Citizens Utility Board of Ohio
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE CITIZENS UTILITY BOARD OF OHIO (CUB OHIO) WORKS ON BEHALF OF RESIDENTIAL AND SMALL BUSINESS UTILITY CUSTOMERS. WITH MEMBERSHIP ACROSS THE STATE, CUB OHIO WORKS FOR CHEAPER BILLS, RELIABLE SERVICE, TRANSPARENCY, CONSUMER RIGHTS, AND CLEAN, HEALTHY ENERGY DELIVERED EQUITABLY. OUR WORK INCLUDES ADDRESSING THE CLIMATE CRISIS BY CLEANING UP OUR ENERGY SYSTEMS AND ADDRESSING SYSTEMIC RACISM BY WORKING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
- Income
- $585,982
- Spending
- $392,471
- Spent on programs
- 79%
- Reserves
- 3.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 94%
- Employees
- 2
- Volunteers
- 7
- Highest pay
- $96,000, executive di
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: 75 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.7 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 44% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 33% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 110% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1579% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 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: 91 out of 100. Higher than 71% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 6 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
10 of 10Gave 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
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 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)
- $310,741 spent. CUB OHIO CONDUCTED PUBLIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS ON BEHALF OF OHIO RESIDENTIAL AND SMALL BUSINESS UTILITY CONSUMERS, ENGAGING CONSUMERS, THE GENERAL PUBLIC, COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEADERS. WITH MORE THAN 1,000 MEMBERS ACROSS THE STATE IN THE SERVICE TERRITORY OF ALL FOUR INVESTOR-OWNED UTILITIES AND THAT OF MANY RURAL CO-OPS AND MUNICIPAL UTILITIES, CUB OHIO SERVED AS A CONSUMER EDUCATION VOICE FOR CHEAPER BILLS, RELIABLE SERVICE, TRANSPARENCY, CONSUMER RIGHTS, AND CLEAN, HEALTHY ENERGY DELIVERED EQUITABLY. WE EDUCATE BUSINESS LEADERS ON DEPLOYMENT OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND ENERGY INNOVATION IN A MANNER THAT CAN REDUCE POLLUTION, ADDRESS THE CLIMATE CRISIS, COMBAT SYSTEMIC RACISM, AND INCREASE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE. CUB OHIO INTERVENED IN MULTIPLE LEGAL DOCKETS AT THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF OHIO TO LOWER CONSUMER COSTS AND LOWER EMISSIONS; EDUCATED MUNICIPAL LEADERS ABOUT MUNICIPAL UTILITY POLICY AND BEST PRACTICES, AND EDUCATED STATE LEADERS ABOUT SOLAR ENERGY; ENERGY EFFICIENCY, AND LOWERING CONSUMER COSTS BY REMOVING LEGACY SUBSIDIES. AS PART OF OUR WORK WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, WE FACILITATED IMPLEMENTATION OF INFLATION REDUCTION ACT FUNDS BY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO DEVELOP CLEAN ENERGY PROJECT PROPOSALS AND PURSUE GRANT FUNDS FOR CAPITAL TO MAKE THEM POSSIBLE-INFRASTRUCTURE THAT CAN POSITION THEM TO ACHIEVE CARBON REDUCTION GOALS FOR THEMSELVES, AND THEIR RESIDENTS AND/OR CUSTOMERS. AS PART OF CUB OHIO'S PUBLIC EDUCATION WORK, WE ENGAGED WITH NEWS REPORTERS, TALK RADIO PROGRAMS, AND EDITORIAL PAGES ACROSS THE STATE RESULTING IN HIGHER PUBLIC ATTENTION TO THESE ISSUES. CUB OHIO CONDUCTED PUBLIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS ON BEHALF OF OHIO RESIDENTIAL AND SMALL BUSINESS UTILITY CONSUMERS, ENGAGING CONSUMERS, THE GENERAL PUBLIC, COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEADERS. WITH MORE THAN 1,000 MEMBERS ACROSS THE STATE IN THE SERVICE TERRITORY OF ALL FOUR INVESTOR-OWNED UTILITIES AND THAT OF MANY RURAL CO-OPS AND MUNICIPAL UTILITIES, CUB OHIO SERVED AS A CONSUMER EDUCATION VOICE FOR CHEAPER BILLS, RELIABLE SERVICE, TRANSPARENCY, CONSUMER RIGHTS, AND CLEAN, HEALTHY ENERGY DELIVERED EQUITABLY. WE EDUCATE BUSINESS LEADERS ON DEPLOYMENT OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND ENERGY INNOVATION IN A MANNER THAT CAN REDUCE POLLUTION, ADDRESS THE CLIMATE CRISIS, COMBAT SYSTEMIC RACISM, AND INCREASE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE. CUB OHIO INTERVENED IN MULTIPLE LEGAL DOCKETS AT THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF OHIO TO LOWER CONSUMER COSTS AND LOWER EMISSIONS; EDUCATED MUNICIPAL LEADERS ABOUT MUNICIPAL UTILITY POLICY AND BEST PRACTICES, AND EDUCATED STATE LEADERS ABOUT SOLAR ENERGY; ENERGY EFFICIENCY, AND LOWERING CONSUMER COSTS BY REMOVING LEGACY SUBSIDIES. AS PART OF OUR WORK WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, WE FACILITATED IMPLEMENTATION OF INFLATION REDUCTION ACT FUNDS BY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO DEVELOP CLEAN ENERGY PROJECT PROPOSALS AND PURSUE GRANT FUNDS FOR CAPITAL TO MAKE THEM POSSIBLE-INFRASTRUCTURE THAT CAN POSITION THEM TO ACHIEVE CARBON REDUCTION GOALS FOR THEMSELVES, AND THEIR RESIDENTS AND/OR CUSTOMERS. AS PART OF CUB OHIO'S PUBLIC EDUCATION WORK, WE ENGAGED WITH NEWS REPORTERS, TALK RADIO PROGRAMS, AND EDITORIAL PAGES ACROSS THE STATE RESULTING IN HIGHER PUBLIC ATTENTION TO THESE ISSUES.
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
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 December 2024.
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 2020.
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.
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