The Forest Park Conservancy

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
943103055
IRS 990 coverage
2012–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Portland, OR, USA
Phone
5032235449
Rating
66
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Environmental Beautification and Aesthetics

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,217,627
Expenses
$731,776
Assets
$1,671,073
Liabilities
$120,116

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

Leadership & pay

13 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • MARIANNE WILBURN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (THRU SEP.'24))
  • HALEY BLACKMAN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (SEP.'24-MAR.'25))
  • SCOTT FOGARTY (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (JAN.'25-AUG.'25))

Highest reported compensation

  • MARIANNE WILBURN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (THRU SEP.'24)): $85,032 total reported compensation
  • HALEY BLACKMAN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (SEP.'24-MAR.'25)): $26,840 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

To protect and restore the ecological health of forest park and marquam nature park, maintain and enhance their extensive trails networks, promote equitable access, and inspire diverse community appreciation and stewardship of these iconic urban forests for generations to come.

What it reported doing in 2024

Ambassador program: in 2025, the forest ambassador program held 3 trainings and trained and engaged 123 ambassadors. These volunteers were stationed at 6 trailheads in two parks and led multiple nature education experiences, informing the community about leave no trace policies and more. In total, 663 hours were completed by ambassador volunteers.rapid response program: in 2025, the rapid response program held 4 trainings. These committed volunteers complete assigned routes in forest park regularly to ensure that trails are safe and passable. Thanks to these volunteers, trails are safer for our community of users. Continued on schedule o. 100 of these volunteers volunteered time in forest park and marquam nature park this year.stewardship program: in fy25, our stewardship program engaged 2,055 volunteers in trails and restoration work in forest park & marquam nature park. These volunteers contributed 8,357 hours over 112 events. This work included engaging and training volunteer leaders, who managed volunteers on the trails, and training volunteers to work independently and report regularly. These volunteer events covered basic trail care and maintenance, where volunteers cleared drains, cleared trails of fallen debris, and maintained more than 54 miles of soft-surface trail corridor. These events covered restoration efforts, where volunteers removed invasive plants from more than 2 miles of trail and planted more than 1,200 plants.nature education program: in 2025, the nature education program hosted 35 free events for the community. Ranging from yoga, guided hikes, basket weaving, photography classes, and bird watching, 287 people attended events in the park and enjoyed these experiences throughout the year.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 96% 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.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of total spending goes to programs.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 39
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 79
  • Sustainability: 70
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 32.5%; rating input score 33
  • Program expense ratio: 53.5%; rating input score 53
  • Fundraising efficiency: $7.64 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 29; 29th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • 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: 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: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 39.9%; rating input score 89; 89th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.28; rating input score 68; 68th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.07; rating input score 47; 47th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 15.3%; rating input score 22; 22nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -2.5% per year; rating input score 0; 11th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 5.4% per year; rating input score 100; 46th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 1.6% per year; rating input score 100; 24th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 32.5% of revenue deployed · 53.5% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 10 of 10 board members independent · 4 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $391K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $85K · 13 people listed
  • Consistency: 32 of 32 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 7 filing years from 2012 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.

  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 33/100.
  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 53/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 3 of 7 not reported.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 29/100.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 22/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 47/100.