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Association for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)

Location:

Philadelphia, PA
Tax ID:

22-3319874
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2020):

Revenue: $1,831,887
Expenses: $2,064,145
Assets: $1,367,337
Founded:

2005 1

References

  1. “Who We Are.” Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. Accessed November 3, 2022. https://www.aashe.org/about-us/who-we-are/

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The Association for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) says it supports environmentalist-aligned policy and innovation at college and university campuses, with 900 members across 48 U.S. states, one U.S. territory, nine Canadian provinces and 20 countries. 1

The AASHE grew out of the Education for Sustainability Western Network, a group financed by the Compton Foundation. 2 It was established in December 2005 in Portland, Oregon. 3

AASHE has opposed the use of zero carbon nuclear energy. 4

Background

The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education says it supports faculty, administrators, staff, and students who drive environmentalist innovation at college and university campuses. 5

The association has more than 900 members across 48 U.S. states, one U.S. territory, nine Canadian provinces and 20 countries. 6

AASHE says it defines sustainability in an “inclusive way” to include “human and ecological health” and “social justice.” The association also affirms a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education. 7

The association has a Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System, or STARS, that is a self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their environmentalist performance. 8

The association also runs a “Campus Sustainability Hub,” an online resource library that allows AASHE members to connect, share, and learn. 9

The organization sponsors conferences in multiple countries to include environmental sustainability officers from college and university campuses. The various workshops focus on curriculum transformation, social justice, climate action, and behavior change. 10

The association also works with businesses that serve universities and colleges. 11

History

The AASHE grew out of the Education for Sustainability Western Network, a group established by Second Nature in 2001. It was financed by the Compton Foundation, a left-of-center grant-making foundation. 12

The Education for Sustainability Western Network served college and university campuses in the western United States and Canada and in 2004 held the first North American Conference on Sustainability in Higher Education in Portland, Oregon. 13

From the conference, the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education was launched in December 2005 in Portland, Oregon with two staff members and Judy Walton working as the first executive director. In 2007 the AASHE opened its first physical office in Lexington, Kentucky. 14

In 2015, the AASHE established the Sustainable Campus Index publication to recognize top-performing colleges and universities in 17 distinct aspects of sustainability. 15

In 2017 the AASHE Centers for Sustainability Across the Curriculum organized a dozen of workshops reaching over 240 faculty in their first year. That same year, the association got a grant from Goldman Fund to administer Turning the Page on Campus Paper Use initiative. 16

The AASHE won the 2018 GuideStar Gold Seal in recognition for transparency. 17

Opposition to Nuclear Energy

In May of 2021, AASHE was one of 715 groups and businesses listed as a co-signer on a letter to the leadership of the U.S. House and Senate that referred to nuclear energy as a “dirty” form of energy production and a “significant” source of pollution. The letter asked federal lawmakers to reduce carbon emissions by creating a “renewable electricity standard” that promoted production of weather dependent power sources such as wind turbines and solar panels, but did not promote low carbon natural gas and zero carbon nuclear energy. 18

Nuclear power plants produce no carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gas emissions, and as of 2021 accounted for 19 percent of American electricity production—the largest source of zero carbon electricity in the United States. 19 An October 2018 proposal from The Nature Conservancy noted that zero-carbon nuclear plants produced 7.8 percent of total world energy output and recommended reducing carbon emissions by increasing nuclear capacity to 33 percent of total world energy output. 20

Leadership

Meghan Fay Zahniser is the executive director of AASHE. She has worked for the association since 2009. Previously she was sustainability specialist at NELSON and manager of community for the U.S. Green Building Council. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social sciences, with concentrations in environmental studies and health and human services, from the University at Buffalo, a master’s degree in organization management and development from Fielding Graduate Institute and a certificate in massage therapy from the Potomac Massage Training Institute. 21

Allison Jones is the director of finance and administration at AASHE. She has more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit financial management. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from the University of Southern Maine. 22

Candi Reddick is the director of marketing and communication for AASHE. Reddick has been recognized as a Halcyon, Black Girl Ventures, and Center for Civic Innovation Fellow. She has worked for AT&T, Georgia State University, and the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability.

She is a Food Tank and Georgia Organics member and previously served on two DE&I Councils and as a Net Impact leader. 23

Julian Dautremont is the director of programs for AASHE and is one of the association’s co-founders. He has an MBA and an MS in natural resources and the environment from the University of Michigan and a BA in environmental studies from Lewis & Clark College. 24

References

  1.  “Who We Are.” Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. Accessed November 3, 2022. https://www.aashe.org/about-us/who-we-are/
  2. “History of AASHE.” Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. Accessed November 3, 2022. https://www.aashe.org/about-us/aashe-history/
  3. “History of AASHE.” Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. Accessed November 3, 2022. https://www.aashe.org/about-us/aashe-history/
  4. Letter from Center for Biological Diversity et. al. to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Joe Manchin, and Rep. Frank Pallone. “RE: CONGRESS SHOULD ENACT A FEDERAL RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY STANDARD AND REJECT GAS AND FALSE SOLUTIONS.” May 12, 2021. Accessed July 25, 2023. https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/energy-justice/pdfs/2021-5-12_600-Group-Letter-for-RES.pdf?_gl=1*1c9h3t8*_gcl_au*MTc3NjM3MTM1Mi4xNjg5OTU1MzAz
  5.  “Who We Are.” Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. Accessed November 3, 2022. https://www.aashe.org/about-us/who-we-are/
  6.  “Who We Are.” Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. Accessed November 3, 2022. https://www.aashe.org/about-us/who-we-are/
  7. “Mission and Vision.” Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. Accessed November 3, 2022. https://www.aashe.org/about-us/mission-vision-commitments/
  8.  “What We Do.” Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. Accessed November 3, 2022. https://www.aashe.org/about-us/what-we-do/
  9. “History of AASHE.” Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. Accessed November 3, 2022. https://www.aashe.org/about-us/aashe-history/
  10. “Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.” Great Nonprofits. Accessed November 3, 2022. https://greatnonprofits.org/org/association-for-the-advancement-of-sustainability-in-higher-education
  11.  “Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.” LinkedIn. Accessed November 3, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/company/aashe/
  12. “History of AASHE.” Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. Accessed November 3, 2022. https://www.aashe.org/about-us/aashe-history/
  13. “History of AASHE.” Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. Accessed November 3, 2022. https://www.aashe.org/about-us/aashe-history/
  14. “History of AASHE.” Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. Accessed November 3, 2022. https://www.aashe.org/about-us/aashe-history/
  15.  “History of AASHE.” Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. Accessed November 3, 2022. https://www.aashe.org/about-us/aashe-history/
  16.  “History of AASHE.” Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. Accessed November 3, 2022. https://www.aashe.org/about-us/aashe-history/
  17. “History of AASHE.” Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. Accessed November 3, 2022. https://www.aashe.org/about-us/aashe-history/
  18. Letter from Center for Biological Diversity et. al. to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Joe Manchin, and Rep. Frank Pallone. “RE: CONGRESS SHOULD ENACT A FEDERAL RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY STANDARD AND REJECT GAS AND FALSE SOLUTIONS.” May 12, 2021. Accessed July 25, 2023. https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/energy-justice/pdfs/2021-5-12_600-Group-Letter-for-RES.pdf?_gl=1*1c9h3t8*_gcl_au*MTc3NjM3MTM1Mi4xNjg5OTU1MzAz
  19. “Nuclear explained.” U.S. Energy Information Administration. Accessed July 25, 2023. https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/nuclear/us-nuclear-industry.php
  20. “The Science of Sustainability.” The Nature Conservancy. October 13, 2018. Accessed July 25, 2023. https://www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-insights/perspectives/the-science-of-sustainability/
  21. “Staff.” Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. Accessed November 3, 2022. https://www.aashe.org/about-us/who-we-are/staff/
  22.  “Staff.” Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. Accessed November 3, 2022. https://www.aashe.org/about-us/who-we-are/staff/
  23.  “Staff.” Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. Accessed November 3, 2022. https://www.aashe.org/about-us/who-we-are/staff/
  24.  “Staff.” Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. Accessed November 3, 2022. https://www.aashe.org/about-us/who-we-are/staff/
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: August 1, 1994

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2020 Dec Form 990 $1,831,887 $2,064,145 $1,367,337 $766,414 N $5,277 $1,810,905 $14,205 $239,962
    2019 Dec Form 990 $2,390,734 $2,317,461 $1,470,306 $897,925 Y $42,000 $2,319,315 $23,383 $229,687 PDF
    2018 Dec Form 990 $2,367,096 $2,273,173 $1,280,358 $781,250 Y $50,000 $2,289,999 $15,746 $127,609 PDF
    2017 Dec Form 990 $2,309,892 $2,248,091 $1,201,361 $796,176 Y $36,000 $2,251,707 $3,547 $117,452 PDF
    2016 Dec Form 990 $2,464,166 $2,289,344 $1,187,433 $844,049 Y $7,283 $2,436,821 $1,772 $114,928
    2015 Dec Form 990 $2,300,831 $2,222,726 $1,047,037 $878,475 Y $990,648 $1,308,570 $1,613 $100,127 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990 $2,288,324 $2,120,435 $912,360 $821,903 N $1,024,731 $1,249,452 $14,141 $127,661 PDF
    2013 Dec Form 990 $2,248,256 $2,139,516 $727,240 $727,111 N $1,106,348 $1,140,447 $1,461 $0 PDF
    2012 Dec Form 990 $2,277,260 $2,494,273 $685,295 $166,149 Y $1,177,411 $1,097,188 $2,661 $158,065 PDF
    2011 Dec Form 990 $2,362,495 $2,403,433 $867,082 $130,923 Y $1,123,395 $1,231,772 $7,328 $0 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Association for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)

    2401 Walnut St., No. 102
    Philadelphia, PA 19103