Maine Timber Research and Environmental Education Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Our Mission is to educate and advocate for the sustainable use of the forest and the ecological, economic, and social health of Maines forest community
- Income
- $769,614
- Spending
- $844,416
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 11 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 35%
- Employees
- 9
- Volunteers
- 50
- Highest pay
- $91,194, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 67 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 11.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 10% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 55% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 97 out of 100. Higher than 88% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 13 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
12 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (7)
- $257,381 spent. EDUCATION: THE MAINE TREE FOUNDATION SPONSORS AND SUPPORTS THE SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY INITIATIVE'S NATIONAL PROJECT LEARNING TREE PROGRAM IN MAINE. THE CURRICULUM IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE SCHOOL CHILDREN IN GRADES KINDERGARTEN THROUGH TWELVE WITH AWARENESS, KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS RELATED TO MAINE'S NATURAL RESOURCES, PRIMARILY THE FOREST. WE CONTINUE TO OFFER WORKSHOPS TO EDUCATORS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PLT FACILITATORS THAT ARE ABLE TO OFFER PLT WORKSHOPS. IN 2024, WE OFFERED MANY WORKSHOPS AND JOB FAIRS TO INTRODUCE STUDENTS TO THE OPPORTUNITIES OF JOBS IN THE MAINE FOREST. WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WORKING ON WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IN OUR EDUCATION WORKSHOPS, JOB FAIRS, ETC.
- $155,804 spent. CLP PROVIDES TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO MAINE LOGGERS. THE PROGRAM IS COMMITTED TO RECOGNIZING THE SKILL AND PROFESSIONALISM OF THOSE WHO MEET AND EXCEED OUR STANDARDS. IN 2024, THE CLP PROGRAM BEGAN UNDERGOING SOME CHANGES TO IMPROVE AND UPDATE THE CURRICULUM TO INCREASE PARTICIPATION AND CONTINUE TO GROW THE PROGRAM. A SUB COMMITTEE WAS FORMED TO HELP WORK ON THIS LARGE PROJECT. WE BEGAN THE PROCESS OF HIRING A NEW CLP PROGRAM MANAGER TO ASSIST US IS IMPROVINGG AND UPDATING THE CURRICULUM, ETC.
- $125,185 spent. HOLT: THE HOLT WOODLANDS RESEARCH FOUNDATION WAS FOUNDED IN 1980 TO ASSIST AND SUPPORT THE UNIVERSITY OF MAINE IN ACCOMPLISHING ITS CHARITABLE AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS BY PROVIDING REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY FOR THE CONDUCT OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND EXPERIMENTATION IN FORESTRY AND FOR THE FUNDING OF PROGRAMS AND FOR THE AWARDING OF SCHOLARSHIPS AND GRANTS TO PROJECTS AND STUDENTS INVOLVED IN FOREST RESEARCH, CONSERVATION, REPLANTATION, MANAGEMENT AND ECOLOGICAL CONTROL. MAINE TREE CONTINUES RESEARCH ACTIVITIES AT HOLT AND EMPLOY ITS BEST EFFORTS TO EXPAND AND BETTER UTILIZE THE HOLT RESEARCH FOREST AS A PLACE FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION RELATING TO FOREST ECOLOGY AND FOREST MANAGEMENT. IN 2024, MADE MANY NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS TO THE FACILITY. WE HAD THREE TECHNICIANS THAT HELPED US CONTINUE THE RESEARCH ON THE PROPERTY.
- $71,339 spent. TREE FARM - CONNECTING FAMILY FOREST OWNERS WITH THEIR WOODLANDS SINCE 1952. THEIR MISSION IS TO HELP MAINE'S FAMILY WOODLAND OWNERS REALIZE THE FULL POTENTIAL OF THEIR WOODS WHILE SUSTAINABLY PROVIDING FOREST PRODUCTS AND OTHER WOODLAND BENEFITS SUCH AS CLEAN WATER, HABITAT FOR WILDLIFE, AND RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. IN 2023, THE MAINE TREE FARM PROGRAM WAS RECOGNIZED AS THEIR OWN 501 C 3 NONPROFIT. MAINE TREE WILL STILL CONTINUE TO OFFER ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, BUT NO LONGER IN CHARGE OF THEIR FINANCES.
- $63,264 spent. TEACHERS' TOURS (LONG-TERM EDUCATION ABOUT FORESTS PROGRAM) IS DESIGNED TO INCREASE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF AN APPRECIATION FOR MAINE'S 17 MILLION ACRES OF FOREST. TEACHERS' TOURS ENCOURAGE RECOGNITION OF AND RESPECT FOR ALL FOREST VALUES, INCLUDING WOOD, RECREATION, WILDLIFE, AESTHETICS, SOIL AND WATER QUALITY, AND BIODIVERSITY OF PLANT AND ANIMAL SPECIES THROUGH SUCH PROGRAMS AS TEACHERS' TOURS, OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS AND SCHOOL FORESTS, ASSISTANCE TO SMALL LANDOWNERS, COLLABORATION WITH OTHER GROUPS TO PROVIDE ACCURATE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOREST WITH A MONTHLY ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER AND PROVIDING OUTREACH ON FOREST BIOPRODUCTS RESEARCH TO EDUCATORS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. IN 2024, WE CONTINUED TO INCREASE OUR PARTICIPANTS TO HELP INCREASE THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF MAINE'S FOREST RESOURCES. WE INCLUDED WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ON BOTH OF OUR TOURS, SO THAT THE TEACHERS COULD BRING THAT BACK TO THEIR STUDENTS.
- $2,912 spent. KEEPING MAINE'S FORESTS IA A COLLABORATION OF LEADERS FROM PUBLIC, PRIVATE, AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WITH INTEREST IN THE FUTURE OF MAINE'S NORTH WOODS, INCLUDING LAND OWNERSHIP, RECREATION, THE ENVIRONMENT, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, THE FOREST PRODUCTS INDUSTRY, AND CONSERVATION. KMF IS A RARE VENUE WHERE DISCUSSION FROM DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS OCCURS FACT TO FACE. THROUGH KMF, THOSE WHO CARE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE MAINE WOODS CAN SHARE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES, PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION, IMPROVE STEWARDSHIP OF FOREST LANDS, AND SPEAK WITH ONE VOICE TO STATE AND FEDERAL ELECTED OFFICIALS. KEEPING MAINE'S FOREST HELD TWO MEMBER FORUMS IN 2023. DURING THOSE FORUMS, PARTICIPANTS AND MEMBERS DISCUSSED CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH ACCESS TO MAINE'S FORESTS. FERN - THE FOREST ECOLOGY RESEARCH NETWORK (FERN) COMBINES THE BEST OF PROJECT LEARNING TREE'S CURRICULUM WITH STANDARD FOREST DATA COLLECTION PROTOCOLS TO PROVIDE COMMUNITY SCIENTISTS WITH THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THEY HAVE ABOUT THE MAINE FORESTS. IN 2024, WE RECEIVED GRANTS TO CREATE FERN KITS TO HAVE FOR SCHOOLS AND TO HELP SET UP FERN PLOTS.
- $1,052 spent. SFI CLIMATE SMART FORESTRY: WE RECEIVED A GRANT TO CREATE A NORTHEAST CLIMATE SMART FORESTRY HANDBOOK AND NORTHEAST CLIMATE SMART FORESTRY MANUAL. A SURVEY WAS CREATED THAT WAS DISTRIBUTED TO SFI CERTIFICATE HOLDERS IN THE NORTHEAST. THE SURVEY CONSISTED OF CLIMATE CHANGE RISKS, CLIMATE CHANGE OPPORTUNITIES AND FOREST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ASSOCIATED WITH SFI CERTIFICATION. THE HANDBOOK HAS BEEN CREATED AND IS NOW IN THE EDITING PROCESS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since April 1990.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
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