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Sustainable Jersey Inc

EIN 45-3848336 · Lawrenceville, NJ

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood78 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SUSTAINABLE JERSEY'S MISSION IS TO EMPOWER NEW JERSEY COMMUNITIES TO BUILD A BETTER WORLD FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS WITH THE TOOLS, TRAINING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND FINANCIAL INCENTIVES NECESSARY TO PURSUE CRITICAL SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES.

Income
$3.0 million
Spending
$2.6 million
Spent on programs
86%
Reserves
9.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 96%
Employees
3
Volunteers
93
Highest pay
$150,999, executive director

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: 78 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 9.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 35% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 16% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 10% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    86% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 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 60% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    17 of 17 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 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 (3)
  1. $550,110 spent. MUNICIPAL CERTIFICATION PROGRAM:SUSTAINABLE JERSEY, LAUNCHED IN 2009, IS A FREE MUNICIPAL CERTIFICATION PROGRAM THAT IDENTIFIES SPECIFIC ACTIONS COMMUNITIES CAN TAKE TO BE MORE SUSTAINABLE, ADDRESS THE CAUSES AND IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, SAVE MONEY, AND SUSTAIN THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE OVER THE LONG TERM. BY THE END OF CALENDAR YEAR 2025, 468 NEW JERSEY MUNICIPALITIES (REPRESENTING 83% OF THE STATE) WERE REGISTERED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM AND WERE WORKING TO IMPLEMENT SUSTAINABILITY MEASURES WITH 191 CERTIFIED. IN ADDITION TO CERTIFICATION, MUNICIPALITIES CAN EARN GOLD STARS IN KEY DIMENSIONS OF SUSTAINABILITY SUCH AS ENERGY, HEALTH AND WATER. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, NEW JERSEY MUNICIPALITIES HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED 19,637 PROGRAM ACTIONS AND ACHIEVED 6 GOLD STARS.IN 2014, SUSTAINABLE JERSEY LAUNCHED THE SUSTAINABLE JERSEY FOR SCHOOLS CERTIFICATION PROGRAM IN COLLABORATION WITH LEADING NEW JERSEY SCHOOL-FOCUSED ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING THE NEW JERSEY SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION AND THE NEW JERSEY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION. IT IS IS A FREE, VOLUNTARY CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FOR NEW JERSEY PRE-KINDERGARTEN THROUGH TWELFTH-GRADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. BY THE END OF CALENDAR YEAR 2025, 67% ON NEW JERSEY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT WERE PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM, 367 SCHOOLS WERE CERTIFIED WITH 58 ALSO EARNING DIGITAL SCHOOLS STAR RECOGNITION. COLLECTIVELY, SCHOOLS HAVE SUCCESSFULLY DOCUMENTED OVER 10,614 PROGRAM ACTIONS.
  2. $622,874 spent. SUSTAINABLE JERSEY GRANTS PROGRAM: SUSTAINABLE JERSEY IS COMMITTED TO IDENTIFYING RESOURCES TO HELP MUNICIPALITIES AND SCHOOLS SUCCESSFULLY ADDRESS LOCAL SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES. A CORNERSTONE OF THIS EFFORT IS OUR ANNUAL GRANTS PROGRAM. SINCE 2009, 8.6 MILLION IN GRANTS HAVE BEEN AWARDED TO PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS TO PURSUE LOCAL INITIATIVES. OVER 68% OF SUSTAINABLE JERSEY PARTICIPATING MUNICIPALITIES AND 56% OF PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS HAVE RECEIVED AT LEAST ONE SUSTAINABLE JERSEY GRANT RANGING IN SIZE FROM $2,000 TO $35,000.
  3. $1.0 million spent. SUSTAINABLE JERSEY ALSO COLLABORATES WITH STATE AGENCIES, NON-PROFITS, FOUNDATIONS, AND CORPORATIONS TO SUPPORT THEIR WORK. IN FY 2025 THIS INCLUDED HELPING MUNICIPALITIES TO BECOME MORE BIKE AND WALK FRIENDLY; ASSISTING MUNICIPALITIES AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN TAKING ADVANTAGE OF STATE AND FEDERAL INCENTIVES TO REDUCE THEIR ENERGY COSTS AND IMPLEMENT CLEAN ENERGY ALTERNATIVES, AND ENCOURAGING THEIR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES TO THE SAME; AND WORKING WITH MUNICIPALITIES TO COMPLETE COMPREHENSIVE CLIMATE CHANGE RELATED HAZARD VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENTS.

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

  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 June 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 July 2012.

    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.