irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $7.84MOTHER CHARITABLE GRANTMAKINGTHE FUND ALSO CONDUCTS ADDITIONAL CHARITABLE GRANTMAKING TO PROMOTE A SUSTAINABLE, JUST, FREE, AND PARTICIPATORY SOCIETY.
named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
Center for Climate Integrity
Founded in 2017 to hold fossil fuel companies legally accountable for climate damages; supports public interest litigation by states and municipalities.
Democracy & Power Innovation (DPI) Fund
Launched as the Democracy Project in 2018 to strengthen grassroots organizing and local democracy; develops tools like Power Metrics to measure and build political power in multiracial communities.
Environmental Integrity Project
Initiated in 1999 as the Environmental Enforcement Project to advocate for enforcement of federal environmental laws; became an independent nonprofit in 2004 and continues to protect communities from pollution.
Local Solutions Support Center
Co-launched in 2017 with Open Society Foundations and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to counter state preemption of local laws and strengthen municipal governance.
National Coal Campaign
Launched in 2005 to stop the construction of new coal-fired power plants and address the full coal lifecycle, including mining, transport, and disposal; supported advocacy that blocked numerous coal projects and export terminals.
Women Effect Fund
Established in 2015 to promote donor collaboration on intersectional strategies for women’s equality, focusing on economic, health, and political equity.
activities · 19 groups
What they do
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Energy Policy Advocacy & Research 4 activities
- Legal and community opposition to fossil fuel infrastructureManaged client portfolios, led community outreach, and supported legal efforts against unneeded fossil fuel infrastructure at the Niskanen Center.
- Management of Beyond Carbon campaignManaged Bloomberg Philanthropies' Beyond Carbon campaign from 2019 to 2022, a major initiative to transition the U.S. from coal and gas to clean energy.
- Power Plant Finance Project and financial risk researchLaunched the Power Plant Finance Project, which researched coal plant financial risks and trained environmental advocates; it later became the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis.
- Support for climate liability litigation and polluter-pays lawsSupports cities and states in pursuing legal action against fossil fuel companies for climate damages and advocates for laws requiring polluters to pay for climate adaptation costs.
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Civic Engagement and Voter Mobilization 3 activities
- Advocacy for automatic universal voter registrationDeveloped and campaigned for automatic universal voter registration, which was later adopted in multiple states and became the gold standard for voter registration.
- State-level power-building and campaign supportSupports state campaign capacity and state-to-national power-building strategies in Ohio, New York, California, Minnesota, Louisiana, Oregon, New Mexico, and Maine.
- Support for nonpartisan redistricting in FloridaWas one of the earliest funders of Fair Districts Florida, a successful ballot initiative that established a nonpartisan redistricting commission in Florida.
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Environmental Policy Advocacy & Litigation 2 activities
- Creation of Environmental Integrity ProjectCreated the Environmental Enforcement Project, which evolved into the Environmental Integrity Project, an independent nonprofit that protects citizens from environmental pollutants.
- National Coal CampaignLaunched the National Coal Campaign, which successfully stopped proposals for new coal plants and export terminals across multiple U.S. states.
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Women's Rights and Empowerment Grants 2 activities
- Grants for advocacy in climate, democracy, and economic justiceProvides grants to support action-oriented advocacy efforts in climate, democracy, and economic justice for women, aimed at advancing policy or creating tangible change.
- Public education campaign on women's economic rolesFunded a national public service advertising campaign by the National Organization for Women’s Legal Defense and Education Fund using print, radio, and television to challenge misconceptions about women's economic roles.
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Toxic Chemicals and Plastics Reform 1 activity
- Agent Orange class action litigation supportSupported class action litigation for Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange, resulting in an $180 million settlement.
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Nonprofit Capacity Building Services 1 activity
- Capacity building for urban parks and public-private partnershipsSupported capacity building for NYC Parks and the Fort Greene Park Conservancy, including strengthening public-private partnerships, organizational development, public programs, and outreach.
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Democracy and Civic Engagement Support 1 activity
- Development of democratic strategy measurement frameworkDeveloped an analytic framework to help state-based organizations assess strategies that grow community support, leadership, and collective capacity for democratic engagement.
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Worker Rights Advocacy & Wage Protection 1 activity
- Early funding for independent worker organizingProvided early funding to Working Today, which organized independent workers and later launched the Freelancers Union to improve benefits and compensation for freelancers.
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Climate Change Research and Advocacy Funding 1 activity
- Environmental grantmaking strategy developmentDirected environmental grantmaking at the Robertson Foundation for seven years, expanding support to include methane leakage from gas infrastructure and restrictions on fossil fuel leasing on public lands.
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Corporate Climate Accountability Initiatives 1 activity
- Funder Collaborative on Oil and GasHosts the Funder Collaborative on Oil and Gas, which provides strategic guidance to funders and communities to counter oil and gas expansion, including leading initiatives on carbon capture and infrastructure in the Pacific Northwest.
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Human Rights Advocacy Funding 1 activity
- Initiating and funding strategic social change initiativesInitiates, cultivates, and funds strategic efforts to promote a sustainable, just, free, and participatory society, often acting as a seed funder and strategic partner.
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Nonprofit Investigative & Community Journalism 1 activity
- Media monitoring during 2004 presidential campaignCo-created the Campaign Desk with the Columbia School of Journalism to monitor and correct inaccurate media reporting during the 2004 presidential campaign.
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Advocacy for Worker Health and Leave Policies 1 activity
- Paid sick leave legislation campaignsWas the major funder and strategic partner in campaigns that made Connecticut the first state to require paid sick leave and led to New York City passing a paid sick leave law, benefiting over 1.1 million residents.
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Published Narrative Projects 1 activity
- Research on gender representation in children's literatureSupported the Feminist Press in studying children's literature for ages eight to twelve and creating an annotated bibliography to enhance youth self-worth.
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Environmental Conservation Grantmaking 1 activity
- Seed funding for Waterkeeper Alliance expansionProvided early seed funding for the Hudson Riverkeeper to expand nationally as the Waterkeeper Alliance, which later became an international organization.
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Healthcare Policy Advocacy 1 activity
- Support for Affordable Care Act advocacyProvided one of the first grants to Healthcare for America NOW!, an organization instrumental in the passage of the Affordable Care Act.
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Youth Leadership Development Programs 1 activity
- Support for multiracial democracy research and collaborationSupported dozens of collaborative research projects and built a network of over 800 individuals, organizations, researchers, and funders focused on advancing multiracial democracy.
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Nuclear Disarmament Advocacy & Research 1 activity
- Support for nuclear war awareness and preventionFunded International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, which received the Nobel Peace Prize for raising awareness of the medical and environmental consequences of nuclear war.
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Uncategorized 8 activities
- Climate change as national security threat researchConvened military leaders to analyze climate change as a national security threat, resulting in a 2007 report that influenced military and intelligence risk assessments.
- Co-founding and hosting of Environmental Grantmakers AssociationCo-founded the Environmental Grantmakers Association with other foundations and hosted it as a project from 1988 to 2007 to strengthen environmental philanthropy.
- Launch of Taxpayers for Common SenseLaunched Taxpayers for Common Sense, a nonpartisan federal budget watchdog that successfully blocked wasteful spending such as the "Bridge to Nowhere".
- Lead organizer of the #ExxonKnew campaignLaunched and led the #ExxonKnew campaign using investigative journalism and academic research to expose fossil fuel companies' knowledge of climate impacts, resulting in numerous lawsuits by states and municipalities.
- Legal accountability for tobacco industrySupported the Tobacco Products Liability Project, one of the first efforts to hold tobacco companies legally accountable for public health harms caused by smoking.
- Legal and policy advocacy for women's rightsSupported the ACLU Women's Rights Project in establishing legal prohibitions against sex discrimination through landmark court cases and funded the Women’s Legal Defense Fund to draft the Family & Medical Leave Act, which became law in 1993.
- Restore the Trust campaign and Sarbanes-Oxley advocacyLaunched the Restore the Trust campaign, which contributed to the passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, enhancing corporate transparency and expanding whistleblower protections.
- Support for whistleblower protection and advocacyWas one of the first funders of the Government Accountability Project, a leading organization that supports and protects whistleblowers, and provided start-up funding for Climate Science Watch to prevent politicization of climate science reporting.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$50.10M
Contributions & grants$48.76M97%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$1.34M3%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$48.18M
Program expenses96%
Admin / overhead4%
Fundraising1%
Salaries & benefits$4.33M
Grants paid out$36.83M
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$216.78M
Cash$26.25M
Investments$179.30M
Liabilities$5.46M
Net assets$211.31M
Liquid reserves51.2 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -17.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 8
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEE H WASSERMAN | DIRECTOR & SECRETARY | 50 | $849K |
| JULIE FERNANDES | ASSOC. DIR. FOR DEMOCRACY | 40 | $383K |
| SARAH A BRENNAN | ASSOC. DIR. FOR OIL AND GAS | 40 | $355K |
| LISA GUIDE | ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR | 32 | $332K |
| BAKEYAH NELSON | SENIOR ADVISOR | 40 | $302K |
| CHRISTOPHER M MEYER | SENIOR ADVISOR | 40 | $259K |
| SARAH L THOMAS | SENIOR ADVISOR | 40 | $252K |
| LAMIN CEESAY | TREASURER | 22 | $140K |
board members · 17
- ALEJANDRO FOUNG — TRUSTEE
- ANNA WIENER — TRUSTEE
- CELENA WANG — TRUSTEE
- ELIZA ROCKEFELLER — TRUSTEE
- FRAN SUSSNER RODGERS — TRUSTEE
- LIAM DRURY-WANG — VICE PRESIDENT/TRUSTEE
- LILY ROCKEFELLER — TRUSTEE
- LUCIA GILL CASE — VICE PRESIDENT/TRUSTEE
- MICHAEL LAMBERT — TRUSTEE
- MIRANDA KAISER — PRESIDENT/TRUSTEE
- NAOMI WALETZKY — TRUSTEE
- NEVA GOODWIN — VICE PRESIDENT/TRUSTEE
- PETER GILL CASE — VICE PRESIDENT/TRUSTEE
- PHEBE PIERSON — TRUSTEE
- TARA ROCKEFELLER — VICE PRESIDENT/TRUSTEE
- VALERIE ROCKEFELLER — TRUSTEE
- WENDY GORDON — TRUSTEE
relationships · 89
Who they work with
- 100 Resilient Cities Government — Chris Meyer served as chief of staff and chief operating officer of 100 Resilient Cities, an initiative pioneered by the Rockefeller Foundation.
- Air Alliance Houston Partner — Former executive director.
- Alejandro Foung Partner — Trustee of the Rockefeller Family Fund
- Anna Wiener Partner — Trustee of the Rockefeller Family Fund
- Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller Trust Partner — Lee Wasserman is a trustee.
- CNA Military Advisory Board Partner — Co-published the report "National Security and the Threat of Climate Change" with RFF
- Care in Action Partner — Aligned organization supported by RFF in advancing economic justice for women.
- Care in Action Partner — Partner organization focused on economic justice for women, supported by RFF.
- Celena Wang Partner — Associate Trustee of the Rockefeller Family Fund
- Chesapeake Climate Action Network Partner — Collaborates with RFF on climate advocacy initiatives.
- Chesapeake Climate Action Network Partner — Collaborates with RFF on climate initiatives.
- Child Care for Every Family Partner — Collaborates with RFF on advocacy for family economic security and childcare policy.
- Child Care for Every Family Partner — Supported by RFF to advance state and federal investments in child care and build state-to-national power.
- Civic Power Lab at Harvard University Partner — Academic collaborator with RFF on research related to democratic power and civic engagement.
- Civic Power Lab at Harvard University Partner — Academic partner collaborating with RFF on democracy and civic engagement initiatives.
- Climate Imperative Foundation Partner — Former global initiative director.
- Climate Integrity Partner — Collaborates with RFF on climate initiatives.
- Climate Integrity Partner — Partner organization working with RFF on accountability and climate issues.
- Coalition for Environment, Equity, and Resilience Coalition — Co-founder.
- Columbia School of Journalism Partner — Co-created the Campaign Desk project with RFF to monitor media accuracy during the 2004 presidential campaign
- Democracy & Power Innovation Fund Partner — Founded and supported by RFF to advance multiracial democratic practice through research and organizing.
- Democracy Fund Partner — Aligned funder collaborating with RFF on democracy initiatives.
- Democracy Fund Partner — Collaborates with RFF on democracy-related programs and funding initiatives.
- Eliza Rockefeller Partner — Trustee of the Rockefeller Family Fund
- Empower AZ Partner — Partner organization working with RFF to support multiracial democratic organizing in Arizona.
- Empower Arizona Partner — Partner organization working with RFF on democracy and equity initiatives.
- Environmental Advocates of New York Partner — Lee Wasserman served as executive director and continues as a member of the advisory committee.
- Environmental Integrity Project Partner — Collaborates with RFF on climate initiatives.
- Environmental Integrity Project Partner — Collaborates with RFF on holding polluters accountable and climate advocacy.
- Family Friendly Economy Partner — Partner organization working with RFF to advance economic equity for women.
+ 59 more
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.
- Base-Building and Narrative Organizingmethodology: base-building organizing, narrative and values-based organizingBy cultivating durable community power through long-term organizing and values-based narratives, we drive civic engagement and policy change because belonging and shared identity produce sustained participation more effectively than transactional tactics.
- Coalition-Driven Movement Buildingmethodology: coalition-based advocacy, movement-building with policy advocacyBy supporting coalitions of advocacy groups, we advance gender and climate justice because collective action builds political power, shifts cultural narratives, and achieves durable policy change more effectively than isolated efforts.
- Funder Collaborative Leveragemethodology: funder_collaborativeBy coordinating philanthropic actors through a funder collaborative, we amplify impact on oil and gas issues because aligned funding increases field capacity, reduces duplication, and strengthens advocacy signals to policymakers.
- Polluter-Pays Accountabilitymethodology: polluter-paysBy holding fossil fuel producers financially and publicly accountable, we reduce climate harm because assigning liability creates economic and reputational pressure that shifts industry behavior and policy.
- Strategic Leverage and Mobilizationmethodology: strategic_leverage_and_mobilizationBy identifying high-impact intervention points, mobilizing leaders, and deploying seed funding, we catalyze scalable change because early strategic support attracts additional funders and multiplies impact.