Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY INITIATIVE (SFI) INC. IS AN INDEPENDENT, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION WITH A MISSION TO ADVANCE SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH FOREST-FOCUSED COLLABORATIONS. SFI IS A LEADER THROUGH COLLABORATION IN STANDARDS, CONSERVATION, COMMUNITY, AND EDUCATION WITH AN EMPHASIS ON PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS DEMONSTRATED BY PROGRESS ON THE GROUND. SFI STANDARDS HAVE BECOME A HIGHLY TRUSTED SOLUTION THAT CAN SUPPORT A GROWING NEED FOR PRODUCTS FROM SUSTAINABLY MANAGED FORESTS.THE CONSERVATION PILLAR ADVANCES CONSERVATION OBJECTIVES IN OUR STANDARDS ACROSS FORESTS IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA THROUGH TARGETED RESEARCH, LEADERSHIP OF CRITICAL INITIATIVES, AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT ADVANCE MULTIPLE CONSERVATION EFFORTS. THE COMMUNITY NETWORK HELPS LINK OUR PILLARS, PROMOTE LEARNING, AND INCREASE OUR SCALE. PROJECT LEARNING TREE (PLT), SFI'S EDUCATION PROGRAM ADVANCES ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, FOREST LITERACY AND CAREER PATHWAYS USING TREES AND FORESTS AS WINDOWS ON TO THE WORLD.
- Income
- $13.5 million
- Spending
- $13.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 87%
- Reserves
- 7.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 83%
- Employees
- 35
- Volunteers
- 22
- Highest pay
- $937,010, president & ceo
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
Good: 82 out of 100. Higher than 56% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 7.6 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 23% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 4% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1587% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2519 of 19 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
15 of 15Its accounts were audited 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, 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)
- $5.1 million spent. STANDARDS:SFI CONTINUES TO PROMOTE STANDARDS THAT PROVIDE ASSURANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY AND RESPONSIBLE SOURCING. ACCORDING TO AN INDEPENDENT SURVEY CONDUCTED BY ERM SHELTON IN 2024, 63% OF U.S. CONSUMERS HAVE HEARD OF SFI, UP FROM 52% IN 2020. ADDITIONALLY, OF THOSE AWARE OF THE SFI LABEL, 93% TRUST ITA 3% INCREASE SINCE 2020. AT THE END OF 2024, THE SFI FOOTPRINT INCLUDES 370 MILLION ACRES OF FORESTS CERTIFIED TO THE SFI FOREST MANAGEMENT STANDARD AND MILLIONS MORE POSITIVELY INFLUENCED BY THE SFI FIBER SOURCING STANDARD. AND 79% OF SFI-CERTIFIED ORGANIZATIONS REPORTED STEADY OR INCREASED DEMAND FOR SFI-CERTIFIED PRODUCTS.WITH CUSTOMERS AND GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS ACCELERATING GLOBAL CONVERSATIONS ON DEFORESTATION AND FOREST DEGRADATION, SFI RECONFIRMED ITS COMMITMENT TO NO DEFORESTATION AND NO FOREST DEGRADATION ON MARCH 20, 2024, BY EXPLICITLY PROHIBITING CERTIFICATION TO THE SFI 2022 FOREST MANAGEMENT STANDARD ON LANDS THAT ARE DEFORESTED AND ON PRACTICES THAT ARE CAUSING FOREST DEGRADATION AFTER DECEMBER 31, 2020. SFI ALSO INTRODUCED TWO MODULES TO SUPPORT EUROPEAN UNION DEFORESTATION REGULATION DUE DILIGENCE REQUIREMENTS. IN 2024, SFI ALSO WORKED TO PROMOTE AN UPDATE OF ITS NEW SFI URBAN AND COMMUNITY FOREST SUSTAINABILITY STANDARD.
- $3.5 million spent. EDUCATION:SFI INC. OPERATES PROJECT LEARNING TREE (PLT), AN AWARD-WINNING INITIATIVE THAT HELPS EDUCATORS INTEGRATE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION INTO LESSON PLANS AND USE THE OUTDOORS TO ENGAGE STUDENTS IN A LIFETIME OF LEARNING. PLT ADVANCES ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, FOREST LITERACY AND CAREER PATHWAYS USING TREES AND FORESTS AS WINDOWS ON TO THE WORLD. IN 2024, WE WERE PROUD TO RELEASE EXPLORA TU AMBIENTE: GUA DE ACTIVIDADES K-8, THE SPANISH-LANGUAGE VERSION OF PLT'S BEST-SELLING EXPLORE YOUR ENVIRONMENT: K-8 ACTIVITY GUIDE. THIS WILL PROVIDE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND FOREST LITERACY RESOURCES TO THE MORE THAN 4 MILLION SPANISH SPEAKING STUDENTS IN U.S. PUBLIC SCHOOLS. PLT IS ALSO EXPANDING BILINGUAL TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATORS, WITH SUCCESSFUL PILOT PROGRAMS ALREADY IMPLEMENTED IN STATES LIKE ILLINOIS. PLT ALSO EXPANDED HIGH SCHOOL-FOCUSED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS WITH A BRAND-NEW DIGITAL ACTIVITY COLLECTION: FORESTS, WATER & PEOPLE WHICH INCLUDES THREE PLACE-BASED LESSONS THAT INVITE LEARNERS TO EXPLORE HOW TREES, WATERSHEDS, AND OUR COMMUNITIES ARE CONNECTED.SFI, PLT AND THE INTERNATIONAL CORRUGATED PACKAGING FOUNDATION (ICPF) ANNOUNCED A MULTI-YEAR PARTNERSHIP THAT AIMES TO INCREASE AWARENESS, ACCESS, AND EDUCATION ABOUT THE REWARDING GREEN CAREERS IN THE CORRUGATED PACKAGING INDUSTRY THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES AND EXPERIENCES FOR EDUCATORS AND GUIDANCE COUNSELORS WORKING WITH MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH. THIS COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH AIMS TO ELEVATE THE PROFILE OF THE CORRUGATED PACKAGING INDUSTRY EARLIER, AS STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN CAREER EXPLORATION, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.
- $2.1 million spent. CONSERVATION AND COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS:SFI IS THE ONLY STANDARD TO REQUIRE THAT CERTIFIED ORGANIZATIONS INVEST IN FOREST RESEARCH. THE TOTAL AMOUNT INVESTED IN RESEARCH BY SFI PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS IS $2.1 BILLION SINCE 1995. SFI ALSO INVESTS DIRECTLY IN CONSERVATION RESEARCH AND COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS TO MEASURE OUTCOMES RELATIVE TO WATER QUALITY, BIODIVERSITY AND SPECIES AT RISK, FIRE RESILIENCE AND FOREST HEALTH. IN 2024, SFI LAUNCHED A NEW CONSERVATION INITIATIVE FOCUSED ON FOREST HEALTH AND FIRE RESILIENCE. THE OVERARCHING GOAL OF THE PROJECT IS TO IDENTIFY, DEVELOP, AND IMPLEMENT PRACTICES AND STRATEGIES TO MAKE OUR FORESTS MORE RESILIENT. WITH THIS FUNDING, SFI LAUNCHED THE SFI CLIMATE SMART FORESTRY INITIATIVE. CLOSE TO 250,000 RESOURCE AND HARVESTING PROFESSIONALS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN TRAINING SINCE 1995, WITH SUPPORT FROM OUR SFI IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEES. WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF THE OPPORTUNITIES PRESENTED BY SUSTAINABLY MANAGED FORESTS.
- $1.3 million spent. PROMOTION AND COMMUNICATION:IN 2024, SFI HOSTED AN ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN COLLABORATION IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA. SFI ALSO HOSTED ITS LARGEST EVER YOUTH DELEGATES COHORT AT THE 2024 ANNUAL CONFERENCE WITH OVER 50 PARTICIPANTS. PARTICIPANTS OF THE YOUTH DELEGATES PROGRAM HAD OPPORTUNITIES TO NAVIGATE THEIR EARLY CAREERS, NETWORK WITH PROFESSIONALS, AND ENGAGE IN IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS. THE SFI ANNUAL CONFERENCE BRINGS TOGETHER PEOPLE FROM THE CONSERVATION, COMMUNITY, EDUCATION, AND ECONOMIC SECTORS WHO CARE ABOUT FORESTS. ATTENDEES INCLUDED CEOS OF FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES, CONSERVATION AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, INDIGENOUS REPRESENTATIVES, FOREST MANAGERS, UNIVERSITY FACULTY AND STUDENTS, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, AND MANY MORE. MORE THAN 450 PEOPLE JOINED THE 2024 SFI ANNUAL CONFERENCE. SFI UNVEILED ITS SFI 2025-2030 STRATEGIC DIRECTION AT THE 2024 SFI ANNUAL CONFERENCE. MORE THAN 400 THOUGHT LEADERS CONTRIBUTED TO SHAPING THE SFI 2025-2030 STRATEGIC DIRECTION. IT INCLUDES A THEORY OF CHANGE FRAMEWORK DESIGNED TO ENHANCE OUR IMPACT BY ENGAGING COMMUNITIES IN A COLLABORATIVE WORLD THAT VALUES AND BENEFITS FROM SUSTAINABLY MANAGED FORESTS.SFI PROVIDES FACILITIES, MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES TO PROJECT LEARNING TREE CANADA (PLT CANADA), A CHARITABLE NON-PROFIT IN CANADA. PLT CANADA WORKS TO USE THE OUTDOORS TO ENGAGE YOUTH IN LEARNING ABOUT THE WORLD AROUND US AND ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, FOREST LITERACY AND CAREER PATHWAYS USING TREES AND FORESTS AS WINDOWS ON THE WORLD. SFI IS THE SOLE MEMBER OF PLT CANADA AND THE PLT CANADA BOARD REPRESENTS A SUBSET OF THE SFI BOARD. IN 2024, PLT CANADA WORKED WITH PARTNERS TO PLACE YOUNG ADULTS INTO NEARLY 400 GREEN JOBS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. SINCE 2018, SFI AND PLT CANADA HAVE PLACED OVER 8,100 YOUNG ADULTS INTO GREEN JOBS IN THE FOREST AND CONSERVATION SECTOR.
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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since February 2018.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 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.