Woodwell Climate Research Center
Woodwell Climate Research Center reported $24.3 million in revenue and $35.0 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $76.33 went to program services, $17.52 to management and general costs and $6.15 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 77.6% of the total. Government grants made up 22.8%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $510,176 (President & Chief Executive Officer). 46 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 24% between FY2021 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $35MFor context, the median across 192 covered science & technology charities: $84.33 programs, $15.67 management, $0.00 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $24MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 76.3% | 83.2% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 17.5% | 15.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 6.1% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.11 | $0.00 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 77.6% | 51.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 22.8% | 3.2% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 18.0% | 19.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $510,176 | $513,729 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.46% | 1.72% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 46 | 27 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 18.1 | 14.7 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 22 of 22 | 94.3% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expensePolicy Relevant Research: Scientific excellence is the foundation for all of Woodwell Climate Research Center's activities, and distinguishes WCRC from other NGOs in the environmental sector. Through a holistic, multidisciplinary, applied, and team-focused approach, we seek to create breakthrough understanding of climate change impacts and solutions, for the purpose of informing sound environmental policies from the local to global scale. WCRC's research is focused on the land-climate connection - how changes in land use effect the climate system; how the changing climate is altering systems…
Center Funded Science: This category of expenditures represents Woodwell Climate Research Center's commitment to stimulating innovation, investing in future science leaders and investing in our scientific staff by funding projects of our own choosing. Center funded science aims to supplement/extend existing projects, or seed-fund projects that have the potential to have outsized impact in science and policy or which have good potential for return on investment by enabling external funding
Policy Engagement, Education & Communication: Woodwell Climate Research Center has a long and rich history of impacting climate policy processes at multiple levels, and sharing our scientific understanding of climate change with the world through cutting-edge communication and education programs. WCRC builds partnerships with local and national governments, non-governmental and private-sector organizations to implement and measure progress towards national commitments to the Paris agreement. To leave an educational legacy, WCRC offers hands-on experiential programs to train a new generation…
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| President & Chief Executive Officer Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $457,268 | $0 | $52,908 | $510,176 |
| President & Executive Director Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $333,297 | $0 | $61,907 | $395,204 |
| Chief Operating Officer Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $320,816 | $0 | $33,396 | $354,212 |
| Vice President of Science Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $237,272 | $0 | $66,117 | $303,389 |
| VP of Philanthropy Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $248,787 | $0 | $53,160 | $301,947 |
| Vice President of Science Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $205,710 | $0 | $62,604 | $268,314 |
| Vice President of Finance Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $229,989 | $0 | $32,190 | $262,179 |
| Senior Scientist Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $220,472 | $0 | $35,965 | $256,437 |
46 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Woodwell Climate Research Center (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.5M (Part IX, line 5).
5 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b22 · 22 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2Yes
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5162
- Volunteers Part I, line 6174
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| Velocity GlobalLLC Global employment and expansion service | $541,350 |
| The Bridgespan Group Inc Business management consulting | $529,875 |
| CliftonLarsonAllen LLP Accounting services/software consulting | $303,278 |
| Succentrix Business Advisors of McKinney Accounting services/consulting | $267,844 |
| Hemenway & Barnes LLP Legal and advisory | $117,493 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 10 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
55 private foundations reported grants to Woodwell Climate Research Center totaling $3.7M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Woodwell Climate Research Center's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Woodwell Climate Research Center, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Woodwell Climate Research Center spent in FY2025, $76.33 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
Embed on your site
Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Far AiSan Diego, CA · revenue $24M · programs 87.4% · 2024
- American Concrete InstituteFarmington Hills, MI · revenue $24M · programs 75.7% · 2025
- Ohio Aerospace InstituteBrookpark, OH · revenue $24M · programs 93.3% · FY2025
- Sage BionetworksSeattle, WA · revenue $25M · programs 91.6% · 2024
- National Strategic Research InstituteLincoln, NE · revenue $24M · programs 82.9% · FY2025
All science & technology charities · Largest charities in Massachusetts
Questions people ask
How much of Woodwell Climate Research Center's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Woodwell Climate Research Center reported that 76.3% of its $35.0 million in expenses went to program services, 17.5% to management and general and 6.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Woodwell Climate Research Center pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Woodwell Climate Research Center reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $510,176, for the role of President & Chief Executive Officer (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Woodwell Climate Research Center get its money?
Of $24.3 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 77.6% came from contributions and grants (including 22.8% from government grants) and 18.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Woodwell Climate Research Center a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 04-3005094 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, object 202600909349300735 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202510669349300116 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202411369349302131 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202341169349300839 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202221329349305777 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 04-3005094: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.