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Center for Climate and Energy Solutions Inc

EIN 54-1892252 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair64 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE NONPARTISAN CENTER FOR CLIMATE AND ENERGY SOLUTIONS WORKS TO SECURE A SAFE AND STABLE CLIMATE BY ACCELERATING THE GLOBAL TRANSITION TO NET-ZERO GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND A THRIVING, JUST, AND RESILIENT ECONOMY. FOR OVER 25 YEARS, C2ES HAS FORGED INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS CLIMATE AND ENERGY CHALLENGES. C2ES ENGAGES OUR BUSINESS COUNCIL AND OTHER BUSINESS NETWORKS TO STRENGTHEN CORPORATE CLIMATE ACTION AND MOBILIZE BUSINESS SUPPORT FOR CLIMATE POLICIES.

Income
$18.7 million
Spending
$20.6 million
Spent on programs
89%
Reserves
4.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 94%
Employees
54
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$550,668, president

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

Financial health

Fair: 64 out of 100. Higher than 29% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 42% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 10% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 23% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    89% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 cents.

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

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    14 of 15 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 March 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 (3)
  1. $4.6 million spent. US POLICY AND OUTREACH: C2ES BUILDS DURABLE, BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR AMBITIOUS CLIMATE AND ENERGY POLICIES, ENGAGING LEADING COMPANIES ACROSS THE U.S. ECONOMY TO EDUCATE POLICYMAKERS ON ISSUES INCLUDING FEDERAL PERMITTING REFORM, CLEAN ENERGY TAX CREDITS, AND CLIMATE-ALIGNED TRADE POLICIES. OUR RECOMMENDATIONS STRENGTHENED THE ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY AND EMISSIONS REDUCTION POTENTIAL OF CLEAN ELECTRICITY TAX CREDITS UNDER THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT. WE CONVENED 130 COMPANIES IN OUR TECHNOLOGY WORKING GROUPS, LEADING TO 4 POLICY BRIEFS AND 18 POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS TO SUPPORT CLEAN TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION. A C2ES REGIONAL ROUNDTABLE IN VIRGINIA, ONE OF 4 DURING THE YEAR, INSPIRED THE INTRODUCTION OF LEGISLATION TO MORE THAN TRIPLE THE AMOUNT OF LDES CAPACITY UTILITIES ARE REQUIRED TO SUPPLY.
  2. $8.7 million spent. BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT AND RESILIENCE: C2ES LED NEW RESEARCH ON EXISTING GUIDANCE AND THE VIEWS OF REGULATORS AND NGOS ON CREDIBLE TRANSITION PLANS, INCLUDING DEVELOPING A TRANSITION PLAN INDEX THAT DISTILLS BEST PRACTICES TO HELP COMPANIES CREATE, IMPLEMENT AND DISCLOSE ROBUST NET-ZERO TRANSITION PLANS ALIGNED WITH THE PARIS AGREEMENT. C2ES CONVENES BUSINESSES AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO HELP COMMUNITIES ADAPT TO CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGH OUR CLIMATE RESILIENT COMMUNITIES ACCELERATOR. WE COMPLETED A SUCCESSFUL PILOT IN COLORADO IDENTIFYING HOW TO BUILD RESILIENCE TO WILDFIRES AND HEAT. THROUGH OUR CORPORATE CLIMATE RESILIENCE PATHWAYS INITIATIVE, WE HELPED STAND UP A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE THAT WILL HELP COMPANIES ADVANCE CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND ADAPTATION ACROSS THEIR OPERATIONS, VALUE CHAINS, AND COMMUNITIES.
  3. $5.1 million spent. INTERNATIONAL AND CARBON MARKETS: C2ES SUPPORTS THE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTIVENESS AND SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PARIS AGREEMENT, INCLUDING CONVENING REGULAR MEETINGS OF SENIOR CLIMATE NEGOTIATORS TO PROVIDE EXPERT ANALYSIS AND A TRUSTED FORUM FOR DISCUSSION. AT COP29 WE SUPPORTED THE PARTIES IN ADOPTING A NEW CLIMATE FINANCE GOAL, INCLUDING DEVELOPED COUNTRIES PLEDGES TO MOBILIZE AT LEAST $300 BILLION PER YEAR BY 2035 FOR CLIMATE ACTION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AND THE LAUNCH OF AN EFFORT TO SCALE UP PUBLIC AND PRIVATE CLIMATE FINANCE TO $1.3 TRILLION. GUIDANCE NEEDED TO OPERATIONALIZE CARBON MARKETS UNDER ARTICLE 6 OF THE PARIS AGREEMENT WAS ALSO FINALIZED. C2ES ALSO SERVED AS SECRETARIAT OF THE ENERGY TRANSITION ACCELERATOR (ETA), AN EFFORT TO CATALYZE CARBON FINANCE TO SPEED THE JUST CLEAN ENERGY TRANSITION IN EMERGING AND DEVELOPING ECONOMIES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 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 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 March 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 1998.

    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.