Forever Balboa Park

What it reported doing in 2024

Park Improvement Projects and Programs: Parkwide Volunteers: The Organization recruits, trains, and retains volunteers to support an array of Park needs, from garden and tree maintenance to visitor experience services. Growing to more than 450 volunteers strong, current programs include: Park Ambassadors, Tree Stewards, Tree Maintenance Volunteers, Garden Stewards, Rose Garden Corps, Tour Guides, Botanical Building Volunteers and Information Desk Volunteers. Volunteers perform vital functions within the Park, and the program is certified by the Points of Light Foundation as an official Service Enterprise organization, one of only 11% nonprofits nationwide.Park Activation: The Organization supports the City's Parks and Recreation Department in placemaking and Park activation endeavors, including parkwide tours, Botanical Building tours, clean-ups, community tree plantings, and provisioning of volunteers for visitor services for December Nights. In addition to events, the Organization works with other Park stakeholders to provide important infrastructure and programming that supports community connection in public spaces. The Organization hosts high school and college level interns, engaging them in workforce training on landscape architecture, GIS and mapping, marketing and communications, and leadership development skills. The Organization also partners with other Park organizations to support field trip programs and summer camp programs with tours and training orientations.Park Improvement: The Organization's process for selecting Park Improvement programs and capital improvement projects includes regular collaboration with, and ongoing input from, Park stakeholders and the City.The Organization's lead programs and projects that sustain and enhance the Park include the following initiatives: Urban Forest Initiative - a comprehensive tree inventory, site-specific tree plantings, sapling distribution programs, and a grant-funded initiative to plant hundreds of trees in the Park, while engaging youth and community members in learning about the climate and ecosystem benefits of caring for the Park's urban forest.Wayfinding and Signage - implementation of recommendations for a comprehensive wayfinding strategy to improve the visitor experience and to enhance access, circulation, and orientation. This strategy encompasses redesigning, updating, distributing, and installing a comprehensive Park map, and designing and installing wayfinding, Park identification, and pedestrian orientation signs in several key locations within the Park.Convenings and Awards - collaborative planning, design, and outreach, including a series of park-wide stakeholder meetings and support for programs focused specifically on horticulture and Park improvement projects. The newest project, the annual sPARK Awards, celebrates creative collaboration in the Park by honoring other inspirational organizations and individuals.Gardens Enhancement (a) upgraded gardens throughout the Park, with significant improvements to the Cactus Garden including irrigation planning, species identification mapping, and interpretive QR codes, elevating the stature of this neglected garden, (b) provided removal, redesign, and implementation of the Rose Garden pergola project, (c) recruited and trained dozens of new Garden Stewards, and (d) managed an Adopt-a-Plot program, guiding plot adopters in creating and maintaining their designated plots.Trail Restoration - restoration of degraded trails in the Park, including the 26th Street trail in the Golden Hill neighborhood of the Park; enhancements to the Kate O. Session Cactus Garden trail and a trail in the Trees for Health medicinal garden, opening up these areas of the Park for park-goers of all physical abilities; collaboration with the Park Ranger team to identify future trail restoration projects to protect biodiversity and enhance outdoor learning and recreation.Botanical Building and Gardens: The Botanical Building and Gardens

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 52.7%; rating input score 53
• Program expense ratio: 72.5%; rating input score 72
• Fundraising efficiency: $5.96 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 22; 22nd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Pass
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• 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: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 34.1%; rating input score 86; 86th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 3.21; rating input score 75; 75th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.05; rating input score 71; 71st percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 17%; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 23.8% per year; rating input score 100; 89th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 17.5% per year; rating input score 100; 85th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 16.7% per year; rating input score 100; 78th percentile among comparable filings