About
World Resources Institute (WRI) is a global research organization headquartered in Washington, DC. Founded in 1982 with an initial 15 million dollar grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, WRI works at the intersection of environment and development, with more than 2,000 staff working on the ground in more than a dozen focus countries and with partners in over 50 nations.
Mission
WRI's mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth's environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations.
What they do
WRI focuses its work on three interconnected challenges:
- Food, land and water
- Energy
- Cities
Across these areas it also addresses climate, forests, freshwater, the ocean, business, economics, finance, and equity and governance. Signature initiatives include Global Forest Watch, a satellite-based platform for tracking deforestation launched in 2014; the Restore Local land-restoration initiative in Africa; and the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, which secured commitments from 19 heads of state to sustainably manage 100 percent of their national waters.
How they work
WRI describes its approach as "Count It. Change It. Scale It." — conducting independent research and data analysis, piloting solutions locally with partners, and then scaling successful approaches globally. It measures success through demonstrable change in the world, aligned with international accords such as the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
History
WRI was founded in 1982 in Washington, DC by Gus Speth, backed by a 15 million dollar grant from the MacArthur Foundation. It has since grown into a global institute with offices and staff across multiple continents.
Scale and impact
- More than 2,000 staff worldwide.
- On-the-ground work in more than a dozen focus countries, with partners in over 50 nations.
- Global platforms such as Global Forest Watch provide open data used to monitor forests worldwide.
Financials
According to IRS filings summarized by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, World Resources Institute reported revenue of 213,044,770 dollars, expenses of 270,157,767 dollars, and total assets of 558,904,759 dollars for fiscal year 2025. WRI is a 501(c)(3) organization with an IRS ruling date of July 1982.
Governance
Ani Dasgupta serves as President and CEO. The global executive team also includes Craig Hanson (Managing Director, Programs), Wanjira Mathai (Managing Director, Africa and Global Partnerships), Kote Lomidze (Chief Financial Officer), Elizabeth Cook (Executive Vice President for Governance and Development), Janet Ranganathan (Managing Director, Strategy, Learning and Results), and Madhav Pai (CEO, WRI India), among others.
