Climateworks Foundation FY2020 filing

Tax-deductible

San Francisco, CA501(c)(3)Since 2008Science & TechnologyEIN 26-2303250Revenue $178.8M in FY2020

On file with the IRSclimateworks.org235 Montgomery St Ste 1300, 94104-3123 · San Francisco, CATax-exempt since Feb 2009Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

This page gets seen. Tell your story. Claim this org.

To end the climate crisis by amplifying the power of philanthropy.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
93¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$4.7M paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2020 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $53.0M a year · 18% of revenue · last 5 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
93%
of spending
Looks good: 93% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$4.7M
to officers and key staff · 4% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 4% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
18 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 17.7 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $800K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$28.5M
10% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 10% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
10
of 11 voting members
Looks good: 10 of 11 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$178.8M
Spent
$110.6M
To programs
93%
Net assets
$244.0M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$178.8M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$178.8M
FY2021$366.2M
FY2022$330.5M
FY2023$266.5M
FY2024$350.6M
Expenses
$110.6M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$110.6M
FY2021$180.1M
FY2022$355.5M
FY2023$264.0M
FY2024$317.3M
Net assets
$244.0M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$244.0M
FY2021$430.3M
FY2022$402.3M
FY2023$408.2M
FY2024$441.4M

From the FY2020 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim
You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Feb 2009.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

93 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 93% · $102.7M Management & general 5% · $5.9M Fundraising 2% · $1.9M

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Something off? The org can add a note here. Claim this org to fix it.

Who runs it and what they're paid

26 people listed on the 990; $4.7M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
President and CEO
$566,661Pt VII · Sec A
VP, Operations and Planning
$420,131Pt VII · Sec A
VP, Programs
$412,444Pt VII · Sec A
VP, Strategy, Collaborations & Brand
$410,447Pt VII · Sec A
VP, Development
$393,612Pt VII · Sec A
VP, Global Intelligence
$351,470Pt VII · Sec A
CFO, Treasurer
$327,764Pt VII · Sec A
SR. Director of Programs, Clua
$305,206Pt VII · Sec A

Helen Mountford’s $623K as President and CEO is at the 23rd percentile of top reported officer pay among 43 $100M+ science & technology nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Helen Mountford$622,909$531,913$502,557——
Charlotte Pera———$277,529$566,661
Chris Decardy——$105,905$494,541—
Shawn Reifsteck$493,190————
Irene Kim$468,537$433,612$440,062$401,612$393,612
Shawn P Reifsteck—$455,323$448,175$445,381$410,447
Charles McElwee$455,221$431,867$445,889$428,310$412,444
Susan Elizabeth Cook—$192,466$453,752$440,151$420,131

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Climateworks Foundation executive salaries →

Are you one of these people? Claim this org to confirm your role

Something off? The org can add a note here. Claim this org to fix it.

Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Mobilizes philanthropic funding and coordinates global donor networks to accelerate solutions that end the climate crisis.

Questions for Climateworks Foundation

Tap to ask. Climateworks Foundation sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Climateworks Foundation answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

Know this organization? Claim it to add your story

2 programs · $102.7M · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

See schedule o

$75.0Mprogram expense
02

See schedule o

$27.8Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$800K
Grants paid · 710 grants · $456.8M · 2020–2024
The Energy FoundationCA · FY2024$12,759,098
United States Energy FoundationCA · FY2024$9,039,098
Global Energy MonitorCA · FY2024$2,950,000
Rocky Mountain InstituteCO · FY2024$1,973,344
Calstart INCCA · FY2024$1,950,000
ClaspDC · FY2024$1,705,659
World Resources InstituteDC · FY2024$1,540,000
Public Citizen Foundation INCDC · FY2024$1,413,587
The Partnership Project INCDC · FY2024$1,200,000
Climate Strategies LabFY2024$1,100,000
See all 710 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$178.8M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$178.4M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$559K
Investment incomeLn 3$53K
Money outPt IX
$110.6M
Ln 25
Programscol B$102.7M
Managementcol C$5.9M
Fundraisingcol D$1.9M
Owns and owesPt X
$244.0M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$163.0M
Total assetsLn 16$272.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$28.5M
PeoplePt VI, VII
26
listed · VII A
PaidVII A14
Voting boardVI 1a11
IndependentVI 1b10
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$178.4M
Government grantsLn 1e$10.6M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$50.0M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$559K
Investment incomeLn 3$53K
Gains on assetsLn 7−$360K
Total revenueLn 12$178.8M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$14.5M
SavingsLn 2$148.6M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$163.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$922K
Other assetsLn 15$295K
Total assetsLn 16$272.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$28.5M
Net assetsLn 32$244.0M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5116
VolunteersI 614
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$99.9M$163.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$905K$922K
Total assetsLn 16$203.7M$272.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$29.2M$28.5M
Net assetsLn 32$174.5M$244.0M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$38.6M$38.6M
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$29.5M$29.5M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$3.6M$1.5M$1.4M$653K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$11.6M$9.0M$1.9M$617K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$1.5M$1.1M$252K$70K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$1.6M$1.2M$412K$81K
Payroll taxesLn 10$865K$584K$199K$82K
Management feesLn 11a$635K$419K$216K$93
Legal feesLn 11b$182K$54K$129K
Accounting feesLn 11c$95K$95K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$17.5M$17.1M$401K$30K
Office expensesLn 13$385K$236K$101K$48K
Information technologyLn 14$1.5M$1.2M$206K$105K
OccupancyLn 16$1.8M$1.2M$361K$178K
TravelLn 17$602K$484K$89K$28K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$335K$312K$21K$2K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$179K$115K$43K$21K
InsuranceLn 23$50K$50K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$23K$2K$21K
All other expensesLn 24e$2K$2K
Total functional expensesLn 25$110.6M$102.7M$5.9M$1.9M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $350.6M$317.3M$33.4M$441.4M 990 PDF
FY2023 $266.5M$264.0M$2.5M$408.2M 990 PDF
FY2022 $330.5M$355.5M−$25.0M$402.3M 990 PDF
FY2021 $366.2M$180.1M$186.1M$430.3M 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $178.8M$110.6M$68.2M$244.0M 990 PDF

Want to add your own materials alongside these filings? Claim this org

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $178,775,280 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $93,251,324$178,443,760
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $46,231$559,130
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $113,771−$306,712
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $166,172$79,102
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $93,577,498$178,775,280
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $47,468,972$68,127,763
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $17,711,179$19,134,060
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $5,375$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $23,635,855$23,324,254
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $88,821,381$110,586,077
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $4,756,117$68,189,203
Part VI · Governance 10 of 11 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body11
VI-1b Independent voting members10
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $178,775,280 across 9 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$10,578,900
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$167,864,860
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$50,001,393
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$178,443,760
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $559,130$559,130
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $53,021$53,021
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax −$359,733−$359,733
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $79,102$79,102
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $559,130 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax −$227,610$178,775,280
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $110,586,077 across 20 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $38,593,626$38,593,626
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $29,534,137$29,534,137
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $1,511,476 · Management $1,430,265 · Fundraising $652,746$3,594,487
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $9,049,150 · Management $1,899,577 · Fundraising $616,873$11,565,600
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $1,141,516 · Management $252,272 · Fundraising $69,792$1,463,580
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $1,151,887 · Management $412,465 · Fundraising $80,777$1,645,129
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $583,988 · Management $199,118 · Fundraising $82,158$865,264
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $419,304 · Management $216,006 · Fundraising $93$635,403
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $53,513 · Management $128,657$182,170
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $95,250$95,250
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $17,119,548 · Management $400,571 · Fundraising $29,548$17,549,667
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $235,590 · Management $101,156 · Fundraising $48,089$384,835
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $1,214,519 · Management $206,407 · Fundraising $104,570$1,525,496
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $1,221,971 · Management $361,162 · Fundraising $177,903$1,761,036
IX-17 TravelPrograms $484,189 · Management $89,173 · Fundraising $28,401$601,763
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $311,789 · Management $21,483 · Fundraising $1,987$335,259
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $115,260 · Management $42,784 · Fundraising $21,075$179,119
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $49,796$49,796
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,568 · Management $20,994$22,562
IX-24e All other expensesManagement $1,898$1,898
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $102,743,031 · Management $5,929,034 · Fundraising $1,914,012$110,586,077
Part X · Balance sheet $272,486,239 assets, 16 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $17,240,248$14,452,428
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $82,645,573$148,594,501
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $102,157,595$106,988,136
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $74,884$666,457
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $377,551$567,320
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $905,415$922,493
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $298,473$294,904
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $203,699,739$272,486,239
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $5,463,991$4,134,225
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $23,027,937$21,665,177
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $236,163$902,028
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $29,184,940$28,521,430
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $7,882,530$20,638,422
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $166,632,269$223,326,387
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $174,514,799$243,964,809
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $203,699,739$272,486,239
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $243,964,809 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$178,775,280
XI-2 Total expenses$110,586,077
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$68,189,203
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$174,514,799
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$1,260,807
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$243,964,809

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

If you ARE the filing organization, claim this org and add context

Made it to the end? Claim this organization

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.