Reef Without Borders 2026 Launch Report: Where We Stand and Where We Are Going
Reef Without Borders 2026 Launch Report: Where We Stand and Where We Are Going
By Clarisa Strohmeyer, Founder, Reef Without Borders | May 29, 2026 | 7 min read
Our Story
Transparency
2026
Reef Without Borders is eleven days old. In those eleven days we have become a legal nonprofit corporation, assembled a founding board, filed for federal tax-exempt status, launched a website, and begun building the donor and partner relationships that will fund our first dives in Cebu later this year. This report documents where we stand and where we are going.
We believe in radical transparency. That means publishing this while the organization is brand new, before we have completed a single funded mission, before our 501(c)(3) determination letter has arrived. Accountability does not start after your first success. It starts on day one.
Reef Without Borders incorporated in Texas on May 18, 2026 (File No. 806607296, EIN 42-2691547). Our founding board of three directors is seated. IRS Form 1023-EZ has been filed. Our Director of Dive Operations in Cebu brings 20 years of Philippine reef experience and five years of direct coral nursery work. Our first Reef Rescue missions are planned for late 2026. Every mission will be filmed and published publicly.
What We Have Built in the First 30 Days
Texas Certificate of Formation
Issued May 18, 2026. File No. 806607296. Reef Without Borders is a legal domestic nonprofit corporation in the State of Texas.
Federal EIN Obtained
EIN 42-2691547 issued by the IRS. Required for bank accounts, grant applications, and donor tax receipts.
501(c)(3) Application Filed
IRS Form 1023-EZ submitted and paid. Determination letter pending. Processing time: 2 to 4 weeks.
Founding Board Seated
Three-member board with legal, financial, and organizational expertise. Bylaws adopted. Conflict of Interest Policy in signature process.
Field Leadership Confirmed
Dindo C. Paquibot confirmed as Director of Dive Operations, Philippines. PADI Instructor. 20 years Philippine waters. 5 years Maribago Bay coral nursery work.
Website Launched
reefwithoutborders.org/ is live with full program information, team bios, transparency data, donate page, and volunteer page.
Nonprofit Bank Account
Opening after board organizational meeting minutes are certified. Frost Bank, Houston TX. Dual signatory authorization required above $2,500.
Earth Island Institute Sponsorship
Application in progress. This fiscal sponsorship allows us to accept tax-deductible donations while our 501(c)(3) application processes.
Our Founding Team
Reef Without Borders is led by Clarisa Strohmeyer, a Filipina-American with 25 years of scuba diving experience in Philippine waters and 15 years of organizational leadership including as Operations Director at International Business Times managing teams across six countries.
Our founding board includes Vanessa L. Iway, J.D. (President and Legal Counsel, Ateneo de Manila School of Law graduate), Rosalinda Maddoux, CPA (Treasurer, 17 years tax compliance expertise), and Renato B. Solis (Secretary, 30 years management consulting in Cebu).
Field operations in Cebu are led by Dindo C. Paquibot, our Director of Dive Operations, who brings five years of direct coral nursery and transplantation experience from the Protect Maribago Bay project, a Philippine SEC-registered conservation organization. Our science partner is the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute.
“We did not wait until everything was perfect to start. The reefs do not have that kind of time. We started with what we had, built as fast as we could, and published everything along the way.”
Where Our Money Goes
We have not yet raised operating funds. What we have spent to date has come from the founder’s personal resources. Here is our planned budget allocation once fundraising begins:
60% Field Operations and Reef Restoration – Dive operations, boat transport, coral nursery maintenance, equipment, and field partner fees in Cebu.
25% Science and Documentation – UP MSI science partnership fees, underwater camera systems, video production, and archival data management for The Reef Archive.
10% Community Education – Coral and Kin ocean literacy program for Filipino-American youth in Houston and school communities in Cebu.
5% Administration and Fundraising – Website, legal compliance, accounting, and fundraising operations.
What Happens Next
Open nonprofit bank account. Connect GiveButter and Donorbox to website. First Adopt-A-Coral campaign launch. Begin active fundraising.
IRS determination letter expected. Apply for Google Workspace for Nonprofits, TechSoup, and Google Ad Grants immediately upon receipt.
Founder travels to Cebu for partner meetings, baseline reef surveys at Phase 1 sites, and coral nursery installation planning with Dindo and UP MSI.
First funded, filmed, and fully documented Reef Rescue mission at Moalboal or Malapascua. Mission video published on YouTube. Full donor impact report issued.
Indonesia expansion planning, NOAA and National Geographic grant submissions, and first annual impact report with documented reef recovery data from Phase 1 sites.
“This is the beginning. The reefs are still here. The window to act is still open. We are going to document every step of what happens next and share it with everyone who makes it possible.”
If you have questions about our organizational structure, finances, or field plans, we welcome them. Email us at info@reefwithoutborders.org. We read every message and we respond.
Reef Without Borders is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit incorporated in Texas. EIN 42-2691547. Texas File No. 806607296. Learn more at reefwithoutborders.org/.
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