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Top Rated

Conservation International Foundation

CharityWatch report issued
October 2021

Top-Rated Charity
A
CharityWatch Grade
Our independent grade based
on a number of factors.
 
85%
Program Percentage
Amount spent on programs
relative to overhead.
 
$9
Cost to Raise $100
Amount spent to raise
$100 of contributions.

Contact Information

Conservation International Foundation
2011 Crystal Drive
Suite 600
Arlington, VA 22202

Other Names

None

Tax Status

501(c)3

Stated Mission

Building upon a strong foundation of science, partnership and field demonstration, empowers societies to responsibly and sustainably care for nature for the well-being of humanity.

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Data based on Fiscal Year Ended 06/30/2020

Program Percentage: 85%

The percentage of Conservation International Foundation's cash budget it spends on programs relative to overhead (fundraising, management, and general expenses).

$152,000,000

Calculated Total Expenses

(rounded)

 

Cost to Raise $100: $9

How many dollars Conservation International Foundation spends on fundraising to raise each $100 of contributions.

$132,000,000

Calculated Total Contributions

(rounded)

Government Funding

0% to 24%

Percentage of cash revenue
coming from government sources

 

Financial Documents

Entity Document Type Tax ID
Conservation International Foundation & Affiliates Audited Consolidated Financial Statements Multiple
Conservation International Foundation IRS Form 990 52-1497470
Entity: Conservation International Foundation & Affiliates
Document Type: Audited Consolidated Financial Statements
Tax ID: Multiple
Entity: Conservation International Foundation
Document Type: IRS Form 990
Tax ID: 52-1497470

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?
 
Conservation International Foundation
meets governance benchmarks.
 
Conservation International Foundation
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 No Sharing  

  Name Title Compensation
1 Sanjayan Muttulingam CEO $685,506
2 Jennifer Morris President $619,352
3 Sebastian Anders Troeng Executive VP of Programs $501,996
1
Name: Sanjayan Muttulingam
Title: CEO
Compensation: $685,506
2
Name: Jennifer Morris
Title: President
Compensation: $619,352
3
Name: Sebastian Anders Troeng
Title: Executive VP of Programs
Compensation: $501,996

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.

CharityWatch's rating of Conservation International Foundation (CI) also includes the operations of 12 CI affiliates: CI-Brazil, CI-Europe in Belgium, CI-Guyana, CI-Hong Kong, CI-Japan, CI-Mexico, CI-New Zealand, CI-Philippines, CI-Singapore, CI-Suriname, CI-UK and Conservation South Africa. These affiliates are consolidated in CI's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020.

According to the CI fiscal 2020 consolidated audit (Note 1, Nature of Activities): "All of the aforementioned [affiliated] organizations are separately incorporated in their respective countries. Due to the significant amount of oversight and support (financial and programmatic) provided by CI, their financial activities have been consolidated with CI's financial activities." All transactions between CI and its affiliates have been eliminated in the audit consolidation.

According to the Conservation International Foundation (CI) consolidated audit of June 30, 2020 (Note 5, Grants and Promises to Give Receivable):

"...CI's ten largest contributors during the year ended June 30, 2020, comprised approximately 39% or $63,777,000 of total support and revenue..."

According to the Conservation International Foundation (CI) consolidated audit of June 30, 2020 (Note 6, Project Advances to Partners):

"As an accredited implementing agency of the Global Environment Fund (the GEF), CI has entered into a limited partnership agreement in an impact investment fund. The investment objectives of the fund are 1) to generate measurable social and environmental outcomes and provide reasonable financial returns for investors by making debt and equity investments in fishing and seafood-related enterprises and 2) to demonstrate the effectiveness of private capital investment as a catalyst to help coastal fisheries to achieve economic, social, and environmental sustainability.

"As of the year ended June 30, 2019, CI committed and paid $6,000,000 to the fund, of which $731,000 had been deployed as a capital contribution, leaving a balance of $5,269,000 as a project advance to the partner. During the year ended June 30, 2020, an additional $402,000 was deployed, resulting in $4,867,000 remaining as a project advance to the partner."

According to the Conservation International Foundation (CI) consolidated audit of June 30, 2020 (Note 14, Related Party Transactions):

"During the year ended June 30, 2020, CI continued to support a related party under a services agreement to provide technical and programmatic services while the related party built its capacity as an independent organization. This organization's mission, which CI shares, places a specific focus on ensuring indigenous peoples have the economic power and cultural independence to steward, support, and protect their livelihoods and territories. For the year ended June 30, 2020, CI received $150,000 in contract revenue for services provided, and $2,150,000 in grant revenue for work with indigenous people..." 

According to the Conservation International Foundation (CI) consolidated audit of June 30, 2020 (Note 16, COVID-19):

"On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and on March 11, 2020, declared it to be a pandemic. The coronavirus and actions taken to mitigate the spread of it have had and are expected to continue to have an adverse impact on the economies and financial markets of many countries, including the geographical area and sectors in which CI operates.

"It is unknown how long the adverse conditions associated with the coronavirus will last and what the complete financial effect will be to CI. The extent of the impact of COVID-19 on CI's operations and financial performance are uncertain and cannot be predicted. Management is continually monitoring the impact of COVID-19."

According to the Conservation International Foundation (CI) tax filing for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, CI reports re: Compensation, Supplemental Information (IRS Form 990, Schedule J, Part III):

Regarding nonfixed payments to officers, directors, trustees, key employees and highest compensated employees (Schedule J, Part I, Line 7):

"CI's variable pay plan seeks to drive executive performance by linking a portion of their compensation to meeting established achievement measures. CI determines executive compensation based on annual market analysis performed by a firm specializing in non-profit compensation. Base salaries are set net of anticipated variable pay. Executives receive the balance of their compensation, in the form of variable pay, based upon the organization's documented performance against its approved annual goals, as well as their individual performance against their approved deliverables. A committee of CI's board of directors reviews and approves executive compensation levels including annual variable pay."


CI reports "Bonus & incentive compensation" payments to 14 individuals in calendar year 2019, including $169,133 and $157,333 paid to Sanjayan Muttulingam, Chief Executive Officer, and Jennifer Morris, President, respectively. Their reported total compensation in 2019 is $685,506 and $619,352, respectively. The other 12 individuals have reported "Bonus & incentive compensation" amounts that range from $54,083 to $13,079, with associated reported total compensation that ranges from $501,996 to $292,589 (IRS Form 990, Schedule J, Part II).


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