Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
882858979
IRS 990 coverage
2022–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-N 2021
Location
Washington, DC, USA
Phone
2029097430
Rating
64
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Energy Resources Conservation and Development

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$15,207,137
Expenses
$9,214,018
Assets
$14,548,635
Liabilities
$409,811

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

10 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • CHERI SMITH (PRESIDENT & CEO)

Highest reported compensation

  • CHERI SMITH (PRESIDENT & CEO): $282,200 total reported compensation
  • CYNTHIA PACHECO CHIEF FINANCIAL (AND COMPLIANCE OFFICER): $208,263 total reported compensation
  • WENDOLYN S HOLLAND (SR. ADVISOR TO SLT): $187,232 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization offering no-cost capacity-building support to tribes through four key pillars built on a strong foundation of native american culture and values.

What it reported doing in 2024

Convening and eventsthe organization hosts three flagship events annually: tribal clean energy finance forum: a strategic convening of tribal leaders, investors, lenders, and clean energy stakeholders focused on advancing equitable partnerships. The forum emphasizes interactive, solutions-oriented discussions that align community priorities with investment opportunities.tribal energy evolution summit (tees): an annual gathering that brings together tribal leaders and representatives from across indian country to strengthen regional collaboration, facilitate knowledge exchange, and support the advancement of tribal energy sovereignty.tribal clean energy symposium at re+: a structured program designed to educate participants on best practices for engaging with tribal nations in clean energy development. The symposium covers foundational principles, practical tools, and real-world applications within the current policy and market landscape.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 96% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 94% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and program spending has grown recently. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of voting board members are independent.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 59
  • Transparency & Controls: 81
  • Accountability: 37
  • Sustainability: 70
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 46%; rating input score 46
  • Program expense ratio: 74%; rating input score 74
  • Fundraising efficiency: $57.82 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 78; 78th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 93.8%; rating input score 94; 17th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Pass
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Missing
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 0%; rating input score 0; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Fail
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 39.4%; rating input score 91; 91st percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.58; rating input score 53; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.03; rating input score 88; 88th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 13.3%; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 91.2% per year; rating input score 100; 99th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 97.3% per year; rating input score 100; 99th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 121.1% per year; rating input score 100; 100th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 46% of revenue deployed · 74% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 0 of 4 board members independent · 8 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $6.8M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $282K · 10 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $856K reported
  • Consistency: 32 of 33 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 3 filing years from 2022 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 13 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 3 filed related-organization links
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 46/100.
  • High — Accountability: Independent voting board scored 0/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Audit committee oversight not reported.
  • Review — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 53/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 11/100.
  • Review — Transparency & Controls: Domestic grant itemization did not reconcile in the filed values.