BBB Wise Giving Report for
Earthjustice

BBB Wise Giving Report issued August 2009
BBB Wise Giving Report expires August 2011


This BBB Accredited charity meets all 20 Standards for Charity Accountability and is a Seal Holder. Find out more...


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Charity Contact Information

Name: Earthjustice
Address: 426 17th Street
6th Floor
  Oakland, CA 94612
Phone: 510-550-6700
Web Address: www.earthjustice.org
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BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1970, California
Affiliates: None
Stated Purpose: "to protect the magnificent places, natural resources, and wildlife of the earth and to defending the right of all people to a healthy environment."

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Evaluation Conclusions

               

Earthjustice (Earthjustice) meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Programs

               

Earthjustice provides free legal representation for public interest groups and conservationists in lawsuits and administrative appeals to protect natural resources. Cases cover a wide range of environmental issues, including litigation to prevent activities that adversely affect wildlife and their habitats in national parks and wildlife refuges, clean-up and restoration of waterways and ecosystems, protection of forests and endangered species, and enforcement of environmental laws. In addition, Earthjustice disseminates information to the public and media and utilizes lobbying to influence environmental policy decisions.

For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2008, Earthjustice's program expenses were:

  
Litigation 14,857,577
Public information 8,316,393
Lobbying 455,350
Total Program Expenses: $23,629,320
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Governance

               

Chief Executive : Trip Van Noppen, President
Compensation*:
 $287,773

Chair of the Board: Ed Lewis
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Attorney

Board Size: 26

Paid Staff Size: 163

*July 1, 2007 - June 30, 2008 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.
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Fund Raising

               

Method(s) Used:

Direct mail, telemarketing, special events, grant proposals, Internet appeals, planned giving, cause-related marketing, and membership appeals.
Fund raising costs were 11% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $29,037,380, are donations received as a result of fund raising activities.)
Earthjustice incurred joint costs of $1,429,125 for informational materials and activities that included fund raising materials. Of those costs $1,128,725 was allocated to program expenses and $300,400 was allocated to fund raising expenses.
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Tax Status

               

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.
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Financial

               

The following information is based on Earthjustice's audited financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2008.

Source of Funds  
Contributions 26,446,945
Court awarded attorney fees and costs 3,589,385
Bequests 2,590,435
Interest and dividend income 861,808
Change in value of split interest gift agreements 74,230
Other income 62,531
Gains on long-term investments -2,034,085
Total Income $31,591,249


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Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 82%  Fund Raising: 11%  Administrative: 7% 

Total income   $31,591,249
  Program expenses $23,629,320
  Fund raising expenses 3,140,734
  Administrative expenses 2,090,651
 
Total expenses   $28,860,705
Income in Excess of Expenses   2,730,544
Beginning net assets   33,192,200
Ending net assets   35,922,744
Total liabilities   6,423,902
Total assets   $42,346,646

Note: Earthjustice reports receiving in-kind donations in the amount of $4,034,491. Included in this amount is $2,053,075 (ad space) and $1,981,416 (legal services).

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An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc.

This report is not to be used for fund raising or promotional purposes.

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