Sparks mission is to accelerate progress in emerging, potentially high-impact approaches for climate mitigation and adaptation that will contribute to humanitys comprehensive portfolio of solutions and responses to enable our return to a safe climate while minimizing risk to societal stability.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
81¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 1 volunteers and 25 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 4
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $4.7M a year · 47% of revenue · last 4 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 4 of the last 4 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 4 filings
Spent on programs
81%
of spending
Looks good: 81% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$2.0M
to officers and key staff · 30% of spending
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 30% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $18.1M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Looks good: 3.5 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
10
named funders · $4.2M
Looks good: 10 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$2.4M
11% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 11% 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
$12.4M
+27% vs prior year
Spent
$6.5M
To programs
81%
Net assets
$19.1M
By yearFY2022–FY2025
Revenue
$12.4M
FY2025▲ +27%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2022$11.7M
FY2023$6.4M
FY2024$9.8M
FY2025$12.4M
Expenses
$6.5M
FY2025▼ -12%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2022$2.3M
FY2023$5.2M
FY2024$7.4M
FY2025$6.5M
Net assets
$19.1M
FY2025▲ +47%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2022$9.4M
FY2023$10.6M
FY2024$13.0M
FY2025$19.1M

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 2022.

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

Where the money goes

81 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 81% · $5.3M Management & general 14% · $948K Fundraising 4% · $276K

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

14 people listed on the 990; $2.0M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Chief Scientist
$399,953Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$268,513Pt VII · Sec A
Program Director, Livestock Enteric
$181,369Pt VII · Sec A
Deputy Director, Warming-Induced Em
$161,450Pt VII · Sec A
Deputy Director, Methane Removal
$154,524Pt VII · Sec A
Chief of Staff
$154,309Pt VII · Sec A
Project Manager
$143,792Pt VII · Sec A
Deputy Dir. Policy
$142,692Pt VII · Sec A

Philip Duffy’s $400K as Chief Scientist is at the 99th 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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022
Philip Duffy$399,953———
David Mann$268,513$205,343$240,856$187,728
Remi Bouteille———$217,872
Charles Brooke$181,369$153,680——
David Brown——$177,689—
Danielle Potocek$161,450$155,662——
Laura Adams$154,309$148,929$154,951—
Katrine Gorham$154,524$148,974——

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 Spark Climate Solutions INC 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

Speeds up new climate solutions and adaptation strategies for a safer planet.

Questions for Spark Climate Solutions INC

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $5.3M · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

Livestock Enteric Methane MitigationSpark worked to advance research, policy, and market pathways in 2025 to reduce enteric methane emissions from livestock, which account for approximately 6% of total global greenhouse gas emissions.

$5.3Mprogram 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 · FY2024
See all 10 funders →
Grants paid · 27 grants · $4.7M · 2022–2025
Ultrapure Air LLCFY2025$254,310
Univ of Maryland Center EnvirFY2025$185,000
Duke UniversityNC · FY2025$102,432
Cornell UniversityNY · FY2025$82,500
Colorado State UniversityFY2025$82,500
CtreesCA · FY2025$50,000
Gordon Research ConferencesRI · FY2025$30,000
Regents Univ of CaliforniaCA · FY2025$25,000
Ultrapure Air LLCFY2024$545,000
Convergent Research INCMA · FY2024$405,883
University of ChicagoIL · FY2024$299,248
Elysia Creative BiologyFY2024$298,641
University of Maryland CollegFY2024$196,118
See all 27 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$12.4M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$12.1M
Investment incomeLn 3$375K
Other incomeLn 4–11$3K
Money outPt IX
$6.5M
Ln 25
Programscol B$5.3M
Managementcol C$948K
Fundraisingcol D$276K
Owns and owesPt X
$19.1M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.9M
Total assetsLn 16$21.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.4M
PeoplePt VI, VII
14
listed · VII A
PaidVII A11
Voting boardVI 1a4
IndependentVI 1b2
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$12.1M
Investment incomeLn 3$375K
Other incomeLn 4–11$3K
Gains on assetsLn 7$0
Total revenueLn 12$12.4M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.9M
SavingsLn 2$0
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.9M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$18.1M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$114K
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$21.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.4M
Net assetsLn 32$19.1M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 525
VolunteersI 61
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$1.0M$1.9M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$13.3M$18.1M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$143K$114K
Total assetsLn 16$16.7M$21.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$3.8M$2.4M
Net assetsLn 32$13.0M$19.1M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$966K$966K
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$338K$338K
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$1.3M$1.0M$191K$87K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.7M$1.4M$248K$114K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$409K$323K$59K$27K
Payroll taxesLn 10$229K$180K$33K$15K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$0
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$596K$432K$158K$6K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$1K$300$791
Office expensesLn 13$31K$19K$12K
Information technologyLn 14$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$13K$9K$3K$372
TravelLn 17$380K$292K$75K$13K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$92K$84K$1K$7K
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$29K$29K
InsuranceLn 23$17K$17K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$349K$216K$131K$2K
All other expensesLn 24e$54K$31K$19K$4K
Total functional expensesLn 25$6.5M$5.3M$948K$276K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $12.4M$6.5M$5.9M$19.1M 990 PDF
FY2024 $9.8M$7.4M$2.4M$13.0M 990 PDF
FY2023 $6.4M$5.2M$1.2M$10.6M 990 PDF
FY2022 $11.7M$2.3M$9.4M$9.4M 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 F · Foreign J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $12,435,732 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $9,601,200$12,058,292
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $156,946$374,641
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $3,258$2,799
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $9,761,404$12,435,732
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $4,364,200$1,303,326
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,988,417$3,674,805
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,040,110$1,560,573
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $7,392,727$6,538,704
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $2,368,677$5,897,028
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 $12,435,732 across 9 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$12,058,292
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$12,058,292
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $374,641$374,641
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-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $2,799$2,799
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $2,799 · Excluded from tax $374,641$12,435,732
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $6,538,704 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $965,745$965,745
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $337,581$337,581
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $1,041,623 · Management $191,020 · Fundraising $87,475$1,320,118
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,354,674 · Management $248,430 · Fundraising $113,765$1,716,869
IX-8 Pension plan contributions$0
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $322,930 · Management $59,221 · Fundraising $27,120$409,271
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $180,332 · Management $33,071 · Fundraising $15,144$228,547
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal fees$0
IX-11c Accounting fees$0
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $432,386 · Management $157,982 · Fundraising $5,900$596,268
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $300 · Management $791$1,091
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $19,043 · Management $12,153$31,196
IX-14 Information technology$0
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $9,470 · Management $2,673 · Fundraising $372$12,515
IX-17 TravelPrograms $291,566 · Management $75,288 · Fundraising $13,130$379,984
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $84,081 · Management $1,107 · Fundraising $6,623$91,811
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $28,571$28,571
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $16,601$16,601
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $215,767 · Management $130,777 · Fundraising $2,372$348,916
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $30,818 · Management $18,731 · Fundraising $4,071$53,620
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $5,314,887 · Management $947,845 · Fundraising $275,972$6,538,704
Part X · Balance sheet $21,488,025 assets, 20 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,048,230$1,917,305
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investments$0
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $2,248,000$1,227,500
X-4 Accounts receivable$0
X-8 Inventories for sale or use$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $36,846$95,277
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $142,857$114,286
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $13,272,437$18,133,657
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 $16,748,370$21,488,025
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $135,017$173,725
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $3,645,416$2,261,935
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $3,780,433$2,435,660
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $7,644,988$11,159,816
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $5,322,949$7,892,549
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $12,967,937$19,052,365
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $16,748,370$21,488,025
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $19,052,365 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$12,435,732
XI-2 Total expenses$6,538,704
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$5,897,028
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$12,967,937
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$187,400
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$19,052,365

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

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