Better Future Project works to build a powerful grassroots movement to address the climate crisis and advance a rapid and responsible transition beyond fossil fuels. We educate the public about climate change, empower new leaders, and help citizens to make their voices heard.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
74¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 1,200 volunteers and 32 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2024 · 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
2 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $9K a year · 1% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
74%
of spending
Fine: 74% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$83K
to officers and key staff · 13% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 13% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
6 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 5.8 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $35K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$64K
9% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 9% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
9
of 9 voting members
Looks good: 9 of 9 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$844K
+19% vs prior year
Spent
$634K
To programs
74%
Net assets
$619K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$844K
FY2024▲ +19%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.6M
FY2021$909K
FY2022$626K
FY2023$710K
FY2024$844K
Expenses
$634K
FY2024▼ -15%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$970K
FY2021$1.6M
FY2022$803K
FY2023$747K
FY2024$634K
Net assets
$619K
FY2024▲ +52%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$1.4M
FY2021$705K
FY2022$426K
FY2023$407K
FY2024$619K

From the FY2024 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Oct 2014.

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

Where the money goes

74 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 74% · $470K Management & general 23% · $145K Fundraising 3% · $19K

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

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

10 people listed on the 990; $83K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$82,615Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Alan Palm’s $83K as Executive Director is at the 65th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1989 $100K–1M environment 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Alan Palm$82,615$76,885$76,783$75,347—
Craig Altemose———$57,223$66,691

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 Better Future Project INC executive salaries →

On this list? Claim this org

Something off? Claim to add context

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 people to fight climate change and transition away from fossil fuels through education and advocacy.

Questions for Better Future Project INC

Tap to ask. Better Future Project INC sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Better Future Project INC answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

Know this org? Add your story

1 program · $470K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

BFP brings together member students and community groups in a powerful grassroots movement to shift society beyond coal, oil, and gas and achieve a sustainable future for all. By empowering, connecting, and activating leaders across the climate movement, BFP is helping to build a social movement that can confront the fossil fuel industry…

$470Kprogram 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
350 ColoradoFY2025$10K
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$35K
Grants paid · 1 grant · $102K · 2021–2021
Power Shift NetworkDC · FY2021$102,254

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$844K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$839K
Investment incomeLn 3$5K
Money outPt IX
$634K
Ln 25
Programscol B$470K
Managementcol C$145K
Fundraisingcol D$19K
Owns and owesPt X
$619K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$309K
Total assetsLn 16$683K
LiabilitiesLn 26$64K
PeoplePt VI, VII
10
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b9
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$839K
Investment incomeLn 3$5K
Total revenueLn 12$844K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$125K
SavingsLn 2$184K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$309K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$58K
Total assetsLn 16$683K
LiabilitiesLn 26$64K
Net assetsLn 32$619K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 532
VolunteersI 61,200
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$308K$309K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$58K
Total assetsLn 16$461K$683K
LiabilitiesLn 26$54K$64K
Net assetsLn 32$407K$619K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$445K$416K$11K$17K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$40K$40K
Payroll taxesLn 10$40K$37K$2K$407
Legal feesLn 11b$1K$1K
Accounting feesLn 11c$29K$388$28K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$21K$612$20K$806
Office expensesLn 13$10K$3K$7K
OccupancyLn 16$18K$18K
TravelLn 17$1K$1K$152
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$13K$8K$5K
InsuranceLn 23$9K$9K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$7K$3K$4K
Total functional expensesLn 25$634K$470K$145K$19K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $844K$634K$210K$619K 990 PDF
FY2023 $710K$747K−$37K$407K 990 PDF
FY2022 $626K$803K−$177K$426K 990 PDF
FY2021 $909K$1.6M−$688K$705K 990 PDF
FY2020 $1.6M$970K$645K$1.4M 990 PDF

More to add? Claim this org

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $843,593 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $703,545$839,090
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $6,894$4,503
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $710,439$843,593
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $493,489$524,873
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $253,777$109,113
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $747,266$633,986
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$36,827$209,607
Part VI · Governance 9 of 9 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body9
VI-1b Independent voting members9
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $843,593 across 4 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$839,090
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$839,090
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $4,503$4,503
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $4,503$843,593
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $633,986 across 12 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $416,134 · Management $11,293 · Fundraising $17,305$444,732
IX-9 Other employee benefitsManagement $40,082$40,082
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $37,196 · Management $2,456 · Fundraising $407$40,059
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $1,143$1,143
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $388 · Management $28,140$28,528
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $612 · Management $19,900 · Fundraising $806$21,318
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $3,427 · Management $6,577$10,004
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $17,700$17,700
IX-17 TravelPrograms $1,091 · Management $152$1,243
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $8,087 · Management $5,165$13,252
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $9,172$9,172
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $3,211 · Management $3,542$6,753
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $470,146 · Management $145,322 · Fundraising $18,518$633,986
Part X · Balance sheet $682,846 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $79,296$124,725
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $228,416$184,270
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $148,727$309,891
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $4,346$5,518
X-12 Other securities$58,442
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $460,785$682,846
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $54,099$64,134
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $54,099$64,134
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $172,761$195,287
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $233,925$423,425
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $406,686$618,712
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $460,785$682,846
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $618,712 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$843,593
XI-2 Total expenses$633,986
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$209,607
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$406,686
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$6,153
XI-8 Prior period adjustments−$3,734
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$618,712

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 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.

Your org? Add context

Made it to the end? Claim this org

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.