The Trust for Energy Innovation is a left-of-center funding organization that provides significant funding to a handful of notable left-leaning environmental advocacy groups. The organization was formed in 2011 and is managed by Corridor Partners, a left-of-center consultancy group focused on providing clients with environmentalist-aligned strategies to address climate change, including promoting the reduction and elimination of the use of conventional energy sources.

The Trust has provided large grants as a pass-through funding organization to environmental organizations including the League of Conservation Voters, the Partnership Project Action Fund, and the Fund for a Better Future .^{1 2 3}

Background

The Trust for Energy Innovation was formed in 2011. The organization lists three board members and does not have a website or any public-facing presence. The organization is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization, a type of organization that is allowed to conduct unlimited amounts of lobbying. ⁴

Activities

The Trust for Energy Innovation acts largely as a pass-through to direct large sums of money from undisclosed donors to various left-of-center environmental groups. In 2021, the organization reported $11 million in program expenses, of which $5 million went to the Partnership Project Action Fund and $6 million went to the League of Conservation Voters. Other organizations that have received large donations from the group in previous years included the Fund for a Better Future, American Energy Action, and the Environmental Defense Action Fund (EDF Action). ^{5 6}

Affiliated Organizations and People

The Trust for Energy Innovation is operated by Corridor Partners, which is paid an annual management fee by the organization to handle the operations of the organization. Corridor Partners is a for-profit consultancy group that advises donors and other clients on strategies to achieve left-of-center political action in the areas of climate change and energy. Corridor was founded in 2011 and has offices in New York and Washington, D.C. Corridor provides advice on building strategies to advance left-of-center policies on carbon emissions, including investments and advocacy activities that support the developed strategy along with tools to evaluate the effectiveness of the efforts. ^{7 8}  

Corridor Partners is operated by William Roberts, a longtime environmentalist political operative who has held several positions at left-of-center environmental organizations including as a communications director at the Environmental Defense Fund, president and executive director of the left-of-center Beldon Fund, board chair for the left-wing League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, and as director of U.S. Advocacy at the left-of-center Atlantic Philanthropies . ^{9 10}

The Trust for Energy Innovation’s board of directors includes David Sternleib, who worked with Roberts at the Atlantic Philanthropies as the COO and general counsel. ¹¹

1. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax. 2022. Trust for Energy Innovation. Accessed October 1, 2023.  https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/452150756/202320949349300407/full
2. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax. 2020. Trust for Energy Innovation. Accessed October 1, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/452150756/202200319349301335/full
3. “Corridor Partners.” Corridor Partners. Accessed September 29, 2023. https://www.corridorpartners.com/about/
4. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax. 2022. Trust for Energy Innovation. Accessed October 1, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/452150756/202320949349300407/full
5. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax. 2022. Trust for Energy Innovation. Accessed October 1, 2023.  https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/452150756/202320949349300407/full
6. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax. 2020. Trust for Energy Innovation. Accessed October 1, 2023.  https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/452150756/202200319349301335/full
7. “William Roberts – Principal – Corridor Partners … – LinkedIn.” Accessed September 29, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-roberts-6475057
8. “Corridor Partners.” Corridor Partners. Accessed September 29, 2023. https://www.corridorpartners.com/about/
9. “William Roberts – Principal – Corridor Partners … – LinkedIn.” Accessed September 29, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-roberts-6475057
10. “Corridor Partners.” Corridor Partners. Accessed September 29, 2023. https://www.corridorpartners.com/about/
11. “David Sternlieb.” Pursuit. Accessed October 1, 2023. https://theorg.com/org/pursuit/org-chart/david-sternlieb