Rio Vista Foundation is a grantmaking foundation that is primarily funded by Jess Yawitz, co-founder and CEO of NISA Investment Advisors. ^{1 2} It funds colleges and environmentalist groups such as Carbon 180, which advocates for public funding of removing carbon from the atmosphere and advocates for regulations to restrict carbon emissions. ^{3 4 5}

In 2020, Rio Vista Foundation founded Climate Pathfinders Foundation, also known by the legal name Climate Pathfinder Foundation, LLC. ^{6 7} It operates as a grantmaking organization, donating to environmentalist organizations that advocate for government funding of businesses that remove carbon and methane from the atmosphere. ⁸

Background

Founded in 2016, Rio Vista Foundation is a private foundation that is primarily funded by the Jess Yawitz Revocable Trust. ⁹ During its first two years in operation, it was exclusively funded by a Missouri-based business named Adams Street 2 LLC, which was formed in 2015 and dissolved in 2019. ^{10 11}

Rio Vista Foundation does not publicize its work either via website or through media appearances or otherwise. Its grantees include a mixture of environmentalist groups and colleges. ¹²

Funding

In 2021, Rio Vista Foundation made a total of $1.4 million in grants. This included $200,000 to Carbon 180, $200,000 to WePower, $25,000 to Social Good Fund, $425,000 to Silver Lining, and $200,000 to Clean Air Task Force. ¹³

Rio Vista Foundation received $2 million in 2016, $5 million in 2017, and $3 million in 2018 from West Adams Street 2 LLC. ¹⁴ In 2018, it received $2.3 million, $16.4 million in 2019, $9.5 million in 2020, and $7.6 million from Jess Yawitz Revocable Trust. ¹⁵

According to its tax returns, in 2021, Rio Vista Foundation reported $8.9 million in revenue and $1.7 million in expenses for the year, $1.4 million of which were grants paid. ¹⁶ It also reported having $56 million in assets. ¹⁷

Leadership

Daniel Yawitz is listed on Rio Vista Foundation’s tax returns as its treasurer and secretary. ¹⁸ Yawitz began working for the United States Department of Energy in August 2022 as a portfolio strategist in its Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations. He also co-founded and was a director for Climate Pathfinders Foundation from January 2020 to August 2022 and was a launch committee member for Carbon Gap from January 2021 to August 2022. He previously worked in client services for NISA Investment Advisors, an investment firm co-founded by Yawitz’s father, Jess Yawitz. ^{19 20 21}

1. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Rio Vista Foundation. 2021. Schedule B.
2. “Jess B Yawitz, Nisa Investment Advisors, LLC: Profile and Biography.” Bloomberg.com. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/person/3091633#xj4y7vzkg.
3. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Rio Vista Foundation. 2021. Schedule B.
4. “Carbon180 Unveils Carbon Removal Policy Roadmap for 2021 and Beyond.” GlobeNewswire News Room. Last modified May 26, 2023. https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2021/05/13/2228898/0/en/Carbon180-Unveils-Carbon-Removal-Policy-Roadmap-for-2021-and-Beyond.html.
5. Research Corporation for Science Advancement. “SCIALOG® – Negative Emissions Science.” Research Corporation for Science Advancement. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://rescorp.org/scialog/negative-emissions-science.
6. Missouri Secretary of State. Registration of Fictious Name.2020.  Rio Vista Foundation. https://bsd.sos.mo.gov/Common/CorrespondenceItemViewHandler.ashx?IsTIFF=true&filedDocumentid=123802106&version=2
7. Missouri Secretary of State. Amendment of Articles of Organization. 2020. Climate Pathfinder Foundation, LLC. https://bsd.sos.mo.gov/Common/CorrespondenceItemViewHandler.ashx?IsTIFF=true&filedDocumentid=124287053&version=3
8. About Us. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://www.sparkclimate.org/about-us.
9. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Rio Vista Foundation. 2021. Schedule B.
10. “Missouri Business Filings.” Missouri Secretary of State. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://bsd.sos.mo.gov/BusinessEntity/BusinessEntityDetail.aspx?page=beSearch&ID=3762194.
11. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Rio Vista Foundation. 2016-2017. Schedule B.
12. ^[1] Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Rio Vista Foundation. 2021. Part XIV.
13. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Rio Vista Foundation. 2021. Part XIV.
14. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Rio Vista Foundation. 2016-2018. Schedule B.
15. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Rio Vista Foundation. 2018-2021. Schedule B.
16. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Rio Vista Foundation. 2021. Part I, Lines 12-26.
17. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Rio Vista Foundation. 2021. Part II, Line 16.
18. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Rio Vista Foundation. 2021. Part VII.
19. “Daniel Yawitz, CFA.” LinkedIn. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/danyawitz/details/experience/.
20. “Jess B Yawitz, Nisa Investment Advisors, LLC: Profile and Biography.” Bloomberg.com. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/person/3091633#xj4y7vzkg.
21. “Jean Yawitz Obituary (2006) .” Legacy.com, 2006. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/stltoday/name/jean-yawitz-obituary?id=2860743.