Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation
Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation reported $12.4 million in revenue and $40.9 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $99.68 went to program services, $0.32 to management and general costs and $0.00 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was investment income: 86.4% of the total. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $41MFor 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 $12MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 99.7% | 83.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 0.3% | 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 | 10.6% | 87.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 4.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 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 | 111.0 | 18.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 3 of 3 | 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 foundation supports high-potential demonstration projects and early adoption of transformational emissions reduction technologies by providing funding for first-of-a-kind climate projects at critical phases in their development. To date, the foundation focuses on funding the development and demonstration of four specific areas: -sustainable aviation fuel -clean hydrogen -direct air capture -long duration energy storage -manufacturing
5 filings since FY2021 (8 mo.)
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linked| Filing | Revenue | Expenses | Programs | Net assets | Top pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 ⓘ | $12M | $41M | 99.7% | $378M | — |
| 2023 ⓘ | $8.2M | $53M | 99.7% | $407M | — |
| 2022 ⓘ | $359M | $3.2M | 75.7% | $452M | — |
| FY2021 (6 mo.) ⓘ | $35M | $2.7M | 69.2% | $96M | — |
| FY2021 (8 mo.) ⓘ | $65M | $606K | 13.4% | $64M | — |
Governance 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–1b3 · 3 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 15aNo
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aNo
- 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 50
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| Hogan Lovells US LLP Legal services | $738,916 |
| Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP Legal services | $235,365 |
| Stikeman Elliott LLP Legal services | $177,466 |
| Ramboll Danmark AS Consulting - due diligence | $169,644 |
| HKA GLOBAL LTD Consulting - due diligence | $137,650 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 5 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
1 private foundation reported grants to Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation totaling $20M 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 Breakthrough Energy Catalyst 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 Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation spent in 2024, $99.68 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Lower Columbia Estuary PartnershipPortland, OR · revenue $12M · programs 93.8% · FY2025
- Hi'ipaka LLCHaleiwa, HI · revenue $12M · programs 75.8% · 2025
- Conservation CorpsSt Paul, MN · revenue $12M · programs 73.6% · 2025
- Mesa County Land ConservancyGrand Junction, CO · revenue $12M · programs 95.2% · FY2025
- The Scenic Hudson Land TrustPoughkeepsie, NY · revenue $12M · programs 89.6% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation reported that 99.7% of its $40.9 million in expenses went to program services, 0.3% to management and general and 0.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
Where does Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation get its money?
Of $12.4 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 10.6% came from contributions and grants and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 85-3677542 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 202513219349316731 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202413199349317711 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202313199349325896 · read the filing
- FY2021 (6 mo.): Form 990 for the 6-month short period ending December 31, 2021, object 202233579349300908 · read the filing
- FY2021 (8 mo.): Form 990 for the 8-month short period ending June 30, 2021, object 202201329349303690 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 85-3677542: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.