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Climate Defense Project FY2022 filing

Tax-deductible

Laguna Beach, CA501(c)(3)Since 2016EnvironmentEIN 81-3513347Revenue $321K in FY2022

On file with the IRSclimatedefenseproject.org1968 S Coast Hwy 496, 92651-3681 · Laguna Beach, CATax-exempt since Feb 2017Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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Climate Defense Project offers free, comprehensive, movement-aligned legal support to climate justice and anti-extractive campaigns, and to community-led efforts that intersect with these issues. We support front-line communities, connect attorneys with experts and community members, and provide direct representation to people engaged in civil disobedience, direct action, and other forms of nonviolence.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
77¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$134K 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

FY2022 · 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
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $89K a year · 29% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 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
$134K
to officers and key staff · 65% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 65% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
12 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 11.9 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
6
named funders · $510K
Looks good: 6 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$0
0% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
3
of 4 voting members
Looks good: 3 of 4 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$321K
+169% vs prior year
Spent
$206K
To programs
77%
Net assets
$204K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$321K
FY2022▲ +169%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$114K
FY2021$119K
FY2022$321K
FY2023$274K
FY2024$716K
FY2024$293K
Expenses
$206K
FY2022▲ +57%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$161K
FY2021$131K
FY2022$206K
FY2023$206K
FY2024$394K
FY2024$482K
Net assets
$204K
FY2022▲ +129%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$101K
FY2021$89K
FY2022$204K
FY2023$272K
FY2024$594K
FY2024$405K

From the FY2022 Form 990 (year ending August 2022) · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2022 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Feb 2017.

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% · $158K Management & general 14% · $29K Fundraising 9% · $19K

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

7 people listed on the 990; $134K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2021); the FY2022 filing did not itemize Part VII
Alexander Marquardt
Executive Director, Staff Attorney
$57,562Pt VII · Sec A
Kelsey Skaggs
Executive Director, Staff Attorney
$57,562Pt VII · Sec A
Joseph Hamilton
Secretary, Treasurer, Staff Attorney
$18,438Pt VII · Sec A
Wayne Hsiung
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Marla Marcum
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Jamila Raqib
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Jacqueline Gallant
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Alexander Marquardt’s $91K as Executive Dir. is at the 73rd percentile of top reported officer pay among 1990 $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 · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Alexander Marquardt$90,750$90,750$57,562$50,836$56,250
Kelsey Skaggs——$57,562$50,836$56,250
Joseph Hamilton$15,000$15,000$18,438$15,000$13,125

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 Climate Defense Project 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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Defends climate activists in court, educates the public, and trains on rights.

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Provided by the organization

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2 programs · $158K · in their own filed words · FY2021
01

Climate Defense Project assisted approximately 5 attorneys and 15 climate justice campaigns (including hundreds of climate activists) engaged in litigation or legal campaigns related to climate change policy reform.

$79Kprogram expense
02

In order to promote public awareness of the law surrounding climate change, advocate for legal and policy reform on climate change, and assist attorneys and activists in gaining knowledge about climate change and avenues for reform, Climate Defense Project produced or updated 10 publications available to the public for free on its…

$79Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors INCFY2024$300K
Equation Campaign and Global Climate Legal DefenseFY2024$150K
Cloud Mountain FoundationFY2024$25K
Clif Bar Family FoundationFY2024$15K
Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift FundFY2024$10K
Arlene and Arnold Goldstein Charitable TrustFY2024$10K
Total grants receivedfrom 6 funders$510K
See all 6 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2022 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$321K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$321K
Money outPt IX
$206K
Ln 25
Programscol B$158K
Managementcol C$29K
Fundraisingcol D$19K
Owns and owesPt X
$204K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$204K
Total assetsLn 16$204K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
7
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a4
IndependentVI 1b3
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$321K
Government grantsLn 1e$0
Noncash giftsLn 1g$0
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$0
Total revenueLn 12$321K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
SavingsLn 2$204K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$204K
Total assetsLn 16$204K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$204K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 55
VolunteersI 64
Fiscal year endsHeaderAugust
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 FY22End FY22
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$89K$204K
Total assetsLn 16$89K$204K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$0
Net assetsLn 32$89K$204K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$176K$141K$18K$18K
Payroll taxesLn 10$14K$11K$1K$1K
Accounting feesLn 11c$7K$4K$2K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$571$571
Office expensesLn 13$1K$495$721
Information technologyLn 14$5K$5K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$1K−$1$1K$19
Total functional expensesLn 25$206K$158K$29K$19K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 $716K$394K$322K$594K 990 PDF
FY2023 $274K$206K$67K$272K 990 PDF
FY2022 Viewing $321K$206K$115K$204K 990 PDF
FY2021 $119K$131K−$12K$89K 990 PDF
FY2020 $114K$161K−$47K$101K 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 FY2022 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $320,750 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $119,391$320,750
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $119,391$320,750
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 $113,960$190,361
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $17,195$15,163
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $131,155$205,524
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$11,764$115,226
Part VI · Governance 3 of 4 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body4
VI-1b Independent voting members3
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
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
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $320,750 across 9 lines filed
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$0
VIII-1b Membership dues$0
VIII-1c Fundraising events$0
VIII-1d Related organizations$0
VIII-1e Government grants$0
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$320,750
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$0
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$320,750
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$320,750
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $205,524 across 7 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $141,174 · Management $17,647 · Fundraising $17,647$176,468
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $11,115 · Management $1,389 · Fundraising $1,389$13,893
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $4,356 · Management $2,191$6,547
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $571$571
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $495 · Management $721$1,216
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $5,348$5,348
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs −$1 · Management $1,463 · Fundraising $19$1,481
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $157,710 · Management $28,759 · Fundraising $19,055$205,524
Part X · Balance sheet $204,236 assets, 7 lines filed
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $89,010$204,236
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $89,010$204,236
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $89,010$204,236
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $0$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $89,010$204,236
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $89,010$204,236
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $204,236 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$320,750
XI-2 Total expenses$205,524
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$115,226
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$89,010
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$0
XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$0
XI-7 Investment expenses$0
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$0
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$204,236

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2022 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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