CharityWatch is unable to provide a rating for Greenpeace Fund (the Fund) based on its fiscal year ended 12/31/2024 at this time due to substantial doubt about the Organization's ability to continue as a going concern, along with an inability to obtain its audited financial statements for that financial year. For this reason we have issued the charity a "?" rating, signifying nondisclosure of financial information and/or other specific concerns. CharityWatch has historically been unable to provide a complete rating of the Fund due to how the organization is structured, as it has essentially functioned as a fundraising arm for its affiliated organizations, reporting no financially significant programs of its own. CharityWatch's methodology is not designed to measure how efficiently one entity of a charity grants funds to its related organizations. Per Schedule O of the Fund's 2024 tax filing, the Fund reports re: Supplemental Information to the Form 990: "Greenpeace Fund, Inc. was found liable in a $131 million jury verdict rendered in March 2025 in North Dakota in connection with litigation brought by Energy Transfer, LP and related entities. The litigation between Energy Transfer and Greenpeace centers on the environmental and Indigenous rights protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) that took place in 2016 and 2017. The jury found Greenpeace Fund, Inc. liable for defamation and tortious interference, which the plaintiffs argued led to significant project delays and financial losses. The organization has filed motions challenging the verdict, and as of the date of issuance of these financial statements, no judgment has been entered by the court. If the court does enter judgment against Greenpeace Fund, Inc. and denies a new trial, the organization will appeal. The outcome and timing of these legal processes remain uncertain. The verdict represents a liability in excess of the organization’s current financial resources. As of December 31, 2024, Greenpeace Fund, Inc. had cash and cash equivalents of $24 million and total assets of $42 million. If judgment is issued in the amount of the verdict and is not subsequently vacated or reversed, the organization does not have sufficient liquidity to satisfy the judgment or to continue normal operations if the judgment is enforced. As a result of these factors, management has concluded that there is substantial doubt about Greenpeace Fund, Inc.’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of one year after the date these financial statements are issued. The accompanying financial statements have been prepared assuming Greenpeace Fund, Inc. will continue as a going concern and include an adjustment that reflects the expected outcome of this uncertainty." [Per IRS Form 990, Part X, Balance Sheet, line 32, the Fund reports a net asset deficit of $101,147,462].
As of the date of this note, April 8, 2026, Greenpeace (related 501(c)(4) tax-exempt, social welfare organization) is in the process of appealing a $345 million judgment made against it from the North Dakota District Court. More information on this ongoing case can be found here. [NOTE: CharityWatch provides a separate rating for Greenpeace Fund's related 501(c)(4) tax-exempt, social welfare organization, Greenpeace, Inc. (tax ID #52-1541501). 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."
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