the exploding organization managing rapid growth in an urban forestry non-profit- thais perkins

The Exploding Organization:Managing Rapid Growth in an Urban Forestry Nonprofit

A Case Study from Austin, TX

Presented to Alliance for Community Trees Day at Partners in Community Forestry 2016

10/31/2016Presented to ACTrees Day at Partners in Community Forestry 2016

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Edwards PlateauOak-Juniper Woodland


Presented to ACTrees Day at Partners in Community Forestry 2016

• Community Tree Plantings

• Free Tree Giveaways• Partnership with the

City of Austin

…. For 20 years

• Budget <$180,000• 1-2 staff


Great!• Nearly 75,000 street trees in 20

years• Everyone was having a good

time doing what they liked • Long history created valued

place for TreeFolks in Austin’s cultural landscape – and bolstered support for urban forestry municipal efforts


Great!• Nearly 75,000 street trees in 20

years• Everyone was having a good

time doing what they liked • Long history created valued

place for TreeFolks in Austin’s cultural landscape – and bolstered support for urban forestry municipal efforts

But!• Reliance on one community partner• Lack of diversity in funding stream• Lack of branding created confusion on

what TreeFolks really was. City Agency? Landscaping Company? What?


Sept 13, 2011 Oct 25, 2016


High Winds + Drought + Weakened Trees


Bastrop County Complex FireImage Courtesy Austin American Statesman


Bastrop Reforestation Program 2.2 million trees in 5

years 2012-2016 500 landowners 4,000 acres Overplanting to mimic

natural forest regeneration and eventual density


• Many partners at the table to provide technical feedback, clear policy role, and funding

Bastrop CountyTexas A&M Forest Service

Arbor Day FoundationAmerican Forests

Texas Parks & WildlifeLady Bird Johnson Wildflower

CenterAmerican YouthWorks

Lost Pines Recovery TeamAlcoa Foundation

Apache FoundationH-E-B


• Many partners at the table to provide technical feedback, clear policy role, and funding

• Nonprofit role became clear – implementation, community engagement and education

• TreeFolks became the bridge between public resources and private land/residents


• More than doubled budget and staffing overnight

• Added only one program FTE + temp in short term – high focus on flawless program delivery. Big success! High survival %

• Little investment in messaging or development

• Inherent end date to program


Time for some soul-searching, also known as strategic planning.

• Asked the hard and wonderful questions – who do we want to be?• Answers:• Broader in reach• Greater in impact• SUSTAINABLE


How do you make this sustainable?

1989 2010 2015 2017$0

$400,000

$800,000

$1,200,000

$1,600,000

$2,000,000

0

5

10

15

20Budget # Staff

?


Nonprofit Sustainability


Image Credit: Steve Zimmerman


• Nonprofits face a unique set of circumstances• An over-reliance on fee-for-service can cause a nonprofit to fail the “exempt

purpose test” and endanger 501(c)3 status


The goal of financial sustainability for nonprofits is to maintain or expand services within the organization while developing resilience to occasional economic shocks in the short term (e.g., short-term loss of program funds, monthly variability in donations)

-- L.M. Sontag-Padilla et al. 2012. Financial Sustainability for Nonprofit Organizations.RAND Report.


Sustainability strategy • Leverage short-term emergency funding by expanding capacity in non-program

areas• Ensure percentages of program funding – EVERY program - are dedicated to

support staff• Diversify funding: you MUST balance fee-for-service with private giving,

grantwriting, external partnerships• Brand awareness• Realistic expectations for what long-term means in nonprofit


Memorial Day Weekend Floods 2015



Total Affected Area:• 61 miles of river• 1200 parcels/ landowners• 4800 acres

• Total trees: 600,000 in 3 years

Memorial Day Weekend Floods 2015


Blanco River Reforestation Program: Trees for the Blanco

Blanco River Reforestation Program: Trees for the Blanco

Modeled after Bastrop program Provides:

• Trees• Planting services• On-site consultations• Education• Need to convince

landowners to steward riparian land (reduce mowing!)



• Reached participation target in 2 months rather than 2 years

• Raised significant private and foundation support quickly

• Inclusive stakeholder group model helped with resources and significantly increased service quality to recipients


• Understand your organization’s ecological niche• Know what your programs are worth and don’t be afraid to

ask for it – including overhead• Diversify funding and partners – but diversify board and

staff, too• Hire the best people and pay them a living wage

– then don’t micromanage• Learn from other sectors

Thais PerkinsExecutive Director

[email protected]

the exploding organization managing rapid growth in an urban forestry non-profit- thais perkins

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