irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2023
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $67.68MStrengthen People's & Nature's Ability to Thrive - IN 2024, EDF DELIVERED RESULTS ACROSS OUR IMPACT AREAS OF RESILIENT FOOD, FISHERIES AND WATER SYSTEMS TO STRENGTHEN THE ABILITY OF PEOPLE AND NATURE TO THRIVE INCLUDING PROGRESS ON RESILIENT WATER MANAGEMENT IN ARIZONA AND TEXAS.
- #2 $64.65MCore Capacities and Education - IN 2024, EDF DELIVERED RESULTS ACROSS OUR CAPACITIES INCLUDING SCIENCE, ECONOMICS, AND CORPORATE ENGAGEMENT. EDF BROUGHT TOGETHER EIGHT COMPANIES WITH OVER $230 BILLION IN GLOBAL SALES UNDER THE DAIRY METHANE ACTION ALLIANCE TO ADDRESS METHANE EMISSIONS. THROUGH THE NET ZERO ACTION ACCELERATOR, WE TRAINED MORE THAN 450 PROFESSIONALS TO HELP DELIVER ON THEIR COMPANIES' CLIMATE GOALS. THE EDF-LAUNCHED FRONTLINE RESOURCE INSTITUTE WORKED WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO ACHIEVE A CLEAN HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT.
named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
EDF Climate Corps
Fellowship program placing trained analysts in companies and organizations to design energy efficiency and sustainability strategies since 2008
MethaneSAT
Satellite developed by EDF affiliate MethaneSAT LLC to track global methane emissions with high precision, supporting efforts to cut methane pollution by 40%-45% from major sources
Net Zero Action Accelerator
Resource hub providing tools and guidance for companies to turn net zero commitments into actionable supplier engagement and emissions reduction plans
Project Gigaton
Initiative with Walmart to eliminate one billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from supply chains by 2030, achieved six years early in 2024
activities · 8 groups
What they do
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Corporate Climate Accountability Initiatives 3 activities
- Corporate advisory on nitrogen fertilizer efficiencyAdvises food and agriculture companies on efficient nitrogen fertilizer management to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining crop yields.
- Development and deployment of MethaneSAT for global methane monitoringDesigned and launched MethaneSAT, an advanced satellite equipped with custom spectrometers to track and measure methane emissions globally, through affiliate MethaneSAT LLC, with ongoing science innovation and project leadership led by EDF.
- International environmental problem-solving partnershipsWorks with partners in over 30 countries to address critical environmental challenges, including clean energy, methane pollution, and ecosystem protection.
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Energy Policy Advocacy & Research 2 activities
- Global clean energy transition and methane reduction initiativesLeads energy transition programs focused on oil and gas methane emissions, grid modernization in Asia, and partnerships with businesses and communities to promote electric vehicles and cleaner fuels.
- Political affairs and environmental justice initiatives in TexasManages political affairs initiatives in Texas focused on environmental justice, clean energy policy, and community resilience.
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Toxic Chemicals and Plastics Reform 1 activity
- Chemical safety research and public advocacyConducted analysis identifying 25 cancer-linked chemicals permitted in food despite legal prohibitions and organizes public advocacy to protect chemical safety standards from rollbacks.
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Clean Energy Workforce Training 1 activity
- EDF Climate Corps fellowship programDeploys EDF Climate Corps fellows to over 1,000 companies and organizations since 2008 to develop energy efficiency strategies and reduce emissions.
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Ecological Habitat Restoration 1 activity
- Landowner engagement and habitat protection programsEngaged landowners to protect habitat across 4 million acres for 63 rare species nationwide and restored thousands of acres of native habitat in Texas through incentive-based programs like Safe Harbor.
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Economic and Financial Research 1 activity
- Postdoctoral research in energy and environmental economicsConducts postdoctoral research advancing understanding of energy and environmental economics to inform policy and market-based solutions.
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Wildlife Conservation and Sustainable Hunting Management 1 activity
- Safe Harbor habitat incentive program development and adoptionEstablished Safe Harbor as a widely adopted incentive program used by state and federal wildlife agencies to encourage private landowners to protect and restore critical habitat.
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Uncategorized 5 activities
- Advocacy leading to nationwide DDT ban and species recoverySecured the ban of the pesticide DDT in the United States by 1972 through legal action and scientific testimony, contributing to the recovery of the osprey and the delisting of the bald eagle and peregrine falcon from endangered species protections.
- Corporate sustainability partnerships with major retailersCollaborated with Walmart and McDonald's to reduce waste, eliminate harmful chemicals, and cut greenhouse gas emissions—achieving 1 billion metric tons of emissions reductions, phasing out eight chemicals in over 10,000 products, and reducing packaging waste by 300 million pounds.
- Gulf Coast ecosystem restoration advocacy and policySecured bipartisan legislation and the RESTORE Act, ensuring BP Clean Water Act penalties fund Gulf Coast ecosystem restoration and job growth, with dedicated funding for long-term environmental recovery.
- Support for Louisiana coastal restoration planningProvided technical and policy support for the development of the Louisiana Coastal Master Plan, a comprehensive framework for restoring over 800 square miles of coastal land.
- Technical support for climate-resilient water and fisheries systemsManages programs focused on climate-resilient fisheries and water systems, including groundwater management, stakeholder engagement, and community resilience planning.
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financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$298.69M
Contributions & grants$290.31M97%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$4.24M1%
Other revenue$4.15M
expenses
Total expenses$295.81M
Program expenses87%
Admin / overhead5%
Fundraising7%
Salaries & benefits$147.71M
Grants paid out$55.50M
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$391.66M
Cash$77.78M
Investments$46.08M
Liabilities$91.88M
Net assets$299.78M
Liquid reserves5.0 mo
5 years on record · 2019–2023 · YoY revenue +20.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023
Who runs it
paid leadership · 13
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| FREDERIC D KRUPP | PRESIDENT | 36 | $1.30M |
| AMANDA LELAND | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $679K |
| CATHERINE NARDONETHRU 1223 | SR. EVP, CHIEF DEV. OFFICER | 36 | $606K |
| JAY KNOTT THRU 1223 | COO, SENIOR EXECUTIVE VP | 40 | $554K |
| Angela Churie Kallhauge | Executive VP, Impact | 40 | $492K |
| Thomas Murray | EVP, Solutions | 40 | $476K |
| SEAN COOK | SVP, CHIEF HR OFFICER | 40 | $457K |
| GWEN RUTA | SENIOR ADVISOR (THRU 12/23) | 40 | $432K |
| Steven Hamburg | SVP, Chief Scientist | 40 | $424K |
| ERIC SCHWAAB | SVP, PEOPLE AND NATURE | 40 | $416K |
| N LOUIS MKANGANWI | SVP, CFO & CTO | 36 | $388K |
| CATHARINA M VANDERVOORT | CLO & CORP SECY (THRU 2/24) | 40 | $360K |
| RONORA PAWELKO AS OF 524 | SR DIR, SR CNSL-POL LAW & SECY | 4 | $189K |
board members · 12
- ABBY LEIGH — TRUSTEE
- ALICE HILL — TRUSTEE
- BRUCE V RAUNER — TRUSTEE
- CARL FERENBACH — TRUSTEE
- CHARLES J HAMILTON JR ESQ — TRUSTEE
- CHRISTOPHER A COLE — TRUSTEE
- CHRISTOPHER COSTELLO — TRUSTEE
- COLLISTER CODDY JOHNSON — TRUSTEE
- DAVID S VOGEL — TRUSTEE
- ELIZABETH MCCANCE — TRUSTEE
- ELIZABETH STRICKLER — TRUSTEE
- FRANK E LOY — TRUSTEE
relationships · 12
Who they work with
- BP Government — Fines from BP under the Clean Water Act were directed to Gulf Coast restoration through legislation EDF helped secure.
- Ball Aerospace Partner — Collaborates with EDF on the assembly of instruments for MethaneSAT.
- Blue Canyon Technologies Partner — Involved in the development and testing of instruments for MethaneSAT, as indicated by photo credit and technical contribution.
- EDF Climate Corps Network — Hosts fellows through the EDF Climate Corps program to advance sustainability in organizations
- Environmental Defense Fund Network — Organized formally in 1967 as a result of early legal and scientific collaboration.
- Kerry Russell Partner — Texas rancher and Safe Harbor participant who collaborated with the organization on private land conservation.
- Kickstarter Partner — Collaborates with EDF to help entrepreneurs integrate environmental commitments into their companies.
- McDonald's Partner — Collaborated on a waste reduction initiative to eliminate packaging, increase recycling, and reduce restaurant waste.
- MethaneSAT LLC Partner — EDF affiliate organization that developed the MethaneSAT satellite.
- National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling Partner — Collaborated with commission co-chair William K. Reilly, who acknowledged EDF's role in building bipartisan support for restoration funding.
- Walmart Partner — Collaborated with EDF since 2005 on sustainability goals, including emissions reduction and chemicals policy.
- World Wildlife Fund Partner — Worked alongside EDF and Walmart to evaluate pathways for cutting emissions and reviewing supplier data.
strategies · 5
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.
- Incentive-Aligned Environmental Partnershipsmethodology: incentive_aligned_partnershipsBy designing economic incentives and collaborative frameworks with corporations and landowners, EDF drives large-scale environmental change because aligning private interests with conservation goals removes disincentives and unlocks scalable, voluntary adoption of sustainable practices.
- Methane Abatement as Climate Leverage Pointmethodology: methane_abatement_for_climate_mitigationBy targeting methane emissions through measurement and abatement, EDF mitigates climate change rapidly because methane is a high-impact, short-lived pollutant whose reduction yields immediate climate benefits, making it a strategic leverage point.
- Nature-Based and Community-Engaged Resiliencemethodology: community_based_environmental_managementBy integrating natural systems and community-based management into climate resilience planning, EDF enhances environmental and social outcomes because local stakeholder engagement and ecosystem-based solutions increase adoption, equity, and long-term sustainability.
- Pragmatic Bipartisan Policy Advancementmethodology: pragmatic_win-win_solutionsBy advancing win-win solutions that demonstrate the economic benefits of conservation, EDF builds bipartisan support for environmental policy because framing environmental action as economically beneficial reduces political resistance and enables durable change.
- Science-Law-Market Integrationmethodology: science-law-market_integrationBy combining scientific research, legal advocacy, and market-based mechanisms, EDF achieves environmental policy change because this triad approach leverages evidence to inform litigation and economic incentives that align stakeholder behavior with environmental outcomes.