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Green Umbrella

EIN 31-1770299 · Cincinnati, OH

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak28 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

GREEN UMBRELLA'S MISSION IS TO LEAD CROSS-SECTOR COLLABORATION TO ACCELERATE CLIMATE ACTION ACROSS GREATER CINCINNATI.

Income
$1.8 million
Spending
$2.1 million
Spent on programs
75%
Reserves
0.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 37%
Employees
24
Volunteers
200
Highest pay
$107,771, executive director

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

Weak: 28 out of 100. Higher than 2% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 56% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 13% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 33% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    75% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 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

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    13 of 13 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

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (4)
  1. $580,412 spent. CLIMATE POLICY/ACTION: WHILE CLIMATE CHANGE IS A GLOBAL ISSUE, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS END UP ABSORBING MANY OF THE COSTS. POLICIES AND PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS CLIMATE IMPACTS ARE OFTEN MOST EFFECTIVE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, AND MORE THAN EVER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS NEED MORE CAPACITY TO ADAPT AND BUILD RESILIENCY. GREATER CINCINNATI WILL NEED MORE THAN ITS INDIVIDUAL JURISDICTIONS ACTING ALONE TO ADAPT TO HEAT, FLOODING AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS, PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH, REDUCE EMISSIONS, AND FOSTER AN EQUITABLE AND JUST TRANSITION TO MORE RESILIENT COMMUNITIES. GREEN UMBRELLA LAUNCHED ITS CLIMATE POLICY WORK TO FACILITATE COLLABORATION AMONG REGIONAL GOVERNMENT LEADERS. WE ARE EQUIPPING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WITH PROVEN MODELS, HELPING THEM TELL THEIR SUCCESS STORIES AND CONNECTING THEM TO EACH OTHER THROUGH EDUCATIONAL AND CONVENING OPPORTUNITIES.
  2. $256,943 spent. GREATER CINCINNATI REGIONAL FOOD POLICY COUNCIL: A CROSS SECTOR COLLABORATION OF ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS, COMMUNITY INFLUENCERS, AND DECISION MAKERS, COLLABORATING TO DRIVE IMPACT IN CREATING HEALTHY, EQUITABLE, SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS FOR ALL IN THE GREATER CINCINNATI REGION. CURRENT FOCUS AREAS INCLUDE 1)CONNECTING LOCAL FARMERS TO SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS TO LEARN ABOUT WHERE FOOD COMES FROM, 2) ENCOURAGE AVAILABILITY OF HEALTHY, DESIRABLE FOOD OPTIONS ACROSS OUR REGION, FOR ALL INCOME LEVELS, 3) DIALOGUE WITH RESIDENTS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED FOOD INSECURITY TO BETTER INFORM EMERGENCY FOOD SYSTEMS BASED ON THEIR NEEDS, 4) CONVENE REGIONAL PARTNERS TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM PLANNING, 5) TELLING THE STORY OF OUR REGION'S FOODSHED THROUGH THE CINCINNATI'S FOODSHED ATLAS.
  3. $138,384 spent. COMMON ORCHARD PROJECT: THE COMMON ORCHARD PROJECT IS WORKING TO INSTALL AND MAINTAIN HUNDREDS OF SMALL ORCHARD PLANTINGS ON VACANT LOTS AND PUBLIC LAND ACROSS GREATER CINCINNATI. IT PARTNERS WITH COMMUNITIES CHARACTERIZED BY LOW ACCESS TO FRESH AND HEALTHY FOOD AND LOW TREE CANOPY COVERAGE, TO DESIGN, PLANT AND MAINTAIN PUBLIC ORCHARDS WHERE FRUIT CAN BE GROWN AND DISTRIBUTED TO NEIGHBORS. THESE POCKETS OF GREENSPACE PROVIDE SHADE, HABITAT, COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACES AND EXPOSURE AND ACCESS TO FRESH FRUIT GROWING RIGHT WHERE IT IS NEEDED MOST. THE COMMON ORCHARD PROJECT PLANTS APPROXIMATELY 10 ORCHARDS PER YEAR AND TRAINS NEIGHBORS TO SERVE AS ORCHARD STEWARDS, WHO CARE FOR AND HARVEST FROM THE TREES AND OTHER PLANTS AT THE RIGHT TIMES.
  4. $576,514 spent. GU EVENT SERIES: A VARIETY OF ONE-TIME AND ON-GOING PUBLIC EVENTS SUPPORTING OR ALIGNING WITH THE ORGANIZATION'S PRIMARY FOCUS OF ADVANCING ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN THE GREATER CINCINNATI REGION. PUBLIC PROGRAMS INCLUDE MIDWEST REGIONAL SUSTAINABILITY SUMMIT, GREEN DRINKS, ANNUAL MEETING, AND CULTIVATE+CONNECT. CINCINNATI 2030 DISTRICT: THE DISTRICT'S MISSION IS TO CREATE A NETWORK OF HEALTHY, HIGH-PERFORMING BUILDINGS IN THE CITY OF CINCINNATI. PARTICIPATING MEMBERS MAKE A COLLECTIVE COMMITMENT TO REDUCE THEIR BUILDINGS' ENERGY USE, WATER CONSUMPTION, AND TRANSPORTATION EMISSIONS BY 50% BY THE YEAR 2030. THE CINCINNATI DISTRICT ALSO INCLUDES A HEALTHY BUILDING PILLAR WITH A GOAL OF IMPROVING THE HEALTH OF BUILDING OCCUPANTS, WITH INTERVENTIONS TAILORED TO THE MOST PRESSING NEEDS IN OUR CITY. MEMBERS OF THE CINCINNATI 2030 DISTRICT ARE PROPERTY OWNERS AND MANAGERS, DEVELOPERS, AND COMMERCIAL TENANTS WHO COMMIT TO ASSISTING THE DISTRICT TO ACHIEVE ITS REDUCTION GOALS THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUSTAINABLE, EMISSIONS-REDUCING SOLUTIONS IN THEIR BUILDINGS. CURRENTLY, OUR 42 MEMBERS HAVE COMMITTED 318 BUILDINGS AND 27.7 MILLION SQUARE FEET TO THE CINCINNATI 2030 DISTRICT. BY PARTNERING DIRECTLY WITH MEMBERS, THE CINCINNATI 2030 DISTRICT ACCELERATES THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS BY BREAKING DOWN MARKET BARRIERS, ENCOURAGING COLLABORATION, AND ASSISTING MEMBERS IN THE DEPLOYMENT OF INNOVATIVE SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS.GU IMPACT TEAMS: GU FACILITATES CROSS-SECTOR COLLABORATION WITH THE GOAL OF ACHIEVING POLICY AND SYSTEMS LEVEL OUTCOMES THAT RESULT IN A RESILIENT, EQUITABLE AND THRIVING REGION. IN 2024 THE TWO IMPACT TEAMS SUPPORTED WERE THE GREENSPACE ALLIANCE (PROTECTING AND RESTORING HIGH QUALITY GREENSPACE AND INCREASING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO GREENSPACE) AND GREEN SCHOOLYARDS ACTION NETWORK (WORKING TO ENSURE ALL CINCINNATI PUBLIC SCHOOLS' STUDENTS HAVE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION REGARDLESS OF DEMOGRAPHICS, ECONOMIC STATUS OR FAMILY SUPPORT FOR SUCH ACTIVITIES). WE ALSO SUPPORT FAITH COMMUNITIES GO GREEN IN COLLABORATION WITH EQUASION (PARTNERING WITH RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES TO CREATE A MORE SUSTAINABLE AND EQUITABLE FUTURE FOR ALL BY MOBILIZING THEIR MORAL VOICE TO REDUCE THE RISK OF CATASTROPHIC CLIMATE CHANGE).

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 May 2002.

    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.

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.