Better Business Bureau

Charity Contact Information BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comments Programs

Tax Status Governance Fund Raising Financial

Name:	American Forests
Address:	734 15th Street NW, Suite 800
	Washington, DC 20005
Phone:	202-737-1944 800-368-5748
Web Address:	www.americanforests.org

AF meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.

AF's major campaigns encourage people to improve rural, suburban, and urban ecosystems by planting and caring for trees. The organization's work is community-based and has included planting trees to restore ecosystems damaged by wildfire, working with cities to reverse the decline in urban tree cover, and instituting a "living classroom" project at a school. AF also uses satellite imagery to analyze the health of urban tree canopies and works toward policy goals focusing on assisting communities in planning and implementing tree and forest actions to restore and maintain healthy ecosystems and communities. AF’s current primary campaigns are "Tree-Planting for Environmental Restoration" and "Reversing the National Urban Tree Deficit," which are aimed at encouraging people to improve rural, suburban, and urban ecosystems by planting and caring for trees that provide pure water, clean air, and wildlife habitat.

For the year ended December 31, 2008, AF's program expenses were:

Global releaf	2,319,968
Urban forest	1,487,748
Forest policy center	517,947
Communications	262,478
Total Program Expenses:	$4,588,141

Chief Executive : Deborah Gangloff, Executive Director

Compensation*:

$149,080

Chair of the Board: Caroline Gabel
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Philanthropist

Board Size: 6

Paid Staff Size: 23

*2008 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.

Method(s) Used:

Direct mail, print advertisements, Internet appeals, planned giving, cause-related marketing, and membership appeals.

Fund raising costs were 4% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $5,336,366, are donations received as a result of fund raising activities.)

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.

The following information is based on AF's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2008.

Source of Funds
Contributions	3,651,639
Grants and contracts	1,581,085
Sales	215,141
Membership dues	103,642
Conference and miscellaneous income	51,702
Investment income	-385,565
Total Income	$5,217,644

Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 83%  Fund Raising: 4%  Administrative: 13%

Total income				$5,217,644
	Program expenses			$4,588,141
	Fund raising expenses			221,013
	Administrative expenses			703,753
Total expenses				$5,512,907
Expenses in Excess of Income				(295,263)
Beginning net assets				2,448,768
Ending net assets				2,153,505
Total liabilities				781,421
Total assets				$2,934,926