Sierra Club
501(c)(4)
82% goes to programs $6 to raise $100 Strong reserves
Sierra Club is a 501(c)(4) organization based in Oakland, California, registered in 1968, with $169,031,870 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 82% of spending to programs.
2101 Webster St Ste 1300, Oakland, CA, 94612 EIN 94-1153307 Since 1968
Revenue (FY2024)
$169.0M
▼ 2.5% vs prior year
Expenses (FY2024)
$171.8M
Net assets
$111.3M
Employees
940
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
A
AProgram efficiency40% of the rating82% to programs · $6 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 Sierra Club: 82% to programs · $6 to raise $100 earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
AFinancial health25% of the rating8 mo reserves · -2% 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 Sierra Club: 8 mo reserves · -2% margin earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 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 Sierra Club: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ 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 Sierra Club: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
To explore, enjoy, and protect the wild places of the earth, practice & promote responsible use of the earth's ecosystems & resources, educate & enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality of the natural & human environment, and use all lawful means to carry out these objectives.
What they do
Membership, chapter and volunteer activities: support and funding of 64 volunteer led chapters and approximately 446 groups, and the development of a broad-based volunteer membership.
Information and education: calendar & online store, sierra (the organization's magazine), communications group includes print and non-print media activities and digital strategies (mission is to align the online activities and technological investments with the broader strategy and success of the organization).sierra magazine: published 4 issues per year with an average print run in excess of 430,000 magazines.calendar & online store: offered sierra club branded merchandise about nature or the environment for sale directly to the public and other resellers.
Outdoor activities:in 2024, sierra club outings offered impactful outdoor experiences that connected people to nature while advancing environmental education and bringing members to the organization's larger conservation campaigns. through local chapters, groups, and sections, as well as the national outings program and campaign-specific outings, tens of thousands of participants were engaged in ways that deepened their understanding of environmental issues. the inspiring connections outdoors (ico) program, for example, ran 254 trips for 5,127 youth and adults - primarily from underserved communities - providing hands-on environmental education about ecosystems, conservation issues, and the role of public lands in climate resilience. the national outings program offered 195 domestic and 61 international trips to 3,088 participants, integrated learning about local flora, fauna, geology, and conservation history, often incorporating volunteer work like trail restoration to build awareness of how environmental stewardship aligns with sierra club campaigns. local chapters and groups organized approximately 1,334 outings with 4,319 participants, ranging from nature hikes to advocacy training, educating people on pressing regional issues like water conservation, habitat protection, and climate change, and empowering them to take action. the military outdoors program, as part of outdoors for all and supported by local outings, supported veterans and active military members with therapeutic outdoor experiences that promoted healing, conservation, and advocacy. across all programs, sierra club outings not only connected members to nature but also instilled environmental values and a sense of responsibility, reinforcing the club's mission to explore, enjoy, and protect the planet through direct education and alignment with sierra club's conservation goals.chapter allocations: supporting local and state staff time and program costs. local and state activities include public communication and education on climate, environmental and conservation issues; raising awareness about city, county and state policies; mobilizing members and supporters to take action on local and state advocacy initiatives; and hosting community events.
Contact & location
- Address
- 2101 Webster St Ste 1300, Oakland, CA, 94612
- City
- Oakland
- State
- California
- Category
- —
- Subcategory
- —
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $98.2M (FY2013) to $169.0M (FY2024) across 12 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $40.3MNet assets $111.3M
Operating margin
-1.6%
Spent more than it raised in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$151.6M
Total liabilities
$40.3M
Net assets
$111.3M
Salaries & benefits
$106.5M
62% of expenses
Board members
15
14 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $169,031,870▼2.5% | $171,800,410▼0.3% | $111,253,422▲2.6% | $151,587,359▼0.3% | 990 |
| 2023 | $173,425,083▲3.5% | $172,273,486▲1.7% | $108,422,255▲12.9% | $152,083,529▲3.4% | 990 |
| 2022 | $167,540,907▲10.2% | $169,420,068▲11.8% | $96,006,149▼5.5% | $147,100,565▲1.8% | 990 |
| 2021 | $152,093,074▼0.1% | $151,559,247▼1.4% | $101,561,270▲26.7% | $144,480,269▲11.2% | 990 |
| 2020 | $152,278,896▼2.8% | $153,637,760▲2.1% | $80,137,052▼1.7% | $129,884,022▲7.6% | 990 |
| 2019 | $156,717,329▲9.1% | $150,434,351▲6.0% | $81,491,888▲15.6% | $120,762,455▲12.9% | 990 |
| 2018 | $143,677,959▲1.6% | $141,929,492▲10.6% | $70,477,891▼11.7% | $106,933,363 | 990 |
| 2017 | $141,369,673▲21.9% | $128,363,240▲14.1% | $79,859,667▲28.3% | $106,922,520▲20.5% | 990 |
| 2016 | $115,963,544▲6.2% | $112,528,671▲4.3% | $62,266,629▼0.8% | $88,761,690▲7.9% | 990 |
| 2015 | $109,178,887▲4.6% | $107,847,576▲5.6% | $62,768,086▼2.8% | $82,273,496▼3.1% | 990 |
| 2014 | $104,369,291▲6.3% | $102,085,719▲4.3% | $64,608,211▲1.9% | $84,867,399▲3.0% | 990 |
| 2013 | $98,154,894 | $97,891,373▼3.6% | $63,404,147▲11.4% | $82,374,347▲3.5% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $101,515,991▲11.3% | $56,937,718▲9.1% | $79,578,841▲6.3% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $91,229,511▲4.5% | $52,209,573▲3.7% | $74,878,222▲9.4% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $87,299,929 | $50,346,255 | $68,425,262 | 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)
Highest-paid: Eva Hernandez — $463,501 (0.27% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eva Hernandez | Managing Director (thru 3/24) | 50 | $463,501 |
| Benjamin Jealous | Executive Director | 50 | $447,435 |
| Aida Davis | Chief People Officer | 50 | $354,228 |
| Ana Yanez Correa | Deputy Executive Director | 50 | $351,988 |
| Phillip Radford | Chief Strategy Officer | 50 | $335,540 |
| Erica Mckinley | Chief Legal Officer, Asst Secretary | 50 | $326,059 |
| Michael Parrish | Coo, Asst Secretary | 50 | $322,495 |
| Kevin Harris | Dep Mgn Dir & Chief Comms Officer | 50 | $304,079 |
| Adrienne Frazier | Cfo, Assistant Treasurer | 50 | $298,860 |
| Shabina Bahl | Chief Advancement Officer | 50 | $290,227 |
| Joanne Spalding | Legal Director, Environ Law Prog | 50 | $280,516 |
| Nadine Wilburn | Gen Couns Employ/sr Dir Labor Rel | 50 | $272,816 |
| Kristin Macklin | Deputy Cfo, Assistant Treasurer | 50 | $259,800 |
| Holly Bender | Chief Campaign Officer | 50 | $252,153 |
| Mikaela King | Chief of Membership Growth | 50 | $251,785 |
| Kia Brown | Chief of Volunteer Experience | 50 | $249,770 |
| Whitney Pearson | Deputy Field Director (thru 9/24) | 50 | $246,630 |
| Rahel Melaku | Sr Dir Fin Planning & Anlys/asst Sec | 50 | $215,827 |
| Loren Blackford | Sr. Adv(thru 4/24), Acting Dep Ed | 50 | $212,559 |
| Anne Kenney | Dir, Fin Anlys & Bdgt Sys/asst Sec | 50 | $166,815 |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2024)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Huron Consulting Services LLC | Consultant - Advisory | $1,500,000 |
| M&r Strategic Services | Consultant - Fundraising | $1,262,132 |
| Google Inc | Technology - Software | $1,138,233 |
| Public Outreach Fundraising LLC | Consultant - Fundraising | $823,553 |
| Dilworth Paxson LLP | Consultant - Legal Services | $814,235 |
Grants received · $727.9M total
50 grants to Sierra Club totaling $727.9M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra Club Foundation | Promote environmental awareness and education. | 2025 | $43,795,738 |
| Sixteen Thirty Fund | Environmental programs | 2024 | $3,840,000 |
| Advocacy Action Fund Inc | Support for energy policy advocacy | 2024 | $250,000 |
| Sierra Club Foundation | Environmental education | 2023 | $95,919,977 |
| Sixteen Thirty Fund | Environmental programs | 2023 | $1,430,000 |
| Multiplier | Transmission solutions for a clean energy future | 2023 | $360,000 |
| Beyond Impact | Environmental advocacy | 2023 | $80,000 |
| National Wildlife Federation | Conservation assistance | 2023 | $23,657 |
| Sierra Club Foundation | Environmental education | 2022 | $94,050,499 |
| Sixteen Thirty Fund | Environmental programs | 2022 | $1,723,333 |
| Breakthrough Energy Action Inc | Advancing industrial decarb policy | 2022 | $950,000 |
| Climateworks Foundation | Lobbying & project support | 2022 | $400,000 |
| Open Society Policy Center Inc | Support policy advocacy | 2022 | $90,000 |
| Advocacy Action Fund Inc | To support outreach program | 2022 | $50,000 |
| National Wildlife Federation | Conservation assistance | 2022 | $20,400 |
Grants made · $616K in FY2024
37 grants totaling $616K in FY2024 — showing the 15 largest. All grants made by Sierra Club →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Texas Conservation Alliance | Environmental protection | $100,000 |
| Southern Sector Rising | Environmental protection | $76,765 |
| Noto2org | Environmental protection | $50,000 |
| Rotary Reach Foundation Inc | Environmental protection | $24,329 |
| Sierra Nevada Alliance | Environmental protection | $20,000 |
| Greenlatinos | Environmental protection | $20,000 |
| Mountain Watershed Association | Environmental protection | $18,571 |
| Right To the City Alliance Inc | Environmental protection | $15,000 |
| Lewis and Clark College | Environmental protection | $15,000 |
| Pennsylvania Bat Rescue | Environmental protection | $14,625 |
| The Merrill W Linn Land & Waterways Conservancy | Environmental protection | $14,386 |
| Three Rivers Waterkeeper Inc | Environmental protection | $14,138 |
| Sequoia Forestkeeper | Environmental protection | $13,000 |
| Person County Community Action Network | Environmental protection | $13,000 |
| Sophie Gerson Heathly Youth | Environmental protection | $12,000 |
Frequently asked questions
- Is Sierra Club a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Sierra Club is a 501(c)(4) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 94-1153307, based in Oakland, California.
- What is Sierra Club's EIN?
- Sierra Club's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 94-1153307.
- How much revenue does Sierra Club report?
- Sierra Club reported $169,031,870 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Sierra Club's spending goes to programs?
- Sierra Club spends about 82% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Sierra Club have?
- CharityIndex grades Sierra Club A, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Sierra Club's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Sierra Club's latest Form 990 is $463,501, paid to Eva Hernandez (Managing Director (thru 3/24)).
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Data for Sierra Club (EIN 94-1153307) 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.