Climateworks Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
CLIMATEWORKS FOUNDATION'S MISSION IS TO CONNECT PHILANTHROPY, GRANTEES, AND STRATEGIC PARTNERS TO BUILD AND DELIVER HIGH-IMPACT CLIMATE SOLUTIONS THAT BENEFIT ALL PEOPLE.
- Income
- $350.6 million
- Spending
- $317.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 94%
- Reserves
- 4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 96%
- Employees
- 189
- Volunteers
- 11
- Highest pay
- $703,584, president and ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 81 out of 100. Higher than 66% of charities in its peer group (science, over $100m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.0 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 17% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 10% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 32% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1594% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 32% of charities in its peer group (science, over $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2510 of 11 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 December 31, 2024, 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 (2)
- $258.1 million spent. IN 2024, CLIMATEWORKS WORKED WITH AN EXPANSIVE NETWORK OF PARTNERS TO CONTRIBUTE TO ACHIEVEMENTS AROUND THE GLOBE, DRIVING MEANINGFUL PROGRESS ON CLIMATE ACTION. STRATEGIES AND GRANTMAKING THROUGH OUR GLOBAL PROGRAMS: CLIMATEWORKS' STRATEGIES AND GRANTMAKING ACCELERATE TRANSFORMATIVE CLIMATE PROGRESS. WE HELP CLIMATE PHILANTHROPY CREATE STRATEGIES, PROGRAMS, AND INITIATIVES AROUND THE WORLD; INCUBATE, FUND, AND GROW HIGH-IMPACT CLIMATE SOLUTIONS; AND UNLOCK NEW PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS SECTORS AND ISSUE AREAS FOR TRANSFORMATIVE SYSTEMS CHANGE. IN 2024, CLIMATEWORKS GRANTED OVER $248 MILLION VIA 781 GRANTS, GIFTS, AND PROGRAMMATIC CONTRACTS TO 442 GRANTEES BASED IN 44 COUNTRIES. PROGRESS HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: - GLOBAL INDUSTRY HUB: CLIMATEWORKS FOUNDATION SUPPORTED THE INCUBATION OF THE GLOBAL INDUSTRY HUB, A NEW FUNDER COLLABORATIVE WORKING TO ACCELERATE INDUSTRIAL DECARBONIZATION AT A GLOBAL SCALE. WITH SUPPORT FROM A COALITION OF VISIONARY FUNDERS, THE HUB BRINGS TOGETHER CAPITAL, INNOVATION, AND STRATEGY TO TACKLE EMISSIONS AT THEIR SOURCE. THE GLOBAL INDUSTRY HUB'S PRIMARY STRATEGY IS SOURCE INVESTING, WHICH GOES BEYOND DOWNSTREAM CLIMATE SOLUTIONS -- LIKE RENEWABLE ENERGY ADOPTION AND CONSUMER BEHAVIOR CHANGES -- AND ADDRESSES THE UPSTREAM INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES AT THE ROOT OF CLIMATE POLLUTION. THESE BOLD INVESTMENTS CAN HELP DECARBONIZE CEMENT PRODUCTION, STEEL MANUFACTURING, AND CHEMICAL PROCESSING, ALL WHILE BOOSTING INNOVATION AND UNLOCKING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES. - MAKING PROGRESS TOWARD A LOW-CARBON MARITIME SHIPPING SECTOR: THE TIDES ARE SHIFTING IN THE EFFORT TO DECARBONIZE THE MARITIME SHIPPING SECTOR. SINCE THE LEADING INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING REGULATOR RELEASED AN AMBITIOUS STRATEGY IN 2023 TO CUT GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, MAJOR ACTORS FROM GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING NOVEL WAYS TO IMPLEMENT AMBITIOUS GLOBAL MEASURES. IN 2024, CLIMATEWORKS' GRANTEES AND PARTNERS CONTINUED TO PLAY MAJOR ROLES IN SHAPING THE FUTURE OF CLEAN SHIPPING BY ADVANCING THE REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS, TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION, AND PROOFS OF CONCEPT NECESSARY TO MEET THE SECTOR'S CLIMATE COMMITMENTS. - KEEPING PEOPLE SAFE FROM EXTREME HEAT. EXTREME HEAT IS NOW A DEFINING FEATURE OF THE CLIMATE CRISIS, RESHAPING HOW PEOPLE LIVE, WORK, AND SURVIVE. IT IS OFTEN DEADLY, ESPECIALLY IN LOW-INCOME, URBAN AREAS AND INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS. WITHOUT RAPID INTERVENTIONS, THESE DANGERS WILL GROW. THE CLEAN COOLING COLLABORATIVE (CCC) AND CLIMATEWORKS' ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE (A+R) PROGRAM ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THIS THREAT. CCC PROMOTES EFFICIENT, CLIMATE-FRIENDLY COOLING POLICIES AND TECHNOLOGIES WORLDWIDE, INCLUDING GRASSROOTS EFFORTS IN INDIA THAT PILOT COMMUNITY COOLING CENTERS AND PASSIVE COOLING STRATEGIES LIKE COOL ROOFS. THESE LOW-COST SOLUTIONS REDUCE INDOOR TEMPERATURES AND IMPROVE LIVING CONDITIONS, ESPECIALLY FOR WOMEN AND FAMILIES. A+R IS SUPPORTING EFFORTS TO ADDRESS EXTREME HEAT ACROSS A NUMBER OF URBAN AREAS IN LOW- AND MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES, INCLUDING EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS, BY STRENGTHENING INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY TO PLAN AND PROTECT COMMUNITIES, AND PILOTING INNOVATIVE FINANCE, INSURANCE, AND SOCIAL PROTECTION SCHEMES. TOGETHER, CCC AND A+R ALIGN COOLING INNOVATIONS WITH BROADER CAPACITY STRENGTHENING, PLANNING, POLICY, AND FINANCE EFFORTS, IN ORDER TO BUILD RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE IMPACTS LIKE EXTREME HEAT. DRIVING ACTION WITH INSIGHTS AND DATA: CLIMATEWORKS HARNESSES DATA, RESEARCH, AND EXPERIENCE TO SHAPE HIGH-IMPACT SOLUTIONS, WORKING WITH FUNDING AND IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS TO CREATE LASTING PROGRESS. WE TRACK PHILANTHROPIC FUNDING TRENDS, IDENTIFY SOLUTION GAPS, AND FUND EXPLORATORY RESEARCH TO IDENTIFY AND GROW INNOVATIVE INITIATIVES. FROM THE FUNDING LANDSCAPE TO NEW OPPORTUNITIES, OUR INSIGHTS HELP SHAPE HIGH-IMPACT PHILANTHROPIC CLIMATE STRATEGIES AND SOLUTIONS. TAX YEAR 2024 MARKED THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF CLIMATEWORKS' FLAGSHIP REPORT ON FUNDING TRENDS IN CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION PHILANTHROPY. FUNDING TRENDS WAS THE FIRST PUBLICLY AVAILABLE REPORT TO COMPREHENSIVELY QUANTIFY GLOBAL PHILANTHROPIC GIVING TO CLIMATE MITIGATION EFFORTS. SINCE ITS FIRST EDITION IN 2020, THE REPORT HAS EXPANDED TO PROVIDE DEEPER INSIGHTS AND ANALYSIS, ALONG WITH RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW CLIMATE PHILANTHROPY CAN HELP ACTIVATE NEW SOURCES OF CLIMATE FUNDING. THE 2024 REPORT SPANS THE PAST FIVE YEARS AND FINDS THAT ANNUAL FOUNDATION FUNDING FOR CLIMATE MITIGATION NEARLY TRIPLED FROM $1.7 BILLION IN 2019 TO $4.8 BILLION IN 2023. HISTORICAL FUNDING GAPS PERSIST, ESPECIALLY FOR LOW- TO MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES, PARTICULARLY IN THE FORM OF CORE OR FLEXIBLE FUNDING. ALIGNING FOR GREATER IMPACT THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS: COLLABORATION IS AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING CLIMATEWORKS DOES. WE CONNECT WITH FUNDERS AND IMPLEMENTING PARTNERS TO ALIGN AND DELIVER RESOURCES WHERE THEY MATTER MOST, AND DRIVE POSITIVE SYSTEMIC CHANGE. THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS, CLIMATEWORKS CULTIVATES A DYNAMIC LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND WORKS WITH VISIONARY LEADERS FROM PHILANTHROPY AND CIVIL SOCIETY AROUND THE WORLD TO DRIVE EFFECTIVE AND TRANSFORMATIVE OUTCOMES FOR ALL. IN 2024, A SURGE IN COLLABORATIVE CLIMATE PHILANTHROPY HELPED OPEN GROUNDBREAKING NEW PATHWAYS FOR FUNDERS TO CATALYZE BOLD CLIMATE ACTION WORLDWIDE. CLIMATEWORKS FOUNDATION HELPED COORDINATE MORE THAN 30 FUNDER CONVENINGS ACROSS 13 DISTINCT FOCUS AREAS IN 2024, BRINGING TOGETHER 1,200+ PARTICIPANTS FROM A WIDE RANGE OF GEOGRAPHIES AND PERSPECTIVES. THIS WORK REFLECTS THE FOUNDATION'S AIM TO CULTIVATE A DYNAMIC CLIMATE PHILANTHROPY COMMUNITY ALIGNED WITH LOCAL NEEDS. NEW INITIATIVES AROUND ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE, JUST TRANSITION, AND INDUSTRIAL DECARBONIZATION TOOK ROOT, WHILE EXISTING PROGRAMS LIKE THE DRIVE ELECTRIC CAMPAIGN AND CLEAN COOLING COLLABORATIVE CONTINUED TO BUILD MOMENTUM. EACH OF THE GROWING FUNDER NETWORKS SUPPORTED BY CLIMATEWORKS DEMONSTRATES THE MULTIPLIER EFFECT OF CLIMATE PHILANTHROPY: EVERY PHILANTHROPIC INVESTMENT TODA
- $39.9 million spent. CLIMATEWORKS' FORESTS AND LAND USE PROGRAM IS LED BY THE CLIMATE AND LAND USE ALLIANCE (CLUA). AS AN ALLIANCE, CLUA SUPPORTS POLICIES, PRACTICES, AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT HALT AND REVERSE FOREST LOSS, ADVANCE SUSTAINABLE LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT, AND SECURE THE RIGHTS AND LIVELIHOODS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND FOREST COMMUNITIES. AMONG CLUA'S KEY PRIORITIES IS SUPPORTING JUST ECONOMIC TRANSITIONS THAT STRENGTHEN EQUITY AND TRANSPARENCY, REVITALIZE FOREST ECONOMIES, AND REVERSE FOREST LOSS, WHILE MOBILIZING MORE ACCESSIBLE AND EFFECTIVE FINANCE FOR FORESTS AND COMMUNITIES. IN 2024, CLUA MADE GRANTS SUPPORTING WORK ON REGENERATIVE FOREST ECONOMIES AND FINANCIAL RESILIENCE. IN BRAZIL, INDONESIA, MEXICO, AND CENTRAL AMERICA, CLUA SUPPORTED EFFORTS TO POSITION REGENERATIVE FOREST ECONOMIES AS VIABLE APPROACHES TO SUPPORTING RESILIENT COMMUNITIES, ECONOMIES, AND FORESTS. IN BRAZIL, COLOMBIA, AND PERU, CLUA SUPPORT FOCUSED ON INTEGRATING SOCIO-BIOECONOMIES WITH EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY GOVERNANCE. IN INDONESIA, CLUA SUPPORTED ORGANIZATIONS ADVANCING RESTORATIVE ECONOMY PILOTS TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR FEASIBILITY AT SCALE. ACROSS MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA, SUPPORT FOR FINANCIAL INNOVATIONS LIKE MICROBANKS HELPED STRENGTHEN LOCAL ECONOMIC RESILIENCE.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 November 6, 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 December 2024.
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 February 2009.
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 November 4, 2026.
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