Form 990 for tax year 2024

Totals

Total revenue

$33,590,429

Total expenses

$37,765,068

Contributions and grants received

$27,579,376

Grants paid

$6,514,037

Program service revenue

$5,172,381

Investment income

$677,099

Other revenue

$161,573

Total assets, end of year

$35,146,407

Total liabilities, end of year

$5,770,011

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$29,376,396

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$30,359,440

Management and general expenses

$4,445,599

Fundraising expenses

$2,960,029

Program service expenses (Part III)

$30,359,440

Program services were 80.4% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Mission and programs · 2024

• ACCELERATING SUSTAINABLE CAPITAL MARKET: SEE SCHEDULE OACCELERATING SUSTAINABLE CAPITAL MARKET: THE CERES ACCELERATOR FOR SUSTAINABLE CAPITAL MARKETS AIMS TO IMPROVE THE PRACTICES AND POLICIES THAT GOVERN CAPITAL MARKETS TO REDUCE THE FINANCIAL IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND PROMOTE OPPORTUNITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THESE CHANGES. WE EDUCATE AND ENGAGE REGULATORS, FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, INVESTORS, INSURERS AND CORPORATE BOARDS TO ACT ON CLIMATE RISK AS A SYSTEMIC FINANCIAL RISK.CERES MEANINGFULLY ENGAGES WITH INVESTORS, COMPANIES, POLICYMAKERS, AND REGULATORS TO BUILD RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP AND SPUR REAL ECONOMIC CHANGE. WE:- DELIVER CLEAR, DATA-DRIVEN RESEARCH AND INSIGHTS ON FINANCIAL RISKS AND MARKET OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAKE THE BUSINESS CASE FOR ACTION.- EDUCATE AND SUPPORT INVESTORS AND COMPANIES TO SET PRACTICAL GOALS, DEVELOP TRANSITION PLANS, AND IMPLEMENT STRATEGIES THAT BOOST PROFITABILITY AND COMPETITIVENESS.- ENGAGE STATE AND FEDERAL POLICYMAKERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE TO ADVANCE MARKET-BASED POLICIES.- LEAD GLOBAL INITIATIVES THAT ENCOURAGE INNOVATION, INCREASE ACCOUNTABILITY, AND IMPROVE TRANSPARENCY.- HOST HIGH-LEVEL GATHERINGS TO FOSTER COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIPS AND SHOWCASE MEANINGFUL ECONOMIC PROGRESS.

  Expenses $14,879,054 · Grants $6,341,607 · Revenue $1,343,956

• POLICY: SEE SCHEDULE OPOLICY: THE CERES POLICY NETWORK REPRESENTS SOME OF THE MOST WELL-KNOWN BRANDS IN THE U.S. THAT HAVE EMERGED AS LEADING ADVOCATES FOR CLEAN AND AFFORDABLE ENERGY POLICIES AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL. WE WORK WITH MAJOR U.S COMPANIES, EQUIPPING THEM WITH THE NECESSARY TOOLS AND KNOWLEDGE TO COLLECTIVELY ADVOCATE FOR POLICY SOLUTIONS AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS. NETWORK MEMBERS ARE COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING POLICIES THAT PRIORITIZE CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE TO TRANSFORM INDUSTRIES, UNLOCK NEW BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES, AND FOSTER INNOVATION AND JOB GROWTH. THEIR INFLUENTIAL VOICES ARE RESPECTED ACROSS THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM AND HAVE BEEN CRUCIAL IN SECURING AMBITIOUS POLICY WINS AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT. THROUGH IN-PERSON MEETINGS WITH POLICYMAKERS, SIGN-ON ADVOCACY LETTERS, SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS, AND OP-ED PLACEMENT, THE CERES POLICY NETWORK PROVIDES MEMBERS WITH NUMEROUS OPPORTUNITIES TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR LEADERSHIP TOWARD BUILDING A CLEANER, JUST AND MORE RESILIENT ECONOMY. CERES DOES NOT CONTRIBUTE TO OR BECOME INVOLVED IN POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS.

  Expenses $4,856,255 · Revenue $1,495,124

• CLIMATE CHANGE: SEE SCHEDULE OCLIMATE CHANGE: CERES EDUCATES AND SUPPORTS INVESTORS, COMPANIES, AND POLICYMAKERS TO SPUR INVESTMENT IN CLEAN AND AFFORDABLE ENERGY SOLUTIONS, REDUCE POLLUTION, AND ACHIEVE A CLEANER, JUST AND MORE RESILIENT ECONOMY. WE ENGAGE WITH INVESTORS AND COMPANIES IN KEY ECONOMIC SECTORS TO RATCHET UP THE AMBITION OF THEIR CLIMATE GOALS, CREATE ROBUST TRANSITION ACTION PLANS, AND IMPROVE DISCLOSURE, ALL IN THE CONTEXT OF FULFILLING FIDUCIARY DUTY. WE ALSO SUPPORT INVESTORS AND COMPANIES WHO ENGAGE WITH KEY LAWMAKERS AND REGULATORS TO MAKE THE ECONOMIC CASE FOR INNOVATIVE CLIMATE AND ENERGY POLICIES AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT.

  Expenses $3,378,342 · Grants $50,000 · Revenue $302,538

• NATURE AND BIODIVERSITY LOSS: CERES SUPPORTS INVESTORS AND COMPANIES WORKING TO REVERSE NATURE AND BIODIVERSITY LOSS BY ADDRESSING KEY DRIVERS SUCH AS DEFORESTATION, POLLUTION, WATER SCARCITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE IN A WAY THAT SAFEGUARDS A HEALTHY PLANET FOR ALL. CERES SUPPORTS AND EDUCATES INVESTORS TO HELP THEM ADDRESS THESE ESCALATING RISKS WITHIN THEIR OWN INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND WITH THE COMPANIES THEY INVEST IN. OUR FOOD EMISSIONS 50 INITIATIVE SUPPORTS INVESTORS IN ENGAGING 50 OF THE LARGEST FOOD COMPANIES OPERATING IN NORTH AMERICA TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS ACROSS THE SECTOR AND CAPITALIZE ON OPPORTUNITIES IN THE TRANSITION TO A MORE RESILIENT FOOD SYSTEM. WE ARE ALSO A FOUNDING PARTNER OF NATURE ACTION 100, A VOLUNTARY INITIATIVE FOR INVESTORS TO ENGAGE COMPANIES IN KEY SECTORS TO ACT ON THE FINANCIAL IMPACTS OF NATURE LOSS AND BIODIVERSITY DECLINE. CERES ALSO WORKS WITH SOME OF THE LARGEST COMPANIES TO UNDERSTAND AND REDUCE THEIR IMPACT ON NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS AND ADVOCATE FOR POLICIES THAT WILL HELP PROTECT NATURE AND BIODIVERSITY NOW AND FOR YEARS TO COME. CERES IS THE CONVENER OF THE U.S. CONSULTATION GROUP FOR THE TASKFORCE FOR NATURE-RELATED FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES (TNFD), AN INITIATIVE THAT HAS RELEASED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COMPANIES TO ASSESS AND DISCLOSE THEIR NATURE-RELATED DEPENDENCIES, IMPACTS, RISKS, AND OPPORTUNITIES.

  Expenses $2,796,066 · Grants $122,430 · Revenue $32,143

• RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS STRATEGIES:THE CERES COMPANY NETWORK DRAWS ON DECADES OF RESEARCH AND EXPERTISE TO SUPPORT COMPANIES IN INTEGRATING RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS STRATEGIES THAT PROTECT THEIR BOTTOM LINE WHILE SAFEGUARDING THE HEALTH OF THE PLANET AND THEIR COMMUNITIES. OUR VOLUNTARY MEMBERSHIP NETWORK INCLUDES FORTUNE 500 FIRMS AND OTHER COMPANIES ACROSS SECTORS INCLUDING ELECTRIC POWER, FOOD, FINANCIAL SERVICES, TECHNOLOGY AND TRANSPORTATION. WE WORK CLOSELY WITH EACH COMPANY NETWORK MEMBER TO UNDERSTAND THEIR UNIQUE BUSINESS NEEDS, IDENTIFY THEIR MOST MATERIAL SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES, AND CO-CREATE TAILORED STRATEGIES THAT TURN RISK INTO OPPORTUNITY.

  Expenses $2,775,054 · Revenue $2,171,302

• WATER SCARCITY AND POLLUTION:WE SUPPORT INVESTORS AND COMPANIES THAT ARE TURNING SMART WATER MANAGEMENT INTO A BUSINESS FUNDAMENTAL, ADVANCING PRIVATE-SECTOR ACTION TO ADDRESS THE IMPACTS OF GROWING DEMAND, WASTEFUL USE, HARMFUL POLLUTION, AND THE WORSENING CLIMATE CRISIS TO THE BENEFIT OF ALL. WE EDUCATE AND SUPPORT INVESTORS TO ADDRESS WATER RISK WITHIN THEIR OWN INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND WITH THE COMPANIES THEY INVEST IN. THE INVESTOR WATER TOOLKIT, DEVELOPED BY CERES AND MORE THAN 40 INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS, IS A COMPREHENSIVE RESOURCE ENABLING INVESTORS TO EVALUATE AND TACKLE THE WATER RISKS IN THEIR INVESTMENT PORTFOLIOS. THE CERES VALUING WATER FINANCE INITIATIVE IS A VOLUNTARY INITIATIVE FOR INVESTORS TO ENGAGE COMPANIES TO ACT ON THE FINANCIAL IMPACTS OF WATER RISK AND PROTECT WATER SYSTEMS. MORE THAN 100 INVESTORS ARE ENGAGING WITH MORE THAN 70 COMPANIES FROM FOUR WATER INTENSIVE INDUSTRIESAPPAREL, BEVERAGE, FOOD, AND HIGH-TECHTO ADDRESS THEIR BROAD WATER IMPACTS. THESE COMPANIES, WHILE AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF THEIR WATER JOURNEYS, ALL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BETTER STEWARD AND PROTECT FRESHWATER RESOURCES WITHIN THEIR BUSINESS OPERATIONS AND SUPPLY CHAINS TO DRIVE MEANINGFUL, GLOBAL CHANGE.

  Expenses $1,674,669 · Revenue $32,650

As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

• CDP NORTH AMERICA INC

  $370,277

  TO SUPPORT INVESTOR NET ZERO COMMITMENTS, IMPLEMENTATION, AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND TO SUPPORT INVESTORS WORLDWIDE WHO ADVOCATE FOR THE POLICIES NEEDED TO ENABLE THE NET ZERO TRANSITION.

• FOREST TRENDS ASSOCIATION

  $73,333

  TO RESEARCH CORPORATE PRACTICES AND BENCHMARK PROGRESS IN RELATION TO COMPANY DEFORESTATION COMMITMENTS AND GENERATE CONTENT FOR INVESTORS AND COMPANIES REGARDING NATURAL CLIMATE SOLUTIONS.

• MERIDIAN INSTITUTE

  $9,097

  TO RESEARCH CORPORATE PRACTICES AND BENCHMARK PROGRESS IN RELATION TO COMPANY DEFORESTATION COMMITMENTS AND GENERATE CONTENT FOR INVESTORS AND COMPANIES REGARDING NATURAL CLIMATE SOLUTIONS.

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2024

Filed

19 August 2026

IRS schema version

2024v5.5

Source object

202632379349301138

Check it against the return as filed: the GivingTuesday Data Lake hosts a public copy of the original XML.

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