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Rainforest Trust
Rainforest Trust reported $42.5 million in revenue and $44.5 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $92.17 went to program services, $3.03 to management and general costs and $4.80 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 89.0% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $280,528 (CEO). 7 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 78% between 2019 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $44MFor context, the median across 469 covered international, foreign affairs & national security charities: $89.04 programs, $8.28 management, $2.68 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $42MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 92.2% | 86.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 3.0% | 8.0% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 4.8% | 2.6% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.06 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 89.0% | 96.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $280,528 | $341,362 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.63% | 1.06% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 7 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 32.8 | 7.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 13 of 13 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseWorld land and nature conservation: since 1988, Rainforest Trust has conserved areas in the tropics and subtropics through partnerships with local organizations which yield 1) government designation of new protected areas, 2) the purchase of land for private nature reserves, or 3) strengthening land-tenure and guardianship of indigenous people and local communities. By permanently protecting critical habitat this work saves species and vital ecosystems from extinction. Rainforest Trust reserves currently provide critical habitat for 39% of all iucn red list threatened terrestrial mammal…
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $260,843 | $0 | $19,685 | $280,528 |
| CFO/COO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $183,117 | $0 | $6,772 | $189,889 |
| VICE PRESIDENT, PHILANTHROPY Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $174,017 | $0 | $15,805 | $189,822 |
| VICE PRESIDENT, CONSERVATION Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $146,397 | $0 | $14,231 | $160,628 |
| DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $105,425 | $0 | $8,617 | $114,042 |
| CONTROLLER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $100,989 | $0 | $13,047 | $114,036 |
| DIRECTOR OF CONSERVATION STRATEGY Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $106,640 | $0 | $3,776 | $110,416 |
7 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Rainforest Trust (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $654K (Part IX, line 5).
7 filings since 2019
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b13 · 13 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 549
- Volunteers Part I, line 661
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| INTERACTIVE STRATEGIES LLC Website design and digital marketing | $116,657 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 1 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
97 private foundations reported grants to Rainforest Trust totaling $2.6M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Rainforest Trust's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Rainforest Trust, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Rainforest Trust spent in FY2025, $92.17 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All international, foreign affairs & national security charities · Largest charities in Virginia
Questions people ask
How much of Rainforest Trust's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Rainforest Trust reported that 92.2% of its $44.5 million in expenses went to program services, 3.0% to management and general and 4.8% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Rainforest Trust pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Rainforest Trust reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $280,528, for the role of CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Rainforest Trust get its money?
Of $42.5 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 89.0% came from contributions and grants and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Rainforest Trust a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 13-3500609 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, object 202611319349306026 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024 (6 mo.): Form 990 for the 6-month short period ending June 30, 2024, object 202541339349303224 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202403189349305570 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202313199349304216 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202243199349311469 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202123199349304047 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202001959349302300 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 13-3500609: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.