Skip to content
Nonprofiteer
← NORTHERN FOREST CENTER INC

Form 990 for tax year 2023

Filed by NORTHERN FOREST CENTER INC.

Totals

Total revenue
$7,413,891
Total expenses
$5,760,297
Contributions and grants received
$6,920,744
Grants paid
$3,133,478
Program service revenue
$251,412
Investment income
$234,998
Other revenue
$6,737
Total assets, end of year
$19,656,795
Total liabilities, end of year
$11,067,845
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$8,588,950
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$4,888,056
Management and general expenses
$416,074
Fundraising expenses
$456,167
Program service expenses (Part III)
$4,888,056

Program services were 84.9% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $1,745,781

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $5,174,963

  • 1g · Noncash contributions included above

    $501,657

  • 2a · Program service revenue: Programs and Fees

    total $236,080 · related or exempt $236,080

  • 2b · Program service revenue: Rental Income

    total $15,332 · related or exempt $15,332

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $234,998 · excluded $234,998

  • 11d · All other revenue

    total $6,737 · related or exempt $6,737

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $6,737

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments

    total $3,133,478 · program services $3,133,478

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $360,763 · program services $262,039 · management and general $49,420 · fundraising $49,304

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $1,225,714 · program services $793,953 · management and general $138,715 · fundraising $293,046

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $31,937 · program services $23,197 · management and general $4,375 · fundraising $4,365

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $106,462 · program services $77,328 · management and general $14,584 · fundraising $14,550

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $111,803 · program services $73,702 · management and general $13,086 · fundraising $25,015

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $38,803 · program services $40 · management and general $33,913 · fundraising $4,850

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $10,719 · program services $10,719

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $52,044 · program services $10,569 · management and general $15,262 · fundraising $26,213

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $25,434 · program services $2,686 · management and general $21,699 · fundraising $1,049

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $93,171 · program services $83,299 · management and general $3,978 · fundraising $5,894

  • 17 · Travel

    total $49,955 · program services $40,534 · management and general $1,902 · fundraising $7,519

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $39,413 · program services $8,755 · management and general $19,337 · fundraising $11,321

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $32,929 · management and general $32,929

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $8,691 · management and general $8,691

  • 24a · Other expenses: Other Program Expenses

    total $420,124 · program services $361,980 · management and general $45,812 · fundraising $12,332

  • 24b · Other expenses: Staff Training

    total $15,409 · program services $3,846 · management and general $11,019 · fundraising $544

  • 24c · Other expenses: Dues and Subscriptions

    total $2,020 · program services $881 · management and general $1,111 · fundraising $28

  • 24d · Other expenses: Repairs and Maintenance

    total $1,428 · program services $1,050 · management and general $241 · fundraising $137

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $1,640,673 · end of year $503,512

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $2,022,528 · end of year $3,123,667

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $1,787,023 · end of year $2,944,553

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $9,209 · end of year $5,069

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $139,857

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $129,404

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $43,382 · end of year $10,453

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $3,795,259 · end of year $8,877,718

  • 12 · Investments: other securities

    beginning of year $50,000 · end of year $50,000

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $2,928,155 · end of year $4,141,823

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $215,810 · end of year $130,633

  • 18 · Grants payable

    beginning of year $5,388 · end of year $0

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $34,082

  • 24 · Unsecured notes and loans payable

    beginning of year $850,000 · end of year $850,000

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $4,269,675 · end of year $10,053,130

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $3,881,891 · end of year $4,776,368

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $3,053,465 · end of year $3,812,582

Mission and programs · 2023

Mission

The Northern Forest Center creates bold possibilities that give rise to vibrant Northern Forest communities and envisions a thriving and welcoming Northern Forest region sustained by innovation and environmental stewardship. We bring ideas, support, and expertise to people strengthening economic opportunity and environmental resiliency across Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York. Our strategy for creating thriving communities, forests, and economies in the Northern Forest is to catalyze innovation in the forest economy, develop vibrant rural communities, and advance forest stewardship. We support this work by providing strategic leadership to the region.

Activities or mission (Part I)

Founded in 1997, the Northern Forest Center is a regional innovation and investment partner creating rural vibrancy by connecting people, economy, and the forested landscape across the 30-million-acre Northern Forest of northern Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York. We bring collaborative leadership, new ideas, program delivery, investment, and public policy expertise to renew the pride, purpose and vitality of the region's communities while advancing a forest stewardship ethic.The Center focuses much of its programming in specific geographic areas to create the conditions that attract and retain young people and entrepreneurs. Our programs strengthen communities, enhance outdoor recreation opportunities for residents and visitors, drive regional innovation in the forest-based economy - including wood products, outdoor recreation, and Modern Wood Heat - and provide regional leadership. Our integrated approach is rooted in a strong land ethic that benefits both people and place

  • Developing vibrant rural communities: the Center strengthens the vitality of rural communities and their ability to attract new residents and entrepreneurs seeking quality of life, community, and connection to the natural world. Highlights of FY2024 include: Serving 176 communities through programs, investment, fundraising assistance, and project implementation; Continuing property redevelopment (through our subsidiary Sustainable Forest Futures) and complementary programming in Bethel, Greenville, and Millinocket, ME; Tupper Lake, Chester and Elizabethtown, NY; and Newport and St. Johnsbury, VT, including securing nearly $1 million for Greenville, ME and assisting Elizabethtown, NY, to apply for millions of dollars to fund new waste water systems that will make housing expansion possible in both communities.Managed Maine West, a collaborative of diverse non-profits in Bethel, Rumford, South Paris, and Norway, ME, to implement projects to secure economic, education, health and conservation benefits, including securing a $1.1 million Department of Labor grant for workforce development; implemented the third year of the Attracting New Residents Strategy in the Adirondacks by engaging citizens on downtown revitalization, community-based recreation, community marketing, and middle-market housing in Tupper Lake and Elizabethtown, NY; invested more than $500,000 across Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, and the Adirondacks in trail and recreation improvements focused on serving community-oriented projects, reducing barriers to youth participation in outdoor recreation, and improving trail sustainability; and facilitated the Borderlands collaborative to create quality mountain biking experiences for residents and visitors in Gorham, Franconia, and Littleton, NH; Bethel and Carrabassett Valley, ME; East Burke and Craftsbury, VT; and East Hereford, Quebec, while stewarding the natural landscape and securing economic benefits for North Country communities.Details are available at www.northernforest.org.

    Expenses $3,906,666 · Grants $2,731,613 · Revenue $47,396

  • Catalyzing innovation in the forest economy: The Center helps create and improve jobs and build local wealth through opportunities that advance a regional land ethic and sustainable use of the forest. The Center's program work focuses in the following three areas:-Wood Heat: The Feel Good Heat marketing and consumer education campaign served 26 million targeted videos and ads to consumers, driving 223,000 website clicks to Feelgoodheat.org. Since inception, Feel Good Heat has reduced greenhouse gas impact by 12,224 tons by substituting wood pellets for more than 2 million gallons of fossil fuels, generating $11.8 million in positive economic impact for the region.-Wood Products Business Assistance: The Center supported 800 jobs by providing custom business and marketing assistance to 53 wood products businesses; providing 7 wood products CEOs from ME and VT with business coaching throughout the year through the Northern Forest Board Forum; and coaching 10 wood product businesses to incorporate their wood-origin stories into their business philosophy and marketing through "Telling Your Forest Story," an online workshop series. Additionally, we engaged more than 400 participants in educational webinars on key forest topics.-Forest Stewardship: In FY24, the Center advocated for a holistic approach to forest management that includes the forest, the economy, societal benefits, and the communities that rely on the forest. We completed 13-months of technical assistance to help establish the 446-acre Community Forest in Rumford, ME; launched a learning network of 8 Community Forests in the Androscoggin Valley to strengthen climate resilience; and engaged more than 400 people through webinars on forest stewardship to broaden understanding of the roles and benefits of forests.-Outdoor Recreation Development: The Center assisted communities in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, Coos County, NH, and Oxford County, ME to manage for sustainable tourism and quality of life for residents through initiatives spawned by the Rural Tourism Academy, including continued development of a new wayfinding system for Newport, VT.Details are available at www.northernforest.org.

    Expenses $596,841 · Grants $178,412 · Revenue $20,000

  • Providing Dynamic Regional Leadership: The Center provides regional leadership, advocates for, and supports thriving communities and healthy forests by increasing federal investment in the region, and developing funding opportunities that meet emerging needs.-Community Investment: Raised $5.6 million to create new housing priced attainably for middle-income residents in focal communities.-Regional Collaboration and Capacity Building: Raised $3.4 million for partners to support broadband expansion, workforce training, community infrastructure, trail building and outdoor recreation projects.-Advocacy: Represented Northern Forest issues on regional and national advisory groups to elevate awareness of opportunities and challenges; engaged federal agencies to deliver innovative programs and enhance delivery of funding to rural communities.-Knowledge Sharing: To increase connectivity, knowledge, and collaboration among communities, the Center engaged more than 2,000 viewers and participants in 10 webinars and compiled the bi-monthly Northern Forest News Digest for 4,200 subscribers.Details are available at www.northernforest.org.

    Expenses $384,549 · Grants $223,453 · Revenue $171,000

  • Fees paid for board meetings

    Revenue $19,703

As filed on the 2023 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • TABITHA BOWLING

    Chair

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1 + 2 related

  • ROGER MILLIKEN

    Vice Chair

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1 + 1 related

  • SEAN ROSS

    Treasurer

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1 + 1 related

  • TIM VOLK

    Secretary

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • CELINA ADAMS

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1 + 1 related

  • Joy Bueschen

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • MAGGIE DRUMMOND-BAHL

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • BRADFORD S GENTRY

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Jess Griffiths

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • KARA HUNTER

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • LUCAS JENSEN

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • DAVID MARVIN

    Director Emeritus

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Charlie Niebling

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Megan Phillips

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • GORDON SCANNELL

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • LUCAS ST CLAIR

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • ANN FOWLER WALLACE

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • ROSS WHALEY

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • AARON WOOLF

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • ROBERT RILEY

    President

    Total calculated
    $205,390
    From this org
    $168,546
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $36,844
    Hours/week
    38 + 2 related

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $168,546
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $5,410
    Nontaxable benefits
    $31,434
    Filer's total
    $205,390

  • JOE SHORT

    Vice President

    Total calculated
    $126,587
    From this org
    $97,280
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $29,307
    Hours/week
    38 + 2 related

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Answered yes

  • 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee

Answered no

  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
  • 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
  • 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
  • 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
  • 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
  • 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Related organizations on this return

Schedule R Part II: tax-exempt organizations related to the filer by control. It does not record shared board members or money.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2023
Filed
27 February 2025
IRS schema version
2023v6.0
Source object
202530769349300408

Check it against the return as filed: the GivingTuesday Data Lake hosts a public copy of the original XML.

The source document this was parsed from is served over the API, which is where bulk and document access live.