Climate Defense Project FY2024 filing

Tax-deductible

Laguna Beach, CA501(c)(3)Since 2016EnvironmentEIN 81-3513347

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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.
66¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$106K 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
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
66%
of spending
Fine: 66% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$106K
to officers and key staff · 27% of spending
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 27% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
18 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 18.1 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
−$31
>-0.01% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are -0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
4
of 6 voting members
Looks good: 4 of 6 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$716K
+162% vs prior year
Spent
$394K
To programs
66%
Net assets
$594K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$716K
FY2024▲ +162%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$114K
FY2021$119K
FY2022$321K
FY2023$274K
FY2024$716K
FY2024$293K
Expenses
$394K
FY2024▲ +91%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$161K
FY2021$131K
FY2022$206K
FY2023$206K
FY2024$394K
FY2024$482K
Net assets
$594K
FY2024▲ +119%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$101K
FY2021$89K
FY2022$204K
FY2023$272K
FY2024$594K
FY2024$405K

From the FY2024 Form 990 (year ending August 2024) · see the original

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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

66 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 66% · $258K Management & general 25% · $100K Fundraising 9% · $36K

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

6 people listed on the 990; $106K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2023); the FY2024 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Dir.
$90,750Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer & Secretary
$15,000Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
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.

Provided by the organization

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1 program service account for $258K of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2023.
01

Climate Defense Project assisted approximately 10 attorneys and 12 social justice campaigns, along with dozens of individual activists, engaged in litigation, legal defense, and protest to effect policy reform.

$258Kprogram 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 · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
See all 6 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$716K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$716K
Money outPt IX
$394K
Ln 25
Programscol B$258K
Managementcol C$100K
Fundraisingcol D$36K
Owns and owesPt X
$594K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$594K
Total assetsLn 16$594K
LiabilitiesLn 26−$31
PeoplePt VI, VII
6
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a6
IndependentVI 1b4
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$716K
Gains on assetsLn 7$0
Total revenueLn 12$716K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$594K
SavingsLn 2$0
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$594K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$594K
LiabilitiesLn 26−$31
Net assetsLn 32$594K
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$272K$594K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Total assetsLn 16$272K$594K
LiabilitiesLn 26$220−$31
Net assetsLn 32$272K$594K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$136K$33K$79K$24K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$193K$184K$9K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$0
Payroll taxesLn 10$27K$22K$3K$3K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$10K$10K
Accounting feesLn 11c$0
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$7K$6K$641
Advertising and promotionLn 12$200$150$50
Office expensesLn 13$11K$7K$4K$39
Information technologyLn 14$3K$928$2K
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$0
TravelLn 17$6K$6K$537
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$0
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$0
InsuranceLn 23$1K$1K
All other expensesLn 24e$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$394K$258K$100K$36K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Viewing $716K$394K$322K$594K 990 PDF
FY2023 $274K$206K$67K$272K 990 PDF
FY2022 $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 FY2024 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $716,094 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$716,094
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$716,094
VIII-3 Investment income$0
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or loss$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assets$0
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-12 Total revenue$716,094
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $393,736 across 30 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $33,150 · Management $78,524 · Fundraising $24,075$135,749
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $184,116 · Fundraising $8,791$192,907
IX-8 Pension plan contributions$0
IX-9 Other employee benefits$0
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $21,538 · Management $2,692 · Fundraising $2,692$26,922
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $9,789$9,789
IX-11c Accounting fees$0
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11e Professional fundraising fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $6,133 · Management $641$6,774
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $150 · Management $50$200
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $6,663 · Management $3,924 · Fundraising $39$10,626
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $928 · Management $2,148$3,076
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 Occupancy$0
IX-17 TravelPrograms $5,775 · Management $537$6,312
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetings$0
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortization$0
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $1,381$1,381
IX-24e All other expenses$0
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $258,453 · Management $99,686 · Fundraising $35,597$393,736
Part X · Balance sheet $594,035 assets, 19 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $271,928$594,035
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investments$0
X-3 Pledges and grants receivable$0
X-4 Accounts receivable$0
X-8 Inventories for sale or use$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$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 assets$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $271,928$594,035
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $220$461
X-19 Deferred revenue−$492
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $220−$31
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $271,708$594,066
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $271,708$594,066
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $271,928$594,035
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $594,066 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$716,094
XI-2 Total expenses$393,736
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$322,358
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$271,708
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$594,066

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

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