The Energy Foundation
The Energy Foundation is a public charity based in San Francisco, California, formed in 1991. It makes grants to organizations and institutions working to address climate change and accelerate the low-carbon energy transition.
The Energy Foundation at a glance
In short: The Energy Foundation gave $3.2M across 14 grants in 2024 (avg $230K), top state California. 36% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,225,597
- +46.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 14
- +75.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $230,400
- -16.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $205,310
- Total assets
- $141,600,498
- +29.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 36% first-time grantees (5 of 14, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (33% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Energy Foundation
- Contact
Mailing address: 50 California Street 1500, San Francisco, CA 94111
Phone: (415) 561-6700
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Energy Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was International Council on Clean Transportation Inc ($550K). Together the top 10 received $2.9M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($220,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
62 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 33 grants of 62 (53%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest reported shares of grant dollars by recipient state were California (33%), Massachusetts (23%), the District of Columbia (17%), New York (11%), and Colorado (7%). The foundation also reported expenditures supporting its Beijing representative office.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Energy Foundation open to new grantees?
36%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 14 grantees (36%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $165K; repeat grants $267K. How we count
Medians: $220K first-time, $191K repeat.
- 29% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+3%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $2.2M (2023) to $3.8M (2022). In 2024 it made 14 grants totaling $3.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| International Council on Clean Transportation Inc Washington, DC | To Support Low-Carbon Alternative Transportation | $550,000 |
| President & Fellows of Harvard College Cambridge, MA | To support engagement on carbon neutrality and climate change, to reduce emissions and address climate change, to support low-carbon alternative transportation | $492,477 |
| Institute for Transportation and Development Policy New York, NY | To Support Low-Carbon Alternative Transportation | $360,000 |
| Regents of the Uc at Berkeley Berkeley, CA | To Reduce Emissions and Control Air Pollution | $300,000 |
| Regents of the University of California Davis Davis, CA | To Reduce Emissions and Address Climate Change | $300,000 |
| The State Legislative Leaders Foundation Marstons Mills, MA | To support engagement on carbon neutrality and climate change | $233,750 |
| 1 grant to individuals Recipients not named | — | $220,000 |
| Bay Area Council Foundation San Francisco, CA | To support engagement on carbon neutrality and climate change | $190,620 |
| Innovation Center for Energy and Transportation Los Angeles, CA | To Support High-Quality Climate Solutions | $185,000 |
| Jackson Hole Center for Global Affairs Jackson, WY | To Support Green Energy Transition | $175,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $141,600,498 | $109,226,201 | $82,890,976 | $3,225,597 | 14 | $1,803,117 |
| 2023 | $109,761,570 | $84,464,278 | $77,339,890 | $2,204,491 | 8 | $1,536,498 |
| 2022 | $102,177,476 | $57,878,896 | $69,460,889 | $3,773,950 | 14 | $800,424 |
| 2021 | $108,278,429 | $83,158,939 | $56,132,961 | $3,144,282 | 10 | $78,192 |
| 2020 | $75,677,081 | $75,984,945 | $40,378,845 | $2,745,865 | 16 | $102,531 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation states its mission is to achieve greenhouse gas emissions neutrality, world-class air quality, energy access, and green growth by transforming energy and optimizing economic structure.
Its 2024 grants supported work described in grant purposes as low-carbon alternative transportation, carbon neutrality and climate change engagement, emissions reduction, air-pollution control, green energy transition, and high-quality climate solutions. The foundation’s filing describes its support as including education and analysis to identify and advance solutions.
Grantees’ own mission statements illustrate the range of organizations supported. The International Council on Clean Transportation says it works to improve the environmental performance and energy efficiency of transportation systems and mitigate climate change. The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy says it designs and implements sustainable transport and urban-development systems and policies. Rocky Mountain Institute describes its mission as transforming the global energy system for a clean, prosperous, zero-carbon future. The State Legislative Leaders Foundation says it provides educational programs for state legislative leaders on public policy and related topics.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 14 grants totaling $3,225,597. Grant amounts ranged from $20,000 to $550,000, with a median of $205,310.
Among its largest 2024 grants were $550,000 to the International Council on Clean Transportation for low-carbon alternative transportation; $492,477 to President & Fellows of Harvard College for work on carbon neutrality, climate change, emissions reduction, and low-carbon alternative transportation; and $360,000 to the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy for low-carbon alternative transportation. Other grants included $300,000 each to the Regents of the UC at Berkeley for reducing emissions and controlling air pollution and to the Regents of the University of California Davis for reducing emissions and addressing climate change. The foundation also granted $233,750 to the State Legislative Leaders Foundation for engagement on carbon neutrality and climate change, and $220,000 to Rocky Mountain Institute for low-carbon alternative transportation.
For grants to U.S. 501(c)(3) organizations, the foundation requires a final narrative and financial report after the grant period and issues one payment after the grant agreement is countersigned. For grants to organizations without 501(c)(3) status, it says it exercises expenditure responsibility as a best practice. For a first-time grantee in that category, it requires interim and final narrative and financial reports; payment is usually made in three installments, subject to receipt and approval of the required reports.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Hongjun Zhang as board chair. Board members listed include Hongpeng Lei, Shenyu Belsky, Jorgen Thomsen, Jonathan Pershing, Kelly Sims Gallagher, Stephen Harper, Kebin He (through November 28, 2024), Bernice Lee, and David Nieh.
The Energy Foundation is led by Zou Ji, CEO on every filing since 2020; 16 of 20 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Zou Ji
CEO
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$345K (2020) → $505K (2024)
Hongjun Zhang
Board Chair
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$8K (2020) → $6K (2024)
Jean Ku
Director & Strategic Partnership
Director & Strategic Partnerships → Director & Strategic Partnership, 2021
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$186K (2020) → $239K (2024)
Danielle Fuller-Wimbush
Director of Grants Management
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$141K (2021) → $197K (2024)
Piotr Kodzis
Finance Director
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$116K (2021) → $229K (2024)
Bernice Lee
Board Member
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$20K (2021) → $6K (2024)
David Nieh
Board Member
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$6K (2020) → $6K (2024)
David Vance Wagner
Secretary
Secretary → Secretary & Interim Treasurer, 2022
Secretary & Interim Treasurer → Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$219K (2020) → $307K (2024)
Kebin He
Board Member
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$7K (2020) → $6K (2024)
Kelly Sims Gallagher
Board Member
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$6K (2020) → $5K (2024)
Stephen Harper
Board Member
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$6K (2020) → $5K (2024)
Fang Yuwei
COO & Treasurer
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$77K (2022) → $296K (2024)
Yunshu Ji
Grants Manager
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$136K (2022) → $161K (2024)
Mary Nichols
Board Member
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
$5K (2023) → $6K (2024)
Walter Reid
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
3 hrs/week
$6K (2024)
Yun Cai
Program Manager
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$139K (2024)
Hongpeng Lei
Board Member
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jonathan Pershing
Board Member
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jorgen Thomsen
Board Member
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shenyu Belsky
Board Member
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Walt Reid (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Shao Yue (2020–2022) — COO & Treasurer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $505K, to ZOU Ji (CEO). 16 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Energy Foundation
How much does The Energy Foundation give each year?
The Energy Foundation gave $3.2M across 14 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $2.2M across 8 grants.
What is The Energy Foundation's typical grant size?
The Energy Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $205,310, and its average grant was $230,400, across 14 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Energy Foundation that year got $165K on average.
Where does The Energy Foundation give grants?
The Energy Foundation's top state is California, with 33% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Massachusetts (23%) and District of Columbia (17%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (2 grants).
Does The Energy Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 14 grants with a stated purpose on The Energy Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Support Low-Carbon Alternative Transportation" (3 grants).
Who are The Energy Foundation's largest grantees?
The Energy Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include International Council on Clean Transportation Inc ($550,000), President & Fellows of Harvard College ($492,477) and Institute for Transportation and Development Policy ($360,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($220,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 43% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Energy Foundation?
The Energy Foundation reported $141.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $109.2M.
What does The Energy Foundation fund?
The foundation states its mission is to achieve greenhouse gas emissions neutrality, world-class air quality, energy access, and green growth by transforming energy and optimizing economic structure. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Energy Foundation?
The Energy Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is The Energy Foundation's EIN?
The Energy Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3126848. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 18, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 12, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Other open foundation grants in California
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Energy Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-energy-foundation-morg_bc43d1e3b79e495697672e9bb0e6709e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_943126848_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Energy Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-energy-foundation-morg_bc43d1e3b79e495697672e9bb0e6709e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Energy Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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