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Passes our checks

Community Climate Collaborative Inc

EIN 83-2065573 · Charlottesvle, VA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair54 out of 100GovernanceFair65 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

C3 CATALYZES CLIMATE ACTION AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL THROUGH COLLABORATION, PROGRAMS, AND ADVOCACY WHICH DIRECTLY REDUCE CLIMATE POLLUTION AND ELEVATE THE CLIMATE LEADERSHIP OF VIRGINIA COMMUNITIES.

Income
$1.1 million
Spending
$1.2 million
Spent on programs
90%
Reserves
1.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 89%
Employees
10
Volunteers
18
Highest pay
$132,548, 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: 54 out of 100. Higher than 17% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 33% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 8% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 4% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    90% 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

Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 10% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 11 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • 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. $345,512 spent. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT - IN OCTOBER 2024, C3 HOSTED ITS THIRD ANNUAL "PARTY FOR THE PLANET'' EVENT. THE EVENING DREW OVER 400 ATTENDEES REPRESENTING A RANGE OF DEMOGRAPHICS. WE SHOWCASED 15 COMMUNITY PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS AND RECOGNIZED 11 INDIVIDUALS AND NONPROFITS CHAMPIONING LOCAL CLIMATE AND JUSTICE EFFORTS. THROUGH OUR CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY CAMPAIGN AND THE GREEN BUSINESS ALLIANCE (GBA), C3 HAS MOBILIZED BUSINESSES TO DIRECTLY REDUCE THEIR CLIMATE IMPACT. OUR GBA INCLUDES 24 MEMBERS, EMPLOYING MORE THAN 3,300 COMMUNITY MEMBERS REPRESENTING KEY INDUSTRY SECTORS. AT OUR INAUGURAL BUSINESS OF CLIMATE EVENT IN RICHMOND, WE SUCCESSFULLY CONVENED AROUND 100 MEMBERS OF THE RICHMOND BUSINESS COMMUNITY. IN 2024 THROUGH OUR CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY WORK, WE ALSO AWARDED NEARLY $20,000 IN ENERGY EFFICIENCY GRANTS TO SMALL BUSINESSES, AND CO-CREATED THE ENERGY RESOURCE HUB IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LEAP, THE CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE, AND ALBEMARLE COUNTY, TO OFFER CENTRALIZED INFORMATION ON LOCAL, UTILITY, STATE, AND FEDERAL EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. WORKING DIRECTLY WITH BUSINESSES OF ALL SIZES AND FROM VARIOUS SECTORS, C3 CONTINUES TO MAKE CLIMATE SOLUTIONS ACCESSIBLE AND IMPACTFUL.
  2. $345,512 spent. POLICY - RICHMOND EXAMINES HIGH ENERGY COSTSC3 IS COMMITTED TO ADVOCATING FOR THOSE IMPACTED BY HIGH ENERGY COSTS AND ENERGY BURDEN THROUGHOUT CENTRAL VIRGINIA. ENERGY BURDEN REFERS TO THE PORTION OF HOUSEHOLD INCOME SPENT ON HOME-ENERGY COSTS, INCLUDING ELECTRICITY, NATURAL GAS, PROPANE, AND OTHER ENERGY SOURCES. MANY OF THE SAME COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY DISCRIMINATED AGAINST AND DISENFRANCHISED ARE ACTIVELY NAVIGATING HARDSHIP TO PAY UTILITY BILLS. C3 RECENTLY COMPLETED A STUDY TO UNDERSTAND AND FIND OPPORTUNITIES TO MITIGATE ENERGY BURDEN IN RICHMOND AND DEVELOP SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES WITH SAFE HOUSING OPTIONS FOR ALL RESIDENTS WHILE CONTRIBUTING TO THE CITY'S CLIMATE AND EQUITY GOALS. OUR STUDY REVEALED THAT NEARLY ONE-THIRD OF RICHMOND HOUSEHOLDS ARE ENERGY-BURDENED, AND THIS AFFECTS MOSTLY LOW-INCOME AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN HOUSEHOLDS. WITH OUR FINDINGS, WE WILL MAP ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AND FUNDING IN RVA, AS WELL AS ENGAGE THESE AFFECTED COMMUNITIES TO CO-DEVELOP TARGETED SOLUTIONS. ZERO-EMISSION BUSES COME TO CHARLOTTESVILLEOUR ZERO EMISSION BUS CAMPAIGN IS A CLEAR TESTAMENT TO THE POWER THAT RESIDES IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY. WITH C3'S LEADERSHIP, WE GALVANIZED DOZENS OF LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AND 600+ COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO SIGN A LETTER OF SUPPORT REPRESENTING THE COMMUNITY'S DESIRE TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE DIRECTLY AND IN A JUST, ACTIONABLE WAY. C3'S TEEN INTERNS ALSO SPOKE IN SUPPORT OF ZEBS AT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS. AS A RESULT OF C3'S ADVOCACY, RESEARCH, AND COALITION BUILDING, THE CHARLOTTESVILLE CITY COUNCIL VOICED UNANIMOUS SUPPORT FOR THE ADOPTION OF ZERO-EMISSION TRANSIT BUSES BY 2040, CLOSING THE DOOR ON FUTURE TAILPIPE POLLUTION-EMITTING FUELS LIKE DIESEL AND COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS (CNG). THIS VICTORY, POWERED BY OUR COMMUNITY, BRINGS US CLOSER TO OUR GOAL OF MAKING CARBON-NEUTRAL COMMUNITIES A REALITY.
  3. $345,513 spent. EMPOWERING FUTURE CLIMATE LEADERS - OUR YOUTH ARE WELLSPRINGS OF POWER. THEY APPROACH CHALLENGES WITH ENERGY, CREATIVITY, AND FRESH PERSPECTIVES AND, THEREFORE, ARE UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO BE AGENTS OF CHANGE. C3 IS ONE OF THE FEW ORGANIZATIONS OFFERING EDUCATIONAL AND ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES AROUND CLIMATE FOR LOCAL YOUTH. THROUGH OUR YOUTH LEADERSHIP CAMPAIGN IN 2024, WE ENGAGED OVER 1200 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES; COMPLETED EIGHT HIGH SCHOOL INTERNSHIPS; AND STRENGTHENED RELATIONSHIPS WITH LOCAL EDUCATORS AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS.

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 April 2019.

    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.