Foundation for Global Sustainability Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

PLANETARY SOLIDARITY: FGS is building a regional portal and model program to support community members in developing strong individual and cooperative initiatives to adopt more sustainable and resilient ways of consumption, production, operation, interaction, and exchange. Initiatives may range from the personal to the global level. Our actions are focused on local or bioregional IMPLEMENTATION, yet not without a clear awareness and idea of how each initiative will contribute to the solution of a concerning planetary problem. By following the "Think Globally, Act Locally" ethos of solidarity with Mother Earth, all people and all other forms of life, participants can identify immediate, practical, locally adapted opportunities to achieve more effective improvements than governmental mandates could and would. -- For decades, concerned citizens have demanded that governments take action to avert global environmental catastrophe. With every day it becomes clearer how we are already engulfed by it and that its severity is ever accelerating. It is high time for everyone to do their best by themselves as well as with their family, neighbors, coworkers and everyone else they can motivate and engage! -- Hellbender Press is providing background information on local and regional issues. It emphasizes their implications for ecosystems and the global commons and highlights sustainable solutions. -- We also work with the University of Tennessee, other academic institutions and high schools to build a foundation for environmental journalism in East Tennessee. Interns get editorial advisement and opportunities to contribute stories that help them start a journalism career and get clips for their portfolio. They may even find an occasion to boost scholarly research and earn a shared professional byline. Four students participated in completing vignettes as part of a years long cooperation with the environmental journalism class of Dr Mark Littman, School of Journalism and Media, at UT Knoxville. Ivy Zhang, a college bound honors student, considered her experience working with the Hellbender a bonus on her applications. Recent marketing graduate Robert Norris approached Hellbender for substantive bylines to further his career and the popularity of his "Maryville College Podcast." Keenan Thomas, a recent graduate of the UT journalism school, reached out to Hellbender to further his writing career. He ultimately went on to become a staff writer at the Knoxville News Sentinel. To read examples of their stories, go to hellbenderpress.org/search and enter Ivy Zhang, Robert Norris, Carly Broady, Keenan Thomas, Elan Young or 'vignette,' then press the Return key.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 100%; rating input score 100

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 35.9%; rating input score 85; 85th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.67; rating input score 60; 60th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 68; 68th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 22.5% per year; rating input score 100; 84th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 14.4% per year; rating input score 100; 86th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 14.5% per year; rating input score 100; 80th percentile among comparable filings