Climate Accountability Institute
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Research and education on energy and climate, with a focus on quantifying and attributing source emissions to fossil fuel companies.
- Income
- $75,399
- Spending
- $121,501
- Reserves
- 2.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 43 out of 100. Higher than 9% of charities in its peer group (environment, under $250k).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 61% of income.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
This organization files the short tax form, which does not ask about boards, policies or audits. That is normal for a small charity and is not a mark against it.
Source: Form 990EZ 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 (5)
- $25,800 spent. Quantify GHG emissions attributable to coal production and consumption of German coal and utility company RWE for 1953-2022. Quantify GHG emissions attributable to German cement company Heidelberg Materials 1950-2022. Write a report on each company for European Center for Constitutional & Human Rights
- $23,000 spent. Quantify GHG emissions attributable to selected oil, gas, and coal companies based on fossil fuel production, refinery input, and petroleum product sales, 1950-2022.
- $18,210 spent. Exxon GHG emissions 1988-2023: scope 3 emissions from oil and gas production, refining, and petroleum product sales, and draft disclosure on the expertise of Richard Heede to quantify emissions attributable to ExxonMobil Corporation and other leading fossil fuel companies
- $18,000 spent. Administration, miscellaneous expenses, proposal writing, grant reporting, media & communications on energy and climate, guidance to ECCHR on Heidelberg Materials emissions 1950-2022
- $36,491 spent. Other project services: Co-author paper published in Nature: "Systematic attribution of heatwaves to the emissions of carbon majors" Co-author paper published in Climate Policy: "The responsibility of investor-owned carbon majors to contribute to direct air carbon capture and storage investment" Co-author paper published in Nature Climate Change: "Evaluating fossil fuel companies' alignment with 1.5C climate pathways" Submit written testimony to the Vermont Senate Judiciary Committee in support of State Climate Superfund bill S-259
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 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 December 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 August 2012.
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.