The Energy Foundation
Also known as Energy Foundation China
The Energy Foundation reported $109.2 million in revenue and $82.9 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $92.11 went to program services, $5.70 to management and general costs and $2.19 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 98.3% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $539,671 (CEO). 38 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue fell 13% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $83MFor context, the median across 2,433 covered unclassified charities: $88.27 programs, $11.68 management, $0.05 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 $109MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 92.1% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 5.7% | 11.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 2.2% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.02 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 98.3% | 29.9% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 3.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 58.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $539,671 | $301,601 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.65% | 1.38% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 38 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 17.5 | 6.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 11 of 12 | 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, the Energy Foundation granted to organizations and institutions that help address climate change and accelerate the low carbon energy transition. Grants were made for education and analysis to find and support solutions in areas including clean energy vehicles, renewable energy, low carbon growth planning, sustainable cities, and energy efficiency. To support its grantmaking in china, the Energy Foundation's expenditures in 2024 included the salary and benefits of around 90 staff members, office rental, equipment costs, and other operational expenses related to maintaining the…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEO Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $504,832 | $0 | $34,839 | $539,671 |
| SECRETARY Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $306,611 | $0 | $63,175 | $369,786 |
| COO/TREASURER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $296,129 | $0 | $26,783 | $322,912 |
| DIRECTOR, STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $238,742 | $0 | $47,517 | $286,259 |
| FINANCE DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $229,155 | $0 | $48,283 | $277,438 |
| DIRECTOR OF GRANTS MANAGEMENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $196,619 | $0 | $50,921 | $247,540 |
| GRANTS MANAGER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $161,456 | $0 | $42,207 | $203,663 |
| PROGRAM MANAGER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $138,570 | $0 | $27,215 | $165,785 |
38 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Energy Foundation (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.4M (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–1b12 · 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 56
- Volunteers Part I, line 64
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| TIAN LIAN HU TONG COMMUNICATION CO LTD Conferences support services | $295,054 |
| BEIJING ZHONGXIN GUOYAN CULTURE COMMUNIC Sustainable energy forums | $275,267 |
| CAPLIN & DRYSDALE ATTORNEYS Legal services | $189,266 |
| GREAT WALL SECURITIES CO LTD Ltd for pv project | $181,621 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 13 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
10 private foundations reported grants to The Energy Foundation totaling $28M 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 The Energy 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 The Energy Foundation, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 The Energy Foundation spent in 2024, $92.11 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All unclassified charities · Largest charities in California
Questions people ask
How much of The Energy Foundation's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, The Energy Foundation reported that 92.1% of its $82.9 million in expenses went to program services, 5.7% to management and general and 2.2% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Energy Foundation pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Energy Foundation reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $539,671, for the role of CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Energy Foundation get its money?
Of $109.2 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 98.3% came from contributions and grants and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Energy Foundation a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 94-3126848 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 202533169349307748 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202403199349306005 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022 (amended), object 202500499349301020 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202243189349313949 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202113199349330331 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202033179349304113 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 94-3126848: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.