Form 990 for tax year 2024

Totals

Total revenue

$3,783,748

Total expenses

$3,364,507

Contributions and grants received

$3,675,170

Grants paid

$156,350

Program service revenue

$0

Investment income

$126,833

Other revenue

-$18,255

Total assets, end of year

$4,181,128

Total liabilities, end of year

$672,814

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$3,508,314

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$2,611,645

Management and general expenses

$531,995

Fundraising expenses

$220,867

Program service expenses (Part III)

$2,611,645

Program services were 77.6% 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

• THE OEC ADVANCED SCIENCE-BASED, PEOPLE-CENTERED ADVOCACY THAT DELIVERED MEASURABLE POLICY OUTCOMES FOR OHIO'S LAND, WATER, ENERGY, AND DEMOCRACY. THROUGH SUSTAINED LEGISLATIVE ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATION, COALITION LEADERSHIP, AND RELATIONSHIP-BUILDING, OEC FOCUSED MUCH OF ITS WORK ON ENERGY POLICY REFORM. THE RESULTING POLICY ELIMINATED LEGACY COAL SUBSIDIES, STRENGTHENED UTILITY OVERSIGHT, AND IMPROVED GRID TRANSPARENCY, REPRESENTING BIPARTISAN PROGRESS GROUNDED IN DATA AND PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY. FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF A MAJOR ENERGY BILL, OEC EDUCATED OHIOANS ABOUT ITS IMPACTS AND ENGAGED WITH THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF OHIO ON IMPLEMENTATION OF KEY ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION UTILITY TRANSPARENCY PROVISIONS.(PROGRAM NARRATIVE CONTINUES IN SCHEDULE O)OEC PROVIDED CONSISTENT ADVOCACY BEFORE REGULATORY STATE AGENCIES AND IN OTHER PUBLIC FORUMS TO DEFEND CLEAN WATER PROTECTIONS, SAFEGUARD PUBLIC LANDS, ADVANCE EQUITABLE CLEAN ENERGY SOLUTIONS, AND INCREASE DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION IN ENVIRONMENTAL DECISION-MAKING. OUR TEAM PAIRED POLICY EXPERTISE WITH COMMUNITY VOICES, ENSURING THAT THOSE MOST IMPACTED BY ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY DECISIONS WERE REPRESENTED IN THE POLICYMAKING PROCESS.OEC'S ADVOCACY MODEL EMPHASIZES DURABLE CHANGE: ALIGNING RESEARCH, GRASSROOTS ENGAGEMENT, AND STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS TO MOVE POLICY FORWARD WHILE BUILDING LONG-TERM CAPACITY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP ACROSS OHIO.

  Expenses $1,300,681 · Grants $6,000

• OUR REGIONAL FIELD TEAM SUPPORTED COMMUNITY-DRIVEN ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY ACROSS OHIO, ENSURING LOCAL PRIORITIES SHAPED STATEWIDE POLICY OUTCOMES. IN SOUTHWEST OHIO, OEC LEVERAGED PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS THE CINCINNATI REGION TO ADVANCE CLEAN ENERGY, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, AND EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT, ELEVATING COMMUNITY VOICES ON ENERGY AFFORDABILITY AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE. IN CLEVELAND, WE UNITED PARTNERS AND AMPLIFIED COMMUNITY VOICES TO ENSURE ENVIRONMENTAL PRIORITIES SHAPED THE CITY'S SUSTAINABILITY AGENDA. THE YEAR ALSO INCLUDED THE STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT EVENT, CONVENING COALITION MEMBERS, MAYOR JUSTIN BIBB, AND LOCAL ADVOCATES TO STRENGTHEN COLLABORATION AND SHARED ACCOUNTABILITY IN ADVANCING CLEVELAND'S SUSTAINABILITY GOALS.(PROGRAM NARRATIVE CONTINUES IN SCHEDULE O)IN CENTRAL OHIO, OEC MOBILIZED ADVOCATES TO ENGAGE IN UTILITY ACCOUNTABILITY, GRID TRANSPARENCY, AND CLEAN ENERGY POLICY, SUPPORTING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND LEGISLATIVE OUTREACH FOR MAJOR REFORMS. IN SOUTHEAST OHIO, OEC WORKED WITH RURAL AND APPALACHIAN COMMUNITIES TO PROTECT PUBLIC LANDS AND WATERWAYS, ADDRESS EXTRACTION-RELATED CONCERNS, AND BUILD DURABLE, PLACE-BASED ADVOCACY CAPACITY. TOGETHER, OEC'S FIELD PROGRAM TRANSLATED LOCAL ENGAGEMENT INTO LASTING STATEWIDE ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS.

  Expenses $964,483 · Grants $150,350

• THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM EXPANDED STATEWIDE AND NATIONAL VISIBILITY FOR OHIO'S ENVIRONMENTAL PRIORITIES THROUGH STRATEGIC MEDIA ENGAGEMENT AND DIRECT AUDIENCE OUTREACH. OEC REACHED MORE THAN 39,000 DEDICATED SUBSCRIBERS THROUGH DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS, EXPANDING PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADVOCACY ACROSS THE STATE.THE ORGANIZATION SECURED SIGNIFICANT MEDIA PLACEMENTS, MENTIONS, AND INTERVIEWS, INCLUDING COVERAGE IN TOP OUTLETS SUCH AS THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH, GONGWER, YAHOO! NEWS, MSN, CRAIN'S CLEVELAND BUSINESS, OHIO CAPITAL JOURNAL, COLUMBUS BUSINESS FIRST, CANARY MEDIA, AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, CLEVELAND.COM, AND THE GUARDIAN, ALONGSIDE REGIONAL MASS MEDIA(PROGRAM NARRATIVE CONTINUES IN SCHEDULE O)PRESS. THIS COVERAGE GENERATED MORE THAN NINE MILLION EARNED MEDIA IMPRESSIONS, ELEVATING OEC AS A TRUSTED VOICE ON CLEAN ENERGY REFORM, WATER PROTECTION, PUBLIC LANDS, AND DEMOCRATIC ACCOUNTABILITY. ACROSS EARNED AND DIRECT COMMUNICATIONS CHANNELS, OEC'S MESSAGING EMPHASIZED CLARITY, CREDIBILITY, AND IMPACT - CONNECTING COMPLEX POLICY ISSUES TO REAL-WORLD OUTCOMES.

  Expenses $126,676

• THE OEC EXECUTED A DYNAMIC SLATE OF EVENTS AND OUTREACH INITIATIVES THAT EXPANDED PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, ELEVATED ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY, AND FOSTERED COMMUNITY-DRIVEN ACTION ACROSS OHIO. WE CONVENED HUNDREDS OF ADVOCATES, PARTNERS, AND RESIDENTS AT THE 2025 GREEN GALA IN COLUMBUS, CELEBRATING ENVIRONMENTAL CHAMPIONS WHILE STRENGTHENING STATEWIDE NETWORKS AND PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT. THE OHIO PUBLIC INTEREST ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CONFERENCE AT THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY BROUGHT TOGETHER LAWYERS, POLICYMAKERS, STUDENTS, AND ADVOCATES TO EXPLORE EMERGING LEGAL AND POLICY SOLUTIONS, FOSTERING CROSS-SECTOR LEARNING AND COLLABORATION.THROUGH OUR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT SERIES: ADVOCACY LESSONS FROM THE FIELD, OEC EQUIPPED COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH PRACTICAL TOOLS TO ENGAGE EFFECTIVELY IN ENVIRONMENTAL AND DEMOCRATIC ADVOCACY. GRASSROOTS OUTREACH ALSO INCLUDED SUN DAY: CENTRAL OHIO, A COMMUNITY-CENTERED CLEAN ENERGY CELEBRATION. ACROSS IN-PERSON, HYBRID, AND VIRTUAL FORMATS, OEC'S EVENTS AND OUTREACH ENHANCED PARTNERSHIPS AND EMPOWERED OHIOANS STATEWIDE TO LEAD WITH KNOWLEDGE, PURPOSE, AND SHARED COMMITMENT.

  Expenses $210,492 · Revenue $268,160

• WE DEEPENED OUR JUSTICE, EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION EFFORTS BY EMBEDDING EQUITY PRINCIPLES ACROSS OUR ADVOCACY, FIELD ENGAGEMENT, AND PUBLIC-FACING WORK. WE ENGAGED WITH COMMUNITIES MOST AFFECTED BY ENVIRONMENTAL HARM, ENSURING THAT LIVED EXPERIENCE AND LOCAL KNOWLEDGE INFORM POLICY PRIORITIES AND SOLUTIONS.ACROSS ALL POLICY AREAS, OEC APPLIED AN EQUITY LENS TO DEVELOPMENT AND COALITION-BUILDING. LAND-FOCUSED WORK EMPHASIZED EQUITABLE ACCESS TO AND PROTECTION OF PUBLIC LANDS, WITH PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO COMMUNITIES FACING DISPROPORTIONATE ENVIRONMENTAL BURDENS FROM EXTRACTION AND DEVELOPMENT. WATER ADVOCACY PRIORITIZED SAFE, AFFORDABLE DRINKING WATER AND THE PROTECTION OF WATERWAYS IN COMMUNITIES HISTORICALLY EXPOSED TO POLLUTION AND UNDERINVESTMENT. ENERGY EQUITY EFFORTS FOCUSED ON CLEAN ENERGY ACCESS, AFFORDABILITY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY, ELEVATING CONCERNS ABOUT UTILITY PRACTICES, HOUSEHOLD ENERGY COSTS, AND THE FAIR DISTRIBUTION OF BENEFITS FROM OHIO'S ENERGY TRANSITION. THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS, OEC SUPPORTED INCLUSIVE ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES THAT EXPANDED PARTICIPATION AND REPRESENTATION IN ENVIRONMENTAL DECISION-MAKING.INSIDE OUR ORGANIZATION, WE MADE PROGRESS AS WELL. THIS INCLUDES ROLLING OUT SHARED DEFINITIONS FOR JUSTICE, EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION, AND THE CREATION OF A "PLACE-SPACE" SLACK CHANNEL SO STAFF MEMBERS CAN ACKNOWLEDGE PUBLIC LAND, SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT THE LAND, AND HIGHLIGHT THE NATIVE PLANTS AND ANIMALS THAT INHABIT OUR STATE. OUR JUSTICE, EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRS MET WITH EACH PROGRAM TEAM TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF THEIR WORK THROUGH THE JUSTICE, EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION LENS, WITH THE INFORMATION COLLECTED BEING CATALOGUED FOR USE IN A FORTHCOMING REPORT. WE LAUNCHED OUR "COMMON CONNECTIONS" PROGRAM WHICH PAIRS STAFF MEMBERS UP WITH ONE ANOTHER FOR THE PURPOSES OF GETTING TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER BETTER INTERPERSONALLY TO ENSURE OUR CULTURE CONTINUES TO BE WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE. FINALLY, WE HAVE BEEN EXPLORING WHAT IT MEANS TO EXPAND OUR DEFINITIONS OF INCLUSIVITY TO BE MORE ACCOUNTABLE TO INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS WHO MAY HAVE SPECIFIC ACCESSIBILITY NEEDS. IN PARTICULAR, WE ARE WORKING ON WAYS TO ENCOURAGE OUR STAFF TO THINK CRITICALLY ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY AND ACCOUNT FOR IT IN OUR WORK PRODUCTS.

• THE OEC HAS INVESTED IN CULTIVATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS BY CREATING ACCESSIBLE PATHWAYS FOR LEARNING, ENGAGEMENT, AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS OHIO. THROUGH TRAININGS, CONVENINGS, AND ISSUE-FOCUSED EVENTS, OEC EQUIPPED STUDENTS, EARLY-CAREER PROFESSIONALS, AND COMMUNITY ADVOCATES WITH THE SKILLS AND RELATIONSHIPS NEEDED TO PARTICIPATE MEANINGFULLY IN ENVIRONMENTAL AND DEMOCRATIC DECISION-MAKING.OEC'S EMERGING LEADERS EFFORTS EMPHASIZED HANDS-ON EXPOSURE TO ADVOCACY, POLICY, AND COALITION WORK, CONNECTING PARTICIPANTS TO REAL-WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES ACROSS LAND, WATER, ENERGY, AND DEMOCRACY. BY CENTERING INCLUSIVITY AND GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY, OEC ENSURED EMERGING LEADERS FROM URBAN, RURAL, AND APPALACHIAN COMMUNITIES COULD ACCESS LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND CONTRIBUTE THEIR PERSPECTIVES.FULL DETAILS OF OUR PROGRAMMATIC WORK CAN BE FOUND IN OUR ANNUAL REPORT: HTTPS://THEOEC.ORG/NEWS-AND-INFORMATION/2025-ANNUAL-REPORT/

  Expenses $9,313

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

• OHIO ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL ACTION FUND

  $150,000

  SUPPORT FOR OHIO LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS

• OHIO AGRICULTURE CONSERVATION COUNCIL

  $5,000

  ANNUAL GENERAL DONATION

Related organizations on this return

Schedule R Part II: tax-exempt organizations related to the filer by control. It does not record shared board members or money.

• THE OHIO ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL ACTION FUND

  501(C)(4) · PUBLIC ADVOCACY, LEGISLATIVE OUTREACH, EDUCATION · OH

• CONSERVATION OHIO POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE

  527 · PUBLIC ADVOCACY, LEGISLATIVE OUTREACH, EDUCATION · OH

  Directly controlled by THE OEC ACTION FUND

• THE OHIO ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL ACTION FUND PAC

  527 · PUBLIC ADVOCACY, LEGISLATIVE OUTREACH, EDUCATION · OH

  Directly controlled by THE OEC ACTION FUND

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2024

Filed

24 April 2026

IRS schema version

2024v5.5

Source object

202621269349301012

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

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