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Top Rated

NRDC Action Fund

CharityWatch report issued
August 2024

Top-Rated Charity
A
CharityWatch Grade
Our independent grade based
on a number of factors.
 
87%
Program Percentage
Amount spent on programs
relative to overhead.
 
$12
Cost to Raise $100
Amount spent to raise
$100 of contributions.

Contact Information

NRDC Action Fund
1152 15th Street NW
Suite 300
Washington, DC 20005

Other Names

None

Tax Status

501(c)4

Stated Mission

To build political support for advancing the goals of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

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Data based on Fiscal Year Ended 06/30/2022

Program Percentage: 87%

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

$18,000,000

Calculated Total Expenses

(rounded)

 

Cost to Raise $100: $12

How many dollars NRDC Action Fund spends on fundraising to raise each $100 of contributions.

$14,000,000

Calculated Total Contributions

(rounded)

Government Funding

0% to 24%

Percentage of cash revenue
coming from government sources

 

Financial Documents

Entity Document Type Tax ID
NRDC Action Fund IRS Form 990 13-3976062
Natural Resources Defense Council Consolidated Audited Financial Statements Multiple
Entity: NRDC Action Fund
Document Type: IRS Form 990
Tax ID: 13-3976062
Entity: Natural Resources Defense Council
Document Type: Consolidated Audited Financial Statements
Tax ID: Multiple

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?
 
NRDC Action Fund
meets governance benchmarks.
 
NRDC Action Fund
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 Mitchell Bernard Past Interim President / Chief Counsel $705,195
2 Veronica Foo Past Interim COO / CFO / Treasurer $427,448
3 Kevin Curtis Executive Director $313,922
1
Name: Mitchell Bernard
Title: Past Interim President / Chief Counsel
Compensation: $705,195
2
Name: Veronica Foo
Title: Past Interim COO / CFO / Treasurer
Compensation: $427,448
3
Name: Kevin Curtis
Title: Executive Director
Compensation: $313,922

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 NRDC Action Fund is for the 501(c)(4) tax-exempt, social welfare organization (tax ID #13-3976062). The rating does not include the financial activities of the affiliated 501(c)(3) public charity entity, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) (tax ID #13-2654926), for which CharityWatch issues a separate rating.


CharityWatch separates the ratings for 501(c)(4) & 501(c)(3) organizations, even when they are included together in a consolidated audit, due to their differing treatments under the IRS tax code. For more information on this topic, please see our sections on Types of Non-Profits, Tax Status, and Treatment of Related Organizations, which can be found on the Our Process page.

For more information about things to consider when donating to organizations that have related public charity and social welfare entities, read "Sorting Out Nonprofit Pairs."

According to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) audited Consolidating Schedule of Activities for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022, the NRDC Action Fund received donated in-kind contributions on which it placed a value of $56,290.

[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 NRDC Action Fund's (the Fund) tax filing for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022, the Fund reports re: Compensation, Supplemental Information (IRS Form 990, Schedule J, Part III):

Regarding Form 990, Part VII & Schedule J, Part I:

"The following individuals reported on NRDC Action Fund's Form 990, Mitchell Bernard, Veronica Foo, Manish Bapna, Jennifer Bernstein, and Emily Gray, receive their compensation from the parent organization, Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. (NRDC). Accordingly, all compensation is being reported on NRDC Action Fund's form 990 as related organization compensation..."

The Fund reports providing "bonus & incentive compensation" during calendar year 2021 to three individuals:

(1) Mitchell Bernard, Past Interim President / Chief Counsel, received $120,000, with a total reported compensation of $705,195.

(2) Veronica Foo, Past Interim COO / CFO / Treasurer, received $54,205, with a total reported compensation of $427,448. 

(3) Jennifer Bernstein, CDO / Past Interim COO, received $28,200, with a total reported compensation of $300,207.