Resources for the Future
Resources for the Future reported $15.5 million in revenue and $18.8 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $74.41 went to program services, $18.26 to management and general costs and $7.33 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 66.4% of the total. Government grants made up 8.3%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $573,646 (President and CEO). 42 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 1% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $19MFor 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 September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $16M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$55.82 $9.0M
- Government grants$7.98 $1.3M
- Investment income$36.20 $5.9M
Other revenue was negative: −$633K. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 74.4% | 83.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 18.3% | 10.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 7.3% | 3.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.13 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 66.4% | 87.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 8.3% | 4.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $573,646 | $293,532 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 3.05% | 1.74% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 42 | 7 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 37.1 | 18.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 23 of 23 | 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 expenseConfronting risks and building resilience: RFF evaluates the physical and economic impacts of energy and environmental policies, using data to assess risks and uncertainties at global, national, sectoral, and local scales, to ensure that global decision makers are equipped with the information they need to build resilience in their communities
Designing smart emissions reduction strategies: RFF analyzes policies to determine how they can be effective, efficient, equitable, beneficial to the economy, and able to achieve net-zero emissions goals from economy-wide solutions that send consistent economic signals to the marketplace to sector-specific strategies for all major areas of the economy
Communications: dissemination of research results in the form of research publications, resources magazine, resources radio, the RFF website, video, and other methods. Communications activities advance RFF's reputation for independent research and nonpartisanship while informing and shaping public debate. Research publications disseminated include working papers, reports, issue briefs, data tools, and research findings in peer-reviewed journals
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 and CEO Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $486,790 | $0 | $86,856 | $573,646 |
| VP, Finance & Administration Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $324,459 | $0 | $52,904 | $377,363 |
| Associate VP, Research and Policy Engagement Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $321,542 | $0 | $49,173 | $370,715 |
| Senior Fellow Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $307,851 | $0 | $61,570 | $369,421 |
| Senior Fellow Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $283,497 | $0 | $64,808 | $348,305 |
| VP, Development and Institutional Strategy Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $271,512 | $0 | $50,058 | $321,570 |
| Senior Fellow Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $265,310 | $0 | $44,489 | $309,799 |
| VP, Communications Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $245,063 | $0 | $41,846 | $286,909 |
42 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Resources for the Future (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.0M (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–1b23 · 23 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 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 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 597
- Volunteers Part I, line 622
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| Vault Consulting LLC Accounting & HR Services | $679,005 |
| National Opinion Research Center (NORC) Survey & Data Services | $336,708 |
| Marcum LLP Audit Services | $112,320 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 4 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
17 private foundations reported grants to Resources for the Future totaling $2.1M 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 Resources for the Future's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Resources for the Future, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Resources for the Future spent in FY2025, $74.41 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Hermann Park ConservancyHouston, TX · revenue $16M · programs 86.1% · FY2025
- Buzzards Bay CoalitionNew Bedford, MA · revenue $16M · programs 84.3% · 2024
- The Archaeological ConservancyAlbuquerque, NM · revenue $15M · programs 76.0% · FY2025
- Alabama Association of Resource Conservation and Development CouncilsMontgomery, AL · revenue $16M · programs 99.7% · FY2025
- Climate Jobs National Resource CenterNew York, NY · revenue $15M · programs 87.7% · 2024
All environment charities · Largest charities in District of Columbia
Questions people ask
How much of Resources for the Future's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, Resources for the Future reported that 74.4% of its $18.8 million in expenses went to program services, 18.3% to management and general and 7.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Resources for the Future pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Resources for the Future reported for one person in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 was $573,646, for the role of President and CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Resources for the Future get its money?
Of $15.5 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, 66.4% came from contributions and grants (including 8.3% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Resources for the Future a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 53-0220900 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 September 30, 2025, object 202602179349301650 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, object 202511929349300821 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, object 202431999349300218 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022 (amended), object 202332699349300428 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, object 202202279349302415 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020 (amended), object 202230139349301533 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 53-0220900: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.