Community Climate Collaborative

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
832065573
IRS 990 coverage
2020–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-N 2018
Location
Charlottesville, VA, USA
Phone
4342027993
Rating
84
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Energy Resources Conservation and Development

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,065,854
Expenses
$1,151,707
Assets
$360,075
Liabilities
$117,734

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

Leadership & pay

11 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • SUSAN KRUSE (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
  • GREY MCLEAN (PRESIDENT)
  • KELLI PALMER (VICE PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • SUSAN KRUSE (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $132,548 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

C3 catalyzes climate action at the community level through collaboration, programs, and advocacy which directly reduce climate pollution and elevate the climate leadership of Virginia communities.

What it reported doing in 2024

Policy - richmond examines high energy costsc3 is committed to advocating for those impacted by high energy costs and energy burden throughout central Virginia. Energy burden refers to the portion of household income spent on home-energy costs, including electricity, natural gas, propane, and other energy sources. Many of the same communities that have been historically discriminated against and disenfranchised are actively navigating hardship to pay utility bills. C3 recently completed a study to understand and find opportunities to mitigate energy burden in richmond and develop sustainable communities with safe housing options for all residents while contributing to the city's climate and equity goals. Our study revealed that nearly one-third of richmond households are energy-burdened, and this affects mostly low-income and african-american households. With our findings, we will map energy assistance programs and funding in rva, as well as engage these affected communities to co-develop targeted solutions. Zero-emission buses come to charlottesvilleour zero emission bus campaign is a clear testament to the power that resides in our local community. With c3's leadership, we galvanized dozens of local organizations and 600+ community members to sign a letter of support representing the community's desire to address climate change directly and in a just, actionable way. C3's teen interns also spoke in support of zebs at city council meetings. As a result of c3's advocacy, research, and coalition building, the charlottesville city council voiced unanimous support for the adoption of zero-emission transit buses by 2040, closing the door on future tailpipe pollution-emitting fuels like diesel and compressed natural gas (cng). This victory, powered by our community, brings us closer to our goal of making carbon-neutral communities a reality.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 89% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 98% 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.
  • 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. Some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 91
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 69
  • Sustainability: 20
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 97.2%; rating input score 97
  • Program expense ratio: 90%; rating input score 90
  • Fundraising efficiency: $22.39 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 61; 61st percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 90.9%; rating input score 91; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 3 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 38
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: Fail
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Fail
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -8.1%; rating input score 19; 19th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.31; rating input score 15; 15th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.33; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 11.5%; rating input score 32; 32nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 15.2% per year; rating input score 100; 75th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 14.1% per year; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 30.5% per year; rating input score 100; 91st percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 97.2% of revenue deployed · 90% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 10 of 11 board members independent · 3 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $1M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $133K · 11 people listed
  • Consistency: 29 of 29 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 4 filing years from 2020 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • 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.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Key Signals

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

  • Moderate — Accountability: Governance controls: 5 of 8 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 19/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 15/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 23/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 32/100.