BBB Wise Giving Report for
Rainforest Alliance

BBB Wise Giving Report issued May 2009
BBB Wise Giving Report expires May 2011


This BBB Accredited charity meets all 20 Standards for Charity Accountability and is a Seal Holder. Find out more...


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Charity Contact Information

Name: Rainforest Alliance
Address: 665 Broadway, Suite 500
  New York, NY 10012
Phone: 212-677-1900
800-693-2784
Web Address: www.rainforest-alliance.org
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BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1987, New York
Affiliates: None
Stated Purpose: “to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior.”

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Evaluation Conclusions

               

Rainforest Alliance meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Programs

               

The Rainforest Alliance works to conserve endangered ecosystems around the world by identifying and promoting environmentally- and socially-sound forestry, agriculture and tourism practices. The Rainforest Alliance certified seal aims to assure consumers that the products they buy come from farms and forests that meet standards to protect and conserve the environment. The organization also works with large, medium and small companies, cooperatives and individuals to improve production and export of timber, coffee, bananas, flowers, ferns, cocoa and citrus. The Rainforest Alliance provides small grants to community microenterprise initiatives around the world and works to communicate with and educate the public, media and other stakeholders about biodiversity conservation and sustainability.

For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2008, Rainforest Alliance's program expenses were:

  
Smartwood 9,014,796
Sustainable agriculture 6,261,019
Trees 3,533,989
Sustainable tourism 2,461,474
Communications/education 2,180,995
Special projects 1,353,056
Total Program Expenses: $24,805,329
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Governance

               

Chief Executive : Hortense Whelan, Executive Director
Compensation*:
 $246,560

Chair of the Board: Daniel R. Katz
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Senior Advisor of Overbrook Foundation

Board Size: 23

Paid Staff Size: 273

*July 1, 2007 - June 30, 2008 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.
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Fund Raising

               

Method(s) Used:

Direct mail, special events, print advertisements, grant proposals, Internet appeals, planned giving, cause-related marketing, and membership appeals.
Fund raising costs were 8% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $18,716,794, are donations received as a result of fund raising activities.)
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Tax Status

               

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.
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Financial

               

The following information is based on Rainforest Alliance's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2008.

Source of Funds  
Certification fees 8,980,102
Government grants and contracts 8,598,725
Foundations and corporate grants 5,756,257
Contributions 1,849,914
Special events (net) 1,240,422
Membership 680,600
In-kind contributions 590,876
Interest and other 159,614
Total Income $27,856,510


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Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 93%  Fund Raising: 6%  Administrative: 1% 

Total income   $27,856,510
  Program expenses $24,805,329
  Fund raising expenses 1,537,659
  Administrative expenses 184,561
 
Total expenses   $26,527,549
Income in Excess of Expenses   1,328,961
Beginning net assets   1,755,830
Ending net assets   3,084,791
Total liabilities   4,737,827
Total assets   $7,822,618

Note: Rainforest Alliance's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2008 report gifts of in-kind income of $590,872. This amount consists of legal services ($205,338), annual gala services ($224,346), and imputed interest ($161,192).

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An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc.

This report is not to be used for fund raising or promotional purposes.

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