Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Urban Sustainability Directors Network

EIN 82-5015863 · Chicago, IL

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak29 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO CONNECT LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEADERS IN THE UNITED STATES, CANADA AND ABROAD TO ACCELERATE SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES.

Income
$11.3 million
Spending
$18.7 million
Spent on programs
86%
Reserves
0.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 54%
Employees
61
Volunteers
9
Highest pay
$214,111, executive director, ssdn

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

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

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 50% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 65% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 28% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    86% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 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: 85 out of 100. Higher than 12% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 9 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

    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 (6)
  1. $5.1 million spent. THE URBAN SUSTAINABILITY DIRECTORS NETWORK (USDN) WAS FOUNDED IN 2008 BY AND FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT SUSTAINABILITY PROFESSIONALS AS A SAFE PLACE TO LEARN FROM EACH OTHER. IN 2017, OVER 180 CITIES AND COUNTIES PARTICIPATED IN USDN IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA AND NEARLY 1,000 GOVERNMENT PROFESSIONALS ACTIVELY SHARED THEIR EXPERTISE THROUGH THE NETWORK.
  2. $2.4 million spent. THE URBAN SUSTAINABILITY DIRECTORS NETWORK (USDN) PROPOSES A FIVE-YEAR PROGRAM TO STRENGTHEN THE FIELD OF URBAN FORESTRY, INCREASE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO URBAN TREE CANOPY IN DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES, BROADEN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN URBAN FOREST PLANNING, AND EXPAND BEST MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE PRACTICES TO IMPROVE RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND EXTREME HEAT. THROUGH PASS-THROUGH TREE-PLANTING FUNDS AND PROGRAMMATIC TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, ACCELERATING URBAN FORESTRY AS EQUITY-CENTERED CLIMATE ACTION AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WILL SUPPORT COMMUNITIES BY RE-GRANTING FUNDING FOR URBAN FORESTRY PROJECTS AND PROVIDING CAPACITY-BUILDING PROGRAMS THROUGH AN URBAN FORESTRY AS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACCELERATOR.
  3. $6.3 million spent. THE SOUTHEAST SUSTAINABILITY DIRECTORS NETWORK (SSDN) ADDRESSES CLIMATE CHANGE PROBLEMS SUCH AS EXTREME HEAT, RISING SEAS, STRENGTHENING STORMS, FLOODING, DROUGHT AND CROP LOSS THROUGH SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS - WORK THAT CREATES A HEALTHY, CLEAN AND MORE STABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.
  4. $68,144 spent. GREEN CITIES CALIFORNIA (GCC) ACCELERATES THE ADOPTION OF INNOVATIVE POLICIES AND PRACTICES TO ADVANCE SUSTAINABILITY IN OUR COMMUNITIES, STATE AND NATION.
  5. $409,599 spent. CENTER FOR REGENERATIVE SOLUTIONS (CRS) SUPPORTS CITIES IN BUILDING ROBUST, REPLICABLE, LOCAL, AND EQUITY-BASED CARBON DRAWDOWN STRATEGIES THAT TEST AND REFINE APPROACHES ACROSS EIGHT HIGH LEVERAGE ACTION.
  6. $1.9 million spent. THE CARBON NEUTRAL CITIES ALLIANCE (CNCA) IS A COLLABORATION OF LEADING GLOBAL CITIES ACHIEVING CARBON NEUTRALITY BEFORE 2050 - THE MOST AGRESSIVE GHG REDUCTION TARGETS UNDERTAKEN ANYWHERE BY ANY CITY.

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 2019.

    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.