Forterra Nw
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE O
- Income
- $12.8 million
- Spending
- $10.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 3.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 55%
- Employees
- 34
- Volunteers
- 194
- Highest pay
- $260,539, chief operating 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
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 59% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 15% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 15% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 156% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 17% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2520 of 21 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
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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)
- $5.7 million spent. CONSERVATION: FORTERRA'S LANDSCAPE-SCALE APPROACH ENSURES THE CONSERVATION OF CRITICAL LANDS FOR COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE REGION. FORTERRA HAS CONSERVED MORE THAN 280,240 ACRES OF LAND SINCE OUR FOUNDING IN 1989. AT ANY GIVEN TIME, WE ARE WORKING ON DOZENS OF PROJECTS TO CONSERVE LANDS FOR COMMUNITY, HABITAT AND RECREATION. WE KNOW HOW TO WORK QUICKLY AND DECISIVELY TO ENSURE VITAL LANDS ARE NOT LOST BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT SOME PROJECTS TAKE TIME TO GET RIGHT. THESE INCLUDE THE 4,000-ACRE PORT GAMBLE FOREST WHICH TOOK MORE THAN 10 YEARS AND DEEP COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS TO COMPLETE AND THE ACQUISITION OF 145 ACRES OF CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT LAND IN CENTRAL WASHINGTON FOR A PLANNED TRIBAL COMMUNITY. SOME PROJECTS ARE SMALL, BUT JUST AS IMPORTANT, LIKE CAMP KILWORTH WHICH IS ONE OF THE LAST UNDEVELOPED SHORELINE HABITATS IN FEDERAL WAY, WASHINGTON. SMALL OR LARGE, THESE PROJECTS ADD UP AND CONTRIBUTE TO A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT AND RESILIENT COMMUNITIES. NO MATTER THE SIZE OF THE PROJECT, FORTERRA BRINGS A PURPOSEFUL, INNOVATED AND INTERCONNECTED APPROACH THAT DELIVERS SUCCESS FOR OUR REGION.
- $1.4 million spent. COMMUNITY REAL ESTATE AND PLANNING: FORTERRA LOOKS ACROSS THE RURAL AND URBAN LANDSCAPE TO SEE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN PEOPLE AND LAND. WE INVEST IN TOWNS AND CITIES ACROSS THE STATE. WE LEVERAGE OUR LAND HOLDINGS AND WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TOWNS, CITIES, DEVELOPERS, AND COMMUNITIES TO IMPROVE INFRASTRUCTURE, HOUSING, AND CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS. WE HAVE LONGSTANDING AND DEEP RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE REGION. WE UTILIZE OUR DECADES OF EXPERIENCE IN REAL ESTATE, LAND CONSERVATION AND COALITION BUILDING TO DEVELOP INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS THE SHORTAGE OF ATTAINABLE HOUSING, BENEFIT LOCAL BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITIES, CREATE JOBS, OTHER ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AND SUPPORT COMMUNITY WELLBEING.
- $840,257 spent. RESTORATION AND STEWARDSHIP: FORTERRA PARTNERS WITH ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE REGION TO RESTORE AND STRENGTHEN PUBLIC LANDS, PARKS AND URBAN FORESTS. THROUGH OUR EVERGREEN RESTORATION PROGRAM (ERP) AND EVERGREEN CARBON CAPTURE (ECC) PROGRAM, FORTERRA PLANTS THOUSANDS OF TREES EACH YEAR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL COMPANIES AND INDIVIDUALS. OVER THEIR LIFETIMES, THESE TREES WILL HELP OFFSET HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF TONS OF CARBON DIOXIDE. ERP AND ECC HELPS PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS TO RESTORE LOCAL FORESTS AND TREE CANOPIES. PARTNERS HAVE INCLUDED SOUNDERS FC, MCKINSTRY, DELTA AIR LINES, AND BECU, ALONG WITH DOZENS OF INDIVIDUALS.
- $719,713 spent. POLICY: FORTERRA IS A LEADER IN THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF MARKET-BASED GROWTH MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION TOOLS. FORTERRA HAS LED THE DESIGN, ADOPTION, AND CONTINUED IMPLEMENTATION OF TRANSFER OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS (TDR) PROGRAMS AT THREE DIFFERENT LEVELS: 10 CITIES, 4 COUNTIES, AND 1 REGIONAL PROGRAM. SINCE 2009 THESE PROGRAMS HAVE CONSERVED MORE THAN 100,000 ACRES OF FARMS AND WORKING FORESTS BY TRANSFERRING THE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS OF THESE PROPERTIES TO SUPPORT INTENTIONAL GROWTH IN OUR REGION'S CITIES. TO SUPPORT GROWTH IN CITIES USING TDR, FORTERRA LED THE CREATION OF THE LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION AND LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM (LCLIP), WHICH GIVES CITIES A FINANCIAL INCENTIVE TO PROTECT RESOURCE LANDS AND MAKE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS. FORTERRA ALSO WORKS WITH COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE REGION TO ENGAGE CONSTITUENTS IN PLANNING AND POLICY ISSUES RELATED TO IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS.
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 January 1994.
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.