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Thomas Alva Edison Foundation

EIN 52-2106274 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood80 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE EDISON FOUNDATION IS A 501(C)(3) CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO BRINGING THE BENEFITS OF ELECTRICITY TO FAMILIES, BUSINESSES, AND INDUSTRIES WORLDWIDE.

Income
$1.3 million
Spending
$1.6 million
Spent on programs
91%
Reserves
22 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
7
Volunteers
14
Highest pay
$12.5 million, member

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

Good: 80 out of 100. Higher than 44% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 22.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 5% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 20% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 10% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    91% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 40% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    11 of 13 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

    0 of 10

    Did not give 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.

  • 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 (2)
  1. $936,203 spent. THE EDISON FOUNDATION INSTITUTE FOR ELECTRIC INNOVATION (IEI) FOCUSES ON ADVANCING THE ADOPTION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT IMPROVE THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE BY ENHANCING HOW ELECTRIC COMPANIES ENGAGE WITH CUSTOMERS TO STRENGTHEN AND TRANSFORM THE ENERGY GRID. IEI PROMOTES THE SHARING OF INFORMATION, IDEAS, AND EXPERIENCES AMONG REGULATORS, POLICYMAKERS, TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES, THOUGHT LEADERS, AND THE ELECTRIC POWER INDUSTRY. IEI ALSO IDENTIFIES POLICIES THAT SUPPORT THE BUSINESS CASE FOR THE ADOPTION OF COST-EFFECTIVE TECHNOLOGIES. DURING CY2024, THE FOLLOWING WERE SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE INSTITUTE FOR ELECTRIC INNOVATION:ANNUAL POWERING THE PEOPLE EVENTIN NOVEMBER 2024, IEI HOSTED ITS ANNUAL EVENT, WHICH FOCUSED ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND THE FUTURE OF DEMAND FLEXIBILITY, LARGE CUSTOMER ENERGY NEEDS, ENERGY AFFORDABILITY, AND MEETING EVOLVING RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS. ELECTRIC COMPANIES, TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES, POLICY MAKERS, REGULATORS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS ATTENDED THE EVENT.IEI THOUGHT LEADER AND EXECUTIVE DIALOGUESIN 2024, IEI BROUGHT TOGETHER TECHNOLOGY COMPANY EXECUTIVES AND ELECTRIC COMPANY CEOS AND SENIOR EXECUTIVES THROUGH ITS THOUGHT LEADERS SPEAK OUT EXECUTIVE DIALOGUE SERIES, WHICH FOCUSED ON USING TECHNOLOGY TO SUCCESSFULLY ENGAGE WITH RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS.NARUC BRIEFINGIEI HOSTED TWO EVENTS FOR NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REGULATORY UTILITY COMMISSIONER MEMBERS (FEBRUARY & NOVEMBER) TO HIGHLIGHT HOW MEMBER ELECTRIC COMPANIES ARE USING DATA AND TECHNOLOGY TO POWER PROGRESS FOR CUSTOMERS THROUGH CUTTING-EDGE CUSTOMER PROGRAMS AND EFFECTIVE DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, DELIVERY, EVALUATION, AND REFINEMENT OF CUSTOMER-FACING PROGRAMS.IEI REPORTS AND ISSUE BRIEFS EACH YEAR, IEI PUBLISHES REPORTS, ISSUE BRIEFS, AND FACT SHEETS TO IDENTIFY WHERE THE INDUSTRY IS TODAY AND TRENDS FOR THE FUTURE IN THE AREAS OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY, SMART METERS, AND CLEAN ENERGY. IN 2024, IEI PRODUCED REPORTS ON LEADING SMART METER AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY TECHNOLOGIES, AS WELL AS ON BUILDING ELECTRIFICATION PROGRAMS AND POLICIES. IEI ALSO DEVELOPED FACT SHEETS FOCUSED ON SMART METERS, ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND ELECTRIC COMPANY COMMITMENTS TO A CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE.
  2. $492,600 spent. THE EDISON FOUNDATION'S INSTITUTE FOR THE ENERGY TRANSITION (IET) FOCUSES ON ASSESSING THE KEY 24/7 ZERO-EMITTING AND RELATED TECHNOLOGIES NECESSARY TO ACHIEVING CARBON EMISSIONS REDUCTION GOALS RELIABLY AND AFFORDABLY AND PERIODICALLY UPDATING THESE ASSESSMENTS FOR ALL STAKEHOLDERS TO REFLECT SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS, INCLUDING DEPLOYMENTS AND IMPROVED ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS. IET ALSO FOCUSES ON IDENTIFYING SOLUTIONS TO THE LEGAL, REGULATORY, AND POLICY ISSUES THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED TO ENSURE THAT THESE TECHNOLOGIES CAN BE DEPLOYED AS SOON AS THEY ARE DEMONSTRATED AND ECONOMIC. DURING CY2024, THE FOLLOWING WERE SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE INSTITUTE FOR THE ENERGY TRANSITION: IET EXECUTIVE CLEAN TECHNOLOGY DIALOGUESIET ORGANIZED EXECUTIVE CLEAN TECH DIALOGUES ON WILDFIRE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES, CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES, AND A RANGE OF OTHER CURRENT AND EMERGING CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES OF INTEREST. THE DIALOGUES FEATURED TECHNOLOGY COMPANY EXECUTIVES IN CONVERSATION WITH ELECTRIC COMPANY CEOS AND SENIOR EXECUTIVES. EEI 2024IET AND IEI PARTNERED WITH EEI TO ORGANIZE THE HUB SESSIONS AT EEI 2024, WHICH FEATURED TECH TALKS, PANEL DISCUSSIONS, AND CEO CONVERSATIONS FOCUSED ON NEAR- AND LONGER-TERM CLEAN ENERGY AND CUSTOMER-FOCUSED TECHNOLOGIES.LONG DURATION ENERGY STORAGE (LDES) SUMMITIET ORGANIZED THE INAUGURAL LONG DURATION ENERGY STORAGE (LDES) SUMMIT WITH LDES PARTNERSHIP MEMBERS DOE, EPRI, AND THE LDES COUNCIL. THE EVENT FEATURED CASE STUDIES OF NEW LDES PILOT PROGRAMS UNDERTAKEN BY EDISON ELECTRIC INSTITUTE MEMBERS AND OTHERS.GLOBAL POWER SECTOR ASSESSMENT IN 2024, IET PUBLISHED KEY FINDINGS FROM THE REPORT IT ENGAGED ICF TO PRODUCE ANALYZING POWER SECTOR EMISSIONS GLOBALLY, WHICH CONTAINS COUNTRY AND SECTOR SPECIFIC DATA, INCLUDING DETAILED INFORMATION ON THE U.S. POWER SECTOR. KEY FINDINGS FROM THE REPORT WERE TRANSLATED INTO INFOGRAPHICS AND ONE-PAGERS THAT WERE MADE AVAILABLE ON THE IET WEBSITE. EMERGING TECHNOLOGIESIET UNDERTOOK A RANGE OF ACTIVITIES TO HIGHLIGHT EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES, INCLUDING HOLDING AN EVENT HIGHLIGHTING ADVANCED TRANSMISSION TECHNOLOGIES DURING CERA WEEK AND CO-SPONSORING SEVERAL EVENTS FOCUSING ON WILDFIRE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES.

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since January 2016.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.