Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc
Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. (SFI) is a public charity based in Washington, DC, with a mission to advance sustainability through forest-focused collaboration. It works across standards, conservation, community, and education, and its grantmaking supports collaborative conservation research and community-based projects.
Key facts about Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc
In short: Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc gave $460K across 28 grants in 2024 (avg $16K), top state North Carolina. 32% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 80-0030060
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $459,894
- Grants made (2024)
- 28
- Average grant
- $16,425
- Median grant
- $11,053
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (9 of 28, 2024)
- Total assets
- $12,904,391
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (29% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$12.9M
-5.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$460K
-6.0% YoY
Grant Count
28
-6.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$16K
+0.7% YoY
Is Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 28 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $15K; repeat grants $17K. How we count
Medians: $11K first-time, $11K repeat.
- 61% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−8%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
SFI’s mission is to advance sustainability through forest-focused collaborations. Its work includes standards for sustainable forestry and responsible sourcing, conservation research and partnerships, community engagement, and education.
SFI’s Conservation Grants support collaborative conservation research and projects involving SFI-certified organizations, conservation groups, and academic researchers. Stated focus areas include biodiversity, carbon sequestration, water quality, species recovery, habitat protection, bird conservation, and climate-smart forestry. Community Grants support collaborative, community-based projects connecting people to forests, including forest literacy and education, urban forest management, green job pathways, workforce development, youth engagement, Indigenous knowledge in forest management and education, and interactive community activities.
Recipients in 2024 included research, educational, university, and forestry organizations. For example, NCASI Foundation, which received $106,398, says its mission is to support environmental science and data for sustainable use of Earth’s resources, policy, education, and NCASI’s charitable activities. Pacific Education Institute, which received $11,265, says it supports educators through professional learning and FieldSTEM implementation. Cal-Wood Education Center, which received $10,000, says it offers outdoor education experiences for youth and adults. These are grantees’ stated missions, not SFI’s.
Grantmaking
In 2024, SFI reported 28 grants totaling $459,894. Grant amounts ranged from $5,035 to $106,398, with a median of $11,052.
Review Cycle
are specified in the available program descriptions.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc
Ready to take the next step with Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
SFI is based in Washington, DC. Its Community Grants cover the United States and Canada. The Conservation Grants program focuses on SFI-certified forests; SFI reports a footprint of 370 million acres of forests certified to its Forest Management Standard at the end of 2024. In 2024, grant dollars were distributed among recipients in multiple states, with the largest reported shares going to North Carolina (29%) and Michigan (17%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $456K (2020) to $538K (2022). In 2024 it made 28 grants totaling $460K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Ncasi Foundation ($106K). Together the top 10 received $301K.
Grant Size Distribution
155 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 144 grants of 155 (93%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Ncasi Foundation Cary, NC | Forest conservation research. Focus areas include biodiversity, water quality, and climate science. | $106,398 |
| Michigan State University Extension Business Office East Lansing, MI | Forest conservation research. Focus areas include biodiversity, water quality, and climate science. | $50,000 |
| Ncasi Cary, NC | Forest conservation research. Focus areas include biodiversity, water quality, and climate science. | $25,000 |
| Michigan State University East Lansing, MI | Forest conservation research. Focus areas include biodiversity, water quality, and climate science. | $20,000 |
| Oregon State University Corvallis, OR | Capacity Building for Environmental Education | $19,158 |
| Regents of the University of California Los Angeles, CA | Capacity Building for Environmental Education | $18,825 |
| Auburn University Auburn, AL | Build Community Understanding of Sustainably Managed Forests | $18,209 |
| Maeoe Vendor Baltimore, MD | Capacity Building for Environmental Education | $17,260 |
| Kentucky Association for Environmental Education Elizabethtown, KY | Capacity Building for Environmental Education | $13,730 |
| North Dakota State University Fargo, ND | Capacity Building for Environmental Education | $12,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $12,904,391 | $13,540,166 | $13,812,951 | $459,894 (28) |
| 2023 | $13,608,270 | $13,077,184 | $13,002,886 | $489,336 (30) |
| 2022 | $14,059,157 | $11,890,254 | $11,246,645 | $538,074 (27) |
SFI was formed in 2002.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $12,904,391 | $13,608,270 | $14,059,157 |
| Revenue | $13,540,166 | $13,077,184 | $11,890,254 |
| Expenses | $13,812,951 | $13,002,886 | $11,246,645 |
| Net Investment Income | $295,239 | $273,171 | $46,090 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Michael P. Doss as chair, Patricia Layton as vice chair, and Brent Keefer as secretary-treasurer. Directors listed include Ashley Hoffman, Caitlyn Pollihan, Catherine Grenier, Dan Lambe, David Graham, Don Kayne, and Ebonie Alexander, whose service ended in October 2024.
Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc is led by Kathy Abusow, President & CEO on every filing since 2020; 9 of 31 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Kathy Abusow
President & CEO
On filings since 2020
37.5 hrs/week
$722K (2020) → $914K (2024)
Michael P. Doss
Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2021
Vice Chair → Chair, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ashley Hoffman
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dan Lambe
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ebonie Alexander
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jim Irving
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lennard Joe
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Parr
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Catherine Grenier
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Don Kayne
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeff Bromley
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Terry Baker
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tracy Farrel
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Nadler
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Caitlyn Pollihan
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Graham
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
George Emmerson
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Heather Slayton
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Phil Rigdon
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sam Cook
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Susan Yurkovich
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brian Crowe
Former CFO
CFO → Former CFO, 2024
On filings since 2020
37.5 hrs/week
$219K (2020) → $167K (2024)
Jason Metnick
Senior Vice President Customer Affairs
On filings since 2020
37.5 hrs/week
$175K (2020) → $225K (2024)
Nadine Block
Senior Vice President Community & Gov't Relations
On filings since 2020
37.5 hrs/week
$186K (2020) → $195K (2024)
Christine Leduc
Vice President, Communications, Finance & Gr.
New on the 2024 filing
37.5 hrs/week
$148K (2024)
Helen Hamilton
Chief Scientist
New on the 2024 filing
37.5 hrs/week
$200K (2024)
Lauren Cooper
Chief Conservation Officer
New on the 2024 filing
37.5 hrs/week
$172K (2024)
Marcia Bell
CFO
New on the 2024 filing
37.5 hrs/week
$144K (2024)
Paul Johnson
Vice President, Urban & Community Forestry
New on the 2024 filing
37.5 hrs/week
$161K (2024)
Brent Keefer
Secretary-Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2021
Treasurer → Secretary-Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Patricia Layton
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (19)
- Former: Anne Perkins (2020–2023) — Senior Director Green Blding & Supply Chain
- Former: Jad Daley (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Darren Sleep (2021–2023) — Lead Scientist
- Former: Ellen Shultzabarger (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Leonardo Viana (2021–2023) — Senior Director Conservation Collaboration
- Former: Annica Bresky (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Gregor Macintosh (2023) — Senior Director Standards
- Former: Bettina K. Ring (2020–2022) — Chief Sustainability & Diversity
- Former: Karla Guyn (2020–2022) — Chair
- Former: Kevin Edgson (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Jessica Kaknevicius (2021–2022) — Vice President Education
- Former: Daniel Pellegrom (2020–2021) — Vice President Communications
- Former: Dawn Carr (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Guy Gleysteen (2020–2021) — Chair
- Former: Jaime Yraguen (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Paul Trianosky (2020–2021) — Chief Conservation Officer
- Former: Esther Cowles (2020) — Vice President Education
- Former: Gail Wallin (2020) — Director
- Former: Sheden Alsaaty (2020) — Senior Director & Strategic Partnerships
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $914K, to Kathy Abusow (President & CEO). 9 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 2121 K Street Nw 750, Washington, DC 20037
Phone: (202) 596-3450
Website: https://forests.org
Frequently asked questions about Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc
How much does Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc give each year?
Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc gave $460K across 28 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $489K across 30 grants.
What is Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc's typical grant size?
Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc's median grant in 2024 was $11,053, and its average grant was $16,425, across 28 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc that year got $15K on average.
Where does Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc give grants?
Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc's top state is North Carolina, with 29% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Michigan (17%) and Alabama (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Cary, NC (2 grants) and East Lansing, MI (2 grants).
Does Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 28 grants with a stated purpose on Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Capacity Building for Environmental Education" (19 grants) and "Build Community Understanding of Sustainably Managed Forests" (5 grants).
Who are Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc's largest grantees?
Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Ncasi Foundation ($106,398), Michigan State University Extension Business Office ($50,000) and Ncasi ($25,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 39% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc?
Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc reported $12.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $13.5M.
What does Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc fund?
SFI’s mission is to advance sustainability through forest-focused collaborations. Its work includes standards for sustainable forestry and responsible sourcing, conservation research and partnerships, community engagement, and education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc?
Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check forests.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc's EIN?
Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 80-0030060. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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