Friends of the Earth
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
FRIENDS OF THE EARTH STRIVES FOR A MORE HEALTHY AND JUST WORLD BY DEFENDNG THE ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN HEALTH WHILE ADVANCING SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE BY CONDUCTING RESEARCH AND EDUCATION, TRANSFORMING THE ECONOMY SO IT PROTECTS THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENHANCES PEOPLE'S WELL BEING AND BY BUILDING MOVEMENTS IN THE U.S. AND GLOBALLY WORKING FOR THOSE ENDS.
- Income
- $20.4 million
- Spending
- $18.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- 8.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 94%
- Employees
- 101
- Volunteers
- 1,000
- Highest pay
- $250,359, president
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
Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 72% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.3 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 19% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 10% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 21% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 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 35% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2515 of 15 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 (5)
- $6.7 million spent. OUTREACH AND MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM - THE OUTREACH PROGRAM EDUCATES MEMBERS AND ACTIVISTS AS WELL AS THE GREATER PUBLIC ABOUT SIGNIFICANT THREATS TO THE ENVIRONMENT, AND ENCOURAGES THEM TO PARTICIPATE WITH FRIENDS OF THE EARTH TO ACHIEVE POSITIVE OUTCOMES INCLUDING PROTECTING POLLINATORS FROM TOXIC PESTICIDES, PROTECTING PUBLIC LANDS FROM POLLUTION, AND PREVENTING INDUSTRIAL PROJECTS THAT WOULD HARM COMMUNITIES AND ECOSYSTEMS. THIS IS DONE THROUGH ONLINE ACTION ALERTS, ONLINE ADVERTISING, MAILINGS, PRINT NEWSLETTERS (TO MEMBERS), AS WELL AS SOCIAL MEDIA SITES LIKE FACEBOOK. FOE ALSO SEEKS OPPORTUNITIES TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC THROUGH TV AND RADIO INTERVIEWS. THE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTLY REACHED OVER ONE MILLION PEOPLE WHO TOOK NEARLY 3 MILLION ACTIONS IN THE 2024 FISCAL YEAR. THESE ACTIONS CONTRIBUTED TO ACCOMPLISHMENTS LIKE PUSHING CALIFORNIA'S DEPARTMENT OF PESTICIDE REGULATION (DPR) TO DEVELOP A BINDING AGREEMENT TO PROPOSE REGULATIONS FOR PESTICIDE-TREATED SEEDS, PUSHING COUNTRIES TO CUT UP TO $15 BILLION IN FOSSIL FUEL FUNDING, AND DELAYING A DESTRUCTIVE GEOENGINEERING PROJECT IN CAPE COD.
- $3.5 million spent. FOOD AND TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM - THE FOOD AND TECHNOLOGY TEAM CONDUCTS MARKET CAMPAIGNS, SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND POLICY ADVOCACY TO PROMOTE A MORE JUST AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEM. IN THE PAST YEAR, THE TEAM CAMPAIGNED TO CONVINCE GARDEN STORES AND GROCERS TO STOCK MORE BEE-FRIENDLY AND ORGANIC PRODUCTS AND ADVOCATED FOR PUBLIC POLICIES TO PHASE-OUT BEE-KILLING PESTICIDES. IT ALSO HELPED INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS SCHOOLS TO ADOPT MORE CLIMATE-FRIENDLY PURCHASING POLICIES, ENCOURAGED FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS TO DIVEST FROM FACTORY FARMS, AND ADVOCATED FOR BETTER REGULATION OF PRODUCTS MADE FROM SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY.
- $1.9 million spent. ECONOMIC POLICY PROGRAM - THE ECONOMIC POLICY TEAM AIMS TO CREATE A MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE AND SOCIALLY JUST WORLD BY TRANSFORMING FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC SYSTEMS. ACTIVITIES INCLUDE EFFORTS TO END SUBSIDIES FOR POLLUTING INDUSTRIES AND ENCOURAGE INVESTMENTS IN CLEAN ALTERNATIVES. DURING THE LAST YEAR, IT WORKED TO ALTER LENDING PRACTICES AT LARGE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS THAT FUND FOSSIL FUELS AND HARM COMMUNITIES AND BIODIVERSITY IN THE US AND ABROAD. IT ENCOURAGED INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS TO ADOPT POLICIES TO DEFUND DEFORESTATION, PARTICULARLY RELATED TO PALM OIL PRODUCTION.
- $1.5 million spent. OCEANS AND VESSELS PROGRAM - THE OCEANS AND VESSELS TEAM WORKS TO STOP AIR AND WATER POLLUTION FROM OCEAN-GOING VESSELS, CRUISE SHIPS, PORTS AND OIL DEVELOPMENT IN ORDER TO PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT. IN THE LAST YEAR, IT HELPED ADOPT AND IMPLEMENT POLICIES IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST TO PROTECT THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT AND ISSUED ITS ANNUAL CRUISE SHIP REPORT CARD. IT EXPANDED EFFORTS TO PREVENT THE BUILD-OUT OF NEW PLASTICS FACILITIES, SUPPORTED PORTSIDE COMMUNITIES' IN ADVOCATING FOR CLEANER AIR AND FOUGHT FOR STRONGER INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING REGULATIONS AT THE IMO.
- $1.7 million spent. CLIMATE AND ENERGY PROGRAM - THE CLIMATE & ENERGY TEAM PROMOTES CLEAN ENERGY AND CONSERVATION AND FIGHTS TO END OUR DEPENDENCE ON DIRTY, HARMFUL SOURCES OF ENERGY INCLUDING COAL, OIL, NATURAL GAS AND NUCLEAR. IN THE LAST YEAR, THE TEAM HELPED LEAD EFFORTS TO PREVENT FOSSIL FUEL SUBSIDIES AND RESISTED ATTEMPTS TO OPEN UP PUBLIC WATERS AND LANDS TO FOSSIL FUEL DEVELOPMENT. IT CONTINUED ITS CAMPAIGN EFFORTS TO PROMOTE ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND/OR RENEWABLE ENERGY IN NC AND ALSO ADVOCATED FOR THE REGULATION OF GEOENGINEERING.
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 December 1974.
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.