Sierra Club Foundation
Sierra Club Foundation reported $108.2 million in revenue and $102.1 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $85.66 went to program services, $2.88 to management and general costs and $11.46 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 94.7% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $393,620 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). 7 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue fell 10% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, FY2025 (6 mo.).
Where $100 of spending went
The 6-month short period ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $102MFor 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 6-month short period ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $108MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 85.7% | 83.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 2.9% | 10.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 11.5% | 3.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.11 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 94.7% | 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 | $393,620 | $293,532 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.39% | 1.74% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 21.2 | 18.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 12 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
FY2025 (6 mo.) · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseBeyond coal - the long-term goal of this program is to reverse the social, economic, and environmental damage caused by global climate change by decarbonizing the electric grid by 80 percent by 2030. The program's specific goals - working in partnership with allied organizations - are to help transition aging and uneconomic coal plants towards cleaner alternatives that also benefit the local community
Chapter and group education project - this project supports the state and local chapters and groups of the Sierra Club in their work to advance all of the Sierra Club's strategic framework goals through public education, organizing, administrative advocacy, communications, litigation, and other charitable activities. The specific goals are to enable local grassroots activists across the country to actively engage in their own communities; design and implement conservation campaigns to protect the natural and human environment; inform the public and members and supporters about environmental…
National education project - this project educates, engages, and mobilizes the public in administrative advocacy about a range of environmental issues to advance the Sierra Club's strategic framework; provides program, operations, and management support to implement the charitable projects of the Sierra Club; and works in coalition and in partnership with local communities and groups to advance outcomes at the intersection of climate, social, and racial justice. It is a project through which the Sierra Club Foundation works to achieve its mission to educate and empower people to protect and…
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 (6 mo.) · 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 Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $322,306 | $0 | $71,314 | $393,620 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $315,568 | $0 | $69,353 | $384,921 |
| DIRECTOR, SHIFTING TRILLIONS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $250,823 | $0 | $32,779 | $283,602 |
| SR. DIR, PGRMS/COMP (THRU 12/2/24) Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $227,046 | $0 | $38,352 | $265,398 |
| DIRECTOR OF FINANCE Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $179,860 | $0 | $54,805 | $234,665 |
| DIR. OF ADMIN & BOARD RELATIONS Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $156,269 | $0 | $47,148 | $203,417 |
| ASST. DIR., PROGRAMS & COMPLIANCE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $112,319 | $0 | $41,414 | $153,733 |
7 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Sierra Club Foundation (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.3M (Part IX, line 5).
7 filings since 2019
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 (6 mo.) · 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 · 12 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 26Yes
- 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 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 523
- Volunteers Part I, line 620
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 (6 mo.) · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| THE RABEN GROUP Communication services | $322,621 |
| AVIVAR CAPITAL LLC Investment advisory services | $125,000 |
| KPMG LLP Audit fees | $115,000 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 3 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
246 private foundations reported grants to Sierra Club Foundation totaling $15M 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 Sierra Club 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 Sierra Club Foundation, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Sierra Club Foundation spent in 2024, $85.66 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Thanksgiving Point InstituteLehi, UT · revenue $100M · programs 86.3% · FY2025
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- Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs (See)Calabasas, CA · revenue $95M · programs 90.9% · 2024
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Questions people ask
How much of Sierra Club Foundation's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Sierra Club Foundation reported that 85.7% of its $102.1 million in expenses went to program services, 2.9% to management and general and 11.5% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Sierra Club Foundation pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Sierra Club Foundation reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $393,620, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Sierra Club Foundation get its money?
Of $108.2 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 94.7% came from contributions and grants and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Sierra Club Foundation a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 94-6069890 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, 2025. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025 (6 mo.): Form 990 for the 6-month short period ending June 30, 2025, object 202620919349300112 · read the filing · XML
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202502689349300025 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202402829349301810 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202322919349301827 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202212999349301206 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202123149349307492 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202033149349301498 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 94-6069890: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.