The Solar Foundation

Washington, DCUnknown exempt organizationEIN 52-1089260

To accelerate adoption of the world's most abundant energy source: the sun.

74¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 5 volunteers and 16 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2021 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
Latest return
FY2021
latest Form 990
Concern: the latest return is for FY2021, 5 tax years back; more than 4 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
0 of 2
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $145K a year · 6% of revenue · last 2 filings
Concern: a surplus in 0 of the last 2 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 2 filings
Spent on programs
74%
of spending
Fine: 74% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Named funders
1
named funder · $68
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$0
total owed
No data yet: the filing does not give total assets.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
5
of 5 voting members
Looks good: 5 of 5 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.3M
-60% vs prior year
Spent
$1.6M
To programs
74%
Net assets
$0
By yearFY2020–FY2021
Revenue
$1.3M
FY2021▼ -60%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$3.3M
FY2021$1.3M
Expenses
$1.6M
FY2021▼ -53%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$3.4M
FY2021$1.6M
Net assets
$0
FY2021▼ -100%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$271K
FY2021$0

From the FY2021 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: FY2021.

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% · $1.2M Management & general 26% · $420K Fundraising 0% · $234

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

Who runs it and what they're paid

5 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary/Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
See The Solar Foundation executive salaries →

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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

Promotes widespread use of solar power to harness the sun's energy.

Provided by the organization

This section is blank until The Solar Foundation claims this page.

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3 program services account for $1.2M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2021.
01

Energy Programs Are Federal Funds Programs and Include

Solsmart provides national recognition and no-cost technical assistance to municipalities and counties seeking to make it faster, easier, and more affordable for residents and businesses to install solar energy SYSTEMS.SOLAR ready vets network connects transitioning military service members and veterans of the U.S.

$1.1Mprogram expense
02

Other programs complement the energy programs and census and include providing technical assistance to local governments related to the american cities climate challenge.

$95Kprogram expense
03

Solar jobs census is the annual review of employment in the U.S. Solar energy industry, nationwide and by state.

$9Kprogram expense

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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 · FY2022
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$68
Grants paid · 21 grants · $1.4M · 2020–2021
University of Puerto Rico MayaguezPR · FY2021$104,219
Brooks EngineeringFY2021$28,598
The Cadmus Group LLC Fka Meister Consulting Group INCFY2021$13,488
The Cadmus Group LLC Fka Meister Consulting Group INCFY2020$267,875
University of Puerto Rico MayaguezPR · FY2020$84,947
Brooks EngineeringFY2020$59,100
See all 21 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.3M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.3M
Other incomeLn 4–11$27K
Investment incomeLn 3$8
Money outPt IX
$1.6M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.2M
Managementcol C$420K
Fundraisingcol D$234
Owns and owesPt X
$0
net assets · Ln 32
Total assetsLn 16$0
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
5
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a5
IndependentVI 1b5
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.3M
Government grantsLn 1e$1.3M
Investment incomeLn 3$8
Other incomeLn 4–11$27K
Total revenueLn 12$1.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$0
SavingsLn 2$0
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$0
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$0
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 516
VolunteersI 65
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 FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$33K$0
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Total assetsLn 16$1.7M$0
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.4M$0
Net assetsLn 32$271K$0
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$394K$394K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$458K$390K$67K$109
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$23K$20K$3K$6
Other employee benefitsLn 9$40K$34K$6K$9
Payroll taxesLn 10$43K$37K$6K$10
Management feesLn 11a$62K$62K
Accounting feesLn 11c$250K$250K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$234K$219K$15K
Office expensesLn 13$9K$8K$814$100
Information technologyLn 14$7K$7K
OccupancyLn 16$33K$33K
TravelLn 17$1K$903$225
InterestLn 20$5K$5K
InsuranceLn 23$16K$16K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$15K$12K$3K$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.6M$1.2M$420K$234

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2021 Latest Viewing $1.3M$1.6M−$256K$0 990 PDF
FY2020 $3.3M$3.4M−$34K$271K 990 PDF

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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 FY2021 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,336,664 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$1,290,851
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$18,499
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,309,350
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $8$8
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $27,306$27,306
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $27,314$1,336,664
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,592,212 across 15 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $394,421$394,421
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $390,137 · Management $67,481 · Fundraising $109$457,727
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $19,888 · Management $3,440 · Fundraising $6$23,334
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $33,978 · Management $5,878 · Fundraising $9$39,865
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $36,551 · Management $6,323 · Fundraising $10$42,884
IX-11a Management feesManagement $62,250$62,250
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $250,497$250,497
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $219,279 · Management $15,118$234,397
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $8,313 · Management $814 · Fundraising $100$9,227
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $7,126$7,126
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $33,244$33,244
IX-17 TravelPrograms $903 · Management $225$1,128
IX-20 InterestManagement $5,497$5,497
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $15,547$15,547
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $12,403 · Management $2,665 · Fundraising $0$15,068
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,171,790 · Management $420,188 · Fundraising $234$1,592,212
Part X · Balance sheet $0 assets, 24 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $519$0
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $32,517$0
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $1,027,699$0
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $488,482$0
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $87,600$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $36,954$0
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, net$0
X-11 Publicly traded securities$0
X-12 Other securities$0
X-13 Program-related investments$0
X-14 Intangible assets$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $6,490$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,680,261$0
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,134,862$0
X-18 Grants payable$0
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $149,702$0
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilities$0
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payable$0
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $24,329$0
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,409,287$0
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $37,128$0
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $233,846$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $270,974$0
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,680,261$0
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $0 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,336,664
XI-2 Total expenses$1,592,212
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$255,548
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$270,974
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$15,426
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$0

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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