Forest Preserve Foundation Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

Direct support of programs that align with the mission of the forest preserve foundation.representative grants to forest preserve district of cook county for the include: chicago conservation leadership corps program (cclc)-a conservation corps program of the forest preserve district of cook county for high school age students. Fpdcc will engage 40 youth, ages 14-19 years old, in paid employment to conduct hands-on conservation activities and learn basic job skills in the five-week summer jobs programs. Youth will contribute a minimum of 3,000 hours of on-the-ground ecological restoration, trail improvement or gardening work and receive a minimum of 30 hours of environmental education and nature-based recreation experiences. Participants will be recruited from throughout cook county. The program is managed by the forest preserves of cook county, resource management department. ($50,000the forest preserve experience program (fpe) -a conservation corps program of the forest preserve district of cook county this is a five-week summer jobs program that provides paid employment for young people whose families utilize the services of the housing authority of cook county. Fpdcc will engage 72 youth in the forest preserve experience who will contribute a minimum of 2,000 up to 2,800 hours of on-the-ground ecological restoration work, which includes managing invasive species, collecting and dispersing native seed, and receive a minimum of 30 hours of environmental education and nature-based recreation experiences. ($20,000)climate and pollinator resilience through native seed amplification program - to install native seed beds and a wild seed garden that will grow region-specific plants to increase seed stock that are critical to successful restoration projects. Volunteers will help to care for and maintain the seed beds. The program will achieve the following outcomes:* install region-specific native seed beds at salt creek resource management facility in western springs* install seedlings in a wild seed garden near skokie resource management building along the north branch trail.* install temporary signage at both sites promoting the importance of native plants and linking to the forest preserves conservation@home program. * partner with the chicago botanic garden, volunteers, and conservation corps members to help care for both the wild seed garden and the native seed beds.* plant and grow common seeds, mostly native grasses, as well as rarer forbs whose seeds are difficult to collect and obtain. (9,000)volunteer recognition program - a grant to the forest preserve district of cook county to support for the volunteer resources departments 2024 volunteer activities for motorola and parker hannifin corporations. ($2,250)

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 51.7%; rating input score 52
• Program expense ratio: 50.7%; rating input score 51
• Fundraising efficiency: $2.8 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 91.7%; rating input score 92; 12th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 0 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 0
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Missing
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 86.2%; rating input score 86; 36th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 4 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • Document-retention policy: Fail
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Fail
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 0.1%; rating input score 36; 36th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.73; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 68; 68th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 29.7%; rating input score 7; 7th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 4.2% per year; rating input score 100; 38th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 3.9% per year; rating input score 100; 37th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 6.4% per year; rating input score 100; 45th percentile among comparable filings