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Global Energy Monitor

EIN 82-2723327 · Covina, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair64 out of 100GovernanceGood83 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Global Energy Monitor develops and analyzes data on energy infrastructure, resources, and uses. We provide open access to information that is essential to building a sustainable energy future.

Income
$9.6 million
Spending
$9.8 million
Spent on programs
85%
Reserves
1.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 98%
Employees
86
Volunteers
6
Highest pay
$161,762, associate 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: 64 out of 100. Higher than 28% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 15% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 3% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    85% 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

Good: 83 out of 100. Higher than 29% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    6 of 7 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

    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 (5)
  1. $2.2 million spent. Renewables & Other Power: Global Energy Monitor's Renewables & Other Power program includes projects tracking solar power, wind power, hydropower, geothermal power, bioenergy, and nuclear power. Each tracker includes interactive maps, summary tables, and a downloadable data set with links to footnoted wiki pages on each facility. Some trackers also publish reports about notable trends. These tools are made publicly available under an open source license and are commonly used by nonprofit groups, universities, international agencies, media organizations, and others.
  2. $2.1 million spent. Oil & Gas: Global Energy Monitor's oil and gas program includes projects tracking oil and gas extraction, infrastructure, power plants, and regional gas production, as well as a weekly newsletter. Each tracker includes interactive maps, summary tables, and a downloadable data set with links to footnoted wiki pages on each facility. Some trackers also publish reports about notable trends. These tools are made publicly available under an open source license and are commonly used by nonprofit groups, universities, international agencies, media organizations, and others.
  3. $1.7 million spent. Coal: Global Energy Monitor's coal program includes projects tracking coal plants, mines, terminals, and finance, as well as a weekly newsletter. Each tracker includes interactive maps, summary tables, and a downloadable data set with links to footnoted wiki pages on each facility. Some trackers also publish reports about notable trends. These tools are made publicly available under an open source license and are commonly used by nonprofit groups, universities, international agencies, media organizations, and others.
  4. $1.2 million spent. Heavy Industry: Global Energy Monitors heavy industry program includes projects tracking iron and steel plants, iron mining, and cement and concrete plants. Each tracker includes interactive maps, summary tables, and a downloadable data set with links to footnoted wiki pages on each facility. Some trackers also publish reports about notable trends. These tools are made publicly available under an open source license and are commonly used by nonprofit groups, universities, international agencies, media organizations, and others.
  5. $1.2 million spent. Other programs: Other projects at GEM include cross-cutting work such as: 1) Our Energy Transition Tracker, which identifies zones with potential for scaling up renewable energy and provides centralized data, maps, and information about factors that facilitate or obstruct the transition, to help stakeholders drive real change in the energy transition. 2) Our Global Integrated Power Tracker, which combines data from all power generation trackers for improved visualization, understanding, and ease of use. 3) Our Global Energy Ownership Tracker, which provides ownership data for facilitates in nine of our other trackers. 4) Our Methane Emitters Tracker, which provides estimates of fossil fuel emissions at oil and gas and coal extraction sites, natural gas transmission pipelines, proposed projects and reserves, and attribution of remotely-sensed methane plumes. And 5) Our Private Equity Tracker, which is part of a multi-organization initiative known as the Private Equity Climate Risks (PECR) project.

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 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 December 2024.

    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 February 2018.

    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.