Environmental Working Group

Tax-deductible

Washington, DC501(c)(3)Since 1999EnvironmentEIN 52-2148600Revenue $16.4M in FY2025

On file with the IRSewg.org1250 I St Nw Ste 1000, 20005-5963 · Washington, DCTax-exempt since Jun 1999Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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The Environmental Working Group (ewg) is committed to empowering people to live healthier lives in healthier environments. We are a nonprofit research and advocacy organization with a community made up of millions of consumers who stand-up for healthy food, farms, water and people.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
80¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 23 volunteers and 106 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · 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
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $749K a year · 5% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
80%
of spending
Looks good: 80% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$2.4M
to officers and key staff · 12% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 78% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 12% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
5 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $2K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$9.3M
39% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 39% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
22
of 23 voting members
Looks good: 22 of 23 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$16.4M
-25% vs prior year
Spent
$19.3M
To programs
80%
Net assets
$14.4M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$16.4M
FY2025▼ -25%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$12.3M
FY2021$16.1M
FY2022$13.6M
FY2023$18.1M
FY2024$21.8M
FY2025$16.4M
Expenses
$19.3M
FY2025▲ +3%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$11.9M
FY2021$12.6M
FY2022$14.6M
FY2023$16.7M
FY2024$18.6M
FY2025$19.3M
Net assets
$14.4M
FY2025▼ -17%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$10.5M
FY2021$13.9M
FY2022$12.6M
FY2023$14.1M
FY2024$17.3M
FY2025$14.4M

From the FY2025 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jun 1999.

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

Where the money goes

80 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 80% · $15.5M Management & general 10% · $1.9M Fundraising 10% · $1.9M

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

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Who runs it and what they're paid

31 people listed on the 990; $2.4M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Chair & President
$374,703Pt VII · Sec A
Senior VP Government Affairs
$285,655Pt VII · Sec A
VP, Mission & Partnerships
$283,171Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Financial Officer
$252,808Pt VII · Sec A
VP, Marketing & Communication
$249,893Pt VII · Sec A
VP, Development
$236,300Pt VII · Sec A
COO & General Counsel
$229,724Pt VII · Sec A
VP Information Technology
$228,015Pt VII · Sec A

Ken Cook’s $375K as Chair & President is at the 78th percentile of top reported officer pay among 324 $10–100M 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 · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Ken Cook$374,703$332,129$321,862$312,714$317,423$295,000
Scott Faber$285,655$309,418$268,319$233,191$248,137$250,000
Jocelyn Lyle Executive$283,171—————
Scott Mallan$252,808$274,006$239,244$222,045$221,321$200,000
Jocelyn Lyle—$269,873$243,924$228,041$222,654$232,000
Maura Walsh$249,893$261,738$236,379$203,354$207,325$205,000
Abbie Gibbs$236,300—————
Caroline Leary$229,724$226,740$209,515$188,207$173,474—

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.

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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 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Empower consumers and citizens through research and education for informed choices and action.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $14.0M · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

Toxics and Human Health

Ewg believes people should be able to trust that the products they are buying are safe and won't cause harm to their health or their families. Our simple theory is unfortunately not the reality in today's chemical safety regulatory environment.

$6.9Mprogram expense
02

Licensing

"ewg verified" is ewg's verification and licensing program that helps consumers identify safer personal care products without having to do research. It is rapidly pushing the market toward the strict ingredient and transparency criteria defined by our team of research scientists.

$3.9Mprogram expense
03

Food and Agriculture

Our conservation program works to protect the source of our food: our soil and water. This includes ongoing projects to protect drinking water from agricultural pollution, and to protect soil from pesticides, erosion and contamination from these same industries.

$3.2Mprogram 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$2K
Grants paid · 7 grants · $99K · 2020–2025
Unitemized GrantFY2025$11,000
Solar Rights AllianceCA · FY2025$10,000
Black Belt Justice CenterDC · FY2020$15,000
Cata New JerseyNJ · FY2020$10,000
Farmworker Justice Fund INCDC · FY2020$10,000

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$16.4M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$13.2M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.6M
Other incomeLn 4–11$967K
Money outPt IX
$19.3M
Ln 25
Programscol B$15.5M
Managementcol C$1.9M
Fundraisingcol D$1.9M
Owns and owesPt X
$14.4M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$7.3M
Total assetsLn 16$23.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$9.3M
PeoplePt VI, VII
31
listed · VII A
PaidVII A9
Voting boardVI 1a23
IndependentVI 1b22
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$13.2M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$1.2M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.6M
Investment incomeLn 3$619K
Other incomeLn 4–11$967K
Gains on assetsLn 7$80
Total revenueLn 12$16.4M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.3M
SavingsLn 2$6.1M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$7.3M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$7.7M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$314K
Other assetsLn 15$6.2M
Total assetsLn 16$23.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$9.3M
Net assetsLn 32$14.4M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5106
VolunteersI 623
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$15.4M$7.3M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.9M$7.7M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$510K$314K
Total assetsLn 16$27.1M$23.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$9.8M$9.3M
Net assetsLn 32$17.3M$14.4M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$10K$10K
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$11K$11K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$1.4M$916K$328K$132K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$9.1M$7.8M$547K$756K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$362K$340K$6K$15K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$1.0M$791K$113K$104K
Payroll taxesLn 10$801K$668K$65K$68K
Legal feesLn 11b$306K$285K$20K$976
Accounting feesLn 11c$89K$89K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$343K$323K$13K$7K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1.0M$928K$52K$23K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$26K$10K$734$16K
Office expensesLn 13$223K$60K$126K$38K
Information technologyLn 14$898K$844K$28K$25K
OccupancyLn 16$918K$700K$153K$65K
TravelLn 17$316K$265K$17K$35K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$448K$369K$40K$39K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$246K$24K$222K
InsuranceLn 23$81K$67K$8K$7K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$1.6M$1.1M$84K$472K
All other expensesLn 24e$102K$25K$26K$52K
Total functional expensesLn 25$19.3M$15.5M$1.9M$1.9M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $16.4M$19.3M−$2.9M$14.4M 990 PDF
FY2024 $21.8M$18.6M$3.1M$17.3M 990 PDF
FY2023 $18.1M$16.7M$1.4M$14.1M 990 PDF
FY2022 $13.6M$14.6M−$1.1M$12.6M 990 PDF
FY2021 $16.1M$12.6M$3.5M$13.9M 990 PDF
FY2020 $12.3M$11.9M$478K$10.5M 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 FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $16,366,034 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $19,572,330$13,191,054
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $1,569,824$1,589,069
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $611,030$618,606
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$967,305
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $21,753,184$16,366,034
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$21,000
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $11,454,954$12,615,045
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $7,180,607$6,647,240
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $18,635,561$19,283,285
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $3,117,623−$2,917,251
Part VI · Governance 22 of 23 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body23
VI-1b Independent voting members22
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
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 $16,366,034 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$13,191,054
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$1,197,673
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$13,191,054
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $1,589,069$1,589,069
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $618,526$618,526
VIII-5 RoyaltiesExcluded from tax $967,305$967,305
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $80$80
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $1,589,069 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $1,585,911$16,366,034
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $19,283,285 across 21 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $10,000$10,000
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $11,000$11,000
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $916,265 · Management $328,475 · Fundraising $131,648$1,376,388
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $7,764,163 · Management $546,918 · Fundraising $755,966$9,067,047
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $340,360 · Management $6,325 · Fundraising $15,283$361,968
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $791,330 · Management $113,285 · Fundraising $104,475$1,009,090
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $667,743 · Management $65,130 · Fundraising $67,679$800,552
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $284,904 · Management $20,161 · Fundraising $976$306,041
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $88,921$88,921
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $322,887 · Management $12,753 · Fundraising $7,360$343,000
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $928,062 · Management $51,901 · Fundraising $22,542$1,002,505
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $9,536 · Management $734 · Fundraising $16,072$26,342
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $59,622 · Management $125,598 · Fundraising $37,716$222,936
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $844,279 · Management $28,215 · Fundraising $25,207$897,701
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $700,030 · Management $152,584 · Fundraising $64,918$917,532
IX-17 TravelPrograms $264,858 · Management $16,882 · Fundraising $34,514$316,254
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $368,923 · Management $39,606 · Fundraising $39,145$447,674
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $23,528 · Management $222,428$245,956
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $66,524 · Management $8,106 · Fundraising $6,597$81,227
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,092,508 · Management $84,213 · Fundraising $472,330$1,649,051
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $24,597 · Management $25,740 · Fundraising $51,763$102,100
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $15,491,119 · Management $1,937,975 · Fundraising $1,854,191$19,283,285
Part X · Balance sheet $23,735,512 assets, 17 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,351,259$1,286,850
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $14,005,524$6,056,967
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $1,930,462$1,499,110
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $141,334$162,773
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $518,943$494,702
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $509,829$313,790
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $1,874,380$7,746,862
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $6,814,400$6,174,458
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $27,146,131$23,735,512
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,272,997$1,428,172
X-19 Deferred revenue$102,000
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $8,575,141$7,775,375
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $9,848,138$9,305,547
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $14,758,416$12,396,167
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $2,539,577$2,033,798
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $17,297,993$14,429,965
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $27,146,131$23,735,512
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $14,429,965 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$16,366,034
XI-2 Total expenses$19,283,285
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$2,917,251
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$17,297,993
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$49,223
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$14,429,965

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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