irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $1.40MTHE SDG ACADEMY IS SDSN ASSOCIATION'S FLAGSHIP EDUCATION INITIATIVE. WE BRING TOGETHER THE WORLD'S EXPERTS TO CREATE AND DELIVER EDUCATIONAL CONTENT ON CRITICAL ISSUES FOR THE FUTURE OF PEOPLE AND PLANET, INCLUDING HEALTH, EDUCATION, CLIMATE CHANGE, AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SYSTEMS, AND SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT. THE SDG ACADEMY DEVELOPS AND DISTRIBUTES FREE ONLINE EDUCATION MATERIALS ON THE SDGS FOR A GLOBAL AUDIENCE.
- #2 $942KTHE SDSN ASSOCIATION'S NETWORK IS A GLOBAL SYSTEM OF NATIONAL AND REGIONAL NETWORKS INCLUDING THE SDSN YOUTH PROGRAM THAT MOBILIZES THE KNOWLEDGE COMMUNITY FOR ACTION ON THE SDGS. THE SDSN WORKS WITH MEMBER INSTITUTIONS IN COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD. EACH NETWORK FOCUSES ON DISTINCT PROJECTS AND PRIORITIES IN LINE WITH THEIR LOCAL CONTEXTS AND CHALLENGES.
named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
SDG Academy
Flagship education initiative providing free online courses on sustainable development topics including climate change, health, education, and sustainable investment, created in collaboration with global experts.
SDSN Youth
Global program mobilizing young people and student networks to engage with the SDGs through education, research, and advocacy initiatives.
Science Panel for the Amazon
Initiative advancing scientific research and policy analysis to support sustainable development and environmental protection in the Amazon region.
Sustainable Development Report (SDR)
Annual report ranking all UN Member States on the SDGs, featuring the SDG Index and Dashboards, and tracking global support for multilateralism through the UN-Mi Index.
World Happiness Report
Annual publication and research initiative measuring global happiness and wellbeing, used to inform policy on social development and quality of life.
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Global Sustainability Convenings & Forums 2 activities
- Organize high-level advocacy events at global forumsCo-organizes and hosts advocacy events around major UN forums, including Science Day and side events at the UN High-Level Political Forum, and pre-COP31 webinars and dialogues, to strengthen science-policy collaboration, advance clean energy transitions, promote climate finance, and discuss post-2030 development governance.
- Produce the World Happiness Report and convene the Global Happiness CouncilProduces the annual World Happiness Report and hosts the Global Happiness Council as part of its programs focused on wellbeing and quality-of-life metrics in sustainable development.
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Organizational DEI Capacity Building 1 activity
- Advance DEI and gender equity within the organizationEstablished a staff-led Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee (DEIBC) in 2020, published a DEIB Committee Charter in 2023, and developed a Gender Equality Plan to institutionalize inclusive policies and practices across organizational structure and culture.
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Economic and Financial Research 1 activity
- Conduct research on sustainable development pathways and policy solutionsConducts science-based research and policy analysis to translate evidence into actionable solutions for sustainable development, including work on climate change (e.g., Deep Decarbonization Pathways Project), food systems, data for sustainable development, and wellbeing. Research has informed international negotiations such as COP21 and the adoption of SDGs.
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Climate Change Research and Advocacy Funding 1 activity
- Fund core operations and programs through diversified grantmaking partnershipsFunds its research, advocacy, and capacity-building programs through a diversified portfolio of financial support from philanthropic foundations, bilateral and multilateral government partners, academic institutions, and project-specific grants to advance SDG implementation and Paris Agreement goals.
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Facility-Based Service Delivery 1 activity
- Maintain global operational presenceOperates offices in New York (USA), Paris (France), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), and Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) to support regional engagement and global program delivery.
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Regional Chapter Network Support 1 activity
- Operate a global network of national and regional SDSN chaptersManages a global system of 59 national and regional networks with over 2,100 member institutions, including universities, research centers, and civil society organizations, to mobilize knowledge institutions for SDG action. Includes specialized initiatives such as SDSN Youth.
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Uncategorized 3 activities
- Deliver open-access education on sustainable development via the SDG AcademyDevelops and distributes free online educational materials through the SDG Academy, creating over 50 courses that have reached more than one million learners in 190 countries.
- Host Secretariat functions for the SDSNHosts and manages the SDSN Secretariat to support the coordination of programs, projects, and network activities globally, including managing donor and partner relations and ensuring compliance with U.S. and international laws.
- Produce the Sustainable Development Report and SDG IndexAnnually produces the Sustainable Development Report and the SDG Index and Dashboards, which assess and rank all UN Member States on their performance across the 17 Sustainable Development Goals using nearly 250,000 data points. Also publishes Local Indices Reports and supports global SDG monitoring and accountability.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$9.21M
Contributions & grants$7.59M82%
Program service revenue$1.59M17%
Investment income$9580%
Other revenue$26K
expenses
Total expenses$11.38M
Program expenses73%
Admin / overhead25%
Fundraising2%
Salaries & benefits$6.69M
Grants paid out$917K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$6.19M
Cash$4.61M
Investments$0
Liabilities$2.58M
Net assets$3.61M
Liquid reserves4.9 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -3.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 9
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| EMMA TORRES | VP AMERICAS AND HEAD OF NY OFFICE | 40 | $234K |
| STACEY CLARK | VP OF OPERATIONS | 40 | $212K |
| WING WOO | VP ASIA/HEAD OF KUALA LUMPUR OFFICE | 40 | $186K |
| GUILLAUME LAFORTUNE | VP & HEAD OF PARIS OFFICE | 40 | $177K |
| LUCIA RODRIGUEZ | DIRECTOR, MDP | 40 | $161K |
| AMBER D WEBB | MANAGING DIRECTOR, SDG ACADEMY | 40 | $157K |
| MARIA CORTES PUCH | VP OF NETWORK PROGRAM | 40 | $150K |
| CECIL HAVERKAMP | DIR, FELD PROGRAMME; CO-DIR, FOOD/LA | 40 | $127K |
| ELENA CRETE | HEAD OF THE CLIMATE & ENERGY PROGRAM | 40 | $119K |
board members · 8
- ANIKET SHAH — TREASURER/CHAIR OF FIN & AUDIT COMMIT
- BETSEE PARKER — DIRECTOR
- JEFFREY D SACHS — PRESIDENT
- JENNIFER GROSS — DIRECTOR
- JOHN THWAITES — CHAIRPERSON
- KERRY KENNEDY — DIRECTOR
- LAN XUE — DIRECTOR
- WILLIAM HYNES — DIRECTOR
relationships · 79
Who they work with
- ASEAN Coalition — Participates in ASEAN-led energy initiatives including the ASEAN Power Grid and the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC).
- Academic Institutions Partner — Partners with academic institutions globally on research, education, and wellbeing initiatives including the World Happiness Report.
- Beyond Lab Partner — Co-hosted a roundtable dialogue on the post-2030 development agenda with SDSN Japan, Germany, and the Netherlands.
- Bezos Earth Fund Funder — Financial supporter of SDSN's work
- Board of Directors Government — Oversight body responsible for financial stewardship and governance
- Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz (BMWK) Funder — Financial supporter of SDSN's work through the Internationale Klimaschutzinitiative (IKI)
- CONCITO Funder — Financial supporter of SDSN's work
- Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Funder — Financial supporter of SDSN's work
- Civil Society Partner — Collaborates with civil society organizations in advancing sustainable development solutions and accountability.
- Cleveland Foundation Funder — Financial supporter of SDSN's work
- Corporación Andina de Fomento (CAF) Funder — Financial supporter of SDSN's work
- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee (DEIBC) Partner — Staff-formed and led committee that collaborates with senior leadership to advance DEIB within the organization.
- Dr. Betsee Parker Funder — Financial supporter of SDSN's work
- Education Above All Foundation (EAA) Funder — Financial supporter of SDSN's work
- Ernesto Illy Foundation Funder — Financial supporter of SDSN's work
- Esri (Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc.) Funder — Financial supporter of SDSN's work
- European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CARMINE) Funder — Financial supporter of SDSN's work
- European Commission - European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (ARSINOE, IMPETUS & CHOICE) Funder — Financial supporter of SDSN's work
- European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) Funder — Financial supporter of SDSN's work for CATALYST and BuildSkills programs
- European Network of Political Foundations (ENoP) Funder — Financial supporter of SDSN's work
- Finance and Audit Committee Government — Committee providing oversight on financial management and audit processes
- Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) Government — Financial supporter of SDSN's work
- Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office of the UK Government (FCDO) Government — Financial supporter of SDSN's work
- Gates Foundation Funder — Financial supporter of SDSN's work
- Global Energy Interconnection Development & Cooperation Organization (GEIDCO) Funder — Financial supporter of SDSN's work
- Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization Partner — Co-organized the energy system innovation and transition side event at the UN High-Level Political Forum
- Global Environment Facility’s Food, Land Use, and Restoration Impact Program (GEF-FOLUR) Funder — Financial supporter of SDSN's work
- Global Water Partnership Organisation Funder — Financial supporter of SDSN's work
- Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation Funder — Financial supporter of SDSN's work
- Greater Bay Area Partner — Engages with the Greater Bay Area as a strategic partner for technological innovation, finance, and renewable energy integration.
+ 49 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.
- Data as a Foundation for Accountability and Public Actionmethodology: data-as-a-public-goodBy treating data systems as public goods and using data-driven monitoring of SDG progress, the organization strengthens national accountability and informs policy, because transparent, accessible, and sustained data ecosystems enable targeted interventions and maintain political commitment to long-term goals.
- Equity-Centered and Integrated Policy Designmethodology: equity-centered_energy_transitionBy designing sustainable development and energy transition policies that are socially equitable and integrated across sectors (e.g., energy, water, urban development), the organization ensures that technological and economic progress does not marginalize vulnerable populations, because inclusive and interconnected policy pathways lead to more durable and just outcomes.
- Knowledge Mobilization Through Expert and Institutional Networksmethodology: knowledge_network_aggregationBy convening global experts and aggregating leading knowledge institutions into a coordinated network, the organization co-creates authoritative, actionable knowledge resources and educational content, because collective expertise and institutional collaboration enhance credibility, reach, and practical application of sustainable development solutions.
- Science-Policy Integration for SDG Implementationmethodology: science_policy_collaborationBy integrating scientific knowledge into policy and multilateral decision-making processes, the organization accelerates progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), because evidence-based policymaking leads to more effective and scalable solutions across governance levels.