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Center for International Forestry Research

EIN 98-0163602 · Alexandria, VA

Public records raise at least one point you should look into before giving.

LegitimacyCautionRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair50 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

CIFOR ADVANCES HUMAN WELL-BEING, EQUITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY BY CONDUCTING INNOVATIVE RESEARCH, DEVELOPING PARTNERS' CAPACITY, AND ACTIVELY ENGAGING IN DIALOGUE WITH ALL STAKEHOLDERS TO INFORM POLICIES AND PRACTICES THAT AFFECT FORESTS AND PEOPLE.

Income
$48.6 million
Spending
$49.1 million
Spent on programs
84%
Reserves
1.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 98%
Employees
208
Volunteers
1
Highest pay
$376,164, coo, director general & trustee

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: 50 out of 100. Higher than 11% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.5 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 35% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    84% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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 25

    7 of 13 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

    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 (6)
  1. $21.0 million spent. SUSTAINABLE VALUE CHAINS AND INVESTMENTS:THE DEGRADATION OF SPECIES-RICH AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST LANDSCAPES NEEDS TO BE HALTED, WHILE THE GROWING GLOBAL DEMAND FOR FOOD, FEED, ENERGY, FIBRE, AND OTHER ECOSYSTEM SERVICES IS TO BE MET.IN RESPONSE TO THIS URGENT CHALLENGE, PRIVATE COMPANIES, GOVERNMENTS, AND FINANCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS ARE INCREASINGLY INVESTING IN SUSTAINABLE ACTIVITIES THAT REDUCE PRESSURE ON FORESTS AND FARMLANDS. CIFOR-ICRAF CONTRIBUTES TO THESE EFFORTS THROUGH EVIDENCE-BASED SOLUTIONS FOR NEW BUSINESS MODELS AND INVESTMENTS IN DIVERSE FOREST AND TREE CROP VALUE CHAINS, WHICH BENEFIT RURAL LIVELIHOODS AND ECONOMIES, WHILE MINIMIZING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS.
  2. $13.1 million spent. CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY AND LOW-CARBON DEVELOPMENT:TO AVOID CATASTROPHIC CLIMATE CHANGE, SOCIETY NEEDS TO BOTH END ITS DEPENDENCE ON FOSSIL FUELS AND PURSUE LOW-EMISSION DEVELOPMENT THROUGH SUSTAINABLE LAND MANAGEMENT, INCLUDING AGROFORESTRY, ECOSYSTEM CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION, AND A TRANSITION TO SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY MODELS.ALL CIFOR-ICRAF RESEARCH CONTRIBUTES TO CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION BY HELPING TO KEEP TREES IN THE GROUND, INCREASE TREE COVER, AND FIND THE BEST TREE SPECIES FOR LOCAL CONDITIONS. THE 'CLIMATE TEAM'S' RESEARCH FOCUSES ON FORESTS CONSERVATION, ON REDUCING EMISSIONS FROM DEFORESTS AND FOREST DEGRADATION (REDD+), ON THE SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF FORESTS AND WETLANDS, ON DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE BIOENERGY SOLUTIONS, AND ON BIOECONOMY TRANSITIONS. CONSERVING AND SUSTAINABLY MANAGING CARBON-DENSE PEATLANDS AND WETLANDS IS ONE LARGE AREA OF OUR WORK. THROUGH ALL OF THIS, WE AIM TO SUPPORT OUR PARTNERS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF EFFECTIVE, COST-EFFICIENT, AND EQUITABLE CLIMATE POLICIES AND PRACTICES.
  3. $4.7 million spent. GOVERNANCE, EQUITY AND WELL-BEING:PROBLEMS RELATED TO LAND, TREES AND FORESTS, AS WELL AS GROWING INEQUITY CANNOT BE SOLVED IF WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND AND ADDRESS UNEQUAL POWER RELATIONS AND OTHER GOVERNANCE CHALLENGES. SUCH RESEARCH IS ESSENTIAL TO BRING ABOUT (JUST) TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE (WHAT CHANGE, FOR WHOM) IN POLICIES, INSTITUTIONS AND BEHAVIOURS.CIFOR-ICRAF CONDUCTS APPLIED RESEARCH TO REVEAL AND PROPOSE SOLUTIONS TO PATTERNS OF INEQUITY (E.G. GENDER, ETHNICITY, AGE); TO IMPROVE UNDERSTANDING OF THE ROLES OF FORESTS, TREES AND AGROFORESTS FOR SMALLHOLDER AND INDIGENOUS LIVELIHOODS, HEALTH AND FOOD SECURITY; AND TO EXPLORE AND INNOVATE WITH SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPE APPROACHES AND MULTI-STAKEHOLDER PROCESSES.
  4. $1.5 million spent. TREES AND FOREST GENETIC RESOURCES, AND BIODIVERSITY:THE ABILITY OF FARMERS AND FOREST DWELLERS TO PRODUCE FOOD AND OTHER GOODS AND SERVICES DEPENDS ON BIODIVERSITY IN GENES, SPECIES AND ECOSYSTEMS. YET THE WORLD IS EXPERIENCING AN ALARMING AND ACCELERATING LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY, WHICH IS UNDERMINING PROGRESS TOWARDS DEVELOPMENT GOALS RELATED TO POVERTY, HEALTH AND CLIMATE, AMONG OTHERS.CIFOR-ICRAF'S WORK ON TREE PRODUCTIVITY AND DIVERSITY AIMS TO DELIVER ON THE BEST SCIENCE NEEDED TO SAFEGUARD TREE DIVERSITY, DOMESTICATE TREES AND DELIVER SUITABLE TREE PLANTING MATERIAL TO GROWERS INCLUDING FOR FOOD, FODDER, TIMBER AND MEDICINAL PLANTS.
  5. $1.1 million spent. SOIL AND LAND HEALTH:WITH OVER ONE THIRD OF THE EARTH'S SURFACE DEGRADED AND OVER 3.2 BILLION PEOPLE NEGATIVELY AFFECTED BY DEGRADATION, CONTINUING BUSINESS AS USUAL IS NO LONGER AN OPTION. IT IS CLEAR THAT WITHOUT HEALTHY, WELL-FUNCTIONING SOIL WE CANNOT PRODUCE NUTRITIOUS FOOD AND ACHIEVE FOOD SYSTEMS TRANSFORMATION. THE UN DECADE ON ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION 20212030 IS A CRITICAL CALL TO ACTION AND OPPORTUNITY TO RESTORE ECOSYSTEM AND SOIL HEALTH.CIFOR-ICRAF IS A GLOBAL CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR SOIL AND LAND RESTORATION, INTEGRATED SOIL INFORMATION, AND SOIL ORGANIC CARBON ACCOUNTING, WITH RELEVANCE FOR FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY, NATIONAL RESTORATION GOALS AND CLIMATE COMMITMENTS. PROVIDING RIGOROUS ACTIONABLE EVIDENCE, PARTNERSHIPS AND GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT ARE CORE TO OUR WORK. THROUGH CO-LEADING THE COALITION OF ACTION 4 SOIL HEALTH (CA4SH) WE ARE ENSURING ACTIONABLE EVIDENCE DIRECTLY INFORMS GLOBAL SOIL AGENDAS AND ECOSYSTEM HEALTH INVESTMENTS.
  6. AGROECOLOGY:IN THE QUEST TO TRANSFORM FOOD SYSTEMS IN WAYS THAT SERVE BOTH PEOPLE AND NATURE, AGROECOLOGY IS GAINING PROMINENCE AS A MEANS OF GENERATING SOLUTIONS. IT IS A FARMING AND FOOD SYSTEM APPROACH THAT'S INSPIRED BY NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS, COMBINES LOCAL AND SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE, AND FOCUSES ON THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN PLANTS, ANIMALS, HUMANS, AND THE ENVIRONMENT.THE TRANSFORMATIVE PARTNERSHIP PLATFORM ON AGROECOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO BUILDING RESILIENCE OF LIVELIHOODS AND LANDSCAPES (AGROECOLOGY TPP) AIMS TO FOSTER TRANSITIONS TO MORE SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD SYSTEMS BY ACCELERATING AND COORDINATING THE ACTIONS OF A RANGE OF INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE ALREADY WORKING ON AGROECOLOGY ACROSS VARIOUS SCALES, CONTEXTS, AND LOCATIONS.

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? Caution.

    The IRS master file records contributions to this 501(c)(3) charitable organization as not deductible.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 January 1998.

    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.

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