Environmental Working Group FY2024 filing

Tax-deductible

Washington, DC501(c)(3)Since 1999EnvironmentEIN 52-2148600

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.
77¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$2.3M 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

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
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
77%
of spending
Looks good: 77% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$2.3M
to officers and key staff · 12% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 12% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
10 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 9.9 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
$9.8M
36% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 36% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
23
of 24 voting members
Looks good: 23 of 24 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$21.8M
+20% vs prior year
Spent
$18.6M
To programs
77%
Net assets
$17.3M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$21.8M
FY2024▲ +20%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$12.3M
FY2021$16.1M
FY2022$13.6M
FY2023$18.1M
FY2024$21.8M
FY2025$16.4M
Expenses
$18.6M
FY2024▲ +12%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$11.9M
FY2021$12.6M
FY2022$14.6M
FY2023$16.7M
FY2024$18.6M
FY2025$19.3M
Net assets
$17.3M
FY2024▲ +22%
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 FY2024 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2024 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

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

77 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 77% · $14.4M Management & general 9% · $1.7M Fundraising 14% · $2.5M

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

Who runs it and what they're paid

32 people listed on the 990; $2.3M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Chair & President
$332,129Pt VII · Sec A
Senior VP Government Affairs
$309,418Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Financial Officer
$274,006Pt VII · Sec A
Executive VP, Mission & Partnerships
$269,873Pt VII · Sec A
VP, Marketing & Communication
$261,738Pt VII · Sec A
VP Information Technology
$227,252Pt VII · Sec A
COO & General Counsel
$226,740Pt VII · Sec A
VP, Federal Affairs
$212,118Pt 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.

See Environmental Working Group 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 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.

Provided by the organization

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3 program services account for $14.4M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2024.
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.

$11.5Mprogram 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.

$2.9Mprogram 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.

$23Kprogram 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 · 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 FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$21.8M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$19.6M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.6M
Investment incomeLn 3$611K
Money outPt IX
$18.6M
Ln 25
Programscol B$14.4M
Managementcol C$1.7M
Fundraisingcol D$2.5M
Owns and owesPt X
$17.3M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$15.4M
Total assetsLn 16$27.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$9.8M
PeoplePt VI, VII
32
listed · VII A
PaidVII A9
Voting boardVI 1a24
IndependentVI 1b23
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$19.6M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$548K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.6M
Investment incomeLn 3$611K
Gains on assetsLn 7$0
Total revenueLn 12$21.8M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.4M
SavingsLn 2$14.0M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$15.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$510K
Other assetsLn 15$6.8M
Total assetsLn 16$27.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$9.8M
Net assetsLn 32$17.3M
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$10.7M$15.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$2.2M$1.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$556K$510K
Total assetsLn 16$24.5M$27.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$10.4M$9.8M
Net assetsLn 32$14.1M$17.3M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$1.3M$921K$326K$77K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$8.3M$7.0M$449K$841K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$293K$293K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$881K$663K$83K$135K
Payroll taxesLn 10$701K$577K$57K$67K
Legal feesLn 11b$129K$108K$21K
Accounting feesLn 11c$70K$70K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$710K$710K
Investment management feesLn 11f$12K$37$12K$20
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1.3M$1.1M$86K$78K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$257K$93K$115K$49K
Office expensesLn 13$67K$25K$13K$29K
Information technologyLn 14$428K$373K$26K$28K
OccupancyLn 16$862K$711K$69K$81K
TravelLn 17$474K$379K$29K$66K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$872K$292K$57K$524K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$243K$89K$142K$12K
InsuranceLn 23$88K$72K$7K$8K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$1.7M$984K$142K$544K
All other expensesLn 24e$43K$42K$694
Total functional expensesLn 25$18.6M$14.4M$1.7M$2.5M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $16.4M$19.3M−$2.9M$14.4M 990 PDF
FY2024 Viewing $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 FY2024 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $21,753,184 across 7 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$19,572,330
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$547,993
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$19,572,330
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $1,569,824$1,569,824
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $611,030$611,030
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assets$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $1,569,824 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $611,030$21,753,184
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $18,635,561 across 20 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $921,337 · Management $326,283 · Fundraising $76,739$1,324,359
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $6,965,102 · Management $448,845 · Fundraising $841,034$8,254,981
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $292,777$292,777
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $663,195 · Management $83,471 · Fundraising $134,718$881,384
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $576,948 · Management $57,452 · Fundraising $67,053$701,453
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $108,471 · Management $20,683$129,154
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $69,514$69,514
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $710,258$710,258
IX-11f Investment management feesPrograms $37 · Management $12,222 · Fundraising $20$12,279
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $1,091,871 · Management $86,076 · Fundraising $78,404$1,256,351
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $92,764 · Management $115,155 · Fundraising $49,100$257,019
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $24,521 · Management $13,187 · Fundraising $29,488$67,196
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $373,440 · Management $25,812 · Fundraising $28,404$427,656
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $711,386 · Management $69,358 · Fundraising $81,239$861,983
IX-17 TravelPrograms $378,610 · Management $29,375 · Fundraising $65,746$473,731
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $291,861 · Management $56,914 · Fundraising $523,566$872,341
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $89,187 · Management $141,749 · Fundraising $11,885$242,821
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $72,299 · Management $6,892 · Fundraising $8,357$87,548
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $984,003 · Management $141,791 · Fundraising $544,263$1,670,057
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $42,005 · Fundraising $694$42,699
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $14,390,072 · Management $1,704,779 · Fundraising $2,540,710$18,635,561
Part X · Balance sheet $27,146,131 assets, 16 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $4,528,590$1,351,259
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $6,212,903$14,005,524
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $3,033,459$1,930,462
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $120,119$141,334
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $323,321$518,943
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $556,071$509,829
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $2,196,899$1,874,380
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $7,573,293$6,814,400
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $24,544,655$27,146,131
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,069,814$1,272,997
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $9,340,487$8,575,141
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $10,410,301$9,848,138
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $11,155,787$14,758,416
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $2,978,567$2,539,577
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $14,134,354$17,297,993
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $24,544,655$27,146,131
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $17,297,993 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$21,753,184
XI-2 Total expenses$18,635,561
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$3,117,623
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$14,134,354
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$46,016
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$17,297,993

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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