2025-10-22T16:46:22-07:00 2025-06-30 883469983 OConnor & Company 1701 Novato Blvd Ste 302 Novato CA 94947 990 2024-07-01 680153141 Solar Cookers International SOLA 9164554499 2400 22nd Street 210 Sacramento CA 95818 Caitlyn Hughes ED 2025-10-22 true true Michael O'Connor P01338996 4154571215 2024 2025-03-06 01:10:19Z Caitlyn Hughes 2400 22nd Street 210 Sacramento CA 95818 1779375 false X www.solarcookers.org X 1988 CA The mission of Solar Cookers International is to improve human health, economic well-being, womens empowerment, and the environment by promoting climate-friendly solar cooking for vulnerable populations worldwide. 14 14 11 40 0 1011435 1687007 3048 2717 70525 89284 0 1085008 1779008 44710 218161 0 627478 785079 0 203264 219271 305661 891459 1308901 193549 470107 2416652 2950215 53079 67906 2363573 2882309 The mission of Solar Cookers International is to improve human health, economic well-being, womens empowerment, and the environment by promoting climate-friendly solar cooking for vulnerable populations worldwide. false false 1072001 218161 2717 Solar Cookers International (SCI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization advancing human health, economic resilience, gender equity, and environmental protection by expanding access to climate-friendly solar cooking for vulnerable communities worldwide.Today, approximately 2.1 billion peopleabout one-quarter of the global populationcontinue to depend on polluting fuels for cooking. This reliance has serious consequences for both the environment and public health, with women and girls disproportionately affected due to their primary role in cooking in many areas. As environmental disasters increase and geopolitical conflicts further strain resources, the demand for clean cooking solutions like solar cooking becomes even more critical.SCI responds to this pressing need through a threefold strategy: advocacy, research, and strengthening the capacity of the global solar cooking community. SCI leverages data to guide and enhance efforts across all levels, from grassroots initiatives to international platforms. As a recognized leader in the field, SCI elevates the call for sustainable cooking solutions at the United Nations and other key decision-making forums.Drawing on its extensive experience with effective, community-based projects and its leadership within the sector, SCIs long-term strategy prioritizes scaling solar cooking initiatives. This focus aims to drive the policies, practices, and resource flows needed to accelerate the adoption and impact of solar cooking worldwide.ADVOCACYSCI engages with global decision-makers to secure recognition of solar cooking as an effective, appropriate pathway to achieving climate and health targets. In addition, SCI builds partnerships and collaborative efforts to further its mission of expanding awareness, acceptance, and adoption of solar cooking.SCI implemented the following advocacy activities in fiscal year 2024-25:Advocated for solar cooking at the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan by engaging government leaders and encouraging the inclusion of solar cooking in climate change mitigation and adaptation plans. SCI hosted four press conferences, unveiling a new collaboration with the UN Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) and featuring guest speakers who shared firsthand accounts of the transformative impact of clean cooking. SCI also hosted an exhibit booth to demonstrate solar cooker functionality and facilitate new connections. Additionally, SCI participated in eight side events alongside partners such as the CTCN, the International Network for Sustainable Energy (INFORSE), International Solar Alliance (ISA), Peace Boat, and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Participation at COP provides a critical platform to expand the solar cooking network, engage key stakeholders, raise global awareness, and build connections that lead to future implementation opportunities.Facilitated a virtual side event during the UN High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) to highlight how solar cooking advances all 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Speakers from Togo, Liberia, and India, along with experts in renewable energy, NGO leadership, government, and on-the-ground implementation, underscored the critical role of clean cooking in achieving a healthier, more sustainable future.Hosted a virtual webinar for the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) to highlight the gender implications of clean cooking. Speakers included a gender expert from Mali, a project coordinator from Tajikistan, a project leader and manufacturer from Mali, and a representative from Energia, who spoke on global economic empowerment for women.Participated in the World Health Organization (WHO) Second Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health in Cartagena, Colombia, joining ministers, health professionals, and city leaders to discuss solutions for clean air and energy access. SCI highlighted solar cookings role in reducing household air pollution and engaged directly with global policymakers to integrate clean cooking into public health and climate strategies.Participated in the Sixth Global Conference on Climate and SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) Synergies in Copenhagen, Denmark at UN City convened by UN DESA (United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs) and the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) Secretariat. Ministers, NDC (Nationally Determined Contributions) coordinators, and expert stakeholders explored integrated strategies to align the Paris Agreement with the 2030 AgendaSCI attended to glean insights on embedding solar cooking into national climate and SDG plans and forged new partnerships.Increased awareness of solar cooking through publications, contributions, and references across media and industry platforms, including the Heart of Giving Podcast, INFORSE Magazine, ASES (American Solar Energy Society) Solar Tour, AZT (Azerbaijan) News, IRENAs Off-Grid Renewable Energy Report, and the Gender and Energy Compact. These contributions were designed to inform, engage, and advocate for the adoption of solar cooking worldwide.STRENGTHENING CAPACITYSCI aims to strengthen the solar cooking sector as a whole by focusing on strategies that deliver the greatest impact. Working alongside partners, SCI designs and carries out projects and models with strong potential to scale, weaving in best practices like needs assessments and data collection. SCI also curates and freely offers a wide range of educational materials while creating spaces for knowledge sharing and networking across the sector.SCI implemented the following capacity building activities in fiscal year 2024-25:Advanced SCIs flagship initiative in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya, in partnership with local organizations to expand clean cooking access for refugees using solar cookers. Since 2018, 524 cookers have been distributed, with the potential for over 54 million meals to be solar cooked, potentially avoiding 11,711 metric tons of CO2, and benefiting 4,025 refugees who save an average of $92.25 per familydemonstrating a scalable model grounded in strong local partnerships, local manufacturing, robust evaluation, and empowering past participants to become trainers in new program cycles.Launched a new solar cooking project in the Central African Republic in collaboration with the UN Climate Technology Centre and Network, at the request of government officials seeking alternatives to wood-based cooking. Working with local NGOs and community leaders, SCI has begun training, data collection, and awareness activities in four pilot communities, aiming to distribute 180 solar cookersoffering three cooker designsto reach over 1,200 people, laying the groundwork for a national roadmap to scale solar cooking.Initiated a partnered solar cooking project in Mali alongside the UN Climate Technology Centre and Network, supporting government priorities to reduce reliance on wood and charcoal for cooking. SCI is working with local organizations and manufacturers to train key players and end users, collect baseline data, and introduce solar cooking to families in two pilot communities, with plans to distribute two different designs for a total of 140 solar cookers to reach over 800 people while building a roadmap for future scale-up.Maintained and updated the Solar Cooking Wiki, www.solarcooking.org, the worlds largest online database of solar cooking information, featuring over 1,700 pages from 146 countries and accessible in more than 35 languages. By freely sharing designs, case studies, and training resources, the Wiki builds capacity across the solar cooking sector, empowering individuals and organizations worldwide to implement and expand solar cooking initiatives in their communities.Participated in relevant sector webinars, working groups, surveys, and other collaboration and information-sharing opportunities including the Interaction Climate Advocacy Working Group; InterAction Civic Space Working Group; REN21 (Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century) Steering Committee meeting; IRENA Off-Grid Energy reporting; Brookings Climate, Devlopment, and International Financial Institutions webinar; Hivos/Energia Gender Advancement webinar; and others.Consistently received the highest rating from charity rating organizations including Charity Navigator GuideStar/Candid, and Charity Watch. RESEARCHSCI is committed to building a strong evidence base that demonstrates the effectiveness of solar cooking and helps projects achieve maximum impact. To support this, SCI promotes the Solar Cooker Performance Evaluation Process (PEP), which measures a solar cookers power in Watts and its efficiency. Using internationally recognized ISO (International Organization for Standardization) clean cooking standards and the ASAE (American Society of Agricultural Engineers) S580.1 protocol, this process delivers objective data for manufacture 1072001 true true false false false false false false false true true false false false false true true false false false false true true false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false true false false false false false false false false true 3 0 true 11 true false false false false false false false 0 false false false false false false false X 14 14 false false true false false false false true true false false true true true true true true true false false CA X X Caitlyn Hughes 9164554499 2400 22nd Street Sacramento CA 95818 Caitlyn Hughes Executive Dir. 50.00 0.00 X 106056 0 10081 Emily Bacchini Treasurer 4.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Dr Peg Barratt President 4.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Tim Donnelly Vice President 1.50 0.00 X 0 0 0 Peter W Turnbull Secretary 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Kira Simon Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Megan Stonefelt MPH Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Nathan Schumacher Director 4.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Ruth Holton-Hodson Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Arun Raman Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Becky George-David Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Katrien Van Acoleyen Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Mike Paparian Director 5.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Robert L Fishman Director 1.50 0.00 X 0 0 0 Shishpal Rawat Ph D President 3.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 106056 10081 1 false false false 0 2308 1684699 165936 1687007 Association Memberships 900099 840 840 Consultation Revenue 900099 1000 1000 Cookit Sales 900099 877 877 2717 89651 89651 0 0 0 367 -367 -367 -367 0 0 0 0 1779008 92001 0 0 218161 218161 0 116137 101145 2901 12091 0 564956 492027 14110 58819 0 63270 48672 1764 12834 40716 33777 777 6162 0 0 32323 26795 1745 3783 0 0 0 36752 24640 10142 1970 0 10043 7074 425 2544 6657 5767 126 764 0 0 10028 200 9828 0 0 0 0 1645 1399 49 197 7825 6803 246 776 Printing and Publications 116693 28928 87765 Client assistance 35321 35192 129 In kind Expenses 23331 20028 661 2642 Lease expense 11034 9379 331 1324 14009 12014 359 1636 1308901 1072001 33636 203264 373825 209260 16320 0 1300 1250 223 0 0 0 945 802 28570 58352 33566 30398 4814 3168 1943343 2625292 0 0 0 47535 51868 2416652 2950215 53079 67906 53079 67906 X 2252980 2744219 110593 138090 2363573 2882309 2416652 2950215 470107 48629 X false true X true false X 959781 1129406 1002828 1011435 1687007 5790457 0 0 959781 1129406 1002828 1011435 1687007 5790457 0 5790457 11370 13927 22873 72806 138280 259256 0 0 6049713 0.95710 0.97040 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 84695 3256 1850 247 85854 77694 9332 1860 471 84695 73925 5962 1760 433 77694 85605 9536 1640 505 92996 68087 19576 1600 458 85605 true false false 33566 30398 3168 3168 X 1827637 48629 48629 1779008 1779008 1308901 1308901 1308901 Part V, Line 4: Intended uses of the endowment fund. TO SUPPORT THE FUTURE CHARITABLE GOALS OF SOLAR COOKERS INTERNATIONAL. Part X : FIN48 Footnote PURSUANT TO A DETERMINATION LETTER FROM THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, THE COUNCIL IS EXEMPT FROM FEDERAL AND STATE INCOME TAXES UNDER SECTION 501(c)(3) OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE AND SECTION 23701(d) OF THE CALIFORNIA REVENUE AND TAXATION CODE. THEREFORE, NO PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES HAS BEEN MADE.SCI HAS ACCOUNTED FOR UNCERTAINTY OF INCOME TAXES AS REQUIRED BY THE ACCOUNTING FOR UNCERTAINTY IN INCOME TAXES TOPIC OF THE FASB ACCOUNTING STANDARDS CODIFICATION. SCI USES A COMPREHENSIVE MODEL FOR RECOGNIZING, MEASURING, PRESENTING, AND DISCLOSING IN THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT TAX POSITIONS TAKEN OR EXPECTED TO BE TAKEN ON A TAX RETURN. A TAX POSITION IS RECOGNIZED AS A BENEFIT ONLY IF IT IS MORE LIKELY THAN NOT THAT THE TAX POSITION WOULD BE SUSTAINED IN A TAX EXAMINATION, WITH A TAX EXAMINATION BEING PRESUMED TO OCCUR. THE AMOUNT RECOGNIZED IS THE LARGEST AMOUNT OF TAX BENEFIT THAT IS GREATER THAN 50% LIKELY OF BEING REALIZED ON EXAMINATION. FOR TAX POSITIONS NOT MEETING THE MORE LIKELY THAN NOT TEST, NO TAX BENEFIT IS RECORDED. THE EFFECT OF APPLYING THIS MODEL AND THE RESULTING IDENTIFICATION OF UNCERTAIN TAX POSITIONS, IF ANY, WERE NOT CONSIDERED SIGNIFICANT FOR FINANCIAL REPORTING PURPOSES. true CAR AICCN 7000 Grant CAR JPEC 7000 Grant CAR University 50400 Grant Kenya Eco-Impact Hub CBO 63772 Grant Mali Togo/Seydou 60189 Grant 5 To assist Gender expert CAR 1 11800 Cash To assist Gender expert Mali 1 18000 Cash false false false false false false Part I, Line 2 - Grantmakers Explanation For Monitoring Use of Funds Outside US GRANTEES PROVIDE A DETAILED BUDGET BEFORE PROJECT APPROVAL AND START. FUNDS ARE DISTRIBUTED IN INCREMENTS, DEPENDENT ON COMPLETION OF PRE-AGREED-UPON PROGRAM ACTIVITIES. GRANTEES PROVIDE A FULL REPORT ON HOW FUNDS WERE USED. SCI ONLY OFFERS GRANTS TO TRUSTED, RECOMMENDED, ESTABLISHED COLLABORATORS. X 3 142604 Market value X AirVIsual Pro I 1 300 Market value X EXACT Pro Stove 6 180 Market value X WA DC 3 828 Market value X Shaw Law Group 6 22024 Market value false false false Form 990, Part VI, Section A, Line 4 Solar Cookers International updated its bylaws and board policies. All changes were voted on and approved by the board. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 11b The form 990 is provided to the Board for their review before it is filed. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 12c The process is monitored by the executive director in consultation with the Board President. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 15a The Chair of the Internal Affairs Committee reviewed the Fair Pay for Northern California Nonprofits: The 2024 Compensation and Benefits Survey Report and excerpted data for the Board to review. The reviewed data included salary ranges associated with non-profits with the same range of annual expenses, non-profits located in the Sacramento region, non-profits with a similar field of service and non-profits with the same range of employees. The Board voted on the proposed compensation, which was documented in our meeting minutes.Aside from the Executive Director,SCI does not have officers or key employees (according to the IRSs definition) that are paid. Form 990, Part VI, Section C, Line 19 SCIs financial statements are available on its website www.solarcookers.org. SCIs governing documents and conflict of interest policy are available upon request. FORM 990, PART Ill, LINE 4A - PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS SCI conducted the following research efforts in the fiscal year 2024-25:Collected and analyzed data to update the SCI Global Distribution Map, which tracks the presence of solar cookers worldwide along with their estimated environmental and social impacts. Coordinated with Statistics Without Borders to investigate previously unidentified solar cookers and related data, launching an initiative to analyze and translate this information into installed solar capacity and other actionable metrics. This work supports improved mapping and tracking tools to better understand the global reach, gaps, and impact.Completed a comprehensive refresh of SCIs Solar Cooking Economic Impact summaries, incorporating updated EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) data on the social cost of carbon to refine impact estimates. Developed a new, visually engaging layout to enhance usability of these research tools, which demonstrate the environmental and health costs of polluting fuels and the potential benefits of adopting solar cooking.Conducted a policy review of documents such as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) to identify high-priority countries for solar cooking initiatives. Produced an updated, accessible report summarizing findings and recommendations to guide strategic focus.Participated in technical committees and meetings hosted by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Submitted contributions for the review of ISO Field Methods and ISO Laboratory Methods. Submitted recommendations for revision of ASAE S580.1 protocol reviewed by American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE).Facilitated Performance Evaluation Process (PEP) testing for the Haines Pop Open Solar Cooker and published results.