Cool Effect
Cool Effect reported $14.6 million in revenue and $15.6 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $99.09 went to program services, $0.91 to management and general costs and $0.00 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 98.6% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $373,224 (CEO). Revenue rose 55% 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 $16MFor context, the median across 371 covered environment charities: $85.82 programs, $10.80 management, $3.38 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 $15MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 99.1% | 83.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 0.9% | 10.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.0% | 3.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.00 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 98.6% | 87.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 4.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.8% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $373,224 | $293,532 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.39% | 1.74% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 0 | 7 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 3.0 | 18.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 6 of 8 | 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 expenseCool Effects mission is to reduce carbon emissions by supporting projects across the globe that reduce carbon dioxide. Cool Effect educates the public on the effects of carbon on the climate and solicits donations to support carbon reduction projects, empowering individuals and businesses to take action in minimizing the emissions of carbon into the atmosphere.Cool Effect performs a deep analysis on both the science and the business structure of projects that claim to remove carbon from the atmosphere. All projects under consideration must first be approved by third-party standard-keeping…
Cool Effect then undertakes an extensive review process using its team of scientiststo ensure the project meets very tough standards. At that same time, Cool Effect also reviews project management to assess whether donations are going where theyshould and that the project will operate well into the future
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEO Director/trustee, officer, 0.00 hrs/week | $0 | $373,224 | $0 | $373,224 |
| Marketing Mgr Listed in Part VII, 0.00 hrs/week | $0 | $161,902 | $0 | $161,902 |
| Controller Listed in Part VII, 0.00 hrs/week | $0 | $125,075 | $0 | $125,075 |
| CFO/COO Director/trustee, officer, 5.00 hrs/week | $0 | $117,737 | $0 | $117,737 |
0 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Cool Effect (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $0 (Part IX, line 5).
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–1b8 · 6 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 4No
- 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 59
- Volunteers Part I, line 610
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses onlyIndividuals listed as contractors are left out. 2 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
14 private foundations reported grants to Cool Effect totaling $81,067 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 Cool Effect's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Cool Effect, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Cool Effect spent in FY2025, $99.09 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Western Conservation FoundationDenver, CO · revenue $15M · programs 93.3% · 2024
- The Digdeep Right to Water ProjectLos Angeles, CA · revenue $15M · programs 84.0% · 2025
- The Surfrider FoundationSan Clemente, CA · revenue $14M · programs 80.6% · 2024
- Spiral House ParkSaugerties, NY · revenue $15M · FY2025
- North Carolina League of Conservation Voters FoundationRaleigh, NC · revenue $14M · programs 98.4% · 2024
Questions people ask
How much of Cool Effect's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Cool Effect reported that 99.1% of its $15.6 million in expenses went to program services, 0.9% to management and general and 0.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Cool Effect pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Cool Effect reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $373,224, for the role of CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Cool Effect get its money?
Of $14.6 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 98.6% came from contributions and grants and 0.8% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Cool Effect a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 47-5068496 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 202513119349302866 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202521349349313762 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202411359349307716 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202301079349301965 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202211199349300641 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202120839349300522 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 47-5068496: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.