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Great Plains Institute for Sustainable Development
Great Plains Institute for Sustainable Development reported $16.5 million in revenue and $16.7 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $85.55 went to program services, $8.52 to management and general costs and $5.93 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 91.3% of the total. Government grants made up 13.3%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $318,232 (PRESIDENT & CEO). 12 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 109% between FY2020 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 $17MFor context, the median across 479 covered community improvement & capacity building charities: $90.45 programs, $9.31 management, $0.24 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 $17MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 85.6% | 89.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 8.5% | 9.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 5.9% | 0.2% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.07 | $0.00 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 91.3% | 80.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 13.3% | 14.9% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 5.8% | 11.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $318,232 | $291,103 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.90% | 1.49% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 12 | 5 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 9.0 | 9.2 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 10 of 10 | 100.0% |
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 expenseIndustrial innovation and carbon managementfossil fuels today provide the vast majority of our electricity, heating/cooling and transportation fuel (87% globally) and will likely continue to play a significant role for decades. Yet burning coal, oil, and natural gas is also a primary cause of global warming and climate change, and a range of other unintended and negative outcomes. Gpi works to develop market-based strategies for reducing harmful fossil fuel emissions and effective transition strategies for industries and communities that depend on fossil fuels. Focus areas include: expanding…
Energy systemsgpi envisions an economy that is increasingly electrified (including transportation and heating), and an energy system that relies heavily on renewable resources (wind, solar, hydro, biomass, geothermal) and a robust transmission system that can move clean electricity from one part of the country to another. An electric grid designed for central station power plants and a significant shortage of regional transmission lines that can move large amounts of remote renewable energy have become key barriers to meeting more of our energy needs with renewable resources (e.g., wind and…
Transportation and fuelsgpi focuses on two main strategies for reducing our dependence on foreign oil and greenhouse gases in the transportation sector; less polluting, domestic fuels (electricity, biofuels, cng, biocng and hydrogen); and reducing the need for driving through better urban design. Priorities include: convening the bioeconomy coalition of minnesota making mn the best place in the world to site the development of advanced biofuel, renewable chemical, and biomass thermal industries; facilitating drive electric minnesota a statewide electric vehicle partnership working to expand…
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 & CEO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $284,267 | $0 | $33,965 | $318,232 |
| CFO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $228,117 | $0 | $34,165 | $262,282 |
| EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $201,200 | $0 | $26,455 | $227,655 |
| VICE PRESIDENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $185,726 | $0 | $30,110 | $215,836 |
| VICE PRESIDENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $185,726 | $0 | $19,190 | $204,916 |
| VICE PRESIDENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $169,225 | $0 | $25,085 | $194,310 |
| VICE PRESIDENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $189,592 | $0 | $895 | $190,487 |
12 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Great Plains Institute for Sustainable Development (Part VII, line 2).
6 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–1b10 · 10 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bNo
- 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 2No
- 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 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 590
- Volunteers Part I, line 610
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| NORTON WHITE ENERGY Consulting | $323,750 |
| HORIZON CLIMATE GROUP Consulting | $250,000 |
| LITZ ENERGY STRATEGIES Consulting | $227,200 |
| SATTERFIELD CONSULTING Consulting | $151,352 |
| RENEW PR Consulting | $120,000 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 5 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
16 private foundations reported grants to Great Plains Institute for Sustainable Development totaling $4.9M 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 Great Plains Institute for Sustainable Development's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Great Plains Institute for Sustainable Development, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Great Plains Institute for Sustainable Development spent in FY2025, $85.55 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Adams and Brown Counties Economic OpportunitiesGeorgetown, OH · revenue $17M · programs 90.6% · 2024
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- Hill Country Community Action AssociationSan Saba, TX · revenue $17M · programs 92.9% · 2025
- TranscomJersey City, NJ · revenue $17M · programs 91.1% · 2025
- Texas One FundAustin, TX · revenue $17M · programs 86.2% · 2024
All community improvement & capacity building charities · Largest charities in Minnesota
Questions people ask
How much of Great Plains Institute for Sustainable Development's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Great Plains Institute for Sustainable Development reported that 85.6% of its $16.7 million in expenses went to program services, 8.5% to management and general and 5.9% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Great Plains Institute for Sustainable Development pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Great Plains Institute for Sustainable Development reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $318,232, for the role of PRESIDENT & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Great Plains Institute for Sustainable Development get its money?
Of $16.5 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 91.3% came from contributions and grants (including 13.3% from government grants) and 5.8% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Great Plains Institute for Sustainable Development a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 41-1921126 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 2019, 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 202620419349301312 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202403539349301600 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202441349349303504 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202341359349303504 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202221369349302597 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202121259349300542 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 41-1921126: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.