Natural Resources Defense Council Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE O
- Income
- $248.9 million
- Spending
- $212.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 76%
- Reserves
- 21 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 91%
- Employees
- 829
- Volunteers
- 5
- Highest pay
- $793,129, president/ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 96 out of 100. Higher than 100% of charities in its peer group (environment, over $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 21.0 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 18% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 15% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 22% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1576% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 16% of charities in its peer group (environment, over $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2532 of 32 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $44.3 million spent. CLIMATE AND ENERGY NRDC'S CLIMATE AND ENERGY WORK AIMS TO URGENTLY REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS TO A LEVEL CONSISTENT WITH LIMITING CLIMATE CHANGE TO A 1.5-DEGREE CELSIUS INCREASE PATHWAY BY 2050, IN ACCORDANCE WITH GUIDANCE FROM THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE. NRDC FOCUSES MUCH OF ITS EFFORTS ON DRIVING SYSTEMIC CHANGE ON CLEAN ENERGY. TO ADVANCE A CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE, NRDC HAS ENGAGED WITH REGIONAL TRANSMISSION ORGANIZATIONS (RTOS) TO IMPLEMENT FERC ORDER 2023 FOR EACH RTO AND INDEPENDENT SYSTEM OPERATION (ISO), WHICH REFORMS THE INTERCONNECTION PROCESS WHICH IS CRITICAL TO ADVANCING CLEAN ENERGY. OVER FY25, NRDC HELPED INFORM A MULTI-YEAR PROGRAM REVIEW PROCESS, AFTER WHICH THE 10 REGIONAL GREENHOUSE GAS INITIATIVE (RGGI) STATES ANNOUNCED THE NEXT PHASE OF THE PROGRAM. NRDC HAS BEEN ENGAGED WITH TECHNICAL FEEDBACK PROVIDING MARKET AND REGULATORY CERTAINTY TO ENSURE THE STATE CONTINUES TO COST-EFFECTIVELY CUT CARBON FROM THE POWER SECTOR WHILE GENERATING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO REINVEST IN CLEAN ENERGY JOBS IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE REGION.
- $22.5 million spent. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH NRDC WORKS TO CHANGE SYSTEMS THAT IMPACT PEOPLE DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY-FROM ADDRESSING UNSAFE DRINKING WATER SYSTEMS TO DECREASING CHEMICALS IN CONSUMER PRODUCTS TO ADVOCATING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS. KEY HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS PAST YEAR ARE AS FOLLOWS: NRDC ATTORNEYS WERE THE LEAD ATTORNEYS IN A LAWSUIT REPRESENTING FLINT RESIDENTS WHO SUED FLINT AND MICHIGAN STATE OFFICIALS IN 2015 TO SECURE SAFE WATER AND OVER THE FOLLOWING YEARS TO ENSURE THE CITY PROPERLY MANAGED ITS LEAD PIPE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM. IN 2025 THE CITY COMPLETED REPLACEMENT OF NEARLY 11,000 LEAD PIPES AND RESTORED MORE THAN 28,000 PROPERTIES MORE THAN 8 YEARS AFTER A COURT-ORDER SETTLEMENT. IN CHICAGO, NRDC SUPPORTED POLICIES THAT REQUIRE CUMULATIVE IMPACT STUDIES FOR NEW OR EXPANDING HEAVY INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES, ENSURING POLLUTION BURDENS ON COMMUNITIES ARE FULLY UNDERSTOOD BEFORE PERMITS ARE GRANTED. NATIONALLY, THE CLIMATE SMART COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE SUPPORTS COMMUNITY-LED RESILIENT PROJECTS, AND NRDC WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY RECEIVE THE $2.2 MILLION AWARDED TO 21 PROJECTS.
- $34.1 million spent. NATURE NRDC PROTECTS WILDLIFE AND UNSPOILED LANDS AND WATERS FROM INAPPROPRIATE AND UNLAWFUL INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT, COMMERCIAL EXPLOITATION, AND POLLUTION. WE PUSH FOR INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS TO PROTECT ANIMALS FROM BEING KILLED FOR TRADE. MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND HIGHLIGHTS IN THIS CATEGORY FROM THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR INCLUDE: THE U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT (BLM) PUBLISHED ITS FINAL PROGRAMMATIC ENVIRONMENT IMPACT STATEMENT (FPEIS) FOR SOLAR ENERGY DEVELOPMENT ON FEDERAL PUBLIC LANDS. THIS OUTCOME BUILDS ON MORE THAN A DECADE OF WORK BY NRDC AND PARTNERS. IN CALIFORNIA, NRDC AND PARTNERS ENTERED INTO A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PESTICIDE REGULATION THAT REQUIRES THE AGENCY TO UNDERTAKE A RULEMAKING PROCESS TO ADDRESS WIDESPREAD USE OF PESTICIDE-TREATED SEEDS. NRDC'S ROLES INVOLVED ADVOCACY ON BEHALF OF FARMERS AND OTHER HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS, AS WELL AS SERVING AS LEGAL COUNSEL FOR COALITION GROUPS IN A LAWSUIT. WITH SUPPORT FROM NRDC, 37 COUNTRIES, LAUNCHED THE HIGH AMBITION COALITION FOR A QUIET OCEAN AND COMMITTED TO AMBITIOUS NEW ACTION TO REDUCE OCEAN NOISE POLLUTION AND PROTECT OCEAN HEALTH. THE COALITION WAS LAUNCHED AT AN NRDC-ORGANIZED EVENT AT THE UNITED NATIONS OCEAN CONFERENCE. NRDC CONCEIVED THE IDEA OF FORMING A HIGH AMBITION COALITION TO SPOTLIGHT THE THREAT OF OCEAN NOISE, AND TO GALVANIZE POLITICAL WILL TO IMPLEMENT NEEDED SOLUTIONS.
- $59.6 million spent. INTERNATIONALNRDC HAS CONTINUED TO URGE THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY TO DEVELOP COMPREHENSIVE PLANS TO TACKLE THE BIODIVERSITY LOSS AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION CRISES. NRDC'S INTERNATIONAL WORK LEVERAGES OUR SCIENTIFIC, ECONOMIC, AND POLICY EXPERTISE TO ADVANCE KEY ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE PROGRAMS WITH FAR-REACHING IMPACTS ACROSS THE WORLD. OUR HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR INCLUDE:TO PREPARE FOR THE EFFECTS OF RISING GLOBAL TEMPERATURES, NRDC CONTINUED PROJECTS WITH ITS LOCAL PARTNERS IN INDIA TO INCREASE HEAT RESILIENCE, LAUNCHING HEAT ACTION PLANS AND SUPPORT FOR THE LAUNCH OF THE CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE ON HEAT RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABLE COOLING (CEHSC). IN OUR EFFORTS TO ADVANCE TRANSPORT ELECTRIFICATION, NRDC WITH SUPPORT FROM ITS LOCAL PARTNER, RELEASED ITS FLEET ELECTRIFICATION ROADMAP FOR THE CITY OF HYDERABAD, WHICH SETS TARGETS FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES. NRDC CONTRIBUTED TO STANDARDIZE DEVELOPMENT FOR ZONING MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNITIES NEAR NATIONAL PARKS IN CHINA. OUR RESEARCH REVIEWED INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC PRACTICES, ANALYZED THE EXISTING CHALLENGES OF DEVELOPING GATEWAY COMMUNITIES IN CHINA AND PROVIDED RECOMMENDATIONS. THE STANDARD WILL HELP ENSURE PUBLIC ACCESS TO NATURE AND SUPPORT LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BUT ALSO PRESERVE ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY AND REDUCE BIODIVERSITY LOSS.IN WEST AFRICA, NRDC WAS CRITICAL TO THE LAUNCH OF A FIFTEEN-COUNTRY GIS AND MAPPING WORKING GROUP TO ADVANCE REGIONAL IMPLEMENTATION OF SAVING 30 PERCENT OF LANDS, OCEANS, AND INLAND WATER BY 2030 (30 X 30). OUR CONTRIBUTIONS INCLUDED PROVIDING EXPERTISE, TECHNICAL CAPACITY, AND ORGANIZATION OF INFORMATION SHARING TO BENEFIT WEST AFRICAN STATES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since March 1970.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.