Climate Imperative Foundation
Climate Imperative Foundation reported $271.7 million in revenue and $356.9 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $72.02 went to program services, $27.98 to management and general costs and $0.00 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 98.7% of the total. Revenue rose 23% between 2021 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $357MFor 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 $272MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 72.0% | 83.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 28.0% | 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 | 98.7% | 87.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 4.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | Not reported | $293,532 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | Not reported | 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 | 3.1 | 18.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 5 of 5 | 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 expenseIn 2024, Climate Imperative Foundation granted to organizations and institutions that, through research, education, analysis, and outreach, advanced low-carbon policies in the U.S. And other countries. Accomplishments included (but were not limited to) educating government officials about policy options to promote low-carbon development; adoption of clean vehicle standards, clean power standards, and economy-wide carbon reduction goals; development of new low-carbon policy ideas customized for local contexts; and educating the public, stakeholders, and officials about the benefits of a…
5 filings since FY2020 (10 mo.)
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–1b5 · 5 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 15aNo
- 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 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 50
- Volunteers Part I, line 65
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| ENERGY INNOVATION POLICY & TECHNOLOGY LL Management and research services | $23,262,588 |
| ARC INITIATIVES Communications services | $861,429 |
| K&L GATES Legal services | $659,311 |
| ADLER & COLVIN A LAW CORPORATION Legal services | $231,803 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 11 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
3 private foundations reported grants to Climate Imperative Foundation totaling $112M 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 Climate Imperative Foundation's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Climate Imperative Foundation, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Climate Imperative Foundation spent in 2024, $72.02 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Energy Trust of OregonPortland, OR · revenue $251M · programs 94.8% · 2024
- The Trust for Public LandSan Francisco, CA · revenue $301M · programs 84.6% · FY2025
- Natural Resources Defense CouncilNew York, NY · revenue $249M · programs 75.7% · FY2025
- Iso New EnglandHolyoke, MA · revenue $303M · programs 87.9% · 2025
- National Audubon SocietyNew York, NY · revenue $197M · programs 79.7% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of Climate Imperative Foundation's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Climate Imperative Foundation reported that 72.0% of its $356.9 million in expenses went to program services, 28.0% to management and general and 0.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
Where does Climate Imperative Foundation get its money?
Of $271.7 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 98.7% came from contributions and grants and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Climate Imperative Foundation a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 84-5024713 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
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202543179349301634 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202443189349309969 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202313199349309541 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021 (amended), object 202310679349301426 · read the filing
- FY2020 (10 mo.): Form 990 for the 10-month short period ending December 31, 2020, object 202113199349324966 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 84-5024713: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.