The Sunrise Project Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
872370083
IRS 990 coverage
2022–2024
Official website data refreshed
Sep 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-N 2021
Location
Wilmington, DE, USA
Phone
3025926122
Rating
75
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Environmental Education and Outdoor Survival Programs

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$61,111,981
Expenses
$51,691,946
Assets
$14,015,616
Liabilities
$2,147,408

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

Leadership & pay

16 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • ANITA SCHWARTZ (MNG DIR OF DEVELOPMENT (THRU 5/2024)): $215,577 total reported compensation
  • ELAINE REGULLANO (RESEARCH DIRECTOR): $212,093 total reported compensation
  • SAM LA ROCCA (BOARD MEMBER / EXEC DIRECTOR): $209,901 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 Sunrise Project is a global network of independent organisations working toward a shared mission. Sunrise Inc. is a US-based entity operating under United States law, and works in alignment with the shared mission, values, and charitable purpose that guide all Sunrise entities in advancing climate action and environmental protection.

What it reported doing in 2024

The sunrise project inc is a purpose-driven organization that drives interventions to accelerate the global transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. The clean energy transition is the most critical, urgent and necessary response to mitigate the threats posed to humanity from the worsening impacts of climate change. We engage in research and analysis, strategic grantmaking and capacity building to support organizations to build the conditions for a faster and fairer energy transition.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 100% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 66% of its reported program spending out as grants.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - 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 total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 79
  • Transparency & Controls: 69
  • Accountability: 77
  • Sustainability: 54
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 73.5%; rating input score 74
  • Program expense ratio: 86.8%; rating input score 87
  • Fundraising efficiency: $61.77 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 78; 78th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Missing
  • Foreign activity oversight: 1 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 12
    • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
    • Requires narrative reports: Fail
    • Conducts field audits: Fail
    • May suspend future funding: Fail
    • Requires financial reports: Fail
    • Conducts site visits: Fail
    • Requires grant agreements: Fail
    • May require repayment: Fail
  • 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: 60%; rating input score 60; 16th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • 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: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 15.4%; rating input score 83; 83rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.27; rating input score 9; 9th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.15; rating input score 75; 75th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 3.7%; rating input score 29; 29th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 77.4% per year; rating input score 100; 99th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 73.8% per year; rating input score 100; 99th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 53.8% per year; rating input score 100; 99th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: 8 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 3 operating locations identified
  • Where the money goes: 73.5% of revenue deployed · 86.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 3 of 5 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $44.9M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $216K · 16 people listed · 2 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $1.2M reported
  • Consistency: 35 of 35 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 3 filing years from 2022 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 86 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 74 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.

  • High — Transparency & Controls: Foreign activity oversight: 7 of 8 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 9/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 29/100.