National Arbor Day Foundation
Meets Standards
Standards For Charity Accountability
Governance
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Board Oversight
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Board Size
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Board Meetings
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Board Compensation
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Conflict of Interest
Measuring Effectiveness
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Effectiveness Policy
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Effectiveness Report
Finances
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Program Expenses
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Fundraising Expenses
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Accumulating Funds
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Audit Report
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Detailed Expense Breakdown
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Accurate Expense Reporting
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Budget Plan
Fundraising & Info
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Truthful Materials
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Annual Report
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Website Disclosures
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Donor Privacy
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Cause Marketing Disclosures
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Complaints
National Arbor Day Foundation meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.
Complaints
Number of complaints processed by the BBB in the last 36 months: 16
The organization addressed the complaint issues brought to its attention: 16
(These complaints involved tree delivery issues and mailing list removal).
Stated Purpose:
"to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees."
Year, State Incorporated:
1971, NE
The National Arbor Day Foundation (ADF) works to create an awareness and appreciation of trees as a renewable energy resource. The organization reports that it promotes the annual observance of Arbor Day; encourages people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees; furthers nature and environmental education; and maintains the Arbor Day Farm. ADF's programs, such as Trees for America, Tree City USA, Tree Campus, Tree Cities of the World, and Community Tree Recovery, provide free trees to communities worldwide. The organization reports that its Rain Forest Rescue program helps local communities save Earth's threatened tropical forests; its Replanting Our Forests program helps restore forests around the world devastated by wildfires and deforestation; and that ADF also has several programs to deliver trees to people to plant at their homes. Through ADF's youth programs, such as Arbor Day Youth Education, Tree Campus K-12, and Tree Campus USA, the organization offers nature education and service-learning projects. Some ($5,140,096 or 6%) of ADF's program activities are carried out in conjunction with fundraising appeals.
For the year ended June 30, 2023, National Arbor Day Foundation's program expenses were:
Arbor Day Farm: $14,671,622
Arbor Day/Youth Education: $1,911,238
Conference programs: $1,048,753
Rain Forest Rescue: $2,943,369
Tree City USA: $1,668,324
Trees for America: $57,629,907
Total Program Expenses: $79,873,213
Chief Executive
Dan Lambe, Chief Executive Officer
Compensation*
$463,190
Chair of the Board
Leslie Weldon
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
Senior Executive, United States Department of Agriculture
Board Size
12
Paid Staff Size
497
*2022 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.
Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Grant proposals, Internet, Radio, Special events, Print advertisements, Corporate solicitation
ADF incurred joint costs of $7,363,208 for informational materials and activities that included fundraising materials. Of those costs $5,140,096 was allocated to program expenses and $2,223,112 was allocated to fundraising expenses.
Fundraising costs were 18% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $69,838,929, are donations received as a result of fundraising 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 National Arbor Day Foundation's audited financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2023.
Source of Funds
| Arbor Day Farm income | $12,483,686 |
| Contributions | $53,424,178 |
| Grants | $707,685 |
| Membership dues | $15,707,066 |
| Trees for America | $30,915,517 |
| Rain Forest Rescue income | $395,209 |
| Other income | $4,245,112 |
| Total Income | $117,878,453 |
Programs: 76% Fundraising: 12% Administrative: 12%
| Total Income | $117,878,453 |
| Total expenses: | $105,557,338 |
| Program expenses | $79,873,213 |
| Fundraising expenses | $12,774,758 |
| Administrative expenses | $12,909,367 |
| Other expenses | $0 |
| Income in Excess of Expenses | $12,321,115 |
| Beginning Net Assets | $83,491,066 |
| Other Changes In Net Assets | $0 |
| Ending Net Assets | $95,660,927 |
| Total Liabilities | $21,778,735 |
| Total Assets | $117,439,662 |
Note: According to the organization's audited financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2023, ADF received in-kind contributions totaling $339,362 in the form of publicly traded securities ($182,362), airline flights ($150,000), and retail merchandise ($7,000).
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 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 International Association of Better Business Bureaus.
This report is not to be used for fundraising or promotional purposes.
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Report completed by:
BBB Wise Giving Alliance