Forest Biometrics Research Institute
2007 – 2009 Fund Drive

• Establishment of the Forest Biometrics Research Institute (FBRI) as an IRS 501 (c) 3 non-profit research corporation effective September 2003. This Institute operates under regulations that govern the conduct of tax-exempt organizations created for charitable, religious, educational or scientific purposes. As such, we do not lobby or litigate. Forestry research, development, education and service are our only business. Contributions to the Institute are tax deductable to the full extent the law allows.
• Annual Grant Program was initiated in 2003 to provide an immediate funding base for full-time staffing and operations of the Institute. This Program quickly evolved from $30,000 per year in 2004 to $110,000 per year in 2007. Approximately 50 forestry organizations contribute to this fund on an annual basis, mostly from their forestry operating budgets. One full-time forest biometrician is funded from this base. This Program is 100% funded.
• Three-Year Grant Program was initiated in 2008 to provide a second full-time forest biometrician over a three-year commitment. This Program is seeking two (2) three-year grants of $50,000 per year from each grant agreement. The objective is to provide staff funding while the Endowment Program builds the permanent fund.
• Endowment Program was initiated in 2008 to replace the existing Annual Grant and Three-Year Grant Program funding bases. The Endowment Program seeks to evolve the funding base of the first and second forest biometricians from temporary funds to a permanent endowment. Both full-time positions will be funded from the annual interest derived from the endowment once these endowments reach a threshold which meets the annual salary and support cash flow levels of each of these staff positions.

While endowments of any amount are more than welcome, we are seeking individual endowments of $500,000 (or three years at $170,000 each year) to provide 0.25 portion of the full-time support of a forest biometrician. These are highly skilled and educated positions requiring long-term funding to attract and keep professionals of a caliber sufficient to accomplish our mission and goals. We are seeking four such endowments for a total permanent base of two million dollars to establish one fully-endowed position and to retire the grant program funding basis for that position.

• Building Fund was initiated in 2008 to build (or buy) an office building sufficient to house six full-time professionals, office manager and database manager. The office will be structured to provide a training / continuing education center for classes of 16 to 30 participants per workshop. Three grants of $50,000 per year each, over three years, are being sought to establish a building fund of $450,000 by 2011.