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GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR INCINERATOR ALTERNATIVES

EIN 45-3543427 BERKELEY, CA

Revenue 2024
$8,241,301
Expenses 2024
$8,360,518

Program services were 85.9% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

As filed

Subsection
03
NTEE code
C35
Classification
1200
Street
1958 UNIVERSITY AVE

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

GAIAs mission is to strengthen grassroots social movements that advance solutions to waste and pollution, working towards a just, zero waste world where people are free from toxic pollution.

Activities or mission (Part I)

GAIAs mission is to strengthen grassroots social movements that advance solutions to waste and pollution, working towards a just, zero waste world where people are free from toxic pollution. This entails fighting pollution and building regenerative solutions around the globe.

  • GLOBAL PROGRAMS: GAIAs movement-building network model empowered members to build their own capacity, facilitated international solidarity, and coordinated collective research and initiatives around the issues of waste, pollution, climate and the environment, building critical linkages at local, regional and global levels. Zero Waste: Zero Waste Month activities in January 2025 engaged more than 46,000 people, 104 organizations, 92 cities, and 20 countries in efforts to advance real solutions together, with 72 schools integrating zero waste learning while 86 government entities engaged in meaningful dialogue and commitments. GAIA facilitated member engagement, capacity building and cross-programmatic and cross-regional learning through a variety of international and regional webinars and events. Notably, GAIA and member Nipe Fagio organized the International Zero Waste Cities Conference in Tanzania in July 2024, the first time this event was held in Africa.Climate: GAIA increased awareness of zero waste as a strategy for reducing methane emissions from landfills through improved organic waste management, organizing a Methane and Justice Summit to foster deeper alignment among GAIA members and key leaders at local, national, and international levels, yielding tangible commitments from an increasing number of government representatives, civil society organizations, and key partners. In October 2024, GAIA Asia Pacific organized the First Congress on Organics and Climate, with over 200 participants attending in person and more than 1,400 joining online. GAIA brought a 35-member delegation to COP29, and remains deeply engaged in the LOW Methane initiative, leading or co-leading (with members) LOW-M coordination of activities in 13 jurisdictions. GAIA Africa supported work in 11 countries on reducing methane through better organics management. Plastics: In work toward a global plastics treaty, GAIA has always understood that the treaty negotiations are a vehicle to galvanize action on plastics, and we and our members have maintained and built on regional and cross-regional coordination of members. At INC-4 and INC-5 negotiating sessions, we coordinated delegations of 70+ civil society participants from 30 countries. Our delegations built on the extensive efforts of regional working groups. We released a range of briefing papers and other resources, as well as contributing to significant academic articles related to plastic pollution issues. At INC-4, our robust communications efforts secured over 200 media mentions with a reach of 404 million. At INC-5, we secured over 220 media mentions with a reach of up to 2.22 billion.Waste Incineration: GAIA continued to support global information-sharing and solidarity around ending wasteful and polluting waste incineration, with notable work addressing incinerators and incinerator proposals in Brazil, Canada, Chile, India, Nigeria, the Philippines, and the U.S. During 2024, GAIA helped to mobilize and support civil society from multiple regions in strong advocacy around the Asian Development Banks draft Environmental and Social Framework, in the context of its role in supporting waste incineration projects. We also held a webinar, Rethinking Waste-to-Energy Investments: Economic Considerations for Policymakers highlighting the costs of incineration across the Asia-Pacific region in January 2025.Batteries Lifecycle: Both in the U.S. and globally, GAIA has helped to shape the conversation to address lifecycle issues of batteries that are playing an increasing role in energy transition, through webinars and brief publications addressing key issues.

    Expenses $2,390,778 · Grants $401,472 · Revenue $4,250

  • UNITED STATES/CANADA REGIONAL WORK: GAIA supported members across the U.S. and Canada through technical support, regranting (including both larger grants and microgrants), skill-building and networking to challenge waste incineration and advance zero waste solutions with notable successes. Our Failing Incinerators Project, a multi-year cohort program aimed at building grassroots capacity to advocate for replacing aging incinerators across the U.S. with effective zero waste systems, celebrated two more incinerator closures (one led by a cohort member in Oregon and the other by a cohort affiliate in California). Another cohort member successfully advocated to change Maryland state policy so that incinerators could not qualify for state renewable energy tax credits. GAIA co-created a mini-documentary on another cohort member city, Breathing Free: Detroits Journey to Zero Waste, which launched in January 2025. As we wound down the Failing Incinerators Project, GAIA advanced new cohort work, seizing the energy of the Methane Moment to focus on organic waste management as a critical part of both zero waste and climate work. We supported frontline communities facing waste incineration proposals (including a new push from Canadas federal government) and questionable EV battery recycling facilities. We also raised concerns regarding proposed state and federal policies that could increase pollution or reduce oversight.

    Expenses $1,742,996 · Grants $976,500 · Revenue $450

  • HOSTED PROGRAMS BREAK FREE FROM PLASTIC & URBAN MOVEMENT INNOVATION FUND:Break Free From Plastic Global: BFFP, a fiscally-sponsored project of GAIA, is aglobal movement envisioning a future free from plastic pollution. Launched inSeptember 2016, the movement has attracted more than 13,000 organizations and individuals worldwide to call for massive reductions in single-use plastics and push for lasting solutions to the plastic pollution crisis.Break Free From Plastic U.S. & Canada: GAIA continued as fiscal sponsor of the Break Free From Plastic movement of nearly 200 member organizations in the U.S. and Canada working across the plastics value chain for systemic change. This work includes challenging the petrochemical buildout, pushing for corporate accountability, promoting systemic solutions, building zero waste communities, and leveraging grassroots support to drive plastic pollution reduction policies at the local, state, and federal level. BFFP-U.S. & Canada has worked to shift the narrative about plastic, foster an enabling policy environment, and build a strong, intersectional, and resilient movement, ensuring connections between zero waste strategy and implementation and work addressing plastic pollution. BFFP-U.S. & Canada has sustained working groups focused on zero waste, state and federal policy, extended producer responsibility, petrochemicals and false solutions. Additionally, BFFP-U.S. & Canada has built significant capacity among regional members to work on the global plastics treaty, especially among impacted communities in the Gulf South and Appalachia. The Urban Movement Innovation Funds Convenings Program: GAIA served as host of UMIFsConvenings Program, which supported coordination of UMIF partner gatherings,provided administrative backstopping to enhance the focus of gatherings, andevaluated meetings for impact.

    Expenses $1,731,427 · Grants $198,175 · Revenue $7,500

  • INTERNATIONAL REGIONAL: GAIA worked with locally-based staff to directly coordinate regional work in Africa and Latin America and also provided support and collaboration to sister networks in the Asia/Pacific region and in Europe. Africa: Zero waste cities work took off in numerous cities across the continent, with technical assistance and regranting support from GAIA. We sustained regional working groups on climate and on plastics, as well as a Youth Task Force, recognizing the powerful role of youth in environmental movements. We successfully launched the African Journalists Network to provide a deep-dive conversation on a specific issue monthly to support informed reporting. We organized a series of webinars on zero waste cities, enabling practical information sharing between groups in various countries. Co-hosting the International Zero Waste Cities Conference in Tanzania allowed us to showcase successful implementation of solutions on the continent, as well as to learn from experts, practitioners, and policymakers worldwide. The development and publication of our Life Before Plastic report around traditional practices helped to advance the regional conversation about reuse.Latin America & the Caribbean: Regional work included multifaceted support for wastepicker organizing; anti-incineration efforts, including an August 2024 webinar addressing different types of waste burning as false solutions; and work addressing the waste trade and its harmful impact. We supported zero waste cities implementation, national zero waste alliances in multiple countries, and a Zero Waste Academy held in Ecuador in May 2024. Work to harness the energy of youth advocates included the first subregional gathering of zero waste youth in January 2025, bringing together youth from Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Guatemala. More than 40 member initiatives benefitted from regranting support. Work with journalists included a webinar on the plastic crisis in October 2024 in conjunction with an Argentinian media partner. Extensive public education was undertaken, including a free, public online course in Spanish addressing plastic pollution, organized in the summer of 2024 in conjunction with a prominent research hub.

    Expenses $1,316,405 · Grants $657,000

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.

  • Brieshen McKee

    Fin. & Bus. Dir

    Total calculated
    $159,720
    From this org
    $141,004
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $18,716
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $141,004
    Bonus
    not reported
    Other
    not reported
    Deferred
    not reported
    Nontaxable benefits
    $18,716
    Filer's total
    $159,720

  • Monica Wilson

    Sr Dir. Global Prg

    Total calculated
    $157,886
    From this org
    $129,689
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $28,197
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $129,689
    Bonus
    not reported
    Other
    not reported
    Deferred
    not reported
    Nontaxable benefits
    $28,197
    Filer's total
    $157,886

  • Colleen Halley

    Resource Mob Dir

    Total calculated
    $153,685
    From this org
    $141,418
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $12,267
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $141,418
    Bonus
    not reported
    Other
    not reported
    Deferred
    not reported
    Nontaxable benefits
    $12,267
    Filer's total
    $153,685

  • Chantey Andrews

    People & Cult Dir.

    Total calculated
    $147,024
    From this org
    $120,650
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $26,374
    Hours/week
    40

  • Christie Keith

    Executive Dir.

    Total calculated
    $142,658
    From this org
    $125,385
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $17,273
    Hours/week
    40

  • Melissa Aguallo

    BFFP US Coord.

    Total calculated
    $142,642
    From this org
    $123,366
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $19,276
    Hours/week
    40

  • Denaya Shorter

    Sr Dir. US&CAN Prg

    Total calculated
    $139,457
    From this org
    $132,454
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $7,003
    Hours/week
    40

  • Sue Chiang

    Co-President

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Ana Baptista

    Co-President

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Burr Tyler

    Secretary

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Jack Macy

    Treasurer

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Nazir Khan

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

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
    $8,241,301
    Expenses
    $8,360,518
    Contributions
    $8,190,458
    Grants paid
    $2,233,147
  • 2023
    Revenue
    $8,198,153
    Expenses
    $9,310,426
    Contributions
    $8,112,078
    Grants paid
    $2,945,034
  • 2022
    Revenue
    $7,968,355
    Expenses
    $6,534,023
    Contributions
    $7,845,915
    Grants paid
    $2,030,475

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
    $4,680,505
    Expenses
    $5,441,704
    Assets (EOY)
    $3,935,588

  • 2020 · 990

    Revenue
    $6,204,830
    Expenses
    $4,485,245
    Assets (EOY)
    $5,210,784

  • 2019 · 990

    Revenue
    $4,145,086
    Expenses
    $3,422,670
    Assets (EOY)
    $2,962,269

  • 2018 · 990

    Revenue
    $2,789,749
    Expenses
    $2,610,693
    Assets (EOY)
    $2,056,842

  • 2017 · 990

    Revenue
    $2,174,345
    Expenses
    $2,156,297
    Assets (EOY)
    $1,798,259

  • 2016 · 990

    Revenue
    $1,930,400
    Expenses
    $896,904
    Assets (EOY)
    $1,643,226

  • 2015 · 990

    Revenue
    $1,029,667
    Expenses
    $592,090
    Assets (EOY)
    $628,696

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

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

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 26 October 2026, for every organization at once. Returns through tax year 2024, the newest we have parsed for this organization.