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Trees Forever INC FY2023 filing

Tax-deductible

Marion, IA501(c)(3)Since 1989Environment EIN 42-1419181Revenue $3.2M in FY2023

On file with the IRStreesforever.org80 W 8th Ave, 52302-2718 · Marion, IATax-exempt since Jan 1995Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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Trees Forever mission is to plant and care for Trees and the environment by empowering people, building community and promoting stewardship. Our philosophy has always been to involve people in projects that educate them in ways that ensure long term sustainability. For example, Trees planted in participating communities have a survival rate of 91%. Trees Forever achieves this through cutting-edge programs and innovative practices. Our trained and experienced staff assists and engages an average of 7,000 volunteers, community leaders and landowners across iowa and illinois with thousands of planting projects each year. We DO this by engaging volunteers in thorough planning processes that result in projects with the best chance for success, by providing friendly and knowledgeable assistance to community volunteers and leaders who are interested in planting and caring for Trees and natural areas, and by working with rural landowners who are committed to planting strips of land with native

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
86¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$484K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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FY2023 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $374K a year · 10% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
86%
of spending
Looks good: 86% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$484K
to officers and key staff · 13% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 13% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
6 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 6.0 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $22K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$1.2M
28% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 28% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
13
of 14 voting members
Looks good: 13 of 14 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$3.2M
-36% vs prior year
Spent
$3.8M
To programs
86%
Net assets
$3.1M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$3.2M
FY2023▼ -36%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$2.4M
FY2021$4.6M
FY2022$5.0M
FY2023$3.2M
FY2024$3.5M
FY2025$3.7M
Expenses
$3.8M
FY2023▲ +8%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$2.0M
FY2021$3.2M
FY2022$3.5M
FY2023$3.8M
FY2024$3.6M
FY2025$3.9M
Net assets
$3.1M
FY2023▼ -17%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$697K
FY2021$2.1M
FY2022$3.8M
FY2023$3.1M
FY2024$3.0M
FY2025$2.8M

From the FY2023 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2023 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jan 1995.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

86 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 86% · $3.3M Management & general 7% · $263K Fundraising 7% · $280K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

24 people listed on the 990; $484K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$117,271Pt VII · Sec A
$85,407Pt VII · Sec A
Jeff Jensen
Staff Rep
$78,750Pt VII · Sec A
Deb Powers
Interim CEO
$78,554Pt VII · Sec A
$78,554Pt VII · Sec A
Emily Ehley
Staff Rep
$45,851Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Michelle Beisker’s $158K as CEO is at the 68th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1851 $1–10M environment nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Michelle Beisker$158,488$103,921————
Dan Washburn$132,925$5,417————
Kiley Miller———$130,975$112,601—
Kiley Miller Resigned 72023——$117,271———
Shannon Ramsay————$56,486$105,042
Jerry Fannon Resigned 122023——$85,407———
Heather Croskrey$83,845—————
Jeff Jensen—$81,800$78,750$61,370——

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Planting and caring for trees and the environment by empowering people and building community.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $2.7M · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

Growing Community Forests

Trees forever helps communities grow and care for their community forests by providing grant funding with friendly and knowledgeable assistance to volunteers and leaders who are interested in planting and caring for trees and natural areas. Trees forever provides assistance with disaster preparedness planning and recovery.

$2.5Mprogram expense
02

Planting a Healthier Environment

Trees forever works with landowers who are committed to planting native trees and prairie plant species to carry out conservation practices and promote land stewardship to reduce soil erosion, improve water and soil quality and provide wildlife and pollinator habitat.

$76Kprogram expense
03

In 2023 trees forever educated people of all ages to care for trees: trees forever provides informative programs and hands-on learning experiences that build participants' knowledge of tree care, environmental stewardship, and conservation.

$68Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
Trees Forever FoundationFY2025$22K
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$22K
Grants paid · 43 grants · $827K · 2020–2025
Unitemized GrantFY2025$342,952
City of PeoriaFY2025$25,000
The Village of Forest ParkFY2025$22,482
City of Waukegan Attn Treasury DepFY2025$15,000
City of GalesburgFY2025$15,000
Village of Park ForestFY2025$14,999
City of CollinsvilleFY2025$14,940
City of KewaneeFY2025$14,921
Muscatine Branching OutFY2025$11,050
Village of Orland ParkFY2025$10,325
Waverly Trees ForeverFY2025$8,500
City of Storm LakeFY2025$6,970
Waukegan Park DistrictFY2024$15,000
Moline Community Development Corporation NfpIL · FY2024$15,000
City of JacksonvilleFY2024$15,000
Muscatine Branching OutFY2024$11,050
Waverly Trees ForeverFY2024$8,500
City of MonticelloFY2023$16,500
See all 43 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$3.2M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.0M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.2M
Investment incomeLn 3$2K
Money outPt IX
$3.8M
Ln 25
Programscol B$3.3M
Managementcol C$263K
Fundraisingcol D$280K
Owns and owesPt X
$3.1M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.9M
Total assetsLn 16$4.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.2M
PeoplePt VI, VII
24
listed · VII A
PaidVII A6
Voting boardVI 1a14
IndependentVI 1b13
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.0M
Government grantsLn 1e$1.1M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$1K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.2M
Investment incomeLn 3$2K
Other incomeLn 4–11$629
Gains on assetsLn 7$309
Total revenueLn 12$3.2M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.9M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.3M
Total assetsLn 16$4.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.2M
Net assetsLn 32$3.1M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 589
VolunteersI 66,700
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.6M$1.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.3M$1.3M
Total assetsLn 16$4.8M$4.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.0M$1.2M
Net assetsLn 32$3.8M$3.1M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$801K$801K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$483K$234K$149K$100K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.1M$1.1M
Payroll taxesLn 10$125K$106K$8K$11K
Accounting feesLn 11c$44K$26K$8K$11K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$16K$9K$3K$4K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$34K$16K$941$18K
Office expensesLn 13$246K$214K$17K$15K
OccupancyLn 16$56K$45K$9K$2K
TravelLn 17$72K$69K$305$4K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$131K$114K$5K$12K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$101K$59K$38K$5K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$611K$487K$25K$99K
Total functional expensesLn 25$3.8M$3.3M$263K$280K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $3.7M$3.9M−$248K$2.8M 990 PDF
FY2024 $3.5M$3.6M−$108K$3.0M 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $3.2M$3.8M−$607K$3.1M 990 PDF
FY2022 $5.0M$3.5M$1.5M$3.8M 990 PDF
FY2021 $4.6M$3.2M$1.4M$2.1M 990 PDF
FY2020 $2.4M$2.0M$363K$697K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $3,209,088 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $4,010,861$1,967,638
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $1,002,447$1,238,864
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $1,806$1,957
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $618$629
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $5,015,732$3,209,088
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $830,479$800,649
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,400,860$1,702,759
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,316,435$1,313,019
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $3,547,774$3,816,427
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $1,467,958−$607,339
Part VI · Governance 13 of 14 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body14
VI-1b Independent voting members13
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $3,209,088 across 9 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$1,076,477
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$891,161
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$1,350
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,967,638
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $1,238,864$1,238,864
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $1,648$1,648
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission $309$309
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $629$629
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $1,239,173 · Excluded from tax $2,277$3,209,088
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $3,816,427 across 13 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $800,649$800,649
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $233,806 · Management $149,352 · Fundraising $99,592$482,750
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,095,206$1,095,206
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $105,536 · Management $8,255 · Fundraising $11,012$124,803
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $25,576 · Management $7,711 · Fundraising $11,108$44,395
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $9,298 · Management $2,803 · Fundraising $4,039$16,140
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $15,722 · Management $941 · Fundraising $17,642$34,305
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $213,693 · Management $17,226 · Fundraising $15,347$246,266
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $44,640 · Management $9,022 · Fundraising $2,041$55,703
IX-17 TravelPrograms $68,639 · Management $305 · Fundraising $3,546$72,490
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $114,102 · Management $5,034 · Fundraising $12,307$131,443
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $58,944 · Management $37,562 · Fundraising $4,798$101,304
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $487,213 · Management $25,126 · Fundraising $98,634$610,973
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $3,273,024 · Management $263,337 · Fundraising $280,066$3,816,427
Part X · Balance sheet $4,354,961 assets, 14 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,636,679$1,909,103
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $1,839,171$1,038,775
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $46,635$104,354
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $1,301,724$1,302,729
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $4,825,508$4,354,961
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $398,388$103,081
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $179,198$106,782
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $54,814$42,112
X-25 Other liabilities$674,010
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,049,072$1,225,814
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $838,665$699,673
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $2,937,771$2,429,474
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $3,776,436$3,129,147
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $4,825,508$4,354,961
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $3,129,147 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$3,209,088
XI-2 Total expenses$3,816,427
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$607,339
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$3,776,436
XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$25,050
XI-8 Prior period adjustments−$65,000
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$3,129,147

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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