The Climate Center
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The Climate Center is a climate and energy policy nonprofit working to rapidly reduce climate pollution at scale, starting in California.
- Income
- $3.7 million
- Spending
- $3.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 72%
- Reserves
- 2.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 98%
- Employees
- 24
- Volunteers
- 25
- Highest pay
- $231,174, ceo
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: 71 out of 100. Higher than 55% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.9 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 18% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1572% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 15 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 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2510 of 10 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 (2)
- $1.6 million spent. Public Outreach and CommunicationsThe Climate Center has pursued multiple outreach strategies to educate decision-makers and the public about the urgency of the climate crisis and the array of accelerated, equitable solutions that the state can pursue now to address it. We published four policy briefs; hosted twelve webinars with over 5,000 total registrants; convened the 2025 California Climate Policy Summit in Sacramento (sold out with over 400 attendees); organized legislator attendance at the 2024 UN Climate Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan where we hosted three side events and press conferences; generated 69 media mentions of our work; and mobilized our supporters to take over 12,500 online actions.
- $841,495 spent. Policy Development, Implementation, and Coalition BuildingThe Climate Center advanced equitable climate policy to reduce emissions and address affordability in California in six main areas: developing equitable and safe carbon dioxide removal strategies; driving funding for natural carbon sequestration; working to make polluters pay their fair share of the states climate damages; ensuring reforms to the states flagship climate program, Cap & Trade, to make it more effective and better address the needs of frontline communities; using batteries in electric vehicles to provide resilient power for homes and businesses during outages and power back to the grid as needed; and aggregating local clean energy resources such as rooftop solar, batteries, and smart thermostats to create virtual power plants that cut costs for consumers, provide flexible power, and reduce the need for polluting gas plants.
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since November 2002.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.