Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation
100% goes to programs $0 to raise $100 Strong reserves Declining revenue
Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Kirkland, Washington, registered in 2021, with $12,378,697 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it C, and it directs about 100% of spending to programs.
Po Box 563, Kirkland, WA, 98083 EIN 85-3677542 Since 2021
Revenue (FY2024)
$12.4M
▲ 50.7% vs prior year
Environment median: $250K
Expenses (FY2024)
$40.9M
Net assets
$378.2M
Employees
0
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
C
★★★★
Rated on 4 of 4 criteria.
Held down by its weakest criterion — a strong score on one criterion can't hide a weak one.
How the rating works →A+Program efficiency40% of the rating100% to programs · $0 to raise $100
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation: 100% to programs · $0 to raise $100 earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
FFinancial health25% of the rating111 mo reserves · -230% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation: 111 mo reserves · -230% margin earns a F on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
C+Governance25% of the rating3 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation: 3 of 6 checks met earns a C+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
ATransparency10% of the rating4 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation: 4 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
Show this grade on your website
A live seal — it updates automatically when the grade changes and links donors to this verified profile.
Mission
Breakthrough energy is accelerating transformation by supporting cutting-edge research and development,investing in companies that turn green ideas into clean products, and (continued on schedule o)
Contact & location
- Address
- Po Box 563, Kirkland, WA, 98083
- City
- Kirkland
- State
- Washington
- Category
- Environment
- Subcategory
- Natural Resources Conservation
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue declined from $65.0M (FY2020) to $12.4M (FY2024) across 5 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $2.4MNet assets $378.2M
Operating margin
-230.2%
Spent more than it raised in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$380.6M
Total liabilities
$2.4M
Net assets
$378.2M
Salaries & benefits
$0
0% of expenses
Board members
3
3 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $12,378,697▲50.7% | $40,879,386▼23.1% | $378,176,226▼7.0% | $380,609,008▼6.7% | 990 |
| 2023 | $8,212,804▼97.7% | $53,134,255▲1581% | $406,676,915▼9.9% | $408,064,858▼9.8% | 990 |
| 2022 | $358,545,515▲939% | $3,160,591▲15.4% | $451,598,366▲369% | $452,252,817▲368% | 990 |
| 2021 | $34,510,785▼46.9% | $2,737,906▲351% | $96,213,442▲49.3% | $96,543,339▲48.4% | 990 |
| 2020 | $65,047,000 | $606,437 | $64,440,563 | $65,047,000 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2024)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cindy Leeper | Secretary, Treasurer & Coo | 8 | — |
| Greg Nelson | Director | 2 | — |
| Jeannine Sargent | Director | 2 | — |
| Mario Fernandez | Vice President | 20 | — |
| Rich Hossfeld | Director | 2 | — |
| Rodi Guidero | Executive Director | 2 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2024)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Hogan Lovells Us LLP | Legal Services | $738,916 |
| Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP | Legal Services | $235,365 |
| Stikeman Elliott LLP | Legal Services | $177,466 |
| Ramboll Danmark As | Consulting - Due Diligence | $169,644 |
| Hka Global Ltd | Consulting - Due Diligence | $137,650 |
Grants received · $120.0M total
4 grants to Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation totaling $120.0M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Chicago Community Trust | General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes | 2023 | $30,000,000 |
| The Chicago Community Trust | Support to accelerate the deployment of clean technologies | 2022 | $30,000,000 |
| The Chicago Community Trust | To support breakthrough energy catalyst's effort to accelerate deployment of clean technologies in order to achieve net zero by 2050 | 2021 | $30,000,000 |
| The Chicago Community Trust | To support breakthrough energy catalyst's effort to accelerate deployment of clean technologies in order to achieve net zero by 2050 | 2021 | $30,000,000 |
Grants made · $50.0M in FY2023
1 grant totaling $50.0M in FY2023. All grants made by Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Lanzajet Freedom Pines Fuels LLC | Sustainable aviation fuel | $50,000,000 |
Similar organizations in Environment
Environment
Clean and Prosperous America
Seattle, WA
$12.2M
Dannual revenue
Environment
Forterra Nw
Seattle, WA
$12.8M
Bannual revenue
Environment
Great Peninsula Conservancy
Bremerton, WA
$11.0M
Bannual revenue
Environment
Columbia Land Trust
Vancouver, WA
$13.8M
Bannual revenue
Environment
Grist Magazine Inc
Seattle, WA
$10.0M
Bannual revenue
Environment
Whidbey-camano Land Trust
Greenbank, WA
$9.5M
Bannual revenue
Environment
Islandwood
Bainbridge Is, WA
$9.4M
C+annual revenue
- Environment
Clean and Prosperous America Education Fund
Seattle, WA
$8.4M
Cannual revenue
Environment
Partners For Energy Progress
Olympia, WA
$7.9M
Cannual revenue
Environment
Arboretum Foundation
Seattle, WA
$7.9M
Bannual revenue
Compare Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation
Frequently asked questions
- Is Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 85-3677542, based in Kirkland, Washington. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation's EIN?
- Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 85-3677542.
- How much revenue does Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation report?
- Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation reported $12,378,697 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation's spending goes to programs?
- Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation spends about 100% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation have?
- CharityIndex grades Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation C, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation's latest Form 990 is $0, paid to Cindy Leeper (Secretary, Treasurer & Coo).
More nonprofits in Kirkland
Explore more
Data for Breakthrough Energy Catalyst Foundation (EIN 85-3677542) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.