Funding Transparency Statement

1. Our Commitment to Transparency

Pearl Street Studio is a California nonprofit public benefit corporation organized and operated exclusively for charitable and educational purposes under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

We are committed to maintaining transparency regarding our sources of funding and to preserving the independence and integrity of our educational programming.

Because our work engages topics related to electricity markets, engineering systems, regulation, policy design, and workforce development, transparency regarding funding sources is essential to maintaining public trust.

2. Sources of Funding

Pearl Street Studio may receive funding from a variety of sources, including:

• Individual donations
• Foundations and charitable grants
• Corporate sponsorships
• Institutional partnerships
• Program service revenue (e.g., paid courses, events, or educational services)
• In-kind contributions

Funding is used exclusively to support our charitable and educational mission. We do not distribute profits to private individuals. Where funds are restricted by donors, Pearl Street Studio administers such funds in accordance with donor intent and applicable nonprofit legal requirements.

3. Sponsorships and Corporate Support

Pearl Street Studio may accept sponsorships from companies, institutions, or organizations operating in or adjacent to the electricity industry.

However:

• Sponsorship does not constitute endorsement.
• Sponsors do not control educational content.
• Sponsors do not have authority over course materials or editorial decisions.
• Sponsorship agreements preserve Pearl Street Studio's editorial independence.

All sponsorship relationships are governed by written agreements that protect nonprofit compliance and institutional neutrality.

4. Editorial Independence Safeguards

Pearl Street Studio retains sole authority over:

• Educational topics
• Speaker and contributor selection
• Research framing and conclusions
• Publication timing and format
• Inclusion or exclusion of content

Financial contributors may not:

• Require specific viewpoints to be expressed;
• Review or approve educational conclusions;
• Influence regulatory or policy analysis;
• Direct the outcome of educational materials.
• Governance and conflict-of-interest safeguards are applied to funding relationships in accordance with organizational policies.

This commitment is reinforced by the Editorial Independence Policy.

5. Political Neutrality

As a 501(c)(3) organization:

• Pearl Street Studio does not endorse or oppose political candidates.
• There is no engagement in partisan campaign activity.
• Educational discussion of public policy is conducted in a nonpartisan, analytical manner.
• Funding relationships do not influence political positioning.

Pearl Street Studio does not accept funding conditioned on partisan advocacy and does not provide funds for any political candidates or campaigns.

Pearl Street Studio may engage in limited, nonpartisan policy advocacy consistent with Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Any such activity is subject to internal review and monitoring to ensure compliance with applicable federal and state lobbying restrictions and reporting requirements.

6. Disclosure Practices

Pearl Street Studio may disclose sponsorships or funding relationships in connection with:

• Sponsored events
• Co-branded initiatives
• Funded research projects
• Educational series supported by specific donors
• Donor acknowledgements and, where applicable, quid pro quo contribution disclosures are provided in accordance with Internal Revenue Service requirements.

Where appropriate, disclosures may appear on:

• Event pages
• Program descriptions
• Published materials
• Annual reports

7. Public Disclosure and Availability

Pearl Street Studio makes required federal and state filings available for public inspection in accordance with applicable law. This includes IRS Form 990 (or equivalent filings), as required; California Attorney General charitable filings and annual renewals, as applicable; and exemption application materials, where required to be disclosed. Requests for copies may be directed to the contact listed below.

8. Financial Reporting

As a nonprofit organization, Pearl Street Studio:

• Maintains financial records in accordance with applicable law;
• Files required federal and state nonprofit reports;
• Uses funds in furtherance of its educational mission.
• Reviews program service revenue and other activities to ensure they further exempt purposes and to identify and comply with any unrelated business income reporting obligations.

Where appropriate, financial summaries may be made publicly available through annual reporting.

The Board of Directors provides oversight of funding practices and periodically reviews compliance with this statement and related policies.

9. Refusal of Funding

Pearl Street Studio evaluates and may decline funding in accordance with its gift acceptance and compliance policies, including where funding has the potential to:

• Compromise its mission or values;
• Create undue reputational or regulatory risk;
• Conflict with nonprofit compliance obligations;
• Threaten editorial independence.

10. Commitment to Scientific Integrity and Responsible Funding

Pearl Street Studio is committed to supporting rigorous, evidence-based education and informed dialogue within the electricity and energy sectors.

In alignment with this commitment, Pearl Street Studio reserves the right to decline sponsorships, grants, or other funding relationships from organizations that have engaged in conduct materially inconsistent with scientific integrity, including but not limited to:

• The intentional suppression or concealment of credible scientific research;
• The knowing misrepresentation of established scientific findings;
• Coordinated efforts to undermine or distort peer-reviewed research;
• Harassment, intimidation, or malicious discrediting of scientists or researchers engaged in lawful and legitimate research.

These criteria are applied as part of Pearl Street Studio's discretionary funding review process and do not constitute a political position.

Pearl Street Studio recognizes that the electricity industry operates within a complex policy and scientific landscape, including matters related to climate change, environmental impacts, and grid reliability. The organization's educational mission depends upon trust in the integrity of scientific inquiry.

Accordingly:

• Acceptance of funding is contingent upon alignment with Pearl Street Studio's educational and scientific integrity principles.
• Funding decisions are made at the discretion of Pearl Street Studio's leadership and Board of Directors.
• This policy does not constitute a political position or endorsement of specific regulatory frameworks, but rather reflects a commitment to evidence-based education and good-faith scientific discourse.

Pearl Street Studio evaluates prospective sponsorship relationships based on publicly available information, documented conduct, and reputational considerations consistent with its charitable mission.

11. Contact

Questions regarding this Funding Transparency Statement may be directed to:

contact@pearlstreetstudio.org