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RIGHTS AND RESOURCES INSTITUTE INC

EIN 20-3690821 WASHINGTON, DC

Revenue 2024
$7,154,790
Expenses 2024
$19,852,374

Program services were 92.1% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

As filed

Subsection
03
NTEE code
C30
Classification
1000
Street
2445 M ST NW STE 520

These codes are the IRS's own and are shown exactly as filed. What each one means is in the Business Master File documentation (opens in a new tab).

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.

Officers and directors · 2024

As listed in Part VII of the 2024 return, in the order the filer printed them. Each return names its own; this is not a roster the organization keeps with us.

  • 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. Earlier years are each on their own filing page.

Filings

  • 2024
    Revenue
    $7,154,790
    Expenses
    $19,852,374
    Contributions
    $6,096,351
    Grants paid
    $10,768,101
  • 2023
    Revenue
    $12,537,272
    Expenses
    $15,398,716
    Contributions
    $11,653,452
    Grants paid
    $7,673,854
  • 2022
    Revenue
    $30,478,082
    Expenses
    $9,044,680
    Contributions
    $30,103,115
    Grants paid
    $2,813,142

The four totals the IRS asks for on Part I of the Form 990, as filed. A dash means the figure was not present on the return — not that it was zero.

Other returns filed

  • 2021 · 990

    Revenue
    $33,675,806
    Expenses
    $7,320,074
    Assets (EOY)
    $36,334,536
  • 2020 · 990

    Revenue
    $6,694,023
    Expenses
    $6,009,159
    Assets (EOY)
    $9,010,060
  • 2013 · 990

    Revenue
    $10,606,715
    Expenses
    $9,804,045
    Assets (EOY)
    $4,131,987

Nonprofiteer parses Forms 990, 990-EZ and 990-PF, in a window of recent tax years. These returns are recorded from the IRS e-file index, so their figures were extracted by that index rather than read from the return here — treat them as a different source from the filings above, not as more of the same record. A dash means the index carries no figure; Form 990-T listings carry none at all.

Grants made

Where these grants went next →

Grants received

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Other IRS files

Auto-Revocation List

Not listed. The IRS publishes this list for organizations whose exemption was automatically revoked for failing to file for three consecutive years.

Publication 78

Listed as of 13 October 2026, under deductibility PC.

These are two separate IRS files on two separate schedules, shown as published and not reconciled with each other. Neither is a statement about whether a contribution is deductible today: 19,245 organizations appear in Publication 78 while the IRS's own revocation file lists them as currently revoked, more than half of those revoked before 2019. Absence from Publication 78 is evidence of nothing, and presence is not evidence either. Verify current status with the IRS before relying on it.

What this page reflects

The registration facts above come from the IRS Business Master File published 13 October 2026 and read 1 November 2026, for every organization at once. Returns through tax year 2024, the newest we have parsed for this organization.