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Non-profit

CALSTART

Website:

www.calstart.org
Location:

Pasadena, CA
Tax ID:

51-0189264
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2022):

Revenue: $2,100,852
Expenses: $2,536,102
Assets: $2,037,586
Type:

Business advocacy group
Formation:

1992
President and CEO:

John Boesel
Budget (2023):

Revenue: $169,305,902

Expenses: $172,945,315

Assets: $81,342,340 2

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CALSTART is a business advocacy group founded in 1992 that claims to promote implementing zero-emission designs and infrastructure incentive programs for vehicles and other off-road equipment for international, federal, state, and local governments.  1 2 CALSTART claims more than 210 member companies and agencies as of 2025. 3

In 2023, 95 percent of CALSTART’s $169.3 million total revenue came from grants from government grants and funding. 4

The organization advocated for the Biden administration-backed Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act as well as for federal tax credits for zero-emission vehicles. The organization has previously filed lawsuits to intervene in defending Environmental Protection Agency regulations. 5

Background

CALSTART is a business advocacy group founded in 1992 that claims to promote implementing zero-emission designs and infrastructure incentive programs for vehicles and other off-road equipment for international, federal, state, and local governments.  1 2 CALSTART claims to connect companies and government agencies as well as working with technology firms, transit operators, vehicle manufacturers, and research institutions. 3

CALSTART claims to have more than 210 member companies and agencies including manufacturers, suppliers, fleets, technology firms, academic institutions, government agencies, NGOs, power companies, fuel providers, banks and other businesses interested in environmentalist-aligned transportation. 3 CALSTART says its member companies include both startups and Fortune 100 firms. 6

CALSTART has offices in New York, Michigan, Colorado, California, and Europe. 7 The Northeast regional office is based in Brooklyn, New York. The Midwest regional office is based in Troy, Michigan. 8

Funding

Government Grants

In 2023, 95 percent of CALSTART’s $169.3 million total revenue came from government grants. 4

Grants to CALSTART include a $10.9 million U.S. Department of Transportation grant to CALSTART from 2022 to 2024 for “research and assess the barriers to adoption for zero-emission transit buses.” 4 CALSTART is a sub-contractor on a the Federal Highway Administration Clean Fuel and Infrastructure Awards, receiving $63.8 million for the I-10 corridor project. 2

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technology Office gave CALSTART $1.2 million to plan for commercial electric vehicle decarbonization along the I-95 corridor. The group received $4 million in funding by the U.S. Department of Energy for CALSTART’s Charge@Work program. 2

It has a $74 million budget approved by California Energy Commission (CEC) for the Communities in Charge project. 2 CALSTART’s “EnergIIZE” project has an approved budget of $276 million by CEC through 2026. The project provides incentives such as reimbursement for electric vehicle infrastructure to support medium and heavy-duty zero emissions vehicles. 2

CALSTART was among the winners of the $8 million Grand Prize award in the Electric Truck and Bus Challenge, part of the New York Clean Transportation Prizes program by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. 2  

Other Donations

Sergey Brin Family Foundation gave CALSTART $2.5 million in 2023. 2  

ClimateWorks Foundation contributed $450,000 to CALSTART in 2023. 2

United States Energy Foundation donated $415,000 to CALSTART in 2023. 2

Activities

Research and Analysis

CALSTART presents reports for how the United States can build out infrastructure to support rapid zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicle adoption. 2

A 2020 report by CALSTART said fleets in the U.S. and Canada had 169 zero-emission commercial vehicle models available by the end of that year, which was a 78 percent increase from the 95 models on the market in the previous year. The report forecast an increase to 195 models by 2023. The report said China and Europe were having similar gains. 9

A 2023 CALSTART report said zero-emission truck deployments grew by 78 percent in 2022 over the previous five years. 10 The report found 3,510 medium and heavy-duty zero-emission trucks were deployed in 2022, an increase of 78 percent over the previous five years combined. 10

CALSTART released a 2025 report claiming zero-emission buses grew to 7,028 by July 2024, a 14 percent increase from 2023. The bulk of that increase came from battery-electric buses, with 6,453, up 55 percent from 2023. 11

International ‘Drive to Zero’

CALSTART operates an international program called Drive to Zero that has a goal to “accelerate the decarbonization of commercial vehicles” and achieve 100 percent “new zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicle sales by the year 2040.” 4

Drive to Zero was developed as a partnership between CALSTART and the California Air Resources Board. 12 The program seeks “systemic and equitable solutions by working with countries and businesses to support adoption of strong policies, zero-emission infrastructure, and financial solutions for zero-emission trucks, buses and charging.” 13

CALSTART’s Drive to Zero Program co-leads the global memorandum of understanding with the government of the Netherlands that sets the global target and timeline to decarbonize trucks and buses and aims to have all medium and heavy-duty vehicle sales globally be zero-emission by 2040. 6

Public Policy

CALSTART engages in policy advocacy to increase opportunities and funding for green energy transportation. 1

In 2024, CALSTART filed a motion in federal court to defend the Environmental Protection Agency’s greenhouse gas emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles that were challenged. 14

The organization supported the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that was signed by President Joe Biden. It has advocated high funding for clean transportation in the California budget. It has managed to successfully get new federal tax credits for zero-emission vehicles. CALSTART also advocated the clean energy incentives in the Biden administration-backed Inflation Reduction Act. 5

Leadership

John Boesel is the president and CEO of CALSTART. He has held the post since 2001. He was previously the vice president of technology programs since 1993. Before working for CALSTART, Boesel worked as a commercial banker for Wells Fargo. He was also a legislative aide to former California Assemblyman Sam Farr (D). 15

Piero Stillitano is the chief financial officer of the organization. Previously Piero was CFO at two Los Angeles-based providers of specialized, educational, health, and behavioral services to children and adults with special needs. He also had a finance controller position with Westside Regional Center, a nonprofit organization funded by the State of California. 16

Jasna Tomic is the vice president at CALSTART. She has more than 20 years of experience working in the field of energy and fuels, and previously worked as a research scientist at the University of Delaware, Princeton University, and French Institute of Petroleum. 17

Suzette Salandy is the vice president of the people resources team. She previously worked at BlueCross BlueShield in human resources. She also previously operated her own human resources consulting firm. 18

Cynthia Williams is the chair of the board for CALSTART. Williams is the global director of sustainability, homologation, and compliance at Ford Motor Company, where she has worked since 1992. She is a former chair of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers Mobile Source Policy Committee. 15

Chelle Izzi is the vice chair of the board. Izzi is a board advisor at Gateway Fleets and managing director at Rising Energy Ventures. She previously worked for Walmart and launched Walmart’s public electric vehicle charging network. 15

References

  1. “CALSTART.” LinkedIn. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/company/calstart/
  2. “CALSTART.” Cause IQ. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/calstart,954375022/
  3. “Mission.” CALSTART. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://calstart.org/mission/
  4. Stilson, Robert. “DOGE and the Department of Transportation.” Capital Research Center. February 20, 2025. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://capitalresearch.org/article/doge-and-the-department-of-transportation/
  5. “Public Policy.” CALSTART. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://calstart.org/public-policy/
  6. “Our Partners.” Breakthrough Agenda. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://breakthroughagenda.org/initiatives/calstart-2/
  7. Press Release. “CALSTART Applauds Biden Administration’s National Zero-Emission Freight Corridor Strategy.” CALSTART. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://calstart.org/wh_freight_infra_strategy/
  8. “National Influence.” CALSTART. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://calstart.org/national-influence/
  9. Hirsch, Jerry. “Number of Electric Commercial Vehicle Offerings Surge, Calstart Says.” Transport Topics. June 3, 2020. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://www.ttnews.com/articles/number-electric-commercial-vehicle-offerings-surge-calstart-says
  10. Hitch, John. “Calstart reports breakthrough growth for ZETs. What does that mean for fleets?” Fleet Owner. June 12, 2023. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://www.fleetowner.com/emissions-efficiency/article/21267455/calstart-reports-breakthrough-growth-for-zets-what-does-that-mean-for-fleets
  11. Press Release. “U.S. Zero-Emission Bus Adoption Sees Continued
    Growth Despite Industry Headwinds.” CALSTART. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://calstart.org/calstart-releases-zeroing-in-on-zebs-report-2025/
  12. “Global Influence.” CALSTART. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://calstart.org/global-influence/
  13. “The Program.” Drive to Zero. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://globaldrivetozero.org/about/program/
  14. PR Newswire. “CALSTART to Defend EPA’s Clean Truck Standards in Court.” KGET News. June 13, 2024. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://www.kget.com/business/press-releases/cision/20240613LA39735/calstart-to-defend-epas-clean-truck-standards-in-court/
  15. “Boar Members.” CALSTART. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://calstart.org/board-members/
  16. “Piero Stillitano.” CALSTART. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://calstart.org/piero-stillitano/
  17. Jasna Tomic. CALSTART. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://calstart.org/jasna-tomic/
  18. “Suzette Salandy.” CALSTART. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://calstart.org/staff-ssalandy/
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: June 1, 1976

    • 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
    2022 Dec Form 990 $2,100,852 $2,536,102 $2,037,586 $527,893 N $2,138,376 $69,755 $14,639 $157,100 PDF
    2021 Dec Form 990 $2,470,113 $2,476,540 $2,236,173 $151,086 N $2,435,138 $86,037 $14,526 $150,600 PDF
    2020 Dec Form 990 $2,301,893 $2,189,581 $2,141,101 $139,524 N $2,296,676 $42,915 $10,655 $161,018
    2019 Dec Form 990 $3,435,822 $2,047,912 $2,192,820 $316,888 N $2,682,829 $845,639 $8,559 $152,272 PDF
    2018 Dec Form 990 $1,865,106 $1,995,264 $727,063 $239,041 N $1,765,167 $154,831 $2,914 $147,345 PDF
    2017 Dec Form 990 $2,027,155 $2,101,380 $720,436 $102,256 N $1,555,098 $216,056 $9,081 $127,200 PDF
    2016 Dec Form 990 $1,907,584 $2,021,161 $1,144,888 $59,897 N $1,522,551 $248,090 $13,712 $355,436 PDF
    2015 Dec Form 990 $1,811,139 $2,048,957 $1,203,435 $78,700 N $1,494,430 $160,746 $14,792 $332,240 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990 $1,685,374 $1,764,952 $1,245,681 $47,733 N $1,368,980 $231,064 $16,934 $230,958 PDF
    2013 Dec Form 990 $1,490,338 $1,766,443 $1,294,069 $49,341 N $1,176,249 $90,739 $22,347 $226,751 PDF
    2012 Dec Form 990 $2,396,600 $1,658,515 $1,394,466 $61,973 N $1,239,626 $1,063,436 $7,099 $224,659 PDF
    2011 Dec Form 990 $1,455,830 $1,436,611 $1,470,643 $845,518 N $1,206,426 $181,522 $1,609 $119,703 PDF
    2010 Dec Form 990 $1,211,196 $1,506,433 $1,091,524 $488,067 N $734,720 $420,069 $8,183 $119,184 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    CALSTART

    48 S. Chester Ave
    Pasadena, CA 91106