Catholic Climate Covenant
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The Catholic Climate Covenant inspires and equips people and institutions to care for creation and care for the poor. Organizations mission through its twenty national partners, it guides the United States catholic churches response to climate change by educating, giving public witness, and offering resources.
- Income
- $846,126
- Spending
- $1.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 65%
- Reserves
- 2.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 65%
- Employees
- 13
- Volunteers
- 90
- Highest pay
- $138,738, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 20 out of 100.
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.9 months of spending.
Debt
2 of 20It owes 84% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 91% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 60% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1565% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 35 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 90 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 (1)
- $1.0 million spent. The Covenant's Catholic Energies Program developed several solar and energy efficiency projects for Catholic institutions across the United States including Illinois, Rhode Island, Virginia, Texas, Puerto Rico and New York. The solar projects alone will offset 100,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases. All of the projects came at no cost to the facility owners as Catholic Energies secured investors who own the solar assets. In addition, all projects will help substantially reduce energy costs, savings that can now be used for other ministries, and to educate the community on their benefit to the organization, the church, and our duty to care for creation. In FY2023, the covenant created a young adult mobilization program and youth mobilization program to empower Catholic young adults and youth to follow the call to care for creation and generate climate solutions, from the foundation of their Catholic faith. These programs are working directly with them to build their leadership capacity and organize within their dioceses, to inspire their local Catholic institutions to commit to actions that care for creation and act on climate. The programs are also providing training and resources such as the whole makers curriculum, to inspire ecological conversion as asked by Saint John Paul II and Pope Francis. In FY2021, the Vatican and the USCCB asked the covenant to lead efforts to promote the Vatican's Laudato Si action platform. The covenant continues this effort including advising the global effort, convening regular meetings with us Catholics leading care for creation efforts in their dioceses and parishes; encouraging use of an US-specific website www.godsplanet.us in the service of the U.S. Catholic to inspire, showcase, educate and equip us institutions across the 7 sectors; and hosting webinars to educate the community on the platform. Among other things, the number of parishes and dioceses participating in the convenings has grown and continues to increase today. We also continued to educate our constituency on care for creation issues through webinars and programs such as celebrating the season of creation and earth day, which were downloaded by thousands of people.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
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.
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.
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.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since August 2016.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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.