Breakthrough Energy Foundation
100% goes to programs $0 to raise $100 Strong reserves Declining revenue
Breakthrough Energy Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Kirkland, Washington, registered in 2021, with $32,501,173 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it C, and it directs about 100% of spending to programs.
Po Box 563, Kirkland, WA, 98083 EIN 85-3672460 Since 2021
Revenue (FY2024)
$32.5M
▼ 71.8% vs prior year
Public Benefit median: $140K
Expenses (FY2024)
$109.3M
Net assets
$68.0M
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 Foundation: 100% to programs · $0 to raise $100 earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
FFinancial health25% of the rating7 mo reserves · -236% 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 Foundation: 7 mo reserves · -236% 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 Foundation: 3 of 6 checks met earns a C+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Transparency10% of the rating5 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 Foundation: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
Breakthrough energy is accelerating transformation by supporting cutting-edge research and development, investing in companies that turn green ideas into clean products, and advocating for policies that speed innovation from lab to market. through investment vehicles, philanthropic programs, policy and advocacy efforts, and other initiatives, breakthrough energy works with a global network of partners to accelerate the technologies we need to build a carbon-free economy.
What they do
Many of the solutions we need to build a clean energy future are either in their infancy or do not yet exist. so, the first step in out-innovating climate change is to support solutions where they start: discovery. our global breakthrough energy fellows program offers early-stage innovators support to bridge the gap from lab to market.
Contact & location
- Address
- Po Box 563, Kirkland, WA, 98083
- City
- Kirkland
- State
- Washington
- Category
- Public & Societal Benefit
- Subcategory
- Public Utilities
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue declined from $265.2M (FY2020) to $32.5M (FY2024) across 5 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $7.2MNet assets $68.0M
Operating margin
-236.2%
Spent more than it raised in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$75.2M
Total liabilities
$7.2M
Net assets
$68.0M
Salaries & benefits
$0
0% of expenses
Board members
2
2 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $32,501,173▼71.8% | $109,280,588▲1.4% | $67,986,763▼53.1% | $75,179,533▼49.7% | 990 |
| 2023 | $115,229,753▲2051% | $107,742,439▼13.3% | $144,961,050▲7.3% | $149,387,605▼1.4% | 990 |
| 2022 | $5,356,937▼89.9% | $124,246,345▲96.3% | $135,108,324▼46.8% | $151,460,317▼44.4% | 990 |
| 2021 | $53,009,802▼80.0% | $63,309,136▲7826% | $254,124,328▼3.9% | $272,263,093▲2.7% | 990 |
| 2020 | $265,222,424 | $798,762 | $264,423,662 | $265,129,750 | 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 | 6 | — |
| Greg Nelson | Director | 1 | — |
| Michael Boots | Evp | 4 | — |
| Rodi Guidero | Managing Director | 2 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2024)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Rhodium Group | Research & Analysis | $3,267,762 |
| PC Events and Experiences LLC | Event Planning | $584,102 |
| Penta Group LLC | Media Strategy & Execution | $491,565 |
| The Boston Consulting Group Inc | Research & Analysis | $300,000 |
| Climate Strategy Sl | Advocacy Services | $212,428 |
Grants received · $38.1M total
6 grants to Breakthrough Energy Foundation totaling $38.1M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neo Philanthropy Inc | Program grant | 2024 | $23,580,000 |
| Silicon Valley Community Foundation | Community development | 2024 | $100,000 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Public, societal benefit | 2023 | $3,250,000 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2023 | $1,000,000 |
| Windward Fund | Environmental programs | 2023 | $150,000 |
| Silicon Valley Community Foundation | Community development | 2021 | $10,000,000 |
Grants made · $71.9M in FY2024
149 grants totaling $71.9M in FY2024 — showing the 15 largest. All grants made by Breakthrough Energy Foundation →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Rf Catalytic Capital Inc | Policy implementation | $10,306,054 |
| Multiplier | Policy development | $5,000,000 |
| Breakthrough Energy Action Inc | Policy development | $4,021,314 |
| University of Chicago | Cleantech exploration | $2,500,000 |
| Rocky Mountain Institute | Policy development | $2,105,050 |
| Mars Materials Inc | Cleantech r&d | $2,062,015 |
| Great Plains Institute For Sustainable Development | Policy implementation | $1,750,000 |
| Aikido Technologies Inc | Cleantech r&d | $1,687,260 |
| Takachar | Cleantech r&d | $1,571,129 |
| Third Way Institute | Policy development | $1,480,000 |
| Hgen | Cleantech r&d | $1,458,165 |
| Chemfinity | Cleantech r&d | $1,312,333 |
| Conduit Tech Inc | Cleantech r&d | $1,308,386 |
| Phase Biolabs Inc | Cleantech r&d | $1,269,221 |
| Clearpath Inc | Policy implementation | $1,238,520 |
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Frequently asked questions
- Is Breakthrough Energy Foundation a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Breakthrough Energy Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 85-3672460, based in Kirkland, Washington. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Breakthrough Energy Foundation's EIN?
- Breakthrough Energy Foundation's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 85-3672460.
- How much revenue does Breakthrough Energy Foundation report?
- Breakthrough Energy Foundation reported $32,501,173 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Breakthrough Energy Foundation's spending goes to programs?
- Breakthrough Energy Foundation spends about 100% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Breakthrough Energy Foundation have?
- CharityIndex grades Breakthrough Energy Foundation C, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Breakthrough Energy Foundation's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Breakthrough Energy Foundation's latest Form 990 is $0, paid to Cindy Leeper (Secretary & Treasurer).
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Data for Breakthrough Energy Foundation (EIN 85-3672460) 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.