Maryland Forestry Boards Foundation Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The Maryland Forestry Foundation's mission is to act as the fiduciary agent and fundraising manager for specific programs of the 24 Forestry Boards in Maryland. In our role of support for the local boards, we provide important tax deductibility to corporate and private donors interested in the stewardship, conservation & sustainable use of MD's forest resources. We have grown our mission in recent years to include the promotion and management of several large forestry programs funded by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
- Income
- $2.1 million
- Spending
- $2.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 96%
- Reserves
- 1.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 97%
- Employees
- 2
- Volunteers
- 15
- Highest pay
- $43,466, president
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 45% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 24% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1596% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 10% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2511 of 13 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
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, 2025, 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 (4)
- $1.7 million spent. The Healthy Forests, Healthy Water initiative is part of a Maryland Department of Natural Resources grant agreement to increase forest cover on private property. Under this program, we managed 5 separate grants for the state in 2025. The Foundation contracts with natural resources consultants and tree planting contractors, to implement tree planting projects on private land in conjunction with Maryland Forest Service staff. These initiatives are intended to deliver quantifiable nutrient & sediment reductions for water quality purposes. The Foundation engages the local volunteer Forestry Boards by providing training and technical assistance that allows them to document the projects' implementation and to monitor their success. In 2025, we paid out $1,642,199 to tree planting and tree maintenance contractors across the state. The remaining expenses include $48,762 for Foundation management and accounting and $2,471 in mileage reimbursements.
- $78,182 spent. We administer the financial side of the grant programs of the Maryland Urban & Community Forestry Committee (MUCFC) and the Maryland Dept of Transportation (MDOT) Urban Tree grant program. In 2025, the MUCFC grant program gave out 33 grants across 12 counties worth $25,961. The MDOT distributed 22 grants across 8 counties worth $52,221.
- $54,339 spent. The Foundation held the 2nd annual Urban Forestry Careers Camp at the University of Maryland's College Park campus. We hosted 30 high school students for a week in July. The cost of room, board and field trips was $32,460. Camp director and coordinator were paid a total of $4,000. College students majoring in Natural Resources acted as counselors and were paid $590 each for a total of $3,540. Materials/supplies/website exps were $3,489. Planning and promotion expenses for the new camp was $10,850. The camp was funded by a $50,000 grant from the Maryland Dept. of Natural Resources, student fees of $4,500 and donations of $2,500.
- $142,335 spent. $142,335 in Other Exps: $33,841 in expenses associated with the Natural Resources Careers Camp (NRCC - incl travel, promotion, etc), $44,863 for 4 college students in our Fellowship program, $16,170 in new employee costs, $1,702 of mileage reimbursement to the Big Tree program volunteers, $3,294 maint of new website, $5,000 distribution of donations to Forestry Boards, $10,217 for creation of Governing Green booklet, $20,341 for promotion of programs, $1,000 college scholarship distribution, $5,000 sponsorship of Junior Achievement Center, $907 all other prgm support. $294,237 in Other Revenue: $50,000 grant rec'd for Fellowship program, $36,520 donations and tuition payments for NRCC, $160,990 grant rec'd for one year salaries/benefits for 2 new employees brought on in Oct, $27,500 DNR grant rec'd for Forestry Board support, $13,000 donation rec'd for Governing Green booklet, $200 Big Tree contributions, $5,000 contributions to Forestry Boards, $125 donations made to the Foundation, $902 interest income.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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 2025.
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 October 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.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.