American Forest Foundation FY2020 filing

Tax-deductible

Washington, DC501(c)(3)Since 1981EnvironmentEIN 52-1235124

The mission of the american forest foundation is to deliver meaningful conservation impact through the empowerment of family forest owners. Working together, we strive to cultivate the many conservation benefits family-owned forests provide - and demonstrate their value to american communities, companies and landowners alike.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
87¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$1.5M paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2020 · 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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
1 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $539K a year · 2% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 1 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
87%
of spending
Looks good: 87% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.5M
to officers and key staff · 9% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 9% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
1 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.0 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $1K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$1.9M
1% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 1% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
13
of 13 voting members
Looks good: 13 of 13 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$11.4M
Spent
$17.8M
To programs
87%
Net assets
$169.7M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$11.4M
FY2020
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$11.4M
FY2021$70.0M
FY2022$11.7M
FY2023$11.3M
FY2024$20.3M
Expenses
$17.8M
FY2020
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$17.8M
FY2021$22.5M
FY2022$27.2M
FY2023$28.5M
FY2024$31.3M
Net assets
$169.7M
FY2020
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$169.7M
FY2021$183.7M
FY2022$146.4M
FY2023$137.6M
FY2024$133.5M

From the FY2020 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim
You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Apr 1994.

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

Where the money goes

87 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 87% · $15.6M Management & general 7% · $1.2M Fundraising 6% · $1.0M

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

Who runs it and what they're paid

23 people listed on the 990; $1.5M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
President & CEO
$362,121Pt VII · Sec A
SVP, Conservation
$245,571Pt VII · Sec A
EVP, Woodlands
$195,302Pt VII · Sec A
VP, Strategic Partnerships
$174,754Pt VII · Sec A
SVP, Innovation
$141,709Pt VII · Sec A
VP, Finance & Administrati
$141,375Pt VII · Sec A
VP, Strategic Partnerships
$133,633Pt VII · Sec A
Senior Director, Sustainability Assurance
$124,660Pt VII · Sec A

Rita Hite’s $374K as President and CEO is at the 77th percentile of top reported officer pay among 324 $10–100M 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

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Rita Hite$374,031$349,863$339,288$279,876$245,571
Thomas D Martin———$346,148$362,121
Jill Harris$286,262$278,222$83,363——
Nathan Truitt$258,962$255,678$221,074$176,982$174,754
Glynnis Breen$258,785$218,634$216,982——
Chrstine Cadigan-Benonis$227,918$233,221$153,734——
Valerie Craig—$185,835$225,788——
Michael Reed—$196,667$211,467——

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.

See American Forest Foundation executive salaries →

Are you one of these people? Claim this org to confirm your role

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

Empowers family forest owners to practice sustainable management and access carbon markets, protecting forest health while fighting climate change.

Provided by the organization

This section is blank until American Forest Foundation claims this page.

Know this organization? Claim it to add your story

1 program service account for $15.6M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2020.
01

Woodlandsaff engages tens of thousands of landowners and collaborates with hundreds of on-the-ground agency, nonprofit, and corporate partners to promote and support sustainable forest management to protect clean water supplies, reduce wildfire risks, conserve at-risk species, address carbon pollution and increase sustainable wood…

$15.6Mprogram expense

Run this program? Claim this org to tell your story

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
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$1K
Grants paid · 273 grants · $20.3M · 2020–2024
The Nature ConservancyVA · FY2024$457,942
Trustees of Purdue UniversityIN · FY2024$402,720
Uapb Small Farm ProgramFY2024$203,186
University of Arkansas - PineFY2024$146,682
Meridian InstitutePA · FY2024$59,911
Wallowa Resources INCOR · FY2024$43,328
Vibrant Planet Pbc DBA Vibrant Planet INCFY2024$40,306
Alabama Forestry FoundationAL · FY2024$37,427
University of ConnecticutFY2024$34,140
Michigan Dnrfisheries DivFY2024$30,633
State Tree Farm Committee-ArAR · FY2024$22,251
State Tree Farm Committee-TXTX · FY2024$21,526
See all 273 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$11.4M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$7.9M
Investment incomeLn 3$3.3M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$207K
Money outPt IX
$17.8M
Ln 25
Programscol B$15.6M
Managementcol C$1.2M
Fundraisingcol D$1.0M
Owns and owesPt X
$169.7M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.5M
Total assetsLn 16$171.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.9M
PeoplePt VI, VII
23
listed · VII A
PaidVII A8
Voting boardVI 1a13
IndependentVI 1b13
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$7.9M
Government grantsLn 1e$2.8M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$207K
Investment incomeLn 3$3.3M
Other incomeLn 4–11$24K
Gains on assetsLn 7−$2.1M
Total revenueLn 12$11.4M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
SavingsLn 2$1.5M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.5M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$167.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$419K
Other assetsLn 15$36K
Total assetsLn 16$171.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.9M
Net assetsLn 32$169.7M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 582
VolunteersI 6700
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 FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$750K$1.5M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$163.8M$167.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$557K$419K
Total assetsLn 16$166.5M$171.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.1M$1.9M
Net assetsLn 32$164.5M$169.7M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$4.4M$4.4M
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$96K$96K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$1.1M$730K$227K$125K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$3.5M$2.4M$550K$480K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$331K$244K$45K$42K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$388K$272K$57K$59K
Payroll taxesLn 10$339K$249K$59K$31K
Management feesLn 11a$27K$27K
Legal feesLn 11b$107K$34K$72K$791
Accounting feesLn 11c$41K$41K
Investment management feesLn 11f$85K$85K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$5.1M$4.9M$120K$80K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$235K$235K$275
Office expensesLn 13$92K$48K$38K$6K
Information technologyLn 14$398K$9K$386K$3K
OccupancyLn 16$496K$496K
TravelLn 17$245K$183K$24K$37K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$105K$94K$5K$6K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$138K$138K
InsuranceLn 23$126K$126K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$379K$242K$91K$46K
All other expensesLn 24e$59K$1.3M−$1.4M$105K
Total functional expensesLn 25$17.8M$15.6M$1.2M$1.0M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $20.3M$31.3M−$11.1M$133.5M 990 PDF
FY2023 $11.3M$28.5M−$17.2M$137.6M 990 PDF
FY2022 $11.7M$27.2M−$15.5M$146.4M 990 PDF
FY2021 $70.0M$22.5M$47.5M$183.7M 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $11.4M$17.8M−$6.4M$169.7M 990 PDF

Want to add your own materials alongside these filings? Claim this org

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2020 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $11,420,300 across 9 lines filed
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$2,779
VIII-1e Government grants$2,793,399
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$5,064,594
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$7,860,772
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $201,028 · Unrelated business $6,299$207,327
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $5,408,288$5,408,288
VIII-5 RoyaltiesExcluded from tax $23,844$23,844
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax −$2,079,931−$2,079,931
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $201,028 · Unrelated business $6,299 · Excluded from tax $3,352,201$11,420,300
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $17,802,011 across 22 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $4,433,389$4,433,389
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $95,898$95,898
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $729,819 · Management $227,086 · Fundraising $125,080$1,081,985
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $2,448,144 · Management $550,050 · Fundraising $480,079$3,478,273
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $243,990 · Management $45,248 · Fundraising $41,862$331,100
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $271,741 · Management $57,081 · Fundraising $59,111$387,933
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $248,785 · Management $59,230 · Fundraising $31,065$339,080
IX-11a Management feesManagement $26,622$26,622
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $34,436 · Management $72,167 · Fundraising $791$107,394
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $41,300$41,300
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $84,774$84,774
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $4,922,523 · Management $119,781 · Fundraising $79,588$5,121,892
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $234,540 · Fundraising $275$234,815
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $48,462 · Management $37,666 · Fundraising $6,215$92,343
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $9,000 · Management $386,135 · Fundraising $2,549$397,684
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $496,079$496,079
IX-17 TravelPrograms $183,273 · Management $24,083 · Fundraising $37,477$244,833
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $94,244 · Management $5,330 · Fundraising $5,665$105,239
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $138,043$138,043
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $126,026$126,026
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $241,577 · Management $91,330 · Fundraising $45,833$378,740
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $1,313,822 · Management −$1,360,604 · Fundraising $105,351$58,569
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $15,553,643 · Management $1,227,427 · Fundraising $1,020,941$17,802,011
Part X · Balance sheet $171,629,003 assets, 15 lines filed
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $750,349$1,470,156
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $1,260,749$1,402,226
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $176,204$357,847
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $557,264$419,221
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $163,762,336$167,943,168
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $36,385$36,385
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $166,548,498$171,629,003
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,208,727$1,034,962
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $18,662$11,996
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $862,645$887,895
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $2,090,034$1,934,853
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $163,782,235$168,697,709
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $676,229$996,441
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $164,458,464$169,694,150
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $166,548,498$171,629,003
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $169,694,150 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$11,420,300
XI-2 Total expenses$17,802,011
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$6,381,711
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$164,458,464
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$10,945,809
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$671,588
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$169,694,150

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

If you ARE the filing organization, claim this org and add context

Made it to the end? Claim this organization

Keep this kind of thing free
Keep public charity data easy to read.

Free to the public, because obviously. Like this? Pay it forward. Don't like this? Help us get better.

Card, Apple Pay or Google Pay through Stripe. One time.
Keep this kind of thing free
Keep public charity data easy to read.

Free to the public, because obviously. Like this? Pay it forward. Don't like this? Help us get better.

Card, Apple Pay or Google Pay through Stripe. One time.

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.