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Environmental Investigation Agency

EIN 52-1654284 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair65 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO ESTABLISH AND PROMOTE PROGRAMS TO PROTECT THE GLOBAL CLIMATE, FORESTS, WILDLIFE AND THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, THROUGH RESEARCH, ADVOCACY, AND INVESTIGATION.

Income
$8.3 million
Spending
$8.1 million
Spent on programs
91%
Reserves
1.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 67%
Employees
44
Volunteers
5
Highest pay
$198,660, 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

Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 30% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 40% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 16% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    91% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 64% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    5 of 6 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 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. $4.7 million spent. EIA'S FOREST CAMPAIGN PROTECTS THE WORLD'S FORESTS, AND THE PEOPLE, WILDLIFE AND GLOBAL CLIMATE THAT DEPEND ON THEM, BY EXPOSING ILLEGAL TIMBER OPERATIONS AND ILLEGAL DEFORESTATION FOR PRODUCTION OF COMMODITIES THROUGH UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATIONS; EXTENSIVE RESEARCH, DATA ANALYSIS, SCIENTIFIC ANALYSIS, CAMPAIGNING AND ADVOCACY FOR DOMESTIC LAWS THAT BAN IMPORTS OF PRODUCTS MADE FROM ILLEGALLY CUT TIMBER OR COMMODITIES RESULTING FROM ILLICIT DEFORESTATION; ENGAGING WITH BUSINESSES AND TRADE ASSOCIATIONS TO MAKE SUPPLY CHAINS MORE TRACEABLE AND TRANSPARENT WORLDWIDE TO REINFORCE LEGALITY AND PROMOTE SUSTAINABILITY; ADVOCATING FOR FOREST PROTECTION AND GOVERNANCE SAFEGUARDS IN TRADE POLICIES; AND STRENGTHENING FOREST GOVERNANCE AND COMMUNITY INCLUSION, WHICH IN TURN HELPS COMMUNITIES TO THRIVE AND FORESTS TO REMAIN STANDING. MORE DETAILS ABOUT OUR CAMPAIGN WORK AT: EIA.ORG/CAMPAIGNS/
  2. $1.3 million spent. EIA WILDLIFE AND OCEAN CAMPAIGNS ENVISIONS A WORLD WHERE THE WORLD'S THREATENED SPECIES, INCLUDING ELEPHANTS, RHINOS, ORANGUTANS, AND BELUGA WHALES, ARE PROTECTED, RECOVERED, AND THRIVING THROUGHOUT THEIR NATURAL RANGES. EIA RELIES ON THE BEST AVAILABLE SCIENTIFIC, CUSTOMS, AND TRADE DATA, AND INTELLIGENCE FROM INVESTIGATIONS, TO SUPPORT POLICIES AND ACTIONS THAT PROTECT THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES. EIA'S WILDLIFE CAMPAIGN WORKS WITH PARTNERS AND ALLIES ON THE GROUND TO STOP THE ILLEGAL AND UNSUSTAINABLE KILLING OF, AND TRADE IN, ELEPHANTS AND RHINOS, AND TO PROTECT THE ARCTIC HOME OF BELUGAS AND OTHER WHALES AND THE TROPICAL FOREST HABITAT OF ORANGUTANS.EIA'S APPROACH TO WILDLIFE PROTECTION FALLS UNDER TWO MAJOR WORK AREAS:1) PROTECTING TERRESTRIAL SPECIES FROM POACHING, TRAFFICKING, AND HABITAT LOSS, BY UPHOLDING INTERNATIONAL BANS ON ELEPHANT IVORY AND RHINOCEROS HORN; CAMPAIGNING FOR COUNTRIES AND JURISDICTIONS TO ADOPT AND IMPLEMENT LAWS TO CLOSE DOWN DOMESTIC ELEPHANT IVORY AND RHINO HORN MARKETS. 2) ARCTIC MARINE SPECIES PROTECTION BY ADVOCATING FOR EFFECTIVE REGULATORY CHANGE TO PROMOTE RECOVERY FOR CRITICALLY ENDANGERED COOK INLET BELUGA WHALES; INCREASED CRITICAL HABITAT PROTECTION AND ANTHROPOGENIC THREAT REDUCTION; AND ENGAGE GOVERNMENTS, INDUSTRY, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS AT RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL DECISION-MAKING FORA TO REDUCE THREATS TO VULNERABLE MARINE MAMMAL POPULATIONS FROM UNDERWATER NOISE EXPOSURE FROM INCREASED COMMERCIAL SHIPPING AND ILLEGAL COMMERCIAL WHALING TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED IMPACT OF ENSURING THAT FOCAL WILDLIFE SPECIES ARE NOT ONLY PROTECTED BUT THRIVING. MORE DETAILS ABOUT OUR CAMPAIGN WORK AT: EIA.ORG/CAMPAIGNS.
  3. $907,616 spent. GLOBAL CLIMATE CAMPAIGN EIA IS LEADING THE INTERNATIONAL EFFORT FOR A GLOBAL PHASE-OUT OF HYDROFLUOROCARBONS (HFCS)--A CLASS OF POTENT CHLORINATED CHEMICALS THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ANTARCTIC AND ARCTIC OZONE HOLES AS WELL AS ONE SIXTH OF ALL GLOBAL WARMING. EIA PROVIDES A WIDE ARRAY OF INFORMATION, THROUGH PRIMARY RESEARCH AND DATA ANALYSIS, TO VARIOUS INDUSTRIAL SECTORS TO FACILITATE IMMEDIATE CONVERSIONS FROM OZONE-DEPLETING SUBSTANCES AND HFCS TO LOW-GWP CLIMATE FRIENDLY ALTERNATIVES. THROUGH COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE, INCLUDING ATMOSPHERIC AND CHEMICAL SCIENCES, GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY, CUTTING-EDGE REFRIGERATION AND AIR-CONDITIONING TECHNOLOGY AND ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL, EIA WORKS WITH RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONS, SCIENTISTS, GOVERNMENTS, INDUSTRY AND NGOS AS WELL AS THE TECHNOLOGY AND ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT PANEL (TEAP) THAT WAS ESTABLISHED AS THE TECHNOLOGY AND ECONOMICS ADVISORY BODY TO THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL PARTIES, TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL INFORMATION RELATED TO THE ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES THAT HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATED AND EMPLOYED TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO VIRTUALLY ELIMINATE USE OF OZONE DEPLETING SUBSTANCES (SUCH AS CFCS AND HALONS), THAT HARM THE OZONE LAYER. EIA ALSO PRESENTS IN VARIOUS U.N. AND INDUSTRY EVENTS ON THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS TO PROMOTE CLIMATE-FRIENDLY TECHNOLOGY THAT USE NON-FLUORINATED NON-SYNTHETIC REFRIGERANTS CURRENTLY WIDELY USED IN REFRIGERANTS AND AIR CONDITIONING. MORE DETAILS ABOUT OUR CAMPAIGN WORK AT: EIA.ORG/CAMPAIGNS.
  4. $462,639 spent. THE EXTRACTIVE CAMPAIGN AIMS TO REDUCE MINING IMPACTS AND INJUSTICES THROUGH STRATEGIC INVESTIGATION-LED AND GROUND-TRUTHING CAMPAIGNS. THE CAMPAIGN AIMS TO PRIORITIZE AMBITIOUS TRANSPARENCY-BASED AND EQUITY-FOCUSED SUPPLY CHAIN SOLUTIONS, BUILDING LOCAL CAPACITY, AMPLIFYING EXCITING INITIATIVES AND PARTICIPATING IN SYSTEMIC POLICY CHANGES. MORE DETAILS ABOUT OUR CAMPAIGN WORK AT: EIA.ORG/CAMPAIGNS.

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 March 1990.

    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.