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Southwest Energy Efficiency Project LLC

EIN 84-1593046 · Boulder, CO

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood86 out of 100GovernanceStrong92 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO ENSURE A HEALTHY, EQUITABLE AND LOW CARBON FUTURE BY PROMOTING ENERGY EFFICIENCY, ELECTRIFICATION, AND CLEAN TRANSPORTATION IN COLORADO, UTAH, ARIZONA, NEW MEXICO, NEVADA, AND WYOMING BY WORKING ON POLICY/PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT,ANALYSIS AND ADVOCACY, EVALUATION OF ENERGY SAVINGS MEASURES AND EFFICIENCY POTENTIAL, AND DOCUMENTATION/ANALYSIS OF ONGOING PROJECTS.

Income
$2.4 million
Spending
$2.5 million
Spent on programs
83%
Reserves
9.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 67%
Employees
17
Highest pay
$155,493, executive dir.

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

Good: 86 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 9.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 8% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 2% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    83% 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

Strong: 92 out of 100. Higher than 47% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    12 of 14 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

    7 of 7

    Has a 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 (1)
  1. $2.0 million spent. THE SOUTHWEST ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROJECT (SWEEP) IS A PUBLIC-INTEREST ORGANIZATION PROMOTING ENERGY EFFICIENCY, ELECTRIFICATION, AND CLEAN TRANSPORTATION IN ARIZONA, COLORADO, NEVADA, NEW MEXICO, UTAH, AND WYOMING TO REDUCE UTILITY BILLS, IMPROVE AIR QUALITY, REDUCE CLIMATE EMISSIONS, PROMOTE EQUITY, AND CREATE CLEAN ENERGY JOBS. TRADITIONALLY, THIS WAS A HIGH-GROWTH REGION WHERE ENERGY EFFICIENCY EFFORTS WERE LAGGING COMPARED TO SOME OTHER REGIONS AND EMPHASIS WAS PLACED ON ENERGY PRODUCTION. DUE IN LARGE PART TO THE EFFORTS OF SWEEP, THE REGION HAS MADE GREAT STRIDES IN ADVANCING ENERGY EFFICIENCY OVER THE PAST 23 YEARS. SWEEP FOCUSED INITIALLY ON UTILITY ENERGY EFFICIENCY POLICY AND PROGRAMS.PROGRAMS ON BUILDINGS, INDUSTRIAL, AND TRANSPORTATION EFFICIENCY AND ELECTRIFICATION WERE SUBSEQUENTLY ADDED. SWEEP COLLABORATES WITH BUSINESSES, UTILITIES, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, ENVIRONMENTAL AND CONSUMER GROUPS, ADVOCATES FOR LOWER INCOME FAMILIES AND DISPROPORTIONATELY-IMPACTED COMMUNITIES, AND OTHER ENERGY EXPERTS. UTILITY PROGRAM: SWEEP PROMOTES THE EXPANSION AND IMPROVEMENT OF UTILITY ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS IN THE SOUTHWEST, INCLUDING FOR UNDERSERVED HOUSEHOLDS AND COMMUNITIES. WE WORK ON LEGISLATION TO ESTABLISH ENERGY SAVINGS AND DECARBONIZATION GOALS OR REQUIREMENTS, AND POLICIES TO ALLOW UTILITIES TO BENEFIT FINANCIALLY WHEN THEY HELP THEIR CUSTOMERS SAVE ENERGY. WE ADVOCATE FOR JUST AND EQUITABLE TRANSITION POLICIES AND FUNDING TO SUPPORT COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY CLOSURE OF FOSSIL-FUEL ENERGY FACILITIES. WE ADVISE UTILITIES AS THEY DESIGN ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND BUILDING AND TRANSPORTATION ELECTRIFICATION PROGRAMS AND DESIGN RATES TO INCLUDE DEMAND RESPONSE AND BETTER INTEGRATE INCREASING AMOUNTS OF RENEWABLE ENERGY ONTO THE GRID. WE FREQUENTLY APPEAR BEFORE STATE PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSIONS. BUILDINGS PROGRAM: SWEEP SUPPORTS THE ADOPTION OF STRONGER BUILDING ENERGY CODES AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL, INCLUDING PROVISIONS TO REQUIRE PRE-WIRING FOR SOLAR AND ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND APPLIANCES OR ALL-ELECTRIC OR NET ZERO CONSTRUCTION, AS WELL AS STRONGER CODE IMPLEMENTATION AND ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS. IN ADDITION, SWEEP PROMOTES CONSTRUCTION OF NEW HOMES AND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS THAT ARE MORE ENERGY-EFFICIENT THAN MINIMUM CODE REQUIREMENTS, INCLUDING ZERO ENERGY AND ALL-ELECTRIC BUILDINGS, AS WELL AS STRATEGIES FOR EXPANDING RETROFIT OF EXISTING HOMES AND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS TO BE MORE EFFICIENT AND USE ELECTRIC SPACE AND WATER HEATING AND APPLIANCES, ESPECIALLY IN LOW INCOME AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM: SWEEP ADVANCES EQUITABLE AND EFFECTIVE STATE AND REGIONAL POLICIES THAT WILL INCREASE THE FUEL EFFICIENCY OF NEW VEHICLES, PROMOTE THE ADOPTION OF PLUG-IN ELECTRIC VEHICLES (EVS), AND REDUCE MOTOR VEHICLE USE (VEHICLE-MILES TRAVELED, OR VMT). THESE POLICIES INCLUDE INCREASED FUNDING FOR EV CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE, STATE TAX CREDITS AND UTILITY INCENTIVES FOR EV PURCHASES, INCREASED FUNDING FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEMS INCLUDING BUS RAPID TRANSIT, AND POLICIES TO PROMOTE LOCATION-EFFICIENT AND TRANSIT-SUPPORTIVE LAND USE. INDUSTRIAL PROGRAM: SWEEP SUPPORTS POLICIES AND PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE INDUSTRIAL AND AGRICULTURAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN THE REGION. SWEEP ALSO LEADS AN ENERGY EFFICIENCY NETWORKING PROGRAM FOR INDUSTRIES IN COLORADO. STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE: SWEEP PROVIDES ADVICE AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO HELP STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN THE REGION IMPROVE THEIR ENERGY EFFICIENCY, ELECTRIFICATION, AND CLEAN TRANSPORTATION STRATEGIES, POLICIES, AND PROGRAMS. WE ARE FREQUENTLY CALLED UPON TO CONTRIBUTE TO STATE AND LOCAL ENERGY OR CLIMATE PLANS. INFORMATION EXCHANGE AND COMMUNICATIONS: SWEEP PROVIDES FACT SHEETS, NEWS ITEMS, PROGRAM SUMMARIES, CASE STUDIES AND RESEARCH REPORTS THROUGH ITS WEBSITE, BLOGS, OP-EDS, AND SOCIAL MEDIA. SWEEP ALSO ORGANIZES REGIONAL WORKSHOPS TO FOSTER EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION ON STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGIES, POLICIES, AND PROGRAMS. SWEEP WORKS TO INCREASE MEDIA COVERAGE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY, ELECTRIFICATION, AND CLEAN TRANSPORTATION AND EDUCATES FEDERAL AND STATE POLICY MAKERS REGARDING THE BENEFITS OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY, ELECTRIFICATION, AND CLEAN TRANSPORTATION INITIATIVES AND INVESTMENTS.

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 2025.

    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 March 2003.

    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.