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Landscape Architecture Foundation

EIN 52-6065505 · Washington Dc, DC

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak33 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO SUPPORT THE PRESERVATION, IMPROVEMENT AND ENHANCEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT. LAF INVESTS IN RESEARCH, SCHOLARSHIPS, AND LEADERSHIP INITIATIVES TO MEET ITS MISSION.

Income
$1.7 million
Spending
$2.4 million
Spent on programs
65%
Reserves
-4.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 84%
Employees
10
Volunteers
33
Highest pay
$263,642, chief executive officer

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

Weak: 33 out of 100. Higher than 6% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 7% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 42% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 14% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    65% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 26 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

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 39% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    32 of 32 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (4)
  1. $449,278 spent. LEADERSHIP: THE LAF FELLOWSHIP FOR INNOVATION AND LEADERSHIP WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2016 TO FOSTER TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP CAPACITY AND INNOVATION TO ADVANCE THE FIELD OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE. THE $25,000 FELLOWSHIP IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MID-CAREER OR SENIOR-LEVEL PROFESSIONALS TO DEDICATE THE EQUIVALENT OF 3 MONTHS' TIME OVER THE COURSE OF ONE YEAR TO NURTURE EMERGING IDEAS AND TO THINK DEEPLY. IT IS DESIGNED AS A TIME TO REFLECT, RESEARCH, EXPLORE, CREATE, TEST, AND DEVELOP IDEAS INTO ACTION. EACH YEAR, 3-5 FELLOWSHIPS ARE AWARDED THROUGH A COMPETITIVE APPLICATION PROCESS BASED ON A PROPOSED PROJECT. RECIPIENTS RECEIVE A $25,000 FINANCIAL AWARD AND PARTICIPATE IN 3 THREE-DAY RESIDENCIES OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR, AS WELL AS MONTHLY CONFERENCE CALLS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
  2. $551,462 spent. SCHOLARSHIPS; LAF IS THE LEADING SOURCE OF NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS FOR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS. SINCE 1986, LAF HAS AWARDED MORE THAN $1.8 MILLION IN SCHOLARSHIPS TO 636 STUDENTS. LAF'S LEADERSHIP IN LANDSCAPE AWARDS SUPPORT NEW GENERATIONS OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS BY RECOGNIZING LEADERSHIP, REWARDING SUPERIOR STUDENT PERFORMANCE, AND ENCOURAGING DIVERSITY. THE OLMSTED SCHOLARS PROGRAM IS THE PREMIER NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARD RECOGNIZING AND SUPPORTING LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS WITH EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL WHO ARE USING IDEAS, INFLUENCE, COMMUNICATION, SERVICE, AND LEADERSHIP TO ADVANCE SUSTAINABLE DESIGN AND FOSTER HUMAN AND SOCIETAL BENEFITS.
  3. $268,130 spent. COMMUNICATIONS: DEVELOPS RESOURCES FOR THE FOUNDATION TO EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENT PROGRAM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, MEASURE PERFORMANCE, AND SHOW THE VALUE OF SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPE SOLUTIONS AND AN INTEGRATED APPROACHTO PLANNING AND DESIGN. THE DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION ADVANCES BOTH THE PROFESSION OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AND THE CAPACITY OF SUSTAINABILITY LEADERS WORKING IN OTHER PROFESSIONS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. IN 2018, LAF LAUNCHED A REDESIGN OF THE LAFOUNDATION.ORGWEBSITE TO MORE EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE ITS PROGRAMS AND INITITAIVES. LAF ALSO DEVELOPED CONTENT FOR ITS GROWING COLLECTION OF VIDEO, AUDIO AND TEXT INTERVIEWS WITH ESTABLISHED AND EMERGING LEADERS IN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AND ALLIED PROFESSIONS TO PROVIDE A PLATFORM FOR THESE THOUGHT LEADERS TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE, INSPIRATION AND INSIGHTS.
  4. $292,239 spent. RESEARCH AND INFORMATION: RESEARCH IS A KEY PART OF LAF'S STRATEGY TO INCREASE OUR COLLECTIVE CAPACITY TO ACHIEVE SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE. SINCE 1986, LAF HAS INVESTED OVER $3 MILLION IN RESEARCH INITIATIVES. THE LANDSCAPE PERFORMANCE SERIES (LPS) LAUNCHED IN 2009 IS LAF'S STRATEGIC RESEARCH PROGRAM, AN ONLINE INTERACTIVE SET OF RESOURCES TO SHOW VALUE AND PROVIDE TOOLS FOR DESIGNERS, AGENCIES AND ADVOCATES TO QUANTIFY BENEFITS AND MAKE THE CASE FOR SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPE SOLUTIONS. LAUNCHED IN 2011, THE CASE STUDY INVESTIGATION (CSI) PROGRAM IS A UNIQUE RESEARCH COLLABORATION THAT MATCHES LAF FUNDED STUDENT FACULTY RESEARCH TEAMS WITH PRACTITIONERS TO DOCUMENT THE BENEFITS OF EXEMPLARY HIGHPERFORMING LANDSCAPE PROJECTS.IN 2019, LAF ADDED AN ANNUAL $25,000 RESEARCH GRANT TO GENERATE KNOWLEDGE AND INSIGHTS RELEVANT TO THE PRACTICE OF DESIGN IN ORDER TO INCREASE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE'S CAPACITY AND IMPACT.

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

  1. 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 October 13, 2026.

  2. 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 October 13, 2026.

  3. 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 October 13, 2026.

  4. 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 October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since August 1966.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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 21, 2026.

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