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RESILIENT CITIES CATALYST INC

BROOKLYN, NY · EIN 842340905 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE C32 · Environment · Medium ($1M-$10M) · rcc.city
revenue
$3.5M
expenses
$4.3M
net assets
$6.2M
employees
17
volunteers
6
program ratio
79%
mission · from form 990

HELP CITIES AND COMMUNITIES CREATE CATALYTIC CHANGE TO SOLVE THEIR MOST PRESSING CHALLENGES.

profile · synthesized from sources

Resilient Cities Catalyst Inc. helps cities and communities build resilience to climate change and other 21st-century challenges through cross-sector collaboration, project design, and capacity building. The organization works with local governments and community-based organizations to co-design and implement resilience initiatives, focusing on equitable and sustainable neighborhood outcomes. It operates globally, with projects in the U.S. and across multiple countries.

named programs · 7 · from sources

What they call their work

Cities Forward
Peer-to-peer exchange and capacity-building program pairing 12 Latin American and Caribbean cities with 12 U.S. cities to jointly develop solutions for sustainability and resilience challenges.
Gold Standard/RCC Climate Adaptation Project Standard
Global standard providing a framework for climate adaptation project development, including hazard analysis, project design, and adaptive management.
Marshall Plan For Middle America (MP4MA) Summit
Regional initiative convening mayors and stakeholders across the Appalachian region to advance resilience and equitable development goals.
Project Preparation Program
Supports communities in preparing impactful resilience projects by strengthening project narratives, identifying co-benefits, and connecting with funders and investors.
Resilience Advisory
Provides tailored advisory services to governments, foundations, and corporations on resilience planning, risk assessment, and capacity building.
Resilient Neighborhoods Program
Builds cross-sector coalitions to co-design and implement climate resilience projects in vulnerable urban neighborhoods, focusing on equity and long-term sustainability.
UN Habitat Cities Investment Facility (CIF)
Global initiative providing expertise in project leadership and innovative finance advisory to support urban resilience project implementation.
activities · 6 groups

What they do

  • Urban Resilience Planning & Advocacy 10 activities
    • Advancing city commitments to resilience action
      Completed 77 resilience strategies globally that led to city commitments to implement more than 3,000 concrete resilience actions, driving policy and planning change.
    • Co-designing urban resilience hubs and pilot programs
      Co-designing and launching localized resilience initiatives such as Houston's first resilience hub in Kashmere Gardens and an urban heat pilot program in East Tampa, working directly with city agencies and community organizations.
    • Co-publishing advocacy reports on urban resilience
      Co-published reports advocating for bold implementation of proven solutions to address critical urban challenges such as urban fire risks.
    • Conducting research on climate hazards and economic impacts
      Produces research reports and assessments on climate hazards, regional priorities, and economic valuations—such as analyses of sea-level rise, urban heat vulnerability, and coastal assets—to inform resilience investment decisions.
    • Developing resilience plans, strategies, and roadmaps
      Developed 17 comprehensive plans, strategies, and roadmaps to guide citywide and community-level priority actions, including city-specific resilience frameworks such as Tampa’s first resilience roadmap.
    • Developing tools and standards for climate adaptation
      Develops transformative tools and international standards for climate adaptation, including guidance on hazard analysis, project design, and team formation, used in city resilience planning globally.
    • Implementing regional-scale resilience projects through collaboration
      Implements high-impact, multi-benefit resilience projects at regional scales by designing, funding, or directly implementing 227 projects across diverse geographies using cross-sector collaboration.
    • Operating international peer-exchange and capacity programs
      Co-launched Cities Forward, a peer-to-peer exchange program that pairs 12 Latin American and Caribbean cities with 12 U.S. cities to co-develop project designs and address shared resilience challenges.
    • Providing advisory services on resilience planning
      Provides advisory services to governments, foundations, and corporations on resilience planning using participatory processes and a suite of custom tools to assess risks, design initiatives, and build implementation capacity.
    • Supporting development of city resilience frameworks
      Supports local governments and communities in developing Resilience Roadmaps, disaster recovery plans, and community-led resilience frameworks, including long-term engagement with cities like Tampa since 2019.
  • Global Sustainability Convenings & Forums 2 activities
    • Convening practitioners and community members for resilience solutions
      Has convened over 10,000 diverse practitioners and community members to develop resilience solutions and exchange best practices through structured forums and collaborative platforms.
    • Hosting summits to advance regional resilience
      Hosted the virtual Marshall Plan for Middle America (MP4MA) Summit with mayors from the Appalachian region to advance regional sustainability and resilience goals.
  • Community Capacity Building & Leadership Networks 1 activity
    • Activating multi-sector partnerships for resilience capacity
      Activated 66 partnerships among community-based organizations, municipalities, governments, companies, and funders to establish durable resilience infrastructure and implementation capacity.
  • Charitable Grantmaking to Specific Causes 1 activity
    • Funding resilience projects in communities worldwide
      Directed $771 million toward the implementation of resilience projects in communities globally, supporting on-the-ground initiatives through financial investment and strategic partnerships.
  • Climate Finance Advisory & Research 1 activity
    • Serving as implementation partner for UN Habitat’s Investment Advisory Platform
      Provides project leadership, program development, and innovative finance advisory services as a core implementation partner for UN Habitat’s Cities Investment Facility (CIF) Investment Advisory Platform.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Delivering resilience capacity-building programs
      Delivered over 20,000 hours of customized resilience training and facilitated 282 technical collaborations between cities and partners to strengthen local planning and implementation capabilities.
    • Mobilizing funding for resilience through advocacy
      Leveraged $25 billion from national, local, private, and philanthropic sources to support resilience projects by advocating for investment in proven solutions and systemic change.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$3.48M
Contributions & grants$3.09M89%
Program service revenue$304K9%
Investment income$78K2%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$4.27M
Program expenses79%
Admin / overhead12%
Fundraising9%
Salaries & benefits$2.53M
Grants paid out$463K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$6.74M
Cash$2.30M
Investments$0
Liabilities$503K
Net assets$6.24M
Liquid reserves6.5 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -49.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 10
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
SAMUEL CARTER FOUNDING PRINCIPAL 40 $251K
ANDREW SALKIN BOARD TREASURER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR 40 $240K
JAMES BRUGMANN FOUNDING PRINCIPAL 40 $236K
CORINNE LETOURNEAU FOUNDING PRINCIPAL 40 $233K
PAUL NELSON FOUNDING PRINCIPAL 40 $232K
AMENEE SIAHPUSH DIRECTOR, IMPACT & PROGRAM DESIGN 40 $159K
ANNA FRIEDMAN DIRECTOR, POLICY AND PROGRAMS 40 $158K
GARIMA PRASAI DIRECTOR, PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT & STRATEGIC INITIATI 40 $148K
CANDELARIA MAS POHMAJEVIC ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR 40 $126K
MARIE BANZON ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, OPERATIONS 40 $125K
board members · 5
  • CARLOS MARTIN — DIRECTOR
  • CHRISTINE HEENAN — DIRECTOR
  • HENK OVINK — DIRECTOR
  • JUDITH RODIN — BOARD CHAIR
  • LT GENERAL THOMAS BOSTICK RETIRED — DIRECTOR
relationships · 35

Who they work with

  • 100 Resilient Cities Network — Formed by members of the 100 Resilient Cities leadership team to continue and expand upon its legacy.
  • 100 Resilient Cities Network — Predecessor initiative whose leadership team continues the work through Resilient Cities Catalyst.
  • California Partner — Collaborates on regional resilience initiatives as part of the Regional Resilience Partnerships program.
  • City of Houston Partner — Collaborating to co-design and launch Houston’s first resilience hub in the Kashmere Gardens neighborhood.
  • City of Pittsburgh Partner — Collaborating city in the development of a heat-energy vulnerability index and participant in the MP4MA Summit.
  • City of Tampa Partner — Collaborated with RCC to develop Tampa's first resilience roadmap.
  • City of Tampa Partner — Collaborating since 2019 to develop, deliver, and implement the Resilient Tampa Roadmap and launch an urban heat pilot program in East Tampa.
  • Climate Resolve Partner — Collaborated on publishing a report about urban fire resilience solutions.
  • Google Partner — Partner in developing a heat-energy vulnerability index using artificial intelligence in Pittsburgh.
  • Heal the Ocean Partner — Collaborated on research assessing climate resilience in the Goleta Slough region.
  • Heartland Strategies Partner — Local partner in advancing the Marshall Plan for Middle America (MP4MA) Summit.
  • ICLEI Partner — Co-launcher of the Cities Forward program and collaborator on the heat-energy vulnerability index project in Pittsburgh.
  • Institute of the Americas Partner — Co-launcher of the Cities Forward program.
  • Integral Consulting LLC Partner — Co-authored a report on climate hazards and regional priorities in the Goleta Slough coastal area.
  • Midwest Climate Adaptation Partnership Partner — Engages in regional climate adaptation efforts through the Regional Resilience Partnerships program.
  • NHA Advisors Partner — Conducted a financial analysis commissioned by Resilient Cities Catalyst on Oceanside Beach as an economic asset.
  • Northeast Houston Redevelopment Council Partner — Collaborating to co-design and launch Houston’s first resilience hub in the Kashmere Gardens neighborhood.
  • Reimagine Appalachia Partner — Local partner in advancing the Marshall Plan for Middle America (MP4MA) Summit.
  • Tidal Influence Partner — Partnered on the Goleta Slough coastal resilience study.
  • UCSB Ocean & Coastal Policy Center Partner — Co-authored a report on climate hazards and regional priorities in the Goleta Slough coastal area.
  • UN Habitat Partner — Core implementation partner in establishing the Cities Investment Facility (CIF) Investment Advisory Platform.
  • US State Department Funder — Funder of the Cities Forward program.
  • University of South Florida Partner — Collaborating to launch an urban heat pilot program in East Tampa.
  • Willdan Financial Services Partner — Co-produced a financial analysis commissioned by Resilient Cities Catalyst on coastal resilience investment in Oceanside.
  • cities across the globe Partner — Collaborates with cities globally to address urban resilience challenges
  • community based organizations Partner — Collaborates with community-based organizations to activate partnerships and build resilience capacity
  • community based organizations Partner — Partnered with community-based organizations to establish lasting resilience capacity
  • companies Partner — Engages companies as partners in building community resilience through funded and implemented projects
  • companies Partner — Partnered with companies to establish lasting resilience capacity
  • funders Funder — Collaborates with funders to direct resources toward resilience project implementation
+ 5 more
strategies · 4

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Catalytic Change Model
    methodology: catalytic_change_model
    By identifying high-leverage intervention points in urban systems, we produce transformational resilience outcomes because targeted actions create ripple effects that address root causes of systemic vulnerability.
  • Cross-Sector Partnership Activation
    methodology: cross-sector-partnerships
    By convening governments, community organizations, and private sector actors to co-develop solutions, we build durable resilience capacity because shared ownership increases innovation, resource mobilization, and implementation effectiveness.
  • Integrated Resilience Planning at Multiple Scales
    methodology: integrated_assessment_planning_action
    By aligning assessment, planning, and action across neighborhood, city, regional, and global levels, we produce more adaptive and equitable urban systems because complex challenges require coordinated responses that bridge jurisdictional and institutional boundaries.
  • Participatory Co-Design for Local Ownership
    methodology: co-design
    By using collaborative workshops and tailored planning processes to co-develop resilience strategies with stakeholders, we increase project legitimacy and long-term success because community-informed design ensures relevance, equity, and sustained engagement.