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Forest Forward

Forest Forward works with the community to combat the causes and effects of systemic inequities through neighborhood revitalization that centers efforts to accelerate the advancement of marginalized people. …

Community Development Dallas, TX EIN: 851581238 (IRS) Sign up to see website
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80
Integrity Assessment
Strong transparency
80/100 · methodology

About Forest Forward

Forest Forward is a community development organization based in DALLAS, United States. Annual revenue: $2.7 million. 10% of spending goes directly to programs. EIN: 851581238.

Founded
Headquarters
Dallas, TX
Foundation type
Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2))
NTEE code
S20
IRS subsection
501(c)(03)
Ruling date
Size
large

Verified certifications

Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.

IRS Tax-Deductible since 2021

Mission

Forest Forward works with the community to combat the causes and effects of systemic inequities through neighborhood revitalization that centers efforts to accelerate the advancement of marginalized people. The centerpoint of the project is the restoration and renovation of the historic Forest Theater in South Dallas.

Focus areas & reach

· What they work on and where
SDG alignment The 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the global agenda for ending poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring prosperity by 2030. We tag each charity to the goals its work advances.

How it stacks up against peers

· vs. 7 similar community development in United States
Program spending This charity: 46%
Peer average: 91%
CEO comp as % of revenue This charity: 1.28%
Peer average: 0.48%
Integrity Assessment This charity: 80
Peer average: 90

Concerns

· None found
No red flags found
Screened for IRS revocation history, Open investigations, Governance scandals, Related-party deals, Excessive exec comp.

Where every $1 goes

· FY2024 · IRS 990 (FY2024)
$0.46
Program$0.46

GiveRadar Analysis

Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations

From what GiveRadar has verified so far, Forest Forward has a complete profile, cross-referenced across 4 independent sources including the IRS.

  • GiveRadar has cross-referenced this organization across 4 independent sources, led by the IRS - more than 93% of comparable charities. See the sources
  • By reported annual revenue, it is larger than 95% of the 23,818 community development charities in the United States with financial records on GiveRadar. See the filings
  • GiveRadar holds a more complete profile for this organization than for 90% of the 56,086 community development charities in the United States it tracks, because GiveRadar has verified its financial disclosures and its governance. Most of those have little verified data on record yet. View this cohort
GiveRadar has verified
  • government registration
  • financial records (4 filed years)
  • disclosed leadership
  • a website
  • a contact email
  • a donation page
Not yet verified by GiveRadar
  • an owner-submitted profile claim

Analysis based on GiveRadar's benchmark dataset of 2026-07-03. It describes what GiveRadar has verified, not a judgment of the organization itself.

Common questions

· Auto-generated from filings + methodology

Forest Forward is a registered community development nonprofit based in Dallas, TX, United States. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It was founded in 2020 and has been operating for 6 years. Its EIN is 851581238. According to GiveRadar's records, it holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. GiveRadar's Integrity Assessment for the organization is 80/100, which reflects how much public information is available, not whether the charity is legitimate. The organization reports $15M in annual revenue. 30 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected.

Forest Forward's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 851581238. This is the organization's IRS tax identification number; you can use it to verify tax-exempt status and to look up its Form 990 filings with the IRS.

Forest Forward has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 80/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 80 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for community development charities in United States is 90/100.

Forest Forward is located in Dallas, TX, United States. The organization was established in 2020 and has been active for 6 years.

Based on official tax filings, Forest Forward has $15M in annual revenue. It allocates 46% of expenses to programs and services. This is below the average of 91% for community development charities in United States. Its revenue is significantly above the peer average of $3M. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.

Forest Forward is classified as a Community Development organization, registered in United States. It operates as a Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)). By size, it is categorized as a large organization. It has $15M in annual revenue. The organization has 30 disclosed officers and directors.

No red flags have been detected for Forest Forward. GiveRadar automatically screens charities for concerning patterns including high executive compensation, low program spending, and missing financial filings. Based on available official data, no issues have been identified.

According to GiveRadar's records, Forest Forward holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It reports that 46% of expenses go to programs (the peer average is 91%). You can donate directly through their official donation page linked on their GiveRadar profile. GiveRadar provides data for research and does not endorse any organization. A GiveRadar Integrity Assessment reflects how much public data is available, not whether an organization is safe to donate to, so it is always smart to do your own research before giving.

Forest Forward is a community development organization based in DALLAS, United States. Annual revenue: $2.7 million. 10% of spending goes directly to programs. EIN: 851581238. Forest Forward is classified as a community development organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 2020.

Among community development charities registered in United States: It allocates 46% of expenses to programs, below the peer average of 91%. Its annual revenue of $15M is well above the peer average of $3M.

Yes, donations to Forest Forward are generally tax-deductible in the United States. Forest Forward is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Its EIN is 851581238, which you can use for tax filing purposes. Donors can typically deduct contributions on their federal income tax return if they itemize deductions. Consult a tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Annual revenue
$10M-$100M
46% to programs
Source: IRS 990 (FY2024) why this matters
Unlock exact figures

Filing history

4 years on file from IRS 990 (FY2024): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.

Years on record: FY2024, FY2023, FY2022, FY2021.
Financial details are free - with a GiveRadar account

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Taxes

Tax-deductibility for donors

Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United States under local rules. Confirm with the charity directly.

Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.

Staff & volunteers

From filings and published profiles

Employees
6

Leadership

From FY2024 filing

EL
Elizabeth W••••••
President & CEO

Officers & trustees (13)

Source: Public filings

See full names, roles, and stories

13 officers and trustees on file - free with a GiveRadar account.

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Latest news

From global news sources

10 articles found

From news sources and the organization. Shown for transparency; news never affects the integrity score.

Activity timeline

Filings and press mentions, merged

Iconic Forest Theater to reopen in South Dallas November 2026 - NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth
Jun 2026
www.nbcdfw.com
Igor Jesus interview: Forest forward on Gibbs-White, four coaches and World Cup chats with Murillo - The New York Times
May 2026
www.nytimes.com
High-scoring guard Juke Harris commits to Tennessee after breakout season at Wake Forest - Newsday
May 2026
www.newsday.com
Wake Forest forward Cooper Schwieger to enter the transfer portal - 247Sports
Mar 2026
247sports.com
Wake Forest forward Marqus Marion set to enter transfer portal - 247Sports
Mar 2026
247sports.com
Forest forward ruled out of Europa League clash - hayters.com
Mar 2026
hayters.com
Iconic Forest Theater sign gets a glow-up ahead of theater’s November reopening. - D Magazine
Mar 2026
www.dmagazine.com
Forest Theater director departs ahead of historic venue's opening expected late this year - Dallas News
Mar 2026
www.dallasnews.com
Buchholz boys basketball advances in FHSAA playoffs with win vs Forest photos - Gainesville Sun
Feb 2026
www.gainesville.com
Forest Forward invests in South Dallas - NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth
Feb 2026
www.nbcdfw.com
Form filed
$14.8M revenue
FY2024
IRS 990
Form filed
$7.9M revenue
FY2023
IRS 990
Form filed
$3.0M revenue
FY2022
IRS 990
Form filed
$2.7M revenue
FY2021
IRS 990

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Cause areas in United States

How many charities work in each area, with this charity's area highlighted.

Human Services 322,679
Education 195,586
Arts & Culture 133,128
Advocacy & Civil Rights 128,026
Religion 114,636
Health 98,862
Community Development this charity 56,086
Youth Development 53,450
See all cause areas in United States

Most common causes in United States

Causes charities work on most, with this charity's causes ticked.

Community Development 235,146
Education 159,016
Religion 103,741
Arts & Culture 101,203
Human Rights 76,926
Health 65,250
Youth Development 47,775
Animal Welfare 32,425

Sources and verification

Registration and legal identity
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search
Financial filings
IRS Form 990 filings - Fiscal year 2024 most recent on file.
Officers and trustees
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search - 30 disclosed in the public registry.
News and media coverage
GDELT Project + Google News
Supplementary verification
Charity Navigator

Data freshness

Last updated
Jun 12, 2026
Registry checked
Jun 6, 2026
Profile completeness
100%

What we know and don't know

Exactly which public data we hold on this charity. Our score reflects transparency, not impact.

On record · 10
  • Financial data · FY2024 on record
  • Named leadership · 30 officers on file
  • Executive pay · Disclosed
  • Government registration · Registered with an official registry
  • Mission statement · Published
  • Official website · On record
  • Headquarters address · On file
  • Direct contact · Email or phone published
  • Tax-deductibility · Verified
  • Founding date · 2020
Not available · 1
  • Programs & activities
    No named programs listed by the charity

Methodology

GiveRadar builds each profile primarily from official government charity registries, supplemented where available by third-party nonprofit databases and news archives, and combines it into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. The exact sources for this charity are listed above. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.

Read full methodology

Are you the owner or a board member?

If you represent this organization and want to correct or update its data, you can claim this listing to edit details yourself, or email [email protected] with the correct information. We review every request and respond within 30 days.

Quick facts about Forest Forward

What is Forest Forward?
Forest Forward is a community development publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)) based in Dallas, United States. Forest Forward is a community development organization based in DALLAS, United States. Annual revenue: $2.7 million. 10% of spending goes directly to programs. EIN: 851581238.
When was Forest Forward founded?
Forest Forward was founded in 2020.
Who leads Forest Forward?
Elizabeth Wattley serves as President & CEO.
Where is Forest Forward located?
Headquartered in Dallas, TX, United States.
What is Forest Forward's annual budget?
Annual revenue for fiscal year 2024 is approximately $10M-$100M. 46% of expenses go to program services.
Is Forest Forward trustworthy?
Forest Forward has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 80 out of 100 (Strong transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
What is Forest Forward's registration number?
IRS EIN: 851581238.
What is Forest Forward's website?
http://forestforward.org