Urban Sustainability Directors Network
Urban Sustainability Directors Network reported $11.3 million in revenue and $18.7 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $86.36 went to program services, $11.10 to management and general costs and $2.54 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 76.7% of the total. Government grants made up 22.4%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $214,111 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SSDN). 21 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 182% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · 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
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $11MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 86.4% | 83.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 11.1% | 10.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 2.5% | 3.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.05 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 76.7% | 87.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 22.4% | 4.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 22.0% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $214,111 | $293,532 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.15% | 1.74% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 21 | 7 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 5.4 | 18.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 9 of 9 | 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
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseThe Urban Sustainability Directors Network (usdn) was founded in 2008 by and for local government sustainability professionals as a safe place to learn from each other. In 2017, over 180 cities and counties participated in usdn in the united states and canada and nearly 1,000 government professionals actively shared their expertise through the network
The Urban Sustainability Directors Network (usdn) proposes a five-year program to strengthen the field of urban forestry, increase equitable access to urban tree canopy in disadvantaged communities, broaden community engagement in urban forest planning, and expand best management and maintenance practices to improve resilience to climate change and extreme heat. Through pass-through tree-planting funds and programmatic technical assistance, accelerating urban forestry as equity-centered climate action and sustainable community development will support communities by re-granting funding for…
The southeast Sustainability Directors Network (ssdn) addresses climate change problems such as extreme heat, rising seas, strengthening storms, flooding, drought and crop loss through sustainability efforts - work that creates a healthy, clean and more stable environment for current and future generations
Highest reported compensation
2024 · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SSDN Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $173,959 | $0 | $40,152 | $214,111 |
| CHIEF MEMBERSHIP EXP OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $161,059 | $0 | $41,354 | $202,413 |
| MANAGING DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $170,667 | $0 | $19,075 | $189,742 |
| CFO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $148,475 | $0 | $40,281 | $188,756 |
| VICE PRESIDENT OF CAPACITY BLDG Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $146,100 | $0 | $41,700 | $187,800 |
| CHIEF OF STRATEGY Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $149,883 | $0 | $29,483 | $179,366 |
| DIRECTOR OF CLIMATE JUSTICE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $145,960 | $0 | $19,717 | $165,677 |
| DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $148,058 | $0 | $17,288 | $165,346 |
21 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Urban Sustainability Directors Network (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $598K (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
2024 · 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–1b9 · 9 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13No
- Document retention policy Part VI 14No
- 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 561
- Volunteers Part I, line 69
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| HILTON MINNEAPOLIS Meeting space | $672,266 |
| SUTHERLAND & ASSOCIATES LLC Consulting | $502,024 |
| CONSTRUCTIVE Web consulting | $355,333 |
| GENERATION 180 Consulting | $240,135 |
| NEW MEXICO FOUNDATION Consulting | $225,655 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 11 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
13 private foundations reported grants to Urban Sustainability Directors Network totaling $3.2M 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 Urban Sustainability Directors Network's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Urban Sustainability Directors Network, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Urban Sustainability Directors Network spent in 2024, $86.36 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- North Florida Land TrustJacksonville, FL · revenue $11M · programs 58.7% · 2024
- Council on Library and Information ResourcesAlexandria, VA · revenue $11M · programs 91.5% · FY2025
- Little Traverse ConservancyHarbor Springs, MI · revenue $11M · programs 86.3% · 2024
- ShoreriversEaston, MD · revenue $11M · programs 92.2% · 2025
- Georgia-Alabama Land TrustPiedmont, AL · revenue $11M · programs 92.8% · 2024
All environment charities · Largest charities in North Carolina
Questions people ask
How much of Urban Sustainability Directors Network's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Urban Sustainability Directors Network reported that 86.4% of its $18.7 million in expenses went to program services, 11.1% to management and general and 2.5% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Urban Sustainability Directors Network pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Urban Sustainability Directors Network reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $214,111, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SSDN (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Urban Sustainability Directors Network get its money?
Of $11.3 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 76.7% came from contributions and grants (including 22.4% from government grants) and 22.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Urban Sustainability Directors Network a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 82-5015863 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
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202503219349301995 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202403209349322415 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202301329349302500 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202210989349301001 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202101479349300725 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202001969349301690 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 82-5015863: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.