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National Energy Education Development Project Inc

EIN 54-1646670 · Manassas, VA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak39 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MISSION OF THE NATIONAL ENERGY EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT PROJECT, INC. (NEED) IS TO PROMOTE AN ENERGY CONSCIOUS AND EDUCATED SOCIETY BY CREATING EFFECTIVE NETWORKS OF STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, BUSINESS, AND GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY LEADERS TO DESIGN AND DELIVER OBJECTIVE, MULTI-SIDED ENERGY EDUCATION PROGRAMS. NEED DESIGNS AND DELIVERS ENERGY EDUCATION CURRICULUM AND TRAINING TO K-12 CLASSROOMS AND SUPPORTS EDUCATORS SEEKING TO INTEGRATE ENERGY INTO LOCAL CURRICULUM.

Income
$8.0 million
Spending
$11.5 million
Spent on programs
99%
Reserves
0.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 88%
Employees
23
Volunteers
70
Highest pay
$284,329, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 39 out of 100. Higher than 10% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 8% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 43% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 41% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    99% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $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 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 (8)
  1. $4.8 million spent. WORKSHOPS AND CONFERENCES: THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR, NEED OFFERS TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON ENERGY AND ENERGY ISSUES INCLUDING THE SCIENCE OF ENERGY, ENERGY SOURCES, ELECTRICITY, TRANSPORTATION, AND RESIDENTIAL AND SCHOOL ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION. THE WORKSHOPS ARE ONE HOUR TO FIVE DAYS IN LENGTH AND NEED PROVIDES PARTICIPATING EDUCATORS WITH SUBSTITUTE REIMBURSEMENT, CLASSROOM CURRICULUM MATERIALS, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CREDITS. IN ANY GIVEN YEAR, NEED HOSTS APPROXIMATELY 300-600 WORKSHOPS IN DIVERSE GEOGRAPHIC AREAS. THERE ARE SOME SPECIAL TOPIC WORKSHOPS THAT INCLUDE CONTENT SPECIFIC TO CERTAIN ENERGY ISSUES - I.E. SOLAR, WIND, HYDROGEN, HYDROPOWER, OIL AND NATURAL GAS, EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION. ALL CURRICULUM TAUGHT AND PROVIDED AT THE WORKSHOPS IS ALIGNED TO THE NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS, COMMON CORE STANDARDS AND STATE EDUCATION STANDARDS. ADDITIONAL TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES (WEEKLONG CONFERENCES) ARE HELD DURING THE SUMMER. IN ADDITION TO TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, NEED HOSTS NUMEROUS STUDENT ENERGY WORKSHOPS AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. THESE PROGRAMS RANGE FROM 3 HOURS TO SIX DAYS AND INCLUDE ENERGY EXPLORATION AND CONTENT KNOWLEDGE AS WELL AS CAREER AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, MENTORSHIP AND INTERNSHIPS.
  2. $2.7 million spent. PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION: NEED'S MISSION IS TO DESIGN AND DELIVER COMPREHENSIVE ENERGY EDUCATION CURRICULUM AND TRAINING. AS PART OF THIS EFFORT, NEED ESTABLISHES AND ADMINISTERS MANY SIGNATURE PROGRAMS FOR AGENCIES, COMPANIES AND ORGANIZATIONS WHO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR ENERGY EDUCATION OUTREACH, CLASSROOM SUPPORT, AND CURRICULUM DESIGN. THESE PROGRAMS INCLUDE CURRICULUM, TRAINING WORKSHOPS, AND KITS ARE MENTIONED THROUGHOUT NEED'S FEDERAL FORM 990, BUT THESE PROGRAMS ALSO INCLUDE TURN-KEY STAFF SUPPORT OF LOCAL SCHOOLS - PROVIDING CLASSROOM VISITS, LOCAL COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR PROGRAMMING, IN-CLASS TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES, TEACHER SUPPORT AND CLASSROOM TROUBLE-SHOOTING, DESIGN AND DELIVERY OF WEBSITES TO SUPPORT PROGRAMMATIC GOALS, AND OVERALL ADMINISTRATION OF THE ENERGY EDUCATION PROGRAMS NEED HAS UNDERWAY EACH YEAR. IN ADDITION, NEED HAS DEVELOPED A STRONG GRANT-MAKING CAPABILITY AND ADMINISTERS A NUMBER OF GRANT PROGRAMS THANKS TO THE SUPPORT OF SEVERAL DONORS. ALL OF THESE GRANT PROGRAMS HAVE A RUBRIC AND INDEPENDENT REVIEWERS. NEED BOTH ADMINISTERS THE RECRUITMENT/MARKETING PHASE OF THE GRANTS AND THE ONLINE APPLICATION, SELECTION, AND ACTUAL PAYMENT OF THE GRANT TO THE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL.
  3. $1.5 million spent. SCHOLARSHIPS: NEED HAS DEVELOPED EXPERTISE IN SCHOLARSHIP MANAGEMENT FOR STUDENTS AND PROVIDES TURN-KEY SUPPORT FOR SEVERAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS RANGING FROM A SEMESTER SCHOLARSHIP TO A FULL RIDE SCHOLARSHIP. STUDENTS RECEIVE MENTORSHIP AND INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND WORKFORCE, LIFE, AND CAREER SKILLS OPPORTUNITIES AND WRAP-AROUND SUPPORT.
  4. $1.3 million spent. KITS AND MATERIALS: NEED'S KITS AND MATERIALS ARE DELIVERED TO TEACHERS WITH SPONSORSHIP SUPPORT VIA NEED TEACHER WORKSHOPS AND CONFERENCES.
  5. $423,852 spent. NEED'S YOUTH AWARDS FOR ENERGY ACHIEVEMENT RECOGNIZES SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS WHO MAKE A COMMITMENT TO ENERGY EDUCATION OUTREACH IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. PROJECTS REVIEWED AS EXCEPTIONAL ARE INVITED TO ATTEND THE NEED YOUTH ENERGY CONFERENCE AND AWARDS EACH YEAR.
  6. $395,529 spent. NEED MAINTAINS, EXPANDS AND DEVELOPS NEW CURRICULUM WITHIN ITS 150 MODULE CURRICULUM PORTFOLIO ON A REGULAR BASIS. THIS CURRICULUM IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AND VIA NEED'S TEACHER AND STUDENT WORKSHOPS.
  7. $233,503 spent. NEED HOSTS THE NEED ENERGY CONFERENCE FOR EDUCATORS EACH YEAR. DESIGNED AS AN INTENSIVE ENERGY COURSE FOR TEACHERS, THE WEEK-LONG PROGRAM PROVIDES PARTICIPATING EDUCATORS WITH A DEPTH OF ENERGY KNOWLEDGE, CLASSROOM PLANS, AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES.
  8. $118,565 spent. PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 November 6, 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 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 May 1993.

    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 November 4, 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.