Earth Island Institute
Earth Island Institute reported $41.6 million in revenue and $36.6 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $84.86 went to program services, $9.59 to management and general costs and $5.55 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 85.0% of the total. Government grants made up 6.9%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $387,548 (Board Director). 6 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 148% 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 $37MFor 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 $42MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 84.9% | 83.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 9.6% | 10.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 5.5% | 3.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.06 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 85.0% | 87.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 6.9% | 4.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 5.0% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $387,548 | $293,532 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.06% | 1.74% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 13.5 | 18.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 11 of 11 | 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 expenseProject Network Following is a list of 74 projects under sponsorship with the Organization during all or part of the fiscal year. This includes one new project and four that closed down or left the Organization to incorporate independently, merge with another organization, or work with a new fiscal sponsor. See Statement 1
Earth Island Journal For nearly four decades, Earth Island Journal has been publishing a unique, wide-angle perspective, which strives to make the connections between the environment and other human rights and social justice issues. Over the course of publishing more than 145 issues, the Journal has broken ground on covering critical environmental topics and received a number of media awards for excellence in journalism. In past fiscal year, the Journal published a mix of hard-hitting investigative features and reports from around the world in its print issues, including an in depth-cover…
New Leaders Initiative Earth Islands New Leaders Initiative celebrates and supports young environmental leaders in North America. Each year the Organizations Brower Youth Awards program honors the work of six outstanding young environmentalists, ages 13 to 22, for their leadership and achievements. During the fiscal year, winners addressed the lack of representation of girls of color in nature, advocated for mangrove restoration in coastal areas, mobilized young people around dam removal to help save critically endangered orcas, promoted food sovereignty and mutual aid through community…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Board Director Director/trustee, 2.00 hrs/week | $0 | $0 | $387,548 | $387,548 |
| Chief Executive Officer Officer, highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $199,970 | $0 | $0 | $199,970 |
| Director of Finance Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $193,803 | $0 | $0 | $193,803 |
| Project Manager Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $186,998 | $0 | $0 | $186,998 |
| Project Manager Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $185,332 | $0 | $0 | $185,332 |
| Project Manager Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $182,124 | $0 | $0 | $182,124 |
| Project Manager Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $176,127 | $0 | $0 | $176,127 |
6 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Earth Island Institute (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.1M (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–1b11 · 11 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 4Yes
- 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 5309
- Volunteers Part I, line 6750
Private foundation grants it received
106 private foundations reported grants to Earth Island Institute totaling $9.9M 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 Earth Island Institute's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Earth Island Institute, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Earth Island Institute spent in FY2025, $84.86 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Questions people ask
How much of Earth Island Institute's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Earth Island Institute reported that 84.9% of its $36.6 million in expenses went to program services, 9.6% to management and general and 5.5% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Earth Island Institute pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Earth Island Institute reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $387,548, for the role of Board Director (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Earth Island Institute get its money?
Of $41.6 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 85.0% came from contributions and grants (including 6.9% from government grants) and 5.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Earth Island Institute a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 94-2889684 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 202601349349305265 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202501349349310755 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202421319349303227 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202321299349304682 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202220899349301412 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202140209349300224 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 94-2889684: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.