# Natural Resource Governance Institute

> organization in New York, United States

**Wikidata**: [Q30268314](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q30268314)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_Resource_Governance_Institute)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/natural-resource-governance-institute

## Summary
The Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) is a nonprofit research institute headquartered in New York City, United States. Founded in 2013, the organization focuses on the analysis and governance of extractive industries, working to promote transparency, accountability, and economic justice in the management of natural resources globally.

## Key Facts
- **Founded:** 2013.
- **Location:** Headquarters in New York City, United States (Coordinates: 40.704333, -74.011868).
- **Type:** Nonprofit organization and research institute.
- **Primary Funder:** Funded significantly by the Open Society Foundations, receiving grants such as $8.2 million (2018), $8 million (2020), and $5 million (2022) for general support and specific projects.
- **Revenue:** Reported revenue of approximately $10.7 million USD in 2023.
- **Online Presence:** Operates the website `resourcegovernance.org` and maintains social media channels under the handle `@NRGInstitute`.
- **Reliability:** Assessed as a "source known to be reliable" in media bias and fact-check records as of 2024.
- **EU Transparency ID:** 688622614637-62.

## FAQs
### Q: What is the primary purpose of the Natural Resource Governance Institute?
A: NRGI functions as a research institute dedicated to natural resource governance. It conducts research, provides technical analysis on extractive industries, and helps civil society groups formulate policies to address issues like corruption and the impacts of resource extraction.

### Q: Where does NRGI receive its funding?
A: A major documented funder is the Open Society Foundations, which has provided millions in grants for general support and specific initiatives, such as promoting economic justice in Chile and public education on energy transitions in the Amazon and Caribbean.

### Q: Is the Natural Resource Governance Institute considered a reliable source?
A: Yes, according to structured reliability assessments, the institute is listed as a "source known to be reliable" (last assessed February 2, 2024).

## Why It Matters
The Natural Resource Governance Institute plays a critical role in addressing the "resource curse"—the paradox where countries rich in natural resources often struggle with economic growth, democracy, and development. By providing rigorous research and technical analysis, NRGI empowers citizens, governments, and civil society organizations to demand transparency and accountability in the extractive sector (mining, oil, and gas).

The organization's work directly impacts global policy and local communities. For instance, grant records indicate NRGI actively promotes economic justice in regions like Chile and supports just energy transitions in the Amazon and the Caribbean. They monitor corruption risks in Eurasia and Azerbaijan and help small farmer organizations understand the impacts of extraction, such as phosphate mining. By bridging the gap between complex technical data and public understanding, NRGI ensures that natural resource wealth benefits the population rather than fueling corruption or environmental degradation. Its recognition as a reliable source and its substantial funding underscore its influence and authority in the field of global governance.

## Notable For
- **Specialized Research:** Being a dedicated research institute focused specifically on the governance and economic justice aspects of extractive industries.
- **Significant Philanthropic Backing:** Receiving substantial, multi-million dollar grants from the Open Society Foundations to drive global transparency initiatives.
- **Global Scope:** Conducting targeted work across diverse regions, including South America (Amazon, Caribbean, Chile) and Eurasia (Azerbaijan).
- **Policy Impact:** Facilitating civil society monitoring and international standard-setting to prevent corruption in natural resource sectors.

## Body

### Organizational Profile
The Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) is a nonprofit entity classified as a research institute. It was established in 2013 and is legally registered in the United States with an IRS Employer Identification Number (EIN) of 20-4451390. The organization maintains its headquarters in New York City.

### Financial Overview
NRGI manages substantial financial operations typical of a major international NGO.
- **Revenue:** In 2023, the institute reported a revenue of approximately **$10,701,192 USD**. Revenue figures have fluctuated over the decade, peaking at over $22 million in 2015.
- **Assets:** As of 2023, total assets were reported at approximately **$10,162,466 USD**.
- **Grants:** The organization is heavily supported by the Open Society Foundations. Notable grants include:
  - **2023:** $600,000 for public education on just energy transition in the Amazon and the Caribbean.
  - **2022:** $5,000,000 for general support and $400,000 to promote economic justice and analyze the extractive industry in Chile.
  - **2020:** $8,000,000 for general support.
  - **2018:** $8,200,000 for general support.

### Research and Activities
As a research institute, NRGI's primary output involves technical analysis and monitoring of the extractive sector.
- **Transparency & Anti-Corruption:** Past activities include funding efforts to promote transparency and accountability in Azerbaijan and Eurasia, specifically supporting civil society organizations to monitor and raise public awareness against corruption.
- **Energy Transition:** Recent work focuses on "just energy transition," educating the public on shifts in energy markets and their impacts on regions like the Amazon.
- **Community Support:** The institute works to make civil society groups, including small farmer organizations, more knowledgeable about the impacts of extraction (e.g., phosphate) to help formulate alternative policies.

### Digital and Public Presence
NRGI maintains a robust digital footprint to disseminate its findings.
- **Website:** `resourcegovernance.org`
- **Social Media:** Active on Twitter (`@NRGInstitute` since 2009), Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. It had over 21,000 social media followers as of early 2023.
- **Identifiers:** The organization is indexed in multiple academic and transparency databases, including ROR ID (`02egwd952`), GRID ID (`grid.475609.9`), and the EU Transparency Register (`688622614637-62`).

## References

1. GRID Release 2017-05-22
2. [Source](https://www.lobbyfacts.eu/datacard/natural-resource-governance-institute?rid=688622614637-62)
3. [Source](https://iatiregistry.org/publisher/nrgi)
4. Virtual International Authority File
5. [Nonprofit Explorer](https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/204451390)
6. Nonprofit Explorer
7. Google Knowledge Graph
8. [Open Society Foundations - Awarded Grants, Scholarships, and Fellowships](https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/past?grant_id=OR2023-90209)
9. [Open Society Foundations - Awarded Grants, Scholarships, and Fellowships](https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/past?grant_id=OR2022-84420)
10. [Open Society Foundations - Awarded Grants, Scholarships, and Fellowships](https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/past?grant_id=OR2022-86695)
11. [Open Society Foundations - Awarded Grants, Scholarships, and Fellowships](https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/past?grant_id=OR2020-68597)
12. [Open Society Foundations - Awarded Grants, Scholarships, and Fellowships](https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/past?grant_id=OR2018-42609)
13. [Open Society Foundations - Awarded Grants, Scholarships, and Fellowships](https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/past?grant_id=OR2017-36289)
14. [Open Society Foundations - Awarded Grants, Scholarships, and Fellowships](https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/past?grant_id=OR2017-37713)
15. [Open Society Foundations - Awarded Grants, Scholarships, and Fellowships](https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/past?grant_id=OR2016-29535)
16. [Open Society Foundations - Awarded Grants, Scholarships, and Fellowships](https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/past?grant_id=OR2016-28195)
17. YouTube API