around North Cascades national park and mt. Baker snoqualmie national forest. In 2023, there were new visitation and sales records, even with store operations greatly impacted by highway closures due to massive wildfires. This partnership reaches larger, broader audiences to positively affect their lives through a deeper connection with nature by providing educational resources, introduces new community members to the Institute's work and helps fund its programs.

Who funds North Cascades Institute (NCI)

Grants from foundations and other nonprofits
GrantmakerDescriptionAmount
Islands FundMountain School$150,000
M J Murdock Charitable TrustNew Program Director$44,500
Schwab Charitable FundEnvironmental and Animals$40,600
...and 30 more grants received totalling $527,121

Personnel at NCI

NameTitleCompensation
Bec DetrichExecutive Director$130,220
Saul WeisbergPast Executive Director$89,590
Brad TuiningaBoard Chair$0
Sterling ClarrenPast Board Chair$0
George SandersTreasurer$0
...and 4 more key personnel

Financials for NCI

RevenuesFYE 12/2023
Total grants, contributions, etc.$2,282,468
Program services$1,284,503
Investment income and dividends$145,838
Tax-exempt bond proceeds$0
Royalty revenue$0
Net rental income$58,038
Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets$101,394
Net income from fundraising events$0
Net income from gaming activities$0
Net income from sales of inventory$551,730
Miscellaneous revenues$284,892
Total revenues$4,708,863

Form 990s for NCI

Fiscal year endingDate received by IRSFormPDF link
2023-122024-07-03990View PDF
2022-122023-10-26990View PDF
2022-122023-10-17990View PDF
2021-122022-07-21990View PDF
2020-122021-07-02990View PDF
...and 10 more Form 990s

Organizations like NCI

OrganizationLocationRevenue
IslandWoodBainbridge Island, WA$9,533,686
Cibolo Center for ConservationBoerne, TX$2,705,832
Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning CenterFinland, MN$3,421,854
New Haven Ecology ProjectNew Haven, CT$7,249,358
Ecology CenterAnn Arbor, MI$1,963,615
Thorne Ecological InstituteBoulder, CO$4,946,732
The Watershed InstitutePennington, NJ$5,202,568
NatureBridgeSausalito, CA$15,595,938
YES Nature to NeighborhoodsRichmond, CA$4,299,409
Riveredge Nature CenterNewburg, WI$2,739,938
Data update history
May 18, 2024
Received grants
Identified 14 new grant, including a grant for $150,000 from Islands Fund
December 23, 2023
Received grants
Identified 1 new grant, including a grant for $1,500 from Robert &elizabeth Fergus Foundation
December 3, 2023
Posted financials
Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2022
December 2, 2023
Updated personnel
Identified 3 new personnel
November 27, 2023
Used new vendors
Identified 1 new vendor, including
Nonprofit Types
Grantmaking organizationsSocial advocacy organizationsSchoolsEnvironmental organizationsCharities
Issues
EducationEnvironment
Characteristics
Receives government fundingEndowed supportProvides scholarshipsTax deductible donationsAccepts online donations
General information
Address
810 State Route 20
Sedro Woolley, WA 98284
Metro area
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA
County
Skagit County, WA
Website URL
ncascades.org/ 
Phone
(360) 854-2599
Facebook page
ncascades 
Twitter profile
@ncascadeswa 
IRS details
EIN
91-1327775
Fiscal year end
December
Taxreturn type
Form 990
Year formed
1986
Eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions (Pub 78)
Yes
Categorization
NTEE code, primary
C60: Environmental Education
NAICS code, primary
813312: Environment, Conservation, and Wildlife Organizations
Parent/child status
Independent
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