Celebrating 30 years of helping you give wisely
America's most independent,
assertive charity watchdog
Top Rated

Rainforest Action Network

CharityWatch report issued
May 2022

Top-Rated Charity
A-
CharityWatch Grade
Our independent grade based
on a number of factors.
 
76%
Program Percentage
Amount spent on programs
relative to overhead.
 
$17
Cost to Raise $100
Amount spent to raise
$100 of contributions.

Contact Information

Rainforest Action Network
425 Bush Street
Suite 300
San Francisco, CA 94108

Other Names

RAN

Tax Status

501(c)3

Website

www.ran.org

Stated Mission

Preserves forests, protects the climate and upholds human rights by challenging corporate power and systemic injustice through frontline partnerships and strategic campaigns.

View similar charities
Charity  
350.org  
African Wildlife Foundation  
Alaska Conservation Foundation  
Amazon Conservation Team  
American Bird Conservancy  
American Farmland Trust  
American Forests  
American Rivers  
Appalachian Mountain Club  
Arbor Day Foundation  
Center for Biological Diversity  
Chesapeake Bay Foundation  
Conservation Fund  
Conservation International Foundation  
Cousteau Society  
Defenders of Wildlife  
Ducks Unlimited  
Earth Island Institute  
Earthjustice  
Earthworks  
Environmental Defense Action Fund  
Environmental Defense Fund  
Environmental Working Group  
Friends of the Earth  
Gaia-Movement Living Earth Green World Action USA  
Global Green USA  
Green America  
Greenpeace  
Greenpeace Fund  
Izaak Walton League of America (National Office)  
Keep America Beautiful (National Office)  
League of Conservation Voters  
League of Conservation Voters Education Fund  
National Audubon Society  
National Forest Foundation  
National Park Foundation (NPF)  
National Park Trust  
National Parks Conservation Association  
National Wildlife Federation  
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)  
Nature Conservancy  
NRDC Action Fund  
Ocean Conservancy  
Oceana  
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy  
Rainforest Alliance  
Resources for the Future  
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation  
Save the Redwoods League  
Sierra Club  
Sierra Club Foundation  
Solar Cookers International (SCI)  
Southern Environmental Law Center  
Student Conservation Association  
The Wilderness Society  
Trout Unlimited (National Office)  
Trust for Public Land  
Union of Concerned Scientists  
Water.org  
Waterkeeper Alliance  
WildAid  
World Resources Institute  
World Wildlife Fund  
Yosemite Conservancy  
Data based on Fiscal Year Ended 06/30/2021

Program Percentage: 76%

The percentage of Rainforest Action Network's cash budget it spends on programs relative to overhead (fundraising, management, and general expenses).

$8,400,000

Calculated Total Expenses

(rounded)

 

Cost to Raise $100: $17

How many dollars Rainforest Action Network spends on fundraising to raise each $100 of contributions.

$8,300,000

Calculated Total Contributions

(rounded)

Government Funding

0% to 24%

Percentage of cash revenue
coming from government sources

 

Financial Documents

Entity Document Type Tax ID
Rainforest Action Network IRS Form 990 94-3045180
Rainforest Action Network Audited Financial Statements 94-3045180
Entity: Rainforest Action Network
Document Type: IRS Form 990
Tax ID: 94-3045180
Entity: Rainforest Action Network
Document Type: Audited Financial Statements
Tax ID: 94-3045180

Governance & Transparency

CharityWatch evaluates certain criteria related to a charity's Governance and Transparency. Donors may want to consider a charity's willingness to be open and transparent with CharityWatch to be a good litmus test for determining its commitment to public accountability.
This charity is Top-Rated
What does it mean to be Top-Rated?
 
Rainforest Action Network
meets governance benchmarks.
 
Rainforest Action Network
meets transparency benchmarks.
Transparency
Provides Financial Information
Audit Accessibility
Governance: Policies
Reports regularly & consistently monitoring & enforcing compliance with a written Conflict of Interest Policy
Reports required, annual disclosure by officers, directors, and key staff of interests that could give rise to conflicts
Reports having a written Whistleblower Policy
Reports having a written Document Retention and Destruction Policy
Governance: Financials
Reports providing copy of tax form to all board members prior to filing it with IRS
Reports that financial statements were audited by an independent accountant
Governance: Board of Directors
Reports at least 5 voting board members
51% or more of voting board members reported as independent
Reports documenting minutes of board and board committee meetings
Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy

  Name Title Compensation
1 Ginger Cassady Executive Director $189,295
2 Pallavi Phartiyal Deputy Director $187,823
3 Marie Michelson Digital Director $154,067
1
Name: Ginger Cassady
Title: Executive Director
Compensation: $189,295
2
Name: Pallavi Phartiyal
Title: Deputy Director
Compensation: $187,823
3
Name: Marie Michelson
Title: Digital Director
Compensation: $154,067

CharityWatch Analysts perform an in-depth analysis of charities' audited financial statements and IRS tax filings, and often review other documents such as state filings, annual reports, and fundraising contracts during their evaluations. Below are select notes that CharityWatch believes may be of interest to donors.

According to the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) audit of June 30, 2021 (Note 12, In-kind Contributions), RAN received in-kind contributions in fiscal 2021 on which it placed a total value of $414,452. Of this amount, $414,302 consisted of in-kind "digital advertising (Google Grants)."

[Note: CharityWatch generally excludes the value of in-kind (non-cash) donations of goods and services from its calculations of Program % and Cost to Raise $100. More information on how grades are calculated and the treatment of in-kind donations can be found on the Our Process page.]

According to the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) audit of June 30, 2021 (Note 8, Loan Payable to SBA Under Payroll Protection Program):

"During May 2020, RAN received $770,000 in a forgivable loan under the Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Program ('PPP'). Congress established the PPP to provide relief to small businesses during the coronavirus pandemic as part of the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act... This legislation authorized the United States Treasury Department to use the SBA's 7(a) small business lending program to fund loans of up to $10 million per borrower that qualifying entities can spend to cover payroll, interest, rent, and utilities.

"In December 2020, RAN applied for and received full forgiveness of the PPP loan and recorded the full amount of $770,000 as gain on extinguishment of debt on the [audited] statement of activities.

"In February 2021, RAN applied for and received a second draw PPP loan in the amount of $778,750. Management fully anticipates that it will satisfy the PPP's eligibility and loan forgiveness criteria, enabling the funds to be reclassified from a liability to income. ... Once the loan is, in part or wholly, forgiven and legal release is received, RAN will reduce the liability by the amount forgiven and record the forgiven loan as gain on extinguishment of debt. Subsequent to June 30, 2021, RAN applied for forgiveness for the second draw PPP loan in September 2021."

According to the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) audit of June 30, 2021 (Note 10, Related Party Transactions):

"During the years ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, RAN's executive director was also a board member of an organization to which RAN issued grants in the amount of $142,500 and $75,000, respectively."

According to the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) audit of June 30, 2021 (Note 17, COVID-19):

"Although the COVID-19 threat has abated, the worldwide threat continues to (a) impact financial markets, (b) threaten revenue streams, and (c) impact private enterprises with which RAN conducts business. Business continuity, including supply chains and consumer demand across a broad range of industries and countries, continues to present challenges. Management continues to monitor and evaluate its options. These [audited] financial statements do not contain any adjustments related to economic losses which may or may not be realized."