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Vote Solar

Public charity · Grantmaker Oakland, CA EIN: 46-4396728 Website

Vote Solar's mission is to realize a 100% clean energy future through a solutions-driven, people-first approach.

Vote Solar at a glance

In short: Vote Solar reported $5K in grants paid in 2025 (a total; its filing lists no individual grants). Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.

Grants paid (2025)
$5,000 — reported as a total on the IRS filing, without an itemized list
-94.3% vs 2024
Total assets
$13,017,643
-11.3% vs 2024
Revenue (2025)
$7,622,988
-20.2% vs 2024
Net investment income (2025)
$519,123
-12.9% vs 2024
Expenses (2025)
$9,407,681
-0.8% vs 2024
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated November 2026.

Who Vote Solar funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Grant Size Distribution

9 grants across all recorded years

7<$50K$50–100K$100–250K2$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 7 grants of 9 (78%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

6states

Cities

WashingtonBerkeleyBloomingtonCoon RapidsHighland ParkRoanoke RapidsSan DiegoStockton

How Vote Solar gives

  • Giving fell 69% from 2021 to 2024. Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$100K$200K$300K1 grant2020 2 grants2021 2 grants2022 1 grant2023 4 grants2024 Total only2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $5K (2025) to $285K (2021). In 2025 it reported $5K in grants paid, as a total without an itemized list.

Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Gridlab Berkeley, CAGrid Equity Midwest (GEM) Coalition$42,625
Community Power Coon Rapids, MNGrid Equity Midwest (GEM) Coalition$19,500
Soulardarity Highland Park, MIGrid Equity Midwest (GEM) Coalition$19,500
Illinois Peoples Action Bloomington, ILGrid Equity Midwest (GEM) Coalition$6,500
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsNet Investment Income
2025$13,017,643$7,622,988$9,407,681$5,000Total only$519,123
2024$14,678,705$9,548,879$9,488,163$88,1254$596,168
2023$14,841,283$9,365,023$9,681,702$9,5001$359,634
2022$15,251,412$7,417,991$8,701,220$268,0002$45,791
2021$16,151,293$12,907,354$7,403,908$285,0002$16,496
2020$11,225,315$9,944,750$6,814,308$280,0001$34,009

"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.

About Vote Solar

Based on IRS filings

Vote Solar is a public charity focused on Environment & Animals, based in Oakland, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $13.0M in total assets. In 2025, it reported $5K in grants paid as a total on its IRS filing, without an itemized list. Net investment income was $519K.

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Vote Solar is led by Sachu Constantine, Executive Director since 2023 (on filings since 2020); 10 of 18 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Sachu Constantine

    Executive Director

    Mng Director Regulatory → President & Executive Director, 2021

    President & Executive Director → Executive Director, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    40 hrs/week

    $142K (2020) → $233K (2025)

  • Zaid Ashai

    Board Chair

    Director → Board Chair, 2021

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Nathan Phelps

    Managing Director & Hub

    Mngng Director Regultry → Mng Director Regulatory, 2023

    Mng Director Regulatory → Managing Director & Hub, 2025

    On filings since 2022

    40 hrs/week

    $154K (2022) → $170K (2025)

  • William Kenworthy

    Senior Reg. Director

    Reg Director Midwest → Senior Reg. Director Mdwt, 2024

    Senior Reg. Director Mdwt → Senior Reg. Director, 2025

    On filings since 2021

    40 hrs/week

    $135K (2021) → $160K (2025)

  • Andrea Leon-Grossmann

    Dpty Prgm Director West

    New on the 2025 filing

    40 hrs/week

    $159K (2025)

  • Julia Gabbert

    Mngng Director & Giving

    New on the 2025 filing

    40 hrs/week

    $178K (2025)

  • Jon Carson

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Curtis Seymour

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Tarak Shah

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Steph Speirs

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Mandela Barnes

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Rosalind Jackson

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Utopia Hill

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Elizabeth Brooks

    CFO

    Treasurer → Treasurer & Staff, 2021

    Treasurer & Staff → CFO, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    40 hrs/week

    $101K (2020) → $220K (2025)

  • Ayesha Herian

    Chief of Staff

    Mng Director Committee → Chief of Staff, 2023

    On filings since 2021

    40 hrs/week

    $144K (2021) → $160K (2025)

  • Irina Cortez

    Chief Talent Offcr

    Mngng Director Talent → Talent Officer, 2024

    Talent Officer → Chief Talent Offcr, 2025

    On filings since 2022

    40 hrs/week

    $153K (2022) → $163K (2025)

  • Sean Garren DeKrey

    Secretary & Cpo

    Secretary & Staff → Secretary & Cpo, 2024

    On filings since 2022

    40 hrs/week

    $185K (2022) → $194K (2025)

  • Tess Richey

    Chief Philanthropy Officer

    New on the 2025 filing

    40 hrs/week

    $188K (2025)

Former officers (22)
  • Former: Heather McTeer Toney (2020–2024) — Director
  • Former: Marta Tomic (2023–2024) — Mng Director Nat Prgm
  • Former: Rob Wallace (2023–2024) — Director
  • Former: Lindsay Hallock (2024) — Dpt Prgm Director Stst
  • Former: James Gilliam (2020–2023) — Senior Regulatory Director
  • Former: Jessica Brittsan (2020–2023) — Chief Philanthropy Officer
  • Former: Steph Spiers (2023) — Director
  • Former: Kristin Mayes (2020–2022) — Director
  • Former: Robert Wallace (2020–2022) — Director
  • Former: Sheridan Pauker (2020–2022) — Director
  • Former: Stephanie Chen (2020–2022) — Director
  • Former: Adam Browning (2020–2021) — President & Executive Director
  • Former: Katherine Chiles Ottenweller (2020–2021) — Se Director
  • Former: Annie Lapp (2021) — Secretary & Staff
  • Former: Emily Cozart-Mohammed (2021) — Director Philanthropy
  • Former: Sean Garren (2021) — Secretary & Staff
  • Former: Anna Lappe (2020) — Secretary
  • Former: Cecil Corbin-Mark (2020) — Director
  • Former: David Crane (2020) — Director
  • Former: Edward Smeloff (2020) — Program Director
  • Former: Melanie Santiago-Mosier (2020) — Access & Equity Director
  • Former: Sanjay Wagle (2020) — Director

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Compensation Overview

From 2025 IRS filing

Sachu Constantine — Executive Dir.: $233KSachu ConstantineExecutive Dir.$233KElizabeth Brooks — CFO: $220KElizabeth BrooksCFO$220KSean Garren DeKrey — Secretary & CPO: $194KSean Garren DeKreySecretary & CPO$194KTess Richey — Chief Philanthropy Officer: $188KTess RicheyChief Philanthropy Officer$188KJulia Gabbert — Mngng Dir, Giving: $178KJulia GabbertMngng Dir, Giving$178KNathan Phelps — Managing Dir, Hub: $170KNathan PhelpsManaging Dir, Hub$170KIrina Cortez — Chief Talent Offcr: $163KIrina CortezChief Talent Offcr$163KAyesha Herian — Chief of Staff: $160KAyesha HerianChief of Staff$160KWilliam Kenworthy — Sr Reg. Director: $160KWilliam KenworthySr Reg. Director$160KAndrea Leon-Grossmann — Dpty Prgm Dir West: $159KAndrea Leon-GrossmannDpty Prgm Dir West$159K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $233K, to Sachu Constantine (Executive Dir.). 10 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Frequently asked questions about Vote Solar

How much does Vote Solar give each year?

Vote Solar reported $5K in grants paid in 2025 on its 2025 IRS Form 990, as a total without an itemized list of grants. In 2024 it gave $88K across 4 grants.

How large is Vote Solar?

Vote Solar reported $13.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $7.6M.

What is Vote Solar?

Vote Solar is a public charity focused on Environment & Animals, based in Oakland, CA. It holds $13.0M in total assets as of 2025.

Where does Vote Solar operate?

Vote Solar has awarded grants in California, District of Columbia, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina.

What is Vote Solar's EIN?

Vote Solar's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-4396728. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.

Data update history

(7)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 21, 2026)
  2. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 21, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 28, 2022)
  4. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 8, 2023)
  5. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 16, 2024)
  6. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 23, 2025)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from Vote Solar'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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