The Breakthrough Institute

EIN: 814526660 501(c)(3) Environment

Berkeley, CA

Total Revenue
$5,069,912
Total Expenses
$5,783,654
Total Assets
$5,985,021
Net Assets
$4,398,952
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Financial Vulnerability Assessment (Tuckman-Chang)

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Financial Trends

Organization Details

Formation Year
2016
Legal Domicile
CA
Principal Officer
Ronald Nordhaus
Phone
8325940184
Tax Period
2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31

The Breakthrough Institute, founded in 2016, is a community nonprofit in the Environment sector that reported $5.1M in total revenue in fiscal year 2025. Revenue fell 33% from the prior year — a significant decline worth monitoring. Expenses of $5.8M exceeded revenue, resulting in a 14% operating deficit.

Mission

The Breakthrough Institute is a research center that identifies and promotes technological solutions to environmental and human development challenges.

Program Service Accomplishments

Program 1
Expenses: $3,369,938 Revenue: $75,000

Research Programs: Breakthrough's Research Programs consist of our Climate and Energyprogram, which focuses on policies and technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissionsand increase social...

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Research Programs: Breakthrough's Research Programs consist of our Climate and Energyprogram, which focuses on policies and technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissionsand increase social resilience to a changing climate; our Nuclear Energy Innovation program, which oversees all engagement with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and publishes cutting-edge analysis on nuclear technology; our Food and Agriculture program, which advances an innovation-and-productivity framework for enabling abundant andlow-impact food production; our Energy and Development program, which focuses onenergy and infrastructural equity and resilience in emerging economies; and our Environmental Regulatory Reform program, which develops and promotes credible and politically durable policy reforms that support the timely, lawful, and equitable deployment of critical infrastructure.

Program 2
Expenses: $1,055,846 Revenue: $162,920

Events: Network building is one of the principal ways that Breakthrough makes change in the world, and one way we execute on this is through our events. For over a decade, Breakthrough hosted two...

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Events: Network building is one of the principal ways that Breakthrough makes change in the world, and one way we execute on this is through our events. For over a decade, Breakthrough hosted two popular annual events the Breakthrough Dialogue in California and Ecomodernism in Virginia which convened and advanced ecomodernism, pro-nuclear, and other pragmatic environmental ideas and policy agendas. For the last three years, Breakthrough has been one of the leading organizers of the annual Abundance conference in Washington, DC. We also host numerous workshops, focused policy briefings, and other high-level meetings.

Program 3
Expenses: $393,284 Revenue: $6,170

Communications: Our communications program consists of regular publication of research, policy analysis, and argumentative essays on our website, and multiple weekly publications on our flagship...

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Communications: Our communications program consists of regular publication of research, policy analysis, and argumentative essays on our website, and multiple weekly publications on our flagship Sub-stack, The Ecomodernist. We promote our research, writing, and staff on social media, and augment our institutional publications through speaking engagements at conferences and public events; as well as through essays and analysis for external outlets, including academic, peer-reviewed journals and high-leverage publications such as the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal.

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Trantor Score

Financial Health Score (300–850) · Liquidity · Solvency · Sustainability · Efficiency

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Liquidity (40%) • Solvency (30%) • Sustainability (20%) • Efficiency (10%)

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Financial Overview (2025)

Revenue Breakdown

Contributions & Grants $4,610,976
Program Service Revenue $244,090
Investment Income $188,047
Other Revenue $26,799
TOTAL REVENUE $5,069,912

Expense Breakdown

Grants Paid $0
Salaries & Benefits $3,713,092
Fundraising Expenses $225,960
Program Expenses $4,819,068
Other Expenses $2,070,562
TOTAL EXPENSES $5,783,654

Year-over-Year Comparison

2025 2024 Change
Revenue $5,069,912 $7,537,340 -0.3%
Expenses $5,783,654 $5,536,433 +0.0%
Net Income $-713,742 $2,000,907 -1.4%
Key Indicators
Grants to Organizations Grants to Individuals Lobbying Political Activity Foreign Activities Donor Advised Fund Schedule B Required
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Financial Health Indicators

Comprehensive financial analysis: Altman Z-Score, liquidity, solvency, sustainability, efficiency, and growth metrics

Financial Distress Indicator

Liquidity & Cash Position

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Altman Z-Score • Liquidity Ratios • Solvency Analysis • Growth Indicators • Efficiency Metrics

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Governance

Voting Members
9
Independent Members
9
Employees
27
Volunteers
9

Governance Policies

Conflict of Interest Policy
Whistleblower Policy
Document Retention Policy

Special Practices & Reported Activities

Operated a School
Operated a Hospital
Provided First Class Travel
Reported Conflict of Interest
Reported Asset Diversion
Excess Benefit Transaction
Made Political Expenditures
Engaged in Lobbying
Operated Donor Advised Fund
Maintained Art Collections
Filed Form 720

Compensation of Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Total Officers
4
$529,204
Total Directors
9
$0
Key Employees
0
$0
Highest Compensated
0
reported
Name Title Hours/Week Role Reportable Comp Other Comp Total
Ronald Nordhaus Executive Dir. 40.00
Officer
$320,000 $50,737 $370,737
David Hong Washington Dir. 40.00
$213,675 $24,295 $237,970
Alex Trembath Deputy Dir. 40.00
$211,150 $18,519 $229,669
Adam Stein Dir. Nuclear Energy Innovation 40.00
$169,950 $43,760 $213,710
Seaver Wang Dir. of Climate & Energy 40.00
$190,550 $15,125 $205,675
Daniel Blaustein-Rejto Dir. Food & Agriculture 40.00
$171,466 $21,236 $192,702
Emily Bass Dir. Fed Policy 40.00
$157,646 $12,177 $169,823
Ephstathia Bonadies Dir. Events & Special Projects 40.00
$154,525 $13,654 $168,179
Ann Wang Dir. of Ops 40.00
Officer
$124,424 $34,043 $158,467
Alexander Smith Editorial Dir. 40.00
$133,250 $13,690 $146,940
William Tillson Sr. Nuc Ener Analy 40.00
$104,481 $21,907 $126,388
Peter Seel Radl Health Analys 40.00
$103,090 $14,449 $117,539
Emma Kovak Sr. Food/Ag Analys 40.00
$105,825 $4,458 $110,283
Tisha Schuller Board Chair 2.00
Officer Director
$0 $0 $0
Thomas Riley Sec./Treasury 2.00
Officer Director
$0 $0 $0
Matthew Winkler Board Member 1.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Rachel Pritzker Board Member 1.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Ross Koningstein Board Member 1.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Ray Rothrock Board Member 1.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Jennifer Hernandez Board Member 1.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Chris Foreman Board Member 1.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Bill Budinger Board Member 1.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Note: Compensation data is self-reported by the organization on their Form 990. "Reportable Comp" includes salary, bonuses, and other reportable compensation from the organization and related organizations. "Other Comp" includes benefits, deferred compensation, and non-taxable benefits.

Historical Data

Year Revenue Expenses Assets Net Income
2025 $5,069,912 $5,783,654 $5,985,021 $-713,742
2024 $7,537,340 $5,536,433 $6,490,079 $2,000,907
2023 $4,438,319 $6,558,097 $4,738,080 $-2,119,778
2022 $6,739,502 $5,383,594 $7,080,633 $1,355,908
2021 $4,564,377 $3,775,078 $4,243,816 $789,299
2020 $3,162,290 $2,257,835 $3,545,139 $904,455
2019 $3,260,665 $2,589,944 $2,349,332 $670,721
2018 $2,793,648 $2,424,794 $1,728,569 $368,854
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