Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Cleo Institute Inc

EIN 27-3185735 · Miami, FL

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair60 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO EDUCATE AND EMPOWER COMMUNITIES TO DEMAND CLIMATE ACTION, ENSURING A SAFE, JUST, AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL.

Income
$2.6 million
Spending
$2.8 million
Spent on programs
78%
Reserves
2.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 93%
Employees
18
Volunteers
470
Highest pay
$191,482, executive di

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

Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 23% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 19% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 7% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 36% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    78% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 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 60% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 10 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (1)
  1. $2.2 million spent. THE CLEO INSTITUTE IS A 501(C)(3) NON-PROFIT, NON-PARTISAN ORGANIZATION EXCLUSIVELY DEDICATED TO CLIMATE CRISIS EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY. FOUNDED IN 2010, WE WORK WITH COMMUNITIES ACROSS FLORIDA TO BUILD CLIMATE LITERACY AND MOBILIZE CLIMATE ACTION FOR A SAFE, JUST, AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL. THE CLEO IS A TRUSTED LEADER WITH 14+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE BUILDING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AROUND CLIMATE ISSUES IN FLORIDA. CLEO IS RECOGNIZED BY MIAMI-DADE COUNTY & OTHERS AS THE GO-TO RESOURCE FOR CLIMATE LITERACY & EQUITY EVEN RECEIVING THE HONOR OF WHITE HOUSE CHAMPION OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN 2013. SINCE OUR FOUNDING, WE HAVE TRAINED 12 SOUTH FLORIDA MUNICIPALITIES & HUNDREDS OF ELECTED OFFICIALS, NONPROFITS, AND FOUNDATIONS ON CLIMATE JUSTICE RISKS & SOLUTIONS. OUR MAIN AREAS OF FOCUS ARE: CLIMATE EDUCATION, CLIMATE AND HEALTH, CLIMATE JUSTICE, CLIMATE POLICY AND ADVOCACY, DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND ENERGY JUSTICE. IMPACTS REACHED OVER 14,000 PEOPLE THROUGH MORE THAN 472 TRAININGS AND COMMUNITY EVENTS. TRAINED OVER 4797 STUDENTS THROUGH IN-CLASSROOM TRAININGS, REACHED MORE THAN 850 TEACHERS, AND CONDUCTED 6 TRAININGS IN 5 CITIES FOR OUR CLEO SPEAKERS NETWORK. ENGAGED 180 ELECTED OFFICIALS ACROSS FLORIDA AND NATIONWIDE. GREW OUR GENCLEO MEMBERSHIP TO OVER 7100 MEMBERS ACROSS 9 CAMPUSES STATEWIDE MEDIA WINS OVER 60 PRESS MENTIONS REACHED 1.1 MILLION PEOPLE ON SOCIAL MEDIA & CAMPAIGNS THE CLEO INSTITUTE IS A 501(C)(3) NON-PROFIT, NON-PARTISAN ORGANIZATION EXCLUSIVELY DEDICATED TO CLIMATE CRISIS EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY. FOUNDED IN 2010, WE WORK WITH COMMUNITIES ACROSS FLORIDA TO BUILD CLIMATE LITERACY AND MOBILIZE CLIMATE ACTION FOR A SAFE, JUST, AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL. THE CLEO IS A TRUSTED LEADER WITH 14+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE BUILDING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AROUND CLIMATE ISSUES IN FLORIDA. CLEO IS RECOGNIZED BY MIAMI-DADE COUNTY & OTHERS AS THE GO-TO RESOURCE FOR CLIMATE LITERACY & EQUITY EVEN RECEIVING THE HONOR OF WHITE HOUSE CHAMPION OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN 2013. SINCE OUR FOUNDING, WE HAVE TRAINED 12 SOUTH FLORIDA MUNICIPALITIES & HUNDREDS OF ELECTED OFFICIALS, NONPROFITS, AND FOUNDATIONS ON CLIMATE JUSTICE RISKS & SOLUTIONS. OUR MAIN AREAS OF FOCUS ARE: CLIMATE EDUCATION, CLIMATE AND HEALTH, CLIMATE JUSTICE, CLIMATE POLICY AND ADVOCACY, DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND ENERGY JUSTICE. IMPACTS REACHED OVER 14,000 PEOPLE THROUGH MORE THAN 472 TRAININGS AND COMMUNITY EVENTS. TRAINED OVER 4797 STUDENTS THROUGH IN-CLASSROOM TRAININGS, REACHED MORE THAN 850 TEACHERS, AND CONDUCTED 6 TRAININGS IN 5 CITIES FOR OUR CLEO SPEAKERS NETWORK. ENGAGED 180 ELECTED OFFICIALS ACROSS FLORIDA AND NATIONWIDE. GREW OUR GENCLEO MEMBERSHIP TO OVER 7100 MEMBERS ACROSS 9 CAMPUSES STATEWIDE MEDIA WINS OVER 60 PRESS MENTIONS REACHED 1.1 MILLION PEOPLE ON SOCIAL MEDIA & CAMPAIGNS

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since November 2010.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.

  7. Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.

    A much larger organization has a similar name: Cfa Institute (Charlottesvle, VA), EIN 54-1386480. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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.