People & Plants International Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
900147624
IRS 990 coverage
2013–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-EZ 2023
Location
Bristol, VT, USA
Phone
8024532055
Rating
67
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Natural Resources Conservation and Protection

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$261,027
Expenses
$229,326
Assets
$49,214
Liabilities
$0

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

4 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • SARAH LAIRD (CO-DIRECTOR): $93,000 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

We believe that cultural diversity is inherently linked to biological diversity and that the effective stewardship of our earth must involve local people. We also believe that traditional knowledge systems are invaluable to manage and conserve threatened landscapes and respond to global change. In the wake of massive social change, people and plants international works alongside local groups to foster sustainable responses which build upon local skills and practices. People and plants international also works at regional, national, and international levels to guide policy and trade.

What it reported doing in 2024

Cultural landscapes and community conservation people and plants is working to support and strengthen traditional knowledge and management systems, cultural landscapes, and the land and resource rights that underpin them. Our cultural landscapes and community conservation work is as diverse as the landscapes and people with whom we collaborate, and includes: knowledge exchange tools that strengthen endangered traditional management and knowledge systems, promote sustainable practices, and encourage young peoples interest in cultural traditions. Community management of forests and resources, including inventories, sustainable management practices and plans, and equitable marketing. Peer to peer learning and exchanges between local groups, encouraging people to share experiences, knowledge, skills and know-how relating to natural resource use, trade, management, health, well-being, and rights. Inter-cultural training programs that explicitly strengthen and complement indigenous skills, practices, and knowledge, and serve as a bridge between indigenous and western concepts of science and learning. Sustainable and ethical management protocols for plant resources of subsistence or commercial importance. Protocols are designed around local knowledge and ecological sciences, and are calibrated to satisfy local livelihood and conservation needs. Appropriate and effective laws and policies, including bringing the views and experiences of local communities to national and international policy processes.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 100% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and most voting board members are independent. Some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered and the filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 78
  • Transparency & Controls: 55
  • Accountability: 64
  • Sustainability: 43
  • Growth: 80

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 83.2%; rating input score 83
  • Program expense ratio: 94.7%; rating input score 95
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Scored; rating input score 0
  • Grant itemization coverage: Scored; rating input score 0
  • 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: 1 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 14
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: Limited
    • Other executive compensation review process: Limited
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 12.1%; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.21; rating input score 12; 12th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 80; 80th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 40.6%; rating input score 6; 6th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 0.1% per year; rating input score 100; 31st percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 2.9% per year; rating input score 100; 40th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -8% per year; rating input score 0; 7th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 83.2% of revenue deployed · 94.7% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 4 of 4 board members independent · 1 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $217K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $93K · 4 people listed
  • Consistency: 16 of 16 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors and foreign activity
  • Filing history: 6 filing years from 2013 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Accountability: Governance controls: 5 of 6 not reported.
  • High — Transparency & Controls: Foreign activity oversight scored 0/100.
  • High — Transparency & Controls: Grant itemization coverage scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 12/100.
  • High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 6/100.