The Global Brain Foundation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
820822577
IRS 990 coverage
2023–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-EZ 2017, Form 990-N 2022
Location
Boulder, CO, USA
Phone
3033780081
Rating
39
Verdict
REVIEW
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Alliance/Advocacy Organizations

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,232,000
Expenses
$1,045,265
Assets
$255,735
Liabilities
$0

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

Leadership & pay

6 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • Natalia Vega-Tracy (Executive Director & President)

People named in this filing

  • Michael Tracy (Chairman & Secretary)
  • Natalia Vega-Tracy (Executive Director & President)
  • David Hilfman (Board Member)

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

The Global Brain Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that operates as a climate communications accelerator based in Boulder, Colorado. The New Zero World Foundation (fiscal sponsorship) was launched in July 2022 at the United Nations under the auspices of the President of the General Assembly, Abdullah Shahid. Our organization brings together a coalition of climate allieswith the aim of creating a global movement that can shift public opinion and promote positive behavioral change. This is achieved through the creation of new climate narratives that can reimagine our visions of the future in a more sustainable way. Our Vision is for a world where everyone is inspired to be a part of the climate solution, knows what they can do and will have the opportunity to do it. Our Mission is to overcome the barriers to climate action through the power of communication and creativity. Our north star is based on 3 principles: INSPIRE - EMPOWER - MOBILIZE

What it reported doing in 2024

2. Global Campaign Program for New Zero World - EPIC: In 2024 we launched EPIC - The Earth Public Information Collaborative. A global communications & media ecosystem, created with the mission to provide literacy and information to the public and civil society about the climate crisis. 2a. EPIC Event & Planning 2b. EPIC Research -Health & Wellbeing 2c. EPIC Creative Leadership Counsel & EPIC Strategy Design for PSAs Convened in partnership with the Global Commons Alliance (GCA) & our Global Brain subsidiary, New Zero World.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 100% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
No current program activity. The filing reports no program spending for the current year.

The verdict

REVIEW - The filed numbers largely add up and revenue has grown recently. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of total spending goes to programs.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 0
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 30
  • Sustainability: 56
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 0%; rating input score 0
  • Program expense ratio: 0%; rating input score 0
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

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: Limited
  • Governance controls: 5 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 71
    • 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: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 15.2%; rating input score 70; 70th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.24; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 91; 91st percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -200% per year; rating input score 0; 0th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 21.9% per year; rating input score 100; 87th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 20.8% per year; rating input score 100; 83rd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 0% of revenue deployed · 0% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 5 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 6 people listed
  • Consistency: 15 of 15 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 3 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 2 filing years from 2023 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • 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.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 0/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 0/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 11/100.