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EIN 65-1208462 · Corvallis, OR

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair55 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

POST CARBON INSTITUTE PROVIDES INDIVIDUALS, COMMUNITIES, BUSINESSES, AND GOVERNMENTS WITH THE RESOURCES NEEDED TO UNDERSTAND AND RESPOND TO THE INTERRELATED ECONOMIC, ENERGY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL CRISES THAT DEFINE THE 21ST CENTURY.

Income
$803,401
Spending
$1.1 million
Spent on programs
89%
Reserves
5.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 99%
Employees
8
Volunteers
7
Highest pay
$110,725, 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: 55 out of 100. Higher than 17% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.8 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 33% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 45% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    89% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 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 94% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 8 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 (3)
  1. $470,136 spent. AWARENESS:THE AWARENESS PROGRAM AREA IS INTENDED TO REACH A BROAD AUDIENCE AND DELIVER FUNDAMENTAL INFORMATION PEOPLE NEED IN ORDER TO RECOGNIZE AND RESPOND TO THE INTERRELATED ENERGY, ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMIC, AND EQUITY CRISES OF MODERN TIMES. THIS PROGRAM AREA CONTAINS THE LARGEST COLLECTION OF PCI'S PROJECTS:- RESILIENCE.ORG IS THE LEADING ONLINE HUB FOR THE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE MOVEMENT, WHERE WE PUBLISH ORIGINAL ARTICLES AND REPUBLISH RELEVANT ARTICLES FROM OTHER SITES. - GENERAL COMMUNICATIONS IS OUR PROJECT TO DELIVER CONTENT TO OUR AUDIENCE THROUGH ONLINE EVENTS, SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS, DISTRIBUTION OF NEWSLETTERS, SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS, MEDIA OUTREACH, AND RESPONSES TO PUBLIC INQUIRIES.- RESEARCH, REFLECTION, AND REPORTING (3R) IS OUR PROJECT TO PRODUCE AND PROMOTE ARTICLES THAT EXPRESS PCI'S VIEWS ON SUSTAINABILITY TOPICS, ENERGY, COMMUNITY RESILIENCE, AND CURRENT EVENTS. IT ALSO INCLUDES KEEPING OURSELVES INFORMED OF EMERGING CONCEPTS.- PODCASTS IS OUR PROJECT FOR DELIVERING CONTENT DEVELOPED FOR LISTENERS. IN 2024 WE RECORDED NEW EPISODES OF CRAZY TOWN, AND CONTINUED TO PLATFORM THREE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED SHOWS: WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO RIGHT?, HOLDING THE FIRE, AND POWER: LIMITS AND PROSPECTS FOR HUMAN SURVIVAL.- DEGROWTH EXPLORATION IS A ONE-YEAR PROJECT TO PROMOTE PUBLIC AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF DEGROWTH ECONOMICS.HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AWARENESS PROGRAM AREA IN 2024 INCLUDE:- PUBLICATION OF 23 ARTICLES PER WEEK ON RESILIENCE.ORG.- RELEASE OF THE SIXTH SEASON (15 EPISODES) OF THE CRAZY TOWN PODCAST (THEME OF "ESCAPE ROUTES"), WITH OVER 494,000 TOTAL DOWNLOADS OF ALL EPISODES SINCE THE LAUNCH IN 2019.- PRODUCTION OF 12 MONTHLY EDITIONS EACH OF PCI MESSENGER AND MUSELETTER, OUR CONTENT-RICH NEWSLETTERS THAT ARE DISTRIBUTED TO MEMBERS OF OUR AUDIENCE.- DELIVERY OF 9 PRESENTATIONS/INTERVIEWS BY PCI STAFF.- PUBLICATION OF 26 TOTAL ARTICLES BY PCI STAFF, WITH 8 PLACED IN EXTERNAL MEDIA OUTLETS.- COLLABORATION WITH C40 CITIES IN RESEARCHING AND DEVELOPING A PODCAST ABOUT HERMAN DALY AND HIS IDEAS ABOUT THE LIMITS TO GROWTH AND STEADY-STATE ECONOMICS.
  2. $170,222 spent. UNDERSTANDING:THE UNDERSTANDING PROGRAM AREA IS INTENDED TO HELP THOSE WHO HAVE GAINED AWARENESS OF SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES TO ATTAIN MORE DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND MORE CONFIDENCE IN WHAT THEY KNOW. PROJECTS INCLUDED IN THIS PROGRAM AREA:- RESILIENCE+ IS A MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A DEEPER EXPERIENCE (BOTH UNDERSTANDING AND ACTION) FOR VISITORS TO RESILIENCE.ORG.- LIMINALITY NETWORK IS A PROJECT THAT CONNECTS SELECTED INTERNATIONAL SUSTAINABILITY EXPERTS TO EXPLORE HOW HUMANITY CAN NAVIGATE THE INTERRELATED SOCIAL AND ECOLOGICAL CRISES DRIVEN BY ACCELERATING ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL BREAKDOWN OVER THE COMING DECADES.- MENTORSHIP AND JOURNEY SUPPORT CONSISTS OF OUR EFFORTS TO WORK WITH VOLUNTEERS AND "FELLOW TRAVELERS" WHO SHARE PCI'S WORLDVIEW TO ENCOURAGE THEM IN THEIR ACTIVIST ROLES.- PUBLICATIONS IS OUR PROJECT FOR PROVIDING WRITTEN MATERIAL IN FORMAL AND DETAILED FORMATS, SUCH AS BOOKS AND REPORTS.- THINK RESILIENCE IS PCI'S ONLINE COURSE AND FLAGSHIP RESOURCE FOR IN-DEPTH EDUCATION.HIGHLIGHTS OF THE UNDERSTANDING PROGRAM AREA IN 2024 INCLUDE:- LAUNCH AND OPERATION OF RESILIENCE+, INCLUDING DEVELOPMENT OF A MEMBERSHIP PORTAL ON RESILIENCE.ORG WITH SPECIAL FEATURES FOR REGISTRANTS, INCLUDING 55 ORIGINAL PIECES OF CONTENT (ARTICLES, INTERVIEWS, DISCUSSIONS, RESOURCE LISTS, AND EVENTS).- GROWTH OF THE LIMINALITY NETWORK TO 91 MEMBERS, CONSISTING OF DIVERSE THINKERS, PRACTITIONERS, AND INFLUENCERS (INCLUDING NGO AND GRASSROOTS LEADERS, AND CIVIL SERVICE, GOVERNMENT, AND ACADEMIC PROFESSIONALS), INCLUDING FACILITATION OF 6 WORKING GROUPS AND ORGANIZATION OF 4 DISCUSSION SESSIONS WITH PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS.- ORGANIZATION OF APPROXIMATELY 40 CONVERSATIONS WITH "FELLOW TRAVELERS," INCLUDING HELPING THEM MAKE DOZENS OF CONNECTIONS WITH LIKE-MINDED COLLEAGUES.- REGISTRATION OF 864 PARTICIPANTS IN THINK RESILIENCE.
  3. $305,845 spent. ACTION:THE ACTION PROGRAM AREA IS ABOUT ENCOURAGING OUR CONSTITUENTS TO MOVE FROM THINKING AND LEARNING TO DOING. WE CURRENTLY HAVE TWO PROJECTS IN THIS PROGRAM AREA:- THE DEEP DIVE PORTION OF RESILIENCE+ IS DESIGNED TO GUIDE PARTICIPANTS THROUGH A SUBSTANTIAL COLLECTION OF CURATED CONTENT (INCLUDING LIVE EVENTS, ARTICLES, VIDEOS, AND RESOURCES FOR FURTHER STUDY) ALL WITH THE AIM OF MOVING THEM TO TAKE ACTION IN THEIR HOUSEHOLDS AND COMMUNITIES.HIGHLIGHTS OF THE ACTION PROGRAM AREA IN 2024 INCLUDE:- DEVELOPMENT AND DELIVERY OF FOUR DEEP DIVES ON THE TOPICS OF (1) BUILDING EMOTIONAL RESILIENCE, (2) NAVIGATING CLIMATE UNRAVELING, (3) SURVIVING POLITICAL POLARIZATION, AND (4) MOVING BEYOND (ECONOMIC) GROWTH.

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 May 2006.

    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.