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Blue Forest Finance Inc

EIN 83-1666979 · Sacramento, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair60 out of 100GovernanceStrong93 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

BLUE FOREST IS A NON-PROFIT CONSERVATION FINANCE ORGANIZATION. WE BRING PEOPLE, FINANCE AND SCIENCE TOGETHER TO RESTORE AND PROTECT OUR FORESTS, WATERSHEDS, ECOSYSTEMS AND COMMUNITIES.

Income
$8.9 million
Spending
$9.0 million
Spent on programs
78%
Reserves
5.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 40%
Employees
46
Volunteers
5
Highest pay
$231,178, ceo & president

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: 60 out of 100. Higher than 23% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    2 of 20

    It owes 85% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 21% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    78% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 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: 93 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    5 of 7 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

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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 (3)
  1. $6.5 million spent. PROJECT DEVELOPMENT - INVOLVES DEVELOPMENT, DESIGN, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF CONSERVATION FINANCE. THIS INCLUDES THE FOREST RESILIENCE BOND (FRB), AN INNOVATIVE FINANCING MECHANISM THAT ACCESSES PRIVATE CAPITAL TO FINANCE FOREST RESTORATION PROJECTS TO PROTECT COMMUNITIES, ECOSYSTEM BENEFITS, AND RURAL LIVELHOODS; AND BLUE FOREST ASSET MANAGEMENT (BFAM), WHICH PROVIDES FLEXIBLE FINANCING TO COMPANIES LEADING FOREST RESTORATION AND WILDFIRE MITIGATION WORK ACROSS CALIFORNIA. 2024 IMPACTS INCLUDED $17.8M DEPLOYED FOR ECOSYSTEM RESILIENCE, 141 JOBS SUPPORTED, 12 ACTIVE NATIONAL FOREST ENGAGEMENTS FOR FRB PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, 10,168 ACRES PROTECTED, AND 34,977 ACRE-FEET OF WATER SUPPLY PROTECTED.
  2. $350,654 spent. COMMUNICATIONS, OUTREACH, & EDUCATION - INVOLVES ACTIVITIES TO PRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE MATERIALS AND INFORMATION ABOUT OUR INNOVATIVE FINANCE MODELS AND THE MULTIPLE BENEFITS OF ECOSYSTEM CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION GENERALLY. OUR STAKEHOLDER AND PUBLIC OUTREACH AND EDUCATION EXPANDS KNOWLEDGE OF OUR PROJECTS WHILE PROMOTING THEM AS EMERGING AND EFFECTIVE MODELS THAT ARE APPLICABLE AND REPLICABLE TO MANY LANDSCAPES AND ECOSYSTEM SITUATIONS IN NEED OF LARGE-SCALE MANAGEMENT AND RESTORATION, WHILE ALSO ADVANCING THE FIELD OF CONSERVATION FINANCE BROADLY. 2024 IMPACTS INCLUDED FEATURES IN LEADING IMPACT INVESTING PUBLICATIONS, INCLUSION IN THE REVENUES FOR NATURE DATABASE, WINNER OF THE FOREST SERVICE REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP OF THE YEAR, ACHIEVING COIN CDFI CERTIFICATION, AND BEING NAMED AS A KEELING CURVE PRIZE LAUREATE.
  3. $134,951 spent. SCIENCE & RESEARCH - BLUE FOREST COMBINES THE LATEST WESTERN SCIENCE WITH INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE TO BUILD MORE RESILIENT ECOSYSTEMS AND COMMUNITIES. OUR SCIENCE TEAM WORKS TO EVALUATE AND MONITOR PROJECT BENEFITS. WE HELP DEVELOP, TEST AND DEPLOY NEW TOOLS AND METHODS FOR MEASURING RESTORATION PROJECT OUTCOMES. WE PARTNER WITH ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONS TO EVALUATE AND COMMUNICATE THE BENEFITS OF INVESTING IN ECOSYSTEM RESILIENCE, AND WE MAINTAIN A PORTFOLIO OF INDEPENDENT RESEARCH PROJECTS AIMED AT GAINING NEW INSIGHTS INTO THE BENEFITS OF WELL-MANAGED LANDSCAPES. IN 2024 BLUE FOREST TEAM MEMBERS PUBLISHED 4 RESEARCH PAPERS, COMPLETED BENEFITS ANALYSIS FOR 21 UNIQUE PROJECTS, AND PARTICIPATED IN 19 PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS AND PANELS.

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since February 2020.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.