Sierra Club Foundation
84% goes to programs $23 to raise $100 Strong reserves Declining revenue
Sierra Club Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Oakland, California, registered in 1962, with $31,947,339 in FY2025 revenue. CharityIndex grades it C, and it directs about 84% of spending to programs.
2101 Webster St Ste 1250, Oakland, CA, 94612 EIN 94-6069890 Since 1962
Revenue (FY2025)
$31.9M
▼ 64.1% vs prior year
Environment median: $250K
Expenses (FY2025)
$53.1M
Net assets
$164.6M
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 →AProgram efficiency40% of the rating84% to programs · $23 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 Foundation: 84% to programs · $23 to raise $100 earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
FFinancial health25% of the rating37 mo reserves · -66% 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 Foundation: 37 mo reserves · -66% margin earns a F 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 Foundation: 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 Foundation: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
Educate and empower people to protect and improve the natural and human environment.
What they do
Beyond coal - the long-term goal of this program is to reverse the social, economic, and environmental damage caused by global climate change by decarbonizing the electric grid by 80 percent by 2030. the program's specific goals - working in partnership with allied organizations - are to help transition aging and uneconomic coal plants towards cleaner altenatives that also benefit the local community.
National education project - this project educates, engages, and mobilizes the public in administrative advocacy about a range of environmental issues to advance the sierra club's strategic framework; provides program, operations, and management support to implement the charitable projects of the sierra club; and works in coalition and in partnership with local communities and groups to advance outcomes at the intersection of climate, social, and racial justice. it is a project through which the sierra club foundation works to achieve its mission to educate and empower people to protect and improve the natural and human environment.
The sierra club foundation provides a broad range of additional grants to support charitable, education, scientific, literary and legal endeavors that further its charitable mission.
Contact & location
- Address
- 2101 Webster St Ste 1250, Oakland, CA, 94612
- City
- Oakland
- State
- California
- Category
- Environment
- Subcategory
- Natural Resources Conservation
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue declined from $58.5M (FY2013) to $31.9M (FY2025) across 11 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2025)
Liabilities $27.0MNet assets $164.6M
Operating margin
-66.3%
Spent more than it raised in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$191.6M
Total liabilities
$27.0M
Net assets
$164.6M
Salaries & benefits
$1.2M
2% of expenses
Board members
14
14 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $31,947,339▼64.1% | $53,130,891▼53.2% | $164,601,188▼1.8% | $191,559,701▼3.9% | 990 |
| 2023 | $89,068,739▲1.5% | $113,468,024 | $167,535,669▼5.3% | $199,302,924▼4.2% | 990 |
| 2022 | $87,746,859▼19.2% | $113,448,406▲14.5% | $176,944,324▼24.4% | $207,976,050▼23.8% | 990 |
| 2021 | $108,646,694▲13.6% | $99,059,202▲5.0% | $233,914,116▲9.0% | $273,113,077▲11.6% | 990 |
| 2020 | $95,601,203▼20.7% | $94,298,604▲0.4% | $214,566,516▲12.1% | $244,757,583▲9.8% | 990 |
| 2019 | $120,488,815▲14.6% | $93,907,405▲10.6% | $191,476,286▲29.9% | $222,847,989▲28.7% | 990 |
| 2018 | $105,160,363▲47.0% | $84,933,888▲16.5% | $147,449,546▲8.9% | $173,105,225▲9.4% | 990 |
| 2017 | $71,524,157▼21.3% | $72,890,348▲14.9% | $135,379,336▲19.6% | $158,248,704▲20.2% | 990 |
| 2015 | $90,844,476▲46.2% | $63,424,535▲6.6% | $113,229,011▲27.1% | $131,703,574▲21.2% | 990 |
| 2014 | $62,137,742▲6.2% | $59,473,151▲3.5% | $89,083,509▲3.8% | $108,668,865▲2.2% | 990 |
| 2013 | $58,503,816 | $57,443,349▲1.4% | $85,855,136▲7.8% | $106,287,022▲7.4% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $56,641,344▲8.8% | $79,623,061▼3.6% | $98,974,748▼2.8% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $52,044,136▼1.7% | $82,622,389▼9.9% | $101,873,803▼5.1% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $52,921,604 | $91,696,483 | $107,326,908 | 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 (FY2025)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agana Moreno | Director of Finance | 40 | — |
| Allison Chin | Director (thru 5/30/25) | 1 | — |
| Christian Okoye | Director (thru 5/30/25) | 1 | — |
| Dan Chu | Executive Director | 40 | — |
| Eva Kathleen Schulte | Vice Chair | 3 | — |
| Gabe Gonzalez | Director | 1 | — |
| Jennie Palmer | Dir. of Admin & Board Relations | 40 | — |
| Jon Carson | Director | 1 | — |
| Kathleen Simpson | Treasurer | 3 | — |
| Kevin Mcgahan | Chief Financial Officer | 40 | — |
| Mahlet Getachew | Director | 1 | — |
| Mark Walters | Member-at-large | 3 | — |
| Patrick Murphy | Director | 1 | — |
| Paul Rissman | Director | 1 | — |
| Peter Liu | Director | 1 | — |
| Rebekah Saul Butler | Secretary | 3 | — |
| Robin Mann | Chair | 3 | — |
| Ross Macfarlane | Director | 1 | — |
| Sanjay Ranchod | Director (thru 3/7/25) | 1 | — |
| Stacey Faella | Director | 1 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2023)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| The Raben Group | Communication Services | $166,880 |
| Caplin & Drysdale | Legal Fees | $136,251 |
| Kpmg LLP | Audit Fees | $127,904 |
| Avivar Capital LLC | Investment Advisory Services | $125,000 |
| Fund Evaluation Group | Investment Fees | $100,156 |
Grants received · $309.2M total
693 grants to Sierra Club Foundation totaling $309.2M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Climate Imperative Foundation | Environmental protection | 2024 | $23,050,000 |
| United States Energy Foundation | To promote education and analysis on the benefits of clean transportation. to promote education and analysis to advance energy optimization. to support education and outreach to build a clean energy future. | 2024 | $1,626,666 |
| Foundation For the Carolinas | Charitable gift | 2024 | $1,000,000 |
| Climateworks Foundation | To protect the climate, reduce pollution, and strengthen economies ($450,000); to support the global transition to clean transportation ($300,000) | 2024 | $750,000 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $691,416 |
| Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Inc | Environment | 2024 | $691,095 |
| Sunrise Project Inc | General support | 2024 | $640,000 |
| Tides Foundation | Sustainable environment | 2024 | $595,000 |
| Breakthrough Energy Foundation | Policy implementation | 2024 | $400,000 |
| American Endowment Foundation | Environmental | 2024 | $173,010 |
| Amalgamated Charitable Foundation Inc | General operating support and project support | 2024 | $166,000 |
| Maine Community Foundation Inc | Environment | 2024 | $160,469 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2024 | $140,000 |
| The Us Charitable Gift Trust | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2024 | $137,105 |
| Greater Horizons | Environment & animals | 2024 | $108,200 |
Grants made · $44.4M in FY2025
12 grants totaling $44.4M in FY2025. All grants made by Sierra Club Foundation →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Sierra Club | Promote environmental awareness and education. | $43,795,738 |
| Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago | Support for the charles e. and deborah frank family fund. | $247,904 |
| For A Better Bayou | Provide info for southwest louisiana's energy transition and funding opportunities. | $50,000 |
| Atmos Ltd | Podcast with experts to educate on a climate transformation. | $50,000 |
| Center For Progressive Reform Inc | Public education on zero emission heating equipment standards. | $50,000 |
| West Virginia Citizen Action Education Fund Inc | Expand utility justice organizing in areas of low-wealth and communities of color. | $50,000 |
| Confluence Philanthropy Inc | Support a network of over 270 foundations for transformative investment. | $30,000 |
| Blue Sky Institure | Fund utah youth environmental solutions training for water justice leaders. | $25,000 |
| The Aspen Institute Inc | Support native american youth participation in outdoors alliance for kids week. | $25,000 |
| Tribal Link Foundation Inc | Support for resilience circles initiative to enhance well-being of indigenous communities. | $20,000 |
| The Crane Institute of Sustainability Inc | Promote fiduciary duty case for climate justice through expert convenings and guidance. | $20,000 |
| Audubon Society of New York State Inc | Support teen conservation ambassadors program for coastal habitat restoration. | $6,250 |
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Frequently asked questions
- Is Sierra Club Foundation a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Sierra Club Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 94-6069890, based in Oakland, California. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Sierra Club Foundation's EIN?
- Sierra Club Foundation's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 94-6069890.
- How much revenue does Sierra Club Foundation report?
- Sierra Club Foundation reported $31,947,339 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2025 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Sierra Club Foundation's spending goes to programs?
- Sierra Club Foundation spends about 84% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Sierra Club Foundation have?
- CharityIndex grades Sierra Club Foundation C, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Sierra Club Foundation's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Sierra Club Foundation's latest Form 990 is $0, paid to Agana Moreno (Director of Finance).
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Data for Sierra Club Foundation (EIN 94-6069890) 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.