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Center for Sustainable Economy

EIN 36-4541988 · Port Townsend, WA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood82 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

PROMOTING ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY

Income
$187,613
Spending
$185,366
Spent on programs
90%
Reserves
34.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 63%
Employees
1
Highest pay
$98,298, president

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 82 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (environment, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 34.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 32% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    90% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 77% of charities in its peer group (environment, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    3 of 5 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • 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, 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 (3)
  1. $75,073 spent. FORESTS FOR CLIMATE AND BIODIVERSITY:Through its Forests for Climate and Biodiversity program, CSE advocates for protection and restoration of all native forest ecosystems on federal, state, and local public lands because of their role in capturing and storing carbon, filtering clean water, supporting outdoor recreation, sustaining biological diversity and supplying many other ecosystem goods and services. On private lands, we believe that state forest practices statutes and rules should create the enabling conditions for sustainably managed forests that are put to work earning landowners multiple revenue streams from wood products and non-timber goods and services but in a manner that protects public trust resources including soil productivity, water, wildlife, fish and a stable climate. Key activities and accomplishments in 2023 included:1.Developing a strategy to implement a forest carbon tax and reward program at the state level.2.Completing a peer-reviewed article on how to operationalize the forest carbon tax and reward concept.3.Filing litigation challenging harmful logging operations proposed on Washington State forestlands in King County.4.Hosting the Forest Carbon Coalition, a national network of conservation and scientific organizations advocating for climate smart forest practices.5.Hosting two online events addressing the imperative of enrolling forests more directly into the nations climate action framework.
  2. $50,049 spent. CLIMATE JUSTICE:Together with environmental justice organizations, community groups, people of faith, indigenous peoples, labor allies, and civil society groups, CSEs Climate Justice Program is taking action around the urgent moral imperative of rapidly reducing our collective carbon footprint while ensuring our land use is sustainable, with high value carbon sinks, such as old growth forests, bolstered and expanded as rapidly as possible. Key activities and accomplishments in 2022 included:1.We continued our work with non-profits and decision makers to advance fossil fuel risk bond policies now in place in Oregon and Washington.2.We completed a report providing guidance to state and local governments interested in adopting fossil fuel risk bond programs in their jurisdiction.
  3. $41,707 spent. GREEN INFASTRUCTURE:Investments in so called green infrastructure solutions such as wetland restoration or agricultural best management practices are increasingly recognized as cost effective ways to achieve environmental quality outcomes relative to investments in gray infrastructure such as wastewater treatment or water filtration plants. To advance green infrastructure solutions, CSE monitors land use decisions at the federal, state and local levels and advocates for inclusion of green infrastructure elements in site designs. Key activities and accomplishments in 2022 included:1.We continued our work with partners to devise a national and/or statewide no-net-loss compensatory mitigation program for forests and farmland.2.Monitoring and commenting on several land use decisions at the local level that will result in significant deforestation or loss of farmland.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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 November 6, 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 2025.

    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 August 2004.

    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 November 4, 2026.

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

    A much larger organization has a similar name: Center for Sustainable Energy (San Diego, CA), EIN 33-0936366. 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.