National Arbor Day Foundation
68% goes to programs $24 to raise $100 Strong reserves Growing revenue
National Arbor Day Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Lincoln, Nebraska, registered in 1972, with $111,866,996 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 68% of spending to programs.
211 N 12th St, Lincoln, NE, 68508 EIN 23-7169265 Since 1972
Revenue (FY2024)
$111.9M
▲ 12.9% vs prior year
Environment median: $250K
Expenses (FY2024)
$104.5M
Net assets
$109.2M
Employees
657
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
A
BProgram efficiency40% of the rating68% to programs · $24 to raise $100
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For National Arbor Day Foundation: 68% to programs · $24 to raise $100 earns a B on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
AFinancial health25% of the rating13 mo reserves · +7% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For National Arbor Day Foundation: 13 mo reserves · +7% margin earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For National Arbor Day Foundation: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Transparency10% of the rating5 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For National Arbor Day Foundation: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
The purpose of the corporation shall be to engage in educational and charitable activities including offically promoting the annual observance of arbor day, inspiring people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees, stimulating a world-wide program of tree and horticultural planting and care, advancing nature education and environmental education, and maintaining arbor day farm, the estate of arbor day's founder, j. sterling morton.
What they do
Arbor day farm - this national historic landmark is home to lied lodge, innovative conservation demonstrations, and the arbor day farm tree adventure.
Tree city usa - the tree city usa program, since 1976, has strengthened and encouraged communities to develop and maintain successful community forestry programs. the strong partnership between the usda forest service's urban and community forestry (usfs) program, the national association of state foresters (nasf), and the arbor day foundation allows the organizations to leverage resources and expertise for the betterment of community forests throughout the country.
Arbor day/youth education - the foundation promotes arbor day, america's oldest environmental holiday, and offers nature education programs to reconnect children with nature to inspire the next generation of tree planters and environmental stewards.
Contact & location
- Address
- 211 N 12th St, Lincoln, NE, 68508
- City
- Lincoln
- State
- Nebraska
- Category
- Environment
- Subcategory
- Environmental Beautification
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $40.6M (FY2013) to $111.9M (FY2024) across 12 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $27.2MNet assets $109.2M
Operating margin
6.6%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$136.3M
Total liabilities
$27.2M
Net assets
$109.2M
Salaries & benefits
$28.2M
27% of expenses
Board members
12
12 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $111,866,996▲12.9% | $104,506,085▲14.0% | $109,181,234▲8.2% | $136,343,254▲13.1% | 990 |
| 2023 | $99,061,954▲2.1% | $91,666,382▲6.6% | $100,896,370▲9.0% | $120,580,411▲5.6% | 990 |
| 2022 | $97,035,028▲2.4% | $85,958,857▲9.0% | $92,602,143▲14.3% | $114,239,127▲19.6% | 990 |
| 2021 | $94,760,158▲6.4% | $78,863,450▲4.9% | $81,041,620▲21.3% | $95,545,348▲11.4% | 990 |
| 2020 | $89,090,344▲6.2% | $75,187,856▲6.3% | $66,784,404▲31.3% | $85,736,247▲17.7% | 990 |
| 2019 | $83,851,981▲44.5% | $70,749,310▲24.3% | $50,859,359▲33.1% | $72,817,945▲45.5% | 990 |
| 2018 | $58,040,055▲18.4% | $56,910,139▲20.7% | $38,203,310▲2.7% | $50,039,298▼0.7% | 990 |
| 2017 | $49,019,153▲4.1% | $47,160,881▲9.6% | $37,189,253▲6.5% | $50,392,462▲11.2% | 990 |
| 2016 | $47,086,643▲12.6% | $43,046,213▲5.0% | $34,929,162▲14.1% | $45,298,652▲10.2% | 990 |
| 2015 | $41,805,958▼1.0% | $41,007,582▼0.4% | $30,603,674▲2.4% | $41,122,870▲1.8% | 990 |
| 2014 | $42,232,612▲4.1% | $41,158,987▲4.9% | $29,892,948▲3.5% | $40,400,321▲12.1% | 990 |
| 2013 | $40,565,107 | $39,228,460▲4.7% | $28,884,166▲5.7% | $36,050,814▲1.7% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $37,469,872▲2.4% | $27,321,061▲4.2% | $35,456,431▲5.1% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $36,581,450▼0.8% | $26,227,221▲2.9% | $33,722,227▲1.3% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $36,878,514 | $25,495,640 | $33,275,244 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2024)
Highest-paid: Dan Lambe — $484,641 (0.46% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dan Lambe | Chief Executive Officer | 40 | $484,641 |
| Katie Loos | President | 40 | $284,550 |
| Pete Davis | Managing Director of Catalytic Investments | 40 | $261,011 |
| Paul Cooper | Chief Operating Officer | 40 | $225,822 |
| Nicole Rasmussen | Chief Financial Officer | 40 | $221,870 |
| Yinka Akinyemi | Vp Human Resources | 40 | $211,619 |
| Daniel Morrow | Vp Programs and Partnerships | 40 | $203,193 |
| Katrina Wells | Vp Marketing & Communications | 40 | $201,153 |
| Gary Deemer | Director, Accounting | 40 | $185,562 |
| Michelle Saulnier | Vp Programs and Partnerships | 40 | $179,355 |
| Ben Wilinsky | Director, Partnerships and | 40 | $174,987 |
| Lauren Marshall | Director, Landscape Restoration | 40 | $170,666 |
| Brandon Schuster | Vp Arbor Day Farm | 40 | $166,025 |
| Austin Mackrill | Vp of Experience | 40 | $164,319 |
| Suk Wortman | Integrated Experience | 40 | $161,167 |
| Michael Ashley | Enterprise Architect | 40 | $149,201 |
| Nancy S Davis | Marketing Campaign and Analytics Manager | 40 | $148,743 |
| Crayton Webb | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Danielle Crumrine | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Denise Naguib | Turstee | 1 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2024)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Rr Donnelley | Lettershop | $3,942,472 |
| Planit Geo Inc | Tree Canopy Data | $3,520,000 |
| Fedex | Shipping Services | $1,541,603 |
| Michigan Dept of Natural Resources | Tree Planting, Reforestation | $1,064,463 |
| Stonebrook Exterior | Construction | $1,037,956 |
Grants received · $26.7M total
124 grants to National Arbor Day Foundation totaling $26.7M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charities Aid Foundation America | Charitable donation | 2024 | $3,283,176 |
| Greater Cincinnati Foundation | Programatic support | 2024 | $1,364,405 |
| Greater Cincinnati Foundation | Programatic support | 2024 | $1,364,405 |
| The Seattle Foundation | Local communities in planting trees | 2024 | $700,000 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $677,784 |
| Telescope Fund | Project support | 2024 | $500,000 |
| Rewild | Research conservation | 2024 | $213,500 |
| Tulsa Community Foundation | General operations | 2024 | $45,000 |
| The Seattle Foundation | Reforestation project support and plant 30,000 trees. | 2024 | $30,000 |
| Globalgiving Foundation Inc | Funds raised by globalgiving and disbursed to meet donor expectations | 2024 | $20,048 |
| The Us Charitable Gift Trust | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2024 | $20,010 |
| The Blackbaud Giving Fund | General support | 2024 | $19,041 |
| Paypal Charitable Giving Fund | General support | 2024 | $13,335 |
| American Endowment Foundation | Environmental | 2024 | $13,000 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2024 | $10,000 |
Grants made · $11.6M in FY2024
181 grants totaling $11.6M in FY2024 — showing the 15 largest. All grants made by National Arbor Day Foundation →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Arbor Day Impact Fund | Invest in mission-aligned projects that address environmental challenges, promote sustainable practices, foster innovation in tree conservation and environmental stewardship, mitigate climate change, and enhance reforestation efforts. | $1,709,668 |
| City Parks Foundation Inc | Encourage and facilitate the adoption of leading-edge practices in municipal forests including inventory, planting, maintenance and education. | $327,300 |
| City of Cape Coral | Encourage and facilitate the adoption of leading-edge practices in municipal forests | $267,540 |
| Texas Trees Foundation | Encourage and facilitate the adoption of leading-edge practices in municipal forests including inventory, planting, maintenance and education.encourage and facilitate the adoption of leading-edge practices in municipal forests including inventory, planting, maintenance and education. | $218,752 |
| Trees Atlanta Inc | Encourage and facilitate the adoption of leading-edge practices in municipal forests including inventory, planting, maintenance and education. | $199,662 |
| City of South Sioux City | Encourage and facilitate the adoption of leading-edge practices in municipal forests | $198,043 |
| Sustaining Our Urban Landscape Soul | Encourage and facilitate the adoption of leading-edge practices in municipal forests | $197,878 |
| City of Olathe Ks | Encourage and facilitate the adoption of leading-edge practices in municipal forests | $195,935 |
| Student Conservation Association Inc | Encourage and facilitate the adoption of leading-edge practices in municipal forests including inventory, planting, maintenance and education. | $193,182 |
| Fruit Tree Planting Foundation | Encourage and facilitate the adoption of leading-edge practices in municipal forests including inventory, planting, maintenance and education. | $182,962 |
| Trout Unlimited Inc | Encourage and facilitate the adoption of leading-edge practices in municipal forests including inventory, planting, maintenance and education. | $181,050 |
| Asheville Greenworks | Encourage and facilitate the adoption of leading-edge practices in municipal forests including inventory, planting, maintenance and education. | $178,075 |
| City of Greensboro Nc | Encourage and facilitate the adoption of leading-edge practices in municipal forests | $175,244 |
| Casey Trees | Encourage and facilitate the adoption of leading-edge practices in municipal forests including inventory, planting, maintenance and education. | $163,550 |
| City of Council Bluffs Ia | Encourage and facilitate the adoption of leading-edge practices in municipal forests | $149,534 |
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Frequently asked questions
- Is National Arbor Day Foundation a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. National Arbor Day Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 23-7169265, based in Lincoln, Nebraska. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is National Arbor Day Foundation's EIN?
- National Arbor Day Foundation's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 23-7169265.
- How much revenue does National Arbor Day Foundation report?
- National Arbor Day Foundation reported $111,866,996 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of National Arbor Day Foundation's spending goes to programs?
- National Arbor Day Foundation spends about 68% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does National Arbor Day Foundation have?
- CharityIndex grades National Arbor Day Foundation A, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does National Arbor Day Foundation's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on National Arbor Day Foundation's latest Form 990 is $484,641, paid to Dan Lambe (Chief Executive Officer).
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Data for National Arbor Day Foundation (EIN 23-7169265) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.