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← RIGHTS AND RESOURCES INSTITUTE INC

Form 990 for tax year 2024

Filed by RIGHTS AND RESOURCES INSTITUTE INC.

Totals

Total revenue
$7,154,790
Total expenses
$19,852,374
Contributions and grants received
$6,096,351
Grants paid
$10,768,101
Program service revenue
$0
Investment income
$1,030,462
Other revenue
$27,977
Total assets, end of year
$49,541,768
Total liabilities, end of year
$13,631,177
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$35,910,591
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$18,291,567
Management and general expenses
$1,501,956
Fundraising expenses
$58,851
Program service expenses (Part III)
$18,291,567

Program services were 92.1% 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.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $2,815,566

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $3,280,785

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $645,393 · excluded $645,393

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    securities $34,717,000

  • 7b · Less cost or other basis and sales expenses

    securities $34,331,931

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities $385,069

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total $385,069 · excluded $385,069

  • 11a · Other revenue: GAIN ON FOREIGN EXCHANGE

    total $19,711 · excluded $19,711

  • 11b · Other revenue: OTHER REVENUE

    total $8,266 · excluded $8,266

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $27,977

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments

    total $477,725 · program services $477,725

  • 3 · Grants to foreign organizations and individuals

    total $10,290,376 · program services $10,290,376

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $1,752,808 · program services $1,144,191 · management and general $575,197 · fundraising $33,420

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $2,246,428 · program services $2,123,941 · management and general $113,694 · fundraising $8,793

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $91,900 · program services $74,000 · management and general $16,873 · fundraising $1,027

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $296,667 · program services $238,885 · management and general $54,467 · fundraising $3,315

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $311,355 · program services $202,880 · management and general $102,523 · fundraising $5,952

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $1,834,073 · program services $1,589,985 · management and general $244,088

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $149,108 · program services $20,970 · management and general $128,138

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $185,002 · program services $170,457 · management and general $13,997 · fundraising $548

  • 17 · Travel

    total $1,074,222 · program services $1,004,017 · management and general $64,523 · fundraising $5,682

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $621,893 · program services $565,588 · management and general $56,305

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $38,380 · program services $35,362 · management and general $2,904 · fundraising $114

  • 24a · Other expenses: PUBLICATIONS AND OTHER

    total $348,542 · program services $348,299 · management and general $243

  • 24b · Other expenses: MISCELLANEOUS

    total $133,895 · program services $4,891 · management and general $129,004

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $1,158,862

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $23,102,845 · end of year $30,829,122

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $14,360,199 · end of year $3,554,229

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $49,886 · end of year $46,895

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $368,869

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $297,438

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $101,220 · end of year $71,431

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $15,683,073 · end of year $13,330,918

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $2,649,868 · end of year $1,709,173

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $1,955,387 · end of year $1,459,479

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    beginning of year $5,654,552 · end of year $11,433,290

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $889,052 · end of year $738,408

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $21,661,870 · end of year $19,132,365

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $26,945,092 · end of year $16,778,226

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

RRI'S MISSION IS TO SUPPORT LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' STRUGGLES AGAINST POVERTY AND MARGINALIZATION BY PROMOTING GREATER GLOBAL COMMITMENT AND ACTION TOWARDS POLICY, MARKET, AND LEGAL REFORMS THAT SECURE THEIR RIGHTS TO OWN, CONTROL AND BENEFIT FROM NATURAL RESOURCES, ESPECIALLY LAND AND FORESTS.

  • CLARIFI: AS RRI'S FUNDING MECHANISM, CLARIFI HAS COMMITTED OVER $26 MILLION FOR 168 PROJECTS SUPPORTING INDIGENOUS PEOPLES', AFRO-DESCENDANT PEOPLES', AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES' TENURE RIGHTS SINCE 2022. PARTNERSHIPS WITH INDIGENOUS-LED FUNDS, LIKE THE MESOAMERICAN TERRITORIAL FUND, AND NEW GOVERNANCE HIRES STRENGTHENED ITS CAPACITY TO MANAGE GROWING PROJECT PIPELINES AND EMPOWER RIGHTSHOLDER LEADERSHIP.

    Expenses $9,499,319 · Grants $8,346,961

  • REGIONAL PROGRAMS:" AFRICA: RRI STRENGTHENED INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES' RIGHTS THROUGH HIGH-IMPACT LEGISLATIVE ADVANCEMENTS IN 2024. IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO (DRC), L'ALLIANCE NATIONALE D'APPUI ET PROMOTION DES AIRES ET TERRITOIRES DU PATRIMOINE AUTOCHTONE ET COMMUNAUTAIRE DU CONGO (ANAPAC), AND THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPED A ROADMAP FOR A NEW NATIONAL STRATEGY ON CONSERVATION OUTSIDE PROTECTED AREAS. THIS INITIATIVE AIMS TO ESTABLISH AN INCLUSIVE MODEL FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION BASED ON OTHER EFFECTIVE AREA-BASED CONSERVATION MEASURES (OECMS). IN LIBERIA, THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE (SDI), THE CIVIL SOCIETY WORKING GROUP ON LAND, AND RRI MAPPED 138 COMMUNITY LAND DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES-REPRESENTING MILLIONS OF HECTARES OF COMMUNITY LAND-ACROSS 14 OF THE COUNTRY'S 15 COUNTIES. THE PROJECT ESTABLISHED A FOUNDATIONAL STRUCTURE TO FURTHER ENHANCE COMMUNITY-BASED LAND MANAGEMENT IN LIBERIA AND BEYOND." ASIA: RRI'S COALITION ENGAGED INDIGENOUS AND LOCAL COMMUNITY YOUTH, AMPLIFYING THEIR LEADERSHIP BY ORGANIZING A VIRTUAL ASIA YOUTH SOLIDARITY WORKSHOP FOR TENURE RIGHTS. MORE THAN 40 YOUTH LEADERS FROM INDIA, NEPAL, INDONESIA, AND THE PHILIPPINES ATTENDED, MARKING THE BEGINNING OF A SOLIDARITY NETWORK AMONG YOUTH IN ASIA. RRI ALSO SUPPORTED WOMEN-LED INITIATIVES IN NEPAL AND INDONESIA TO STRENGTHEN INDIGENOUS AND LOCAL COMMUNITY WOMEN'S ROLES IN ADDRESSING INEQUALITY AND PROMOTING THE DEMOCRATIZATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT. " LATIN AMERICA: RRI, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE COALITION FOR THE TERRITORIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS OF AFRO-DESCENDANT PEOPLES OF LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN, CONAQ, AND PCN, CREATED A PATHWAY TO POSITION AFRO-DESCENDANT PEOPLES AS CRUCIAL COUNTERPARTS IN CONSERVATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE EFFORTS BY ORGANIZING AN EVENT IN COLOMBIA, ATTENDED BY MORE THAN 400 PEOPLE. MORE THAN A DECADE OF SUPPORT FOR THE AFRO-DESCENDANT COALITION CULMINATED IN A HISTORIC WIN AT THE CBD COP16 IN OCTOBER, WHEN THEY BECAME PART OF A SUBSIDIARY BODY IN ARTICLE 8J WITH POLITICAL INFLUENCE IN NEGOTIATIONS. RRI ALSO CREATED PATHWAYS FOR 18 GRASSROOTS AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS IN NINE COUNTRIES TO STRENGTHEN REGIONAL PERSPECTIVES AND ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY THROUGH STRATEGIC PLANNING; PROJECT AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT; TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA; AND MORE." STRATEGIC RESPONSE MECHANISM: RRI'S SRM FUNDED 10 PROJECTS ACROSS EIGHT COUNTRIES, IN ADDITION TO SIX PROJECTS THAT CONTINUED IMPLEMENTATION FROM 2023. THESE PROJECTS HELPED BUILD GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS' CAPACITY AND LEADERSHIP, AMPLIFIED NATIONAL ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS, AND INFLUENCED NATIONAL LEGISLATION. KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDED THE CAMBODIA INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' ASSOCIATION (CIPA) SUBMITTING RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE MINISTRY OF LAND TO ENSURE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' VOICES ARE INCLUDED IN LEGISLATIVE PROCESSES AFFECTING THEIR LAND RIGHTS; AND THE INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION (FIDEPE) SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATING FOR THE FORMAL RECOGNITION OF 150 HECTARES OF SACRED FOREST BENEFITING OVER 60,000 PEOPLE IN CAMEROON.

    Expenses $3,817,515 · Grants $1,727,702

  • THEMATIC PROGRAMS" GENDER JUSTICE: RRI STRENGTHENED THE WOMEN IN GLOBAL SOUTH ALLIANCE (WIGSA) BY ORGANIZING GLOBAL CONVENINGS, SUPPORTING INDIGENOUS, AFRO-DESCENDANT, AND LOCAL COMMUNITY WOMEN TO ATTEND NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL-LEVEL EVENTS, AND CONDUCTING NEW RESEARCH. FIFTEEN WOMEN LEADERS FROM 11 COUNTRIES MET IN KATHMANDU, NEPAL, FOR WIGSA'S SECOND ANNUAL STRATEGIC MEETING TO IDENTIFY WAYS TO ENSURE WOMEN'S VOICES ARE INCLUDED IN HIGH-LEVEL DECISION-MAKING SPACES. RRI AND WIGSA PUBLISHED PRELIMINARY FINDINGS TO PUBLISH A POLICY BRIEF ANALYZING DIRECT FUNDING REACHING GRASSROOTS WOMEN'S ORGANIZATIONS AT CBD COP16. " RIGHTS, CLIMATE, AND CONSERVATION: RRI PUBLISHED NEW RESEARCH AND HOSTED SEVERAL CONVENINGS TO SHINE A LIGHT ON THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN CARBON MARKETS AND COMMUNITY RIGHTS. RRI, NAMATI, AND SCHOLARS FROM MCGILL UNIVERSITY PUBLISHED A POLICY BRIEF ON INDIGENOUS PEOPLES', AFRO-DESCENDANT PEOPLES', AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES' RIGHTS TO CARBON, ASSESSING NATIONAL LEGAL FRAMEWORKS ACROSS 33 TROPICAL AND SUBTROPICAL FOREST COUNTRIES. THIS RESEARCH SERVES AS A TOOL TO HELP BOTH STATES AND RIGHTSHOLDERS PREPARE FOR CARBON MARKET INITIATIVES AND ENSURE COMMUNITIES' RIGHTS ARE PROTECTED. RRI, NAMATI, RIGHTS COLAB, AND JUST GROUND CONVENED A WORKSHOP AT UN CLIMATE WEEK IN NEW YORK TO DISCUSS THE FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING AN INDEPENDENT ADVISORY BODY THROUGH A BLIND POOLED MECHANISM TO PROVIDE LEGAL AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO COMMUNITIES AROUND CARBON MARKET INITIATIVES. THIS WORKSHOP SET THE STAGE FOR MORE DISCUSSIONS IN 2025 ON HOW TO CREATE AND OPERATIONALIZE A BLIND FUND THAT WOULD SUPPORT RIGHTSHOLDERS' SELF-DETERMINED PRIORITIES." RIGHTS AND LIVELIHOODS: RRI DEVELOPED NEW STRATEGY TOOLS TO MOBILIZE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT COLLECTIVE ACTION TO HELP ACHIEVE THE LIVELIHOODS AND POVERTY REDUCTION GOALS OF RRI'S STRATEGIC PROGRAM IV (SPIV). THE RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS COMPRISED A SCAN OF SOME 40 PROJECTS, 80 INTERVIEWS, AND CASE STUDIES OF RRI ENGAGEMENTS ON LIVELIHOODS SINCE 2013 AND ELABORATES A NICHE, VALUE-ADD, THEORY OF CHANGE, AND FUTURE PRIORITY AREAS OF INTERVENTION FOR THE COALITION. THE INTERLAKEN GROUP ALSO HOSTED A THREE-DAY STRATEGIC PLANNING RETREAT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, RESULTING IN A COLLECTIVE AGENDA AND ACTION PLAN TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE REALIZATION OF 2030 TARGETS ENSHRINED IN THE PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT AND GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FRAMEWORK. " PATH TO SCALE INITIATIVE: AT UN CLIMATE WEEK IN NEW YORK, THE PATH TO SCALE POSITIONED ITSELF TO LEAD COORDINATION ON THE ROADMAP TO A NEW FOREST TENURE PLEDGE AT UNFCCC COP30 IN 2025. IT PUBLISHED A NEW FUNDING DASHBOARD, POLICY BRIEF, AND A SERIES OF CASE STUDIES, AND LAUNCHED THE PLEDGE WE WANT CAMPAIGN TO CATALYZE THE SYSTEMS AND PARTNERSHIPS NEEDED TO INFORM AND ADVANCE A NEW AND EQUITABLE FUNDING PLEDGE FOR RIGHTSHOLDERS.

    Expenses $2,932,296 · Grants $681,041

  • COALITION AND COMMUNICATION PROGRAMS:

    Expenses $2,042,437 · Grants $12,397

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

Listed in Part VII

  • Gustavo Sanchez Valle

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Solange Bandiaky-Badji

    PRESIDENT

    Total calculated
    $288,656
    From this org
    $238,361
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $50,295
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $238,361
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0 + $14,358 related
    Nontaxable benefits
    $0 + $35,937 related
    Filer's total
    $238,361 + $50,295 related
  • Humberto Campodonico

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    5
  • Margaret Smith

    CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Cecile Ndjebet

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Shree Kumar-Maharjan

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Patrick Saidi Hemedi

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Mike Bryan

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Gam Shimray

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Emma Norrstad Tickner

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Emily Kinama

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Makaria Reynolds

    COO

    Total calculated
    $200,116
    From this org
    $175,179
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $24,937
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $175,179
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $13,125
    Nontaxable benefits
    $11,812
    Filer's total
    $200,116
  • Keith Slack

    SR DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS

    Total calculated
    $185,253
    From this org
    $170,836
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $14,417
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $170,836
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $12,750
    Nontaxable benefits
    $1,667
    Filer's total
    $185,253
  • Omaira Bolanos

    DIR., LATIN AM. & GENDER J

    Total calculated
    $204,747
    From this org
    $156,190
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $48,557
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $156,190
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $11,807
    Nontaxable benefits
    $36,750
    Filer's total
    $204,747
  • Carole Carlson

    DIRECTOR, FINANCE & ADMI

    Total calculated
    $225,146
    From this org
    $174,863
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $50,283
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $174,863
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $12,185
    Nontaxable benefits
    $38,098
    Filer's total
    $225,146
  • Alain Frechette

    DIRECTOR, STRATEGIC ANALYS

    Total calculated
    $148,047
    From this org
    $138,331
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $9,716
    Hours/week
    40
  • Patrick Kipalu

    DIRECTOR, AFRICA PROGRAM

    Total calculated
    $164,315
    From this org
    $137,846
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $26,469
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $137,846
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $5,529
    Nontaxable benefits
    $20,940
    Filer's total
    $164,315
  • Rose Nierras

    DIRECTOR, ASIA PROGRAM

    Total calculated
    $167,946
    From this org
    $137,935
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $30,011
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $137,935
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $10,367
    Nontaxable benefits
    $19,644
    Filer's total
    $167,946
  • Donald Bryson Ogden

    DIRECTOR, LIVELIHOODS

    Total calculated
    $170,846
    From this org
    $137,599
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $33,247
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $137,599
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $10,367
    Nontaxable benefits
    $22,880
    Filer's total
    $170,846

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

Answered yes

  • 3 · Form 990 of other organizations
  • 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee

Answered no

  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
  • 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
  • 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
  • 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
  • 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
  • 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

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

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2024
Filed
13 November 2025
IRS schema version
2024v5.2
Source object
202533209349302318

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