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· Public charity

United States Energy Foundation

The UNITED STATES ENERGY FOUNDATION's mission is to secure a clean and equitable energy future to tackle the climate crisis.

$166M
Granted FY2024still arriving
597
Grants FY2024still arriving
43
States reached
$21M
Largest
01What it funds
01100% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2020 to 2024.

Environment$626MHousing & Shelter$2.5MCommunity Improvement$1.2MEducation$1.1MCivil Rights$1.1MHuman Services$916kEmployment$853kPublic Benefit$552kOther$0
02FY2024 · 597 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2024

  • $10k–50k71 grants · $2.2M
  • $50k–250k367 grants · $43M
  • $250k+159 grants · $121M
$135,000
Median grant
43
States reached
$216M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
CLIMATE POWER$21,000,000
SUSTAINABLE MARKETS FOUNDATION$2,620,000
THE PARTNERSHIP PROJECT INC$2,590,000
TIDES FOUNDATION$2,325,000
NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL INC$2,140,666
UTILITY INFORMATION ALLIANCE$2,100,000
CONSERVATIVE ENERGY NETWORK$2,027,500
SOCIAL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENTREPRENEURS INC$2,013,666
ADVANCED ENERGY INSTITUTE$1,970,000
WEST HARLEM ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION INC$1,666,666
SIERRA CLUB FOUNDATION$1,626,666
ROCKY MOUNTAIN INSTITUTE$1,609,666
SOLAR UNITED NEIGHBORS INC$1,594,800
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY$1,575,000
LAWYERS FOR GOOD GOVERNMENT INC$1,500,000
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Its human-services grants (FY20–24, $5.8M) land where the poverty rate runs at 14%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 87% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 10%GULLAH GEECHEE CHAMBER FOUNDATION INC: $215k → 15%STUDENT ORGANIZING INC: $100k → 12%HARAMBEE HOUSE INC: $350k → 16%STATE POWER FUND: $590k → 19%MAKE THE ROAD STATES INC: $108k → 10%POWER 52 INC: $183k → 6%GULLAH GEECHEE CHAMBER FOUNDATION INC: $120k → 15%HARAMBEE HOUSE INC: $225k → 16%STATE POWER FUND: $440k → 19%ACTIVATE 48 EDUCATION FUND: $510k → 11%LOWCOUNTRY ALLIANCE FOR MODEL COMMUNITIES: $250k → 12%WORKMONEY FOUNDATION INC: $300k → 17%WORKMONEY FOUNDATION INC: $300k → 17%NATIVE AMERICAN VOTERS ALLIANCE EDUCATION PROJECT: $175k → 14%NAEVA: $150k → 14%VOCES DE LA FRONTERA: $376k → 17%VOCES DE LA FRONTERA: $188k → 17%NORTH CAROLINA JUSTICE CENTER: $210k → 8%NORTH CAROLINA JUSTICE CENTER: $143k → 8%NORTH CAROLINA JUSTICE CENTER: $128k → 8%STRATEGIC CONCEPTS IN ORGANIZING & POLICY EDUCATION: $126k → 14%TIDES CENTER: $585k → 10%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.

Which US states its grants reach

ME
VT
NH
WA
ID
MT
ND
MN
IL
WI
MI
NY
MA
OR
NV
IA
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
CO
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
AZ
NM
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
DC
HI
OK
LA
MS
GA
TX
FL
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

87%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$535M · 672 repeat orgs$77M to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +40% since the first grant, against +11% for those funded once.

672 repeat relationships: 484 still active in FY2024, 188 since wound down; 97 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

672
247

Total granted

$535M
$43M

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+40%
+11%

Still filing today

95%
82%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 78% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $35M went to new ones.

50%100%’20’21’22’23’24
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’20’21’22’23’24
EnvironmentCommunity ImprovementEducationCivil RightsPublic BenefitHuman ServicesOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.

Backed again, and grew

  • AE
    Advanced Energy Institute
    5× · 2020–2024 · $12M · revenue +67% · 46% of their budget
  • CE
    Conservative Energy Network
    5× · 2020–2024 · $10M · revenue +44% · 39% of their budget
  • The Partnership Project Inc
    5× · 2020–2024 · $10M · revenue +15%

Funded once

  • FF
    FUND FOR A BETTER FUTURE INC
    one grant, 2023 · $20M · revenue -82% · 48% of their budget
  • RL
    RESOURCES LEGACY FUND
    one grant, 2021 · $817k · revenue -5%
  • TC
    THE CHISHOLM LEGACY PROJECT INC
    one grant, 2023 · $750k
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
CarbonPlan

Improving the transparency and scientific integrity of climate solutions through open data and tools.

Environment
2
Climate Jobs National Resource Center Action Fund Inc

To advocate for a clean energy economy at the scale climate science demands, create good union jobs, and create more equitable communities.

Environment
3
E3G Third Generation Environmentalism

E3g is a leading international not-for-profit think tank specialising in climate diplomacy harnessing expertise in the politics and economics of climate change.

Environment
4
Climate Catalyst Inc

Climate catalyst sparks collective action to tackle the biggest climate challenges we face today: cutting emissions in heavy industries.

Environment
5
Partnership for Policy Integrity

Partnership for Policy Integrity (PFPI) uses data-driven advocacy and litigation to fight for forests, communities and the climate.

Environment
6
Clean Energy Group Inc

Clean energy research and advocacy. Clean Energy Group promotes effective clean energy policies, develops low carbon technology innovation strategies and promotes new financial tools to strengthen the economy and stabilize climate change.

Environment
7
Cleaner Economy Coalition Inc

Driving american jobs and competitiveness by leveraging our cleaner economy and enabling u.s. manufacturers to lead in advanced energy technologies.

—
8
Advocates for Climate Innovation
Philanthropy
9
Climate Leadership Council Inc

To develop and promote a carbon dividends framework - based on carbon fees whose revenues are rebated to citizens through dividends - as the most cost-effective, equitable, and politically viable climate solution.

Environment
10
Alliance for Climate Transition Inc

ACT leads the just, equitable and rapid transition to a clean energy future and diverse climate economy.

Community Improvement
11
Clean Energy for America Inc

Clean Energy for Americas purpose is to engage with clean energy workers and advance the clean energy movement. CE4A highlights the feasibility and positive impact of a clean energy economy, educates policymakers and the general public on…

Environment
12
Climate Equity Action Fund

The climate equity action fund (ceaf) works hand-in-hand with community-based partners in critical states across the country to secure and sustain policy wins for climate and clean energy. building on over a decade of trust with leading…

Environment
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Environment America Research and Policy Center Inc; the most unlike its peers is Texas Clean Energy Coalition. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
04the grantee network

980 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2025, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 980 of the 1,041 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

159
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
299
Early backer (in before they grew)
953/980
Grantees still filing
650/980
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

CLIMATE POWER: $21,000,000 · EnvironmentCLIMATE POWERAdvanced Energy Institute: $11,741,788 · EnvironmentConservative Energy Network: $10,275,500 · EnvironmentThe Partnership Project Inc: $10,140,000 · Environment+112 more: $231,864,618 · Environment+112 moreFUND FOR A BETTER FUTURE INC: $20,000,000 · Community ImprovementFUND FOR A…THE GREENLINING INSTITUTE: $4,202,000 · Community ImprovementTHE GREENL…CLEAN ENERGY BUYERS ASSOCIATION: $2,595,000 · Community ImprovementCLEAN ENER…GREAT PLAINS INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT INC: $2,265,439 · Community ImprovementVIRGINIA ORGANIZING INC: $2,077,000 · Community ImprovementLAWYERS FOR GOOD GOVERNMENT INC: $1,650,000 · Community Improvement+10 more: $10,637,000 · Community Improvement+10 moreRocky Mountain Institute: $5,140,792 · OtherRocky Mountain Ins…Potential Energy Coalition Inc: $5,100,000 · OtherPotential Energy C…COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY: $4,668,387 · OtherCOLORADO STATE UNI…Western Resource Advocates: $5,400,425 · OtherWestern Resource A…UNITED NATIONS FOUNDATION INC: $3,200,000 · OtherTHE UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS INC: $2,738,750 · OtherAMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION: $4,639,400 · OtherAMERICAN LUNG ASSO…TIDES CENTER: $3,403,333 · Other+33 more: $41,077,654 · Other+33 moreNew York University: $4,805,000 · EducationOCCIDENTAL COLLEGE: $2,545,000 · EducationGEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY: $2,009,687 · EducationR STREET INSTITUTE: $1,900,000 · EducationYale University: $1,581,000 · EducationCAL POLY HUMBOLDT SPONSORED PROGRAMS FOUNDATION: $950,000 · EducationNATIONAL CAUCUS OF ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATORS: $830,000 · EducationDUKE UNIVERSITY: $820,124 · EducationTIDES FOUNDATION: $5,644,900 · PhilanthropyROCKEFELLER PHILANTHROPY ADVISORS INC: $4,725,000 · PhilanthropyCOMMUNITY INITIATIVES: $1,640,000 · PhilanthropyAmalgamated Charitable Foundation Inc: $850,000 · PhilanthropyCOMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER JOHNSTOWN: $791,648 · PhilanthropyCITIZENS ACTION COALITION EDUCATION FUND INC: $2,287,000 · Public BenefitPUBLIC CITIZEN FOUNDATION INC: $2,038,500 · Public BenefitOHIO CITIZEN ACTION EDUCATION FUND: $1,676,500 · Public BenefitCenter on Budget and Policy Priorities: $1,474,000 · Public BenefitCONSUMER REPORTS INC: $1,272,618 · Public BenefitAmericans for Financial Reform Education Fund: $1,175,000 · Public BenefitMI FAMILIA EN ACCION: $1,668,419 · Civil RightsVOTO LATINO FOUNDATION INC: $1,500,000 · Civil RightsLEADERSHIP COUNSEL FOR JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY: $1,428,850 · Civil RightsBRIGHTLINE DEFENSE PROJECT: $1,195,000 · Civil RightsCITIZENS UTILITY BOARD OF MINNESOTA: $950,000 · Civil RightsCOPAL-EDUCATION FUND COMMUNIDADES ORGANIZANDO EL PODER Y LA A: $919,000 · Civil RightsCONSERVATION VOTERS NEW MEXICO EDUCATION FUND: $810,000 · Civil RightsRURAL ARIZONA ENGAGEMENT: $795,000 · Civil Rights
Environment$285,021,906Community Improvement$43,426,439Other$75,368,741Education$15,440,811Philanthropy$13,651,548Public Benefit$9,923,618Civil Rights$9,266,269

Showing the 200 largest grantees by grant value.

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetCLIMATE POWER: $21,000,000 over 1y, 26% of budgetFUND FOR A BETTER FUTURE INC: $20,000,000 over 1y, 48% of budgetAdvanced Energy Institute: $11,741,788 over 5y, 46% of budgetConservative Energy Network: $10,275,500 over 5y, 39% of budgetThe Partnership Project Inc: $10,140,000 over 5y, 8.9% of budgetSUSTAINABLE MARKETS FOUNDATION: $7,771,775 over 5y, 6.5% of budgetFRESH ENERGY: $6,964,500 over 5y, 79% of budgetTIDES FOUNDATION: $5,644,900 over 5y, 0.6% of budgetWest Harlem Environmental Action Inc: $5,511,666 over 5y, 16% of budgetWestern Resource Advocates: $5,400,425 over 5y, 13% of budgetLEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS EDUCATION FUND: $5,309,477 over 5y, 6.3% of budgetRocky Mountain Institute: $5,140,792 over 5y, 1.1% of budgetPotential Energy Coalition Inc: $5,100,000 over 2y, 8.0% of budgetENERGY ACTION FUND: $5,000,000 over 5y, 8.3% of budgetWESTERN CONSERVATION FOUNDATION: $4,992,840 over 5y, 8.6% of budgetENVIRONMENTAL LAW AND POLICY CENTER OF THE MIDWEST: $4,976,750 over 5y, 13% of budgetNew York University: $4,805,000 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetNATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL INC: $4,774,016 over 5y, 1.1% of budgetROCKEFELLER PHILANTHROPY ADVISORS INC: $4,725,000 over 5y, 0.2% of budgetCLEAN GRID ALLIANCE (FNA WIND ON THE WIRES): $4,722,800 over 5y, 28% of budgetAMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION: $4,639,400 over 5y, 1.2% of budgetSOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENTREPRENEURS (SEE) INC: $4,616,496 over 4y, 2.1% of budgetGOODPOWER EDUCATION FUND INC: $4,351,000 over 5y, 15% of budgetSolar United Neighbors Inc: $4,294,550 over 5y, 13% of budgetTHE GREENLINING INSTITUTE: $4,202,000 over 5y, 13% of budgetSIERRA CLUB FOUNDATION: $4,194,547 over 5y, 1.5% of budgetBlueGreen Alliance Foundation: $4,031,000 over 5y, 19% of budgetSOUTHWEST ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROJECT: $3,876,977 over 5y, 49% of budgetCUB CONSUMER EDUCATION AND RESEARCH FUND: $3,829,472 over 5y, 59% of budgetCERES INC: $3,821,500 over 5y, 2.8% of budgetWINDWARD FUND: $3,729,917 over 5y, 0.6% of budgetINSTITUTE FOR MARKET TRANSFORMATION: $3,505,000 over 5y, 20% of budgetREGULATORY ASSISTANCE PROJECT: $3,477,000 over 5y, 11% of budgetTHE OHIO ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL: $3,454,444 over 5y, 37% of budgetTIDES CENTER: $3,403,333 over 5y, 0.5% of budgetENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND INCORPORATED: $3,386,458 over 5y, 0.3% of budgetCenter for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies: $3,273,000 over 5y, 69% of budgetUNITED NATIONS FOUNDATION INC: $3,200,000 over 4y, 1.4% of budgetRESOURCE MEDIA: $3,115,000 over 5y, 14% of budgetUTILITY INFORMATION ALLIANCE: $3,053,000 over 2y, 100% of budgetGridLab Inc: $2,895,000 over 5y, 32% of budgetTHE UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS INC: $2,738,750 over 5y, 1.5% of budgetCLEAN WISCONSIN INC: $2,719,500 over 5y, 27% of budgetCLEAN ENERGY BUYERS ASSOCIATION: $2,595,000 over 5y, 6.8% of budgetOCCIDENTAL COLLEGE: $2,545,000 over 3y, 1.1% of budgetEnvironmental Health Coalition: $2,505,000 over 5y, 12% of budgetVote Solar: $2,493,550 over 5y, 8.3% of budgetCOALITION FOR GREEN CAPITAL D/B/A AMERICAN GREEN BANK CONSORTIUM: $2,450,000 over 4y, 32% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

  • Who funds CLIMATE POWER ↗
  • Who funds FUND FOR A BETTER FUTURE INC ↗
  • Who funds Advanced Energy Institute ↗
  • Who funds Conservative Energy Network ↗
  • Who funds The Partnership Project Inc ↗
  • Who funds SUSTAINABLE MARKETS FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds FRESH ENERGY ↗
  • Who funds TIDES FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds West Harlem Environmental Action Inc ↗
  • Who funds Western Resource Advocates ↗
  • Who funds LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS EDUCATION FUND ↗
  • Who funds Rocky Mountain Institute ↗
  • Who funds Potential Energy Coalition Inc ↗
  • Who funds ENERGY ACTION FUND ↗
  • Who funds WESTERN CONSERVATION FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds ENVIRONMENTAL LAW AND POLICY CENTER OF THE MIDWEST ↗
  • Who funds New York University ↗
  • Who funds NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL INC ↗
  • Who funds ROCKEFELLER PHILANTHROPY ADVISORS INC ↗
  • Who funds CLEAN GRID ALLIANCE (FNA WIND ON THE WIRES) ↗
  • Who funds AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION ↗
  • Who funds SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENTREPRENEURS (SEE) INC ↗
  • Who funds GOODPOWER EDUCATION FUND INC ↗
  • Who funds Solar United Neighbors Inc ↗
  • Who funds THE GREENLINING INSTITUTE ↗
  • Who funds SIERRA CLUB FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds BlueGreen Alliance Foundation ↗
  • Who funds SOUTHWEST ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROJECT ↗
  • Who funds CUB CONSUMER EDUCATION AND RESEARCH FUND ↗
  • Who funds CERES INC ↗
  • Who funds WINDWARD FUND ↗
  • Who funds INSTITUTE FOR MARKET TRANSFORMATION ↗
  • Who funds REGULATORY ASSISTANCE PROJECT ↗
  • Who funds THE OHIO ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL ↗
  • Who funds TIDES CENTER ↗
  • Who funds ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND INCORPORATED ↗
  • Who funds Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies ↗
  • Who funds UNITED NATIONS FOUNDATION INC ↗
  • Who funds RESOURCE MEDIA ↗

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

The Energy FoundationCA344.6× affinity270 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: The Energy Foundation · Natural Resources Defense Council Inc · Windward Fund · Environmental Defense Fund Incorporated · The Partnership Project Inc · Energy Action Fund · Climate Imperative Foundation · Rockefeller Family Fund Inc · Movement Strategy Center · Solutions Project Inc · Climateworks Foundation · Resources Legacy Fund

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization United States Energy Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from United States Energy Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 140%6%25%56%100%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →median 12%
  • Green & Healthy Homes Initiative Inc: 100% of income from government
  • Ironbound Community Corporation: 100% of income from government
  • New Buildings Institute: 100% of income from government
  • Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships: 100% of income from government
  • Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management Inc: 100% of income from government
  • Applied Economics Clinic Inc: 22% of income from government
  • Yale University: 12% of income from government
  • Casa Inc: 8% of income from government
  • President and Fellows of Harvard College: 7% of income from government
  • Forth Mobility Fund: 7% of income from government
  • Clean Energy States Alliance Inc: 2% of income from government
  • National Consumer Law Center Inc: 1% of income from government
  • Ceres Inc: 0% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
14get no government money at all
33report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
5rely on government for over half their income
typical government reliance, FY20–25
How this is measured
Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.

On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 1041 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

How this is measured
Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

Generated from the IRS Form 990 e-file return for fiscal year 2024, released 2024. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

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