The Climate Cousins Foundation
The Climate Cousins Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, NY (126 East 56th Street, 26th Floor, New York, NY 10022-3613). Established in 2021, it operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with EIN 84-4498198. The foundation supports climate justice initiatives and operates as part of the broader Climate Cousins coalition, which was founded in 2019.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$260K
+35.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$150K
-50.0% YoY
Grant Count
1
-66.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$150K
+50.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission centers on addressing climate change through philanthropic investment. The organization believes in limiting global temperature increase to well below 2 degrees Celsius to avoid catastrophic climate impacts. Key strategic objectives include cutting overall carbon emissions in half by 2030 and achieving net zero emissions by mid-century.
The foundation's philosophy emphasizes:
- Investing holistically with time and capital in the climate change ecosystem
- Collaborative, coalition-based philanthropic giving rather than individual giving to maximize impact
- Integrating philanthropic, political, and investment approaches
- Acting within a 10-year time horizon to achieve mid-century net zero emissions
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Grantmaking is by invitation only.
Grant Range
$100,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports climate initiatives across multiple U.S. cities and states, including: Alameda, Apopka, Atlanta, Detroit, Long Island City, New Orleans, New York, Richmond, San Diego, San Francisco, San Juan, Silver Spring, Tulsa, Tuskegee, and Washington. Geographic coverage extends across Alabama, California, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New York, Oklahoma, and Puerto Rico.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
2023 Financial Summary:
- Total assets: $192,868
- Total revenues: $550,345
- Total expenses: $386,630
- Total grants/contributions received: $503,216
- Investment income and dividends: $27,438
2022 Financial Summary:
- Total assets: $29,000 (significant growth to $192,868 by 2023)
- Total revenues: $2,508,392
- Total grants/contributions received: $2,508,392
- Investment income and dividends: $1,978
Financial Trends: The foundation experienced a significant decline in grant contributions year-over-year (-79.9%), while investment income increased substantially (+1287.2%). The foundation's giving rate exceeded 100% of assets in 2023, indicating it distributed more than its asset base.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $260,311 | $192,868 | $29,153 |
| Revenue | $259,449 | $550,345 | $2,494,868 |
| Expenses | $192,006 | $386,630 | $2,537,482 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $180,968 | $334,904 | $2,510,129 |
| Net Investment Income | $4,411 | $456,877 | $987,356 |
| Distributable Amount | $8,984 | $17,935 | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 1 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
53 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is led by four key individuals, all serving without compensation:
- Alejandro Foung — President (5 hours/week)
- Rachel Gelman — Vice President (5 hours/week)
- Serra Falk Goldman — Secretary (5 hours/week)
- Daniel Rueven — Treasurer (5 hours/week)
The foundation maintains zero full-time employees and operates with volunteer leadership.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALEJANDRO FOUNG | PRESIDENT | 5 | — |
| RACHEL GELMAN | VICE PRESIDENT | 5 | — |
| SERRA FALK GOLDMAN | SECRETARY | 5 | — |
| DANIEL RUEVEN | TREASURER | 5 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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