Climate Imperative Foundation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
845024713
IRS 990 coverage
2020–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
San Francisco, CA, USA
Phone
4157992162
Rating
82
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Fund Raising and/or Fund Distribution

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$271,730,022
Expenses
$356,885,102
Assets
$109,552,703
Liabilities
$18,218,218

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

Leadership & pay

8 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • HAL HARVEY (PRESIDENT (THRU 12/24))
  • SONIA AGGARWAL (VICE PRESIDENT)

People named in this filing

  • JOHN DOERR (CHAIR)
  • ANITA BEKENSTEIN (DIRECTOR)
  • SANJEEV KRISHNAN (DIRECTOR)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

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

Overview

Mission

Climate imperative foundation's mission is to employ science and economics to cut global carbon emissions to secure a better future for all.

What it reported doing in 2024

In 2024, climate imperative foundation granted to organizations and institutions that, through research, education, analysis, and outreach, advanced low-carbon policies in the u.s. And other countries. Accomplishments included (but were not limited to) educating government officials about policy options to promote low-carbon development; adoption of clean vehicle standards, clean power standards, and economy-wide carbon reduction goals; development of new low-carbon policy ideas customized for local contexts; and educating the public, stakeholders, and officials about the benefits of a transition to clean energy.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 98% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 95% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. The filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 76
  • Transparency & Controls: 83
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 24
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 94.4%; rating input score 94
  • Program expense ratio: 72%; rating input score 72
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: 3 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 38
    • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
    • Requires narrative reports: Fail
    • Conducts field audits: Fail
    • May suspend future funding: Fail
    • Requires financial reports: Fail
    • Conducts site visits: Pass
    • Requires grant agreements: Fail
    • May require repayment: Pass
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -31.3%; rating input score 2; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.31; rating input score 10; 10th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.17; rating input score 73; 73rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 98; 98th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 32.4% per year; rating input score 100; 96th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 16.9% per year; rating input score 100; 91st percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 16.9% per year; rating input score 100; 89th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 94.4% of revenue deployed · 72% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 5 of 5 board members independent · 7 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $257M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 8 people listed
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $29.5M reported
  • Consistency: 29 of 29 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, and grants
  • Filing history: 5 filing years from 2020 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 96 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 96 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 — Transparency & Controls: Foreign activity oversight: 5 of 8 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 2/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 10/100.