American Forest Foundation
American Forest Foundation reported $20.3 million in revenue and $31.3 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $84.27 went to program services, $12.43 to management and general costs and $3.30 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 75.7% of the total. Government grants made up 45.7%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $401,457 (PRESIDENT AND CEO). 28 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 67% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $31MFor context, the median across 371 covered environment charities: $85.82 programs, $10.80 management, $3.38 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $20MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 84.3% | 83.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 12.4% | 10.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 3.3% | 3.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.07 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 75.7% | 87.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 45.7% | 4.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.7% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $401,457 | $293,532 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.28% | 1.74% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 28 | 7 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 51.1 | 18.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 11 of 11 | 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
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseWoodlands: leveraging over 80 years of working with family forest owners to care for their land, the American Forest Foundation's (aff) woodlands portfolio spans various programmatic efforts to increase the amount of family forests under sustainable active management. Whether addressing wildfire threats, providing access and opportunity for underserved landowners, building community through the american tree farm system, or promoting biodiversity and conservation, aff's woodlands work all centers on delivering meaningful environmental and economic impact via america's family-owned forestlands…
Carbon: harnessing the power of family forests as a critical element in the fight against climate change, aff continues its work to unleash the potential for family forest owners to achieve their goals while making important environmental and economic contributions. Through expanding access and reducing barriers to the voluntary carbon market for family forest owners, aff is working with thousands of landowners to care for their land, improve forest health, and increase timber growth. Within the family forest carbon program, landowners can adopt long-term sustainable management that improves…
Highest reported compensation
2024 · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT AND CEO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $374,031 | $0 | $27,426 | $401,457 |
| EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT FINANCE & OPERATIONS Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $286,262 | $0 | $23,800 | $310,062 |
| EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT CLIMATE FUNDING Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $258,962 | $0 | $29,466 | $288,428 |
| VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $258,785 | $0 | $20,075 | $278,860 |
| EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, CARBON ORIGINATION Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $227,918 | $0 | $28,354 | $256,272 |
| CHIEF OF STAFF AND CULTURE Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $175,569 | $0 | $25,737 | $201,306 |
| SENIOR DIRECTOR, STRATEGIC FINANCE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $170,237 | $0 | $11,352 | $181,589 |
| VICE PRESIDENT OF PEOPLE AND CULTURE Highest compensated employee, 32.00 hrs/week | $170,631 | $0 | $7,676 | $178,307 |
28 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from American Forest Foundation (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.5M (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2024 · 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–1b11 · 11 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 4Yes
- 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 5135
- Volunteers Part I, line 6752
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| LEFT COAST LAND CLEARING Professional services consultants calfir | $1,103,914 |
| TANNER LOGGING Professional services consultants calfir | $566,099 |
| SIERRA RESOURCE MANAGEMENT INC Professional services consultants calfir | $366,931 |
| CORNERSTONE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS INC Professional services consultants | $263,572 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 23 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
10 private foundations reported grants to American Forest Foundation totaling $140K 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 American Forest Foundation's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for American Forest Foundation, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 American Forest Foundation spent in 2024, $84.27 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Galveston Bay FoundationKemah, TX · revenue $20M · programs 85.5% · 2024
- Friends of the EarthWashington, DC · revenue $20M · programs 83.6% · FY2025
- The Energy CoalitionIrvine, CA · revenue $20M · programs 86.3% · 2024
- Sutter Buttes Regional Land TrustYuba City, CA · revenue $20M · programs 36.1% · 2024
- Coastal Prairie ConservancyHouston, TX · revenue $20M · programs 96.0% · 2024
All environment charities · Largest charities in District of Columbia
Questions people ask
How much of American Forest Foundation's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, American Forest Foundation reported that 84.3% of its $31.3 million in expenses went to program services, 12.4% to management and general and 3.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does American Forest Foundation pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation American Forest Foundation reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $401,457, for the role of PRESIDENT AND CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does American Forest Foundation get its money?
Of $20.3 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 75.7% came from contributions and grants (including 45.7% from government grants) and 0.7% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is American Forest Foundation a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 52-1235124 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
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202532139349300738 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202401949349300445 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202322489349301317 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202203189349319565 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202142449349301444 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202002459349301505 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 52-1235124: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.