California Foundation on the Environment & the Economy

What it reported doing in 2024

CFEE conducted three study travel projects in 2024. The projects facilitate real life experiences and relationship building to help provide for more successful policy making.CFEE conducted a study travel project to the United Kingdom studying the partnership between our two countries in supply lines and energy security among other topics. We met with Llyods of London to examine the need for California to update insurance protocols to respond to a shrinking insurance market and what this global does to set rates, we toured the countrys new largest construction site for the Sizewell C nuclear power plant while examining the workings of the active Sizewell B power plant before moving on to see the UKs efforts to capitalize on the need for small modular nuclear reactors. Sustainable aviation fuel was another key technological item explored and studied. The UKs efforts in offshore wind are world leading and provided a snapshot of what California may need to prepare for as it explores the same opportunities.The second study travel project was held in Colorado and New Mexico, and it focused on the circular economy and recycling. The trip featured best practices on legislation with meetings with state legislators. Our program highlighted textile recycling and innovative reuse programs for major consumer producers. We toured cutting edge aluminum canning operations and learned about the long-life span of the cans when properly recaptured from the waste stream. A visit to an Indian Pueblo brought to life the challenges with recycling and reuse in a highly rural community. And lastly, as construction booms for datacenters we learned how can they and other easy to build warehouses can take advantage of carbon sequestration in concrete materials and strengthen the composite. Our third tour brought CFEE to Taiwan and Vietnam to learn about the challenges in both hyper capitalist nations despite the very different political realities of both. We met with high-speed rail officials and rode the rail to see the experience firsthand before learning about Taiwans cutting-edge electric scooter delivery and rider companies. CFEE also met with the countrys top disaster preparedness administrator to see lessons learned from past earthquakes, floods, and other climate challenges. Solar panel recycling is a looming issue for California and Taiwan has an elegant technology to share for this vexing problem that allows valuable composite materials to be recaptured and reused. Vietnam provided a window into supply chains and production for a major EV manufacturer that is growing internationally while building their own electric charging network in country.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 63.9%; rating input score 64
• Program expense ratio: 67.5%; rating input score 68
• Fundraising efficiency: $33.29 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 71; 71st percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 4 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 67
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 6 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 75
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 7%; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.59; rating input score 54; 54th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.08; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 31.1%; rating input score 5; 5th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 2.2% per year; rating input score 100; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 4% per year; rating input score 100; 34th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 5.7% per year; rating input score 100; 38th percentile among comparable filings