The Conservative Energy Network (cen) was launched to support and connect state-based Conservative clean Energy and Energy efficiency organizations throughout the nation. Through policy research, educational conferences, and public engagement, cen educates opinion leaders and the general public about public policies that promote the cleaner and more efficient use of Energy, promotes Energy conservation, and encourages the transition to a clean Energy future.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
86¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 4 volunteers and 34 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
4 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $979K a year · 14% of revenue · last 5 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
86%
of spending
Looks good: 86% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$867K
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
10 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 9.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $1.5M
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$221K
4% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 4% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
2
of 4 voting members
Fine: 2 of 4 voting members are independent, half.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$8.2M
+12% vs prior year
Spent
$7.0M
To programs
86%
Net assets
$5.7M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$8.2M
FY2024▲ +12%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$5.7M
FY2021$7.4M
FY2022$6.5M
FY2023$7.3M
FY2024$8.2M
Expenses
$7.0M
FY2024▲ +25%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$5.2M
FY2021$5.5M
FY2022$6.9M
FY2023$5.6M
FY2024$7.0M
Net assets
$5.7M
FY2024▲ +25%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$1.6M
FY2021$3.5M
FY2022$2.9M
FY2023$4.6M
FY2024$5.7M

From the FY2024 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: FY2024. IRS ruling in Mar 2017.

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

Where the money goes

86 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 86% · $6.1M Management & general 11% · $786K Fundraising 2% · $171K

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

9 people listed on the 990; $867K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$308,650Pt VII · Sec A
$160,900Pt VII · Sec A
Operations Director
$148,500Pt VII · Sec A
External Affairs Director
$130,583Pt VII · Sec A
Midwest Regional Director
$118,500Pt VII · Sec A
Director at Large
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A

John Szoka’s $309K as CEO is at the 97th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1851 $1–10M 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

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
John Szoka$308,650$158,712———
Mark Pischea———$226,634$206,656
Brittany Zwierzchowski Tisler$160,900$166,400$167,400——
Mark Pischea Ended——$159,264——
John Miller$148,500————
Landon Stevens——$136,206$146,723$109,719
Larry Ward—$133,800$140,700$109,220$100,172
Tyler Duvelius$130,583$106,500———

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 Conservative Energy Network 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

Connects and supports conservative clean energy groups, promoting efficient energy use and a cleaner future.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $6.1M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

The Organization's purpose is to educate opinion leaders and the general public about federal, state, and local public policies that promote the cleaner and more efficient use of energy and to encourage the transition to a clean energy future.

$6.1Mprogram 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
Deploy-US INCFY2025$1.5M
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$1.5M
Grants paid · 45 grants · $11.9M · 2020–2024
The Western Way OrganizationCO · FY2024$415,000
Ohio Conservative Energy ForumOH · FY2024$210,361
Iowa Conservative Energy ForumIA · FY2024$135,500
Indiana Conservative AllianceFY2024$129,079
The Western Way OrganizationCO · FY2023$250,000
Iowa Conservative Energy ForumIA · FY2023$220,444
Indiana Conservative Alliance forFY2023$151,415
See all 45 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$8.2M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$8.2M
Investment incomeLn 3$7K
Other incomeLn 4–11$2K
Money outPt IX
$7.0M
Ln 25
Programscol B$6.1M
Managementcol C$786K
Fundraisingcol D$171K
Owns and owesPt X
$5.7M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$5.7M
Total assetsLn 16$5.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$221K
PeoplePt VI, VII
9
listed · VII A
PaidVII A5
Voting boardVI 1a4
IndependentVI 1b2
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$8.2M
Investment incomeLn 3$7K
Other incomeLn 4–11$2K
Total revenueLn 12$8.2M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$4.2M
SavingsLn 2$1.5M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$5.7M
Total assetsLn 16$5.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$221K
Net assetsLn 32$5.7M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 534
VolunteersI 64
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$4.1M$5.7M
Total assetsLn 16$4.6M$5.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$20K$221K
Net assetsLn 32$4.6M$5.7M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$2.5M$2.5M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$487K$73K$292K$122K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.7M$1.7M$45K$18K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$18K$13K$4K$1K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$248K$199K$34K$15K
Payroll taxesLn 10$218K$173K$31K$13K
Legal feesLn 11b$55K$55K
Accounting feesLn 11c$35K$35K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$608K$550K$59K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$385K$385K
Office expensesLn 13$137K$19K$118K
Information technologyLn 14$48K$48K
OccupancyLn 16$27K$19K$6K$2K
TravelLn 17$178K$134K$45K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$410K$410K
InsuranceLn 23$16K$16K
Total functional expensesLn 25$7.0M$6.1M$786K$171K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $8.2M$7.0M$1.2M$5.7M 990 PDF
FY2023 $7.3M$5.6M$1.7M$4.6M 990 PDF
FY2022 $6.5M$6.9M−$352K$2.9M 990 PDF
FY2021 $7.4M$5.5M$1.9M$3.5M 990 PDF
FY2020 $5.7M$5.2M$517K$1.6M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $8,199,394 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $7,322,493$8,190,878
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$6,914
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$1,602
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $7,322,493$8,199,394
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $2,598,599$2,454,575
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,649,105$2,692,022
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,389,167$1,898,265
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $5,636,871$7,044,862
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $1,685,622$1,154,532
Part VI · Governance 2 of 4 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body4
VI-1b Independent voting members2
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 $8,199,394 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$8,190,878
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$8,190,878
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $6,914$6,914
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $1,602$1,602
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $8,516$8,199,394
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $7,044,862 across 16 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $2,454,575$2,454,575
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $73,009 · Management $292,038 · Fundraising $121,683$486,730
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,659,133 · Management $44,801 · Fundraising $18,191$1,722,125
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $12,669 · Management $3,695 · Fundraising $1,232$17,596
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $198,906 · Management $34,116 · Fundraising $14,874$247,896
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $173,468 · Management $31,003 · Fundraising $13,204$217,675
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $54,785$54,785
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $34,936$34,936
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $549,837 · Management $58,568$608,405
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $385,308$385,308
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $18,628 · Management $117,986$136,614
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $47,931$47,931
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $19,126 · Management $5,657 · Fundraising $2,154$26,937
IX-17 TravelPrograms $133,641 · Management $44,547$178,188
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $409,579$409,579
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $15,582$15,582
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $6,087,879 · Management $785,645 · Fundraising $171,338$7,044,862
Part X · Balance sheet $5,928,655 assets, 11 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $4,117,584$4,150,271
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investments$1,506,919
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $455,000$271,465
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $4,572,584$5,928,655
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $19,569$221,108
X-19 Deferred revenue$0
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $19,569$221,108
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $2,168,129$3,370,190
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $2,384,886$2,337,357
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $4,553,015$5,707,547
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $4,572,584$5,928,655
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $5,707,547 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$8,199,394
XI-2 Total expenses$7,044,862
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$1,154,532
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$4,553,015
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$5,707,547

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

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