Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Energy Education Foundation

EIN 76-0280571 · Houston, TX

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceGood75 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO PROMOTE THE OILFIELD ENERGY INDUSTRY THROUGH DISSEMINATION OF LITERATURE; EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS FOR SCHOOLS AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS, CIVIC AND PRIVATE GROUPS; AND TO PROVIDE A MUSEUM HOUSING INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS AND DISPLAYS OF OFFSHORE EXPLORATION, DRILLING, AND INSTITUTIONS, CIVIC AND PRIVATE GROUPS; AND TO PROVIDE A MUSEUM HOUSING INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS AND DISPLAYS OF OFFSHORE EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION.

Income
$1.9 million
Spending
$1.8 million
Spent on programs
79%
Reserves
9.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 93%
Employees
10
Volunteers
36
Highest pay
$189,738, 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

Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 80% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 9.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 4% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 120% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    79% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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: 75 out of 100. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    28 of 28 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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

    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. $1.2 million spent. DURING 2024, 32,000 PEOPLE VISITED THE OCEAN STAR OFFSHORE DRILLING RIG MUSEUM AND EDUCATION CENTER WHICH INCLUDES FAMILY DAYS, TOUR PLUS PROGRAMS, EDUCATION TOURS, SENIOR TOURS, SCOUT DAYS, ETC.
  2. $173,242 spent. THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES ENERGY EDUCATION THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION'S MOBILE OILFIELD LEARNING UNIT (MOLU) THAT IS OFFERED TO SCHOOLS FOR FREE OR A MODEST FEE. THE MOLU IS OFFERED TO FIFTH GRADE CLASSES OR ABOVE AND CONTAINS ACTIVITIES ALIGNED WITH NATIONAL AND STATES SCIENCE STANDARDS. 71 SCHOOLS WERE VISITED THROUGHOUT TEXAS AND PENNSYLVANIA, IMPACTING ALMOST 7,715 STUDENTS. IN ADDITION, 159 TEACHERS WERE TRAINED IN 8 TEACHER WORKSHOPS CONDUCTED BY OEC STAFF AND OEC FACILITATORS ACROSS TEXAS ON THE PROJECT E3 KNOWLEDGE BOX AND PLAYING WITH PETROLEUM KIT POTENTIALLY IMPACTING OVER 34,386 STUDENTS. THE ORGANIZATION HAS 9 TRAVELING TRUNKS AVAILABLE IN HOUSTON AND IN OTHER STATES FOR TEACHERS TO UTILIZE IN THEIR CLASSROOMS FOR GRADES K-12. THE ORGANIZATION SUPPORTS THE EDUCATION AND PUBLIC SUPPORT OBJECTIVES THROUGH THE OEC SOCIETY, HALL OF FAME, AND EXECUTIVE SPEAKER SERIES - A FORUM FOR EDUCATION AND NETWORKING IN THE OILFIELD ENERGY INDUSTRY.
  3. THE ORGANIZATION SUPPORTS THE EDUCATION AND PUBLIC SUPPORT OBJECTIVES THROUGH THE OEC SOCIETY, HALL OF FAME, AND EXECUTIVE SPEAKER SERIES - A FORUM FOR EDUCATION AND NETWORKING IN THEVOILFIELD ENERGY INDUSTRY.

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 September 1989.

    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.

  7. Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.

    A much larger organization has a similar name: The Energy Foundation (San Francisco, CA), EIN 94-3126848. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.

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