TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 A Message from Leadership 4 Strategic Direction 6 Partnership 8 Planting Trees 10 Pathways to Careers 12 Who We Serve 14 Financials 16 Donors & Funders 2
A MESSAGE FROM LEADERSHIP
As we reflect on 2021, it’s truly inspiring to see all that our supporters, volunteers, program participants, and staff accomplished in the pursuit of our mission, as they teamed up to transform lives and landscapes throughout our community. We are thrilled to share the highlights in our 2021 Annual Report.
Our Community Forestry Department joined forces with generous supporters and willing volunteers to make our community a greener, healthier place to live. Together, we added more than 7,000 diverse, well-established trees to our urban forest. Our Learning with Trees™ program brought exciting hands-on environmental learning to five different schools, culminating with planting days where students enjoyed getting their hands dirty digging, watering, and mulching as they re-forested their school grounds.
More than 320 promising young people participated in our Career Pathways programming, despite continuing challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic. Together with their crews and Tree Trust staff, participants built the skills for meaningful careers and helped transform lives and landscapes at more than 55 different sites around the Twin Cities metro—removing buckthorn, building retaining walls, planting trees, constructing affordable housing, and much more. Launching our new Branches pre-apprenticeship program, providing an advanced level of training and a clear path to employment in green collar or skilled trade careers, proved to be a special highlight in advancing our programming.
Our social enterprise arm, Landscape Services, grew by bringing on new staff to expand capacity and expertise in landscape construction, property maintenance, and tree care. Landscape Services staff also provided career training for three apprentices through our Registered Arborist Apprenticeship, helping build a pipeline of highly skilled arborists in this high-demand industry.
Even as we celebrate the accomplishments of 2021, we anticipate an even better future in 2022 and beyond: serving more promising young people as they grow green careers, planting even greater numbers of trees, and expanding meaningful volunteer opportunities, all while partnering with our supporters and donors. Together, we all make a difference for good in our community.
Sincerely,
S. Michael Huntington Board Chair Jared Smith Executive Director | CEO
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STRATEGIC DIRECTION
MISSION
Our mission is to transform lives and landscapes by engaging people to build skills for meaningful careers, inspiring people to plant trees, and making our community a greener, healthier place to live.
VISION
Our vision is a thriving workforce living on a healthy planet.
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We are committed to planting trees to grow a
We equip people to achieve family-supporting, skilled trade, green careers to create economic opportunity and equity.
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Our model of work is collaborative – with each other, with our community partners, and with the people we serve.
PARTNERSHIP
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Our model of work is collaborative – with each other, with our community partners, and with the people we serve.
Project Partners 29 Employer Partners
We could not do our work without our incredible supporters and staff. Hundreds of new and returning volunteers teamed up to unload, distribute, and plant thousands of trees. Our network of business and referral partners came alongside our program participants with job coaching, mock interviews, financial literacy training, resources, and employment opportunities. Municipalities, park districts, Tree Trust staff, and Career Pathways participants collaborated to create and implement projects to beautify community green spaces. Each of our staff, board members, volunteers, and community partners plays a key role in pursuing our vision of a thriving workforce living on a healthy planet. Thank you!
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
S . Michael Huntington, Chair Rhea Rochon, Vice Chair Dana Beasley, Treasurer Gennae Falconer, Secretary Donald Willeke, Founder & Director Emeritus
G. Rolf Svendsen, Founder & Director Emeritus Doug Peterson* Kim Jenkins* Kurts Strelnieks* Larry Crosby
KEY STAFF
Allen Malicsi, Director, Career Pathways
Anders Hawes, Chief Financial Officer
Bjorn Hawes, Business Operations Manager, Landscape Services
Jared Smith, Executive Director | CEO
Jeff Voshell, General Manager, Landscape Services Karen Zumach, Director, Community Forestry Kathy Sullivan, Chief Operating Officer
*Completed board term in 2021.
Partners make our work possible, joining with us to transform lives and landscapes throughout our community.
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PLANTING TREES
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We are committed to planting trees to grow a vibrant and resilient urban forest.
7,104
TREES PLANTED
Our tree planting events bring new life to our community, making the world a greener, healthier place.
Tree planting was in full swing in 2021. Along with regularly scheduled plantings, our Community Forestry team was delighted to hold several additional plantings that had been delayed from 2020 by earlier stages of the pandemic. Over 700 enthusiastic volunteers came together throughout the year to distribute and plant trees around the Twin Cities metro, while observing safety guidelines for COVID-19. The joy of staff and volunteers at being together to plant new life in our community was evident, even behind facemasks.
“I learned a lot, had a lot of fun, and got my hands dirty! Tree Trust is rad, great people and volunteers. I’m having a blast out here today, especially coming out of the pandemic.”
– Nick, planting volunteer
“Tree Trust opened different career paths and opportunities for me. They taught me responsibility and the rewards of being on time.”
29 COMMUNITY TREE PLANTINGS 6 TREE DISTRIBUTIONS 739 VOLUNTEERS ENGAGED
– Tree Trust YouthBuild participant 9
PATHWAYS TO CAREERS
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We equip people to achieve familysupporting, skilled trade, green careers to create economic opportunity and equity.
323
Young people served
82%
Achieved post-program job or educational placement
74%
Earned Tree Trust or industryrecognized credentials
Tree Trust’s pathways open a world of opportunities for young people, providing them with skills to launch into a successful career.
Career Pathways programming welcomed 323 promising young people in 2021, finding creative solutions to ensure that high-quality, hands-on training continued safely in the face of pandemic challenges. Our Summer Youth Employment Program – begun in 1977 –provided a launching pad to future careers for 114 participants, offering entry-level workforce training through outdoor environmental work. Tree Trust YouthBuild partnered with young adults to complete their high school education while earning industry credentials in construction and tree care. We were thrilled to launch the Branches pre-apprenticeship program, offering our most advanced level of training as a direct on-ramp for young people to enter green collar or skilled trade careers without taking on additional schooling or educational debt. We are honored to continue partnering with so many promising young people in our community as they develop skills for meaningful careers.
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WHO WE SERVE
92%
are youth and young adults, ages 14-24
51%
are black, indigenous, or people of color
45%
are at-risk for not completing high school
“If you do an internship for Tree Trust, not only do you get all that education and on-the-job training, but you’re really showing that you’ll go the extra mile. You put yourself apart from other candidates. It shows that you’re really passionate about your chosen field.”
– Employer partner (Shawn Howard, Nursery Operations Supervisor, Three Rivers Park District)
“Tree Trust prepared me for the outside world. It really changed my behavioral skills— I started trusting and opening up to people.”
– Summer Youth Employment Program participant
“I was blown away by the professionalism in every facet of doing business with Tree Trust. [They] thoroughly explained the cost, the work, and the needs of the crew before I committed to anything. The response time with scheduling was exceptionally fast. … I had been mentally preparing myself for this to be an ordeal, but doing business with Tree Trust was the most painless home maintenance task we’ve ever completed.”
– Landscape Services client
LANDSCAPE SERVICES
Tree Trust Landscape Services advanced the greening of our community through professional tree care and landscape services for commercial and residential clients. They worked together with Community Forestry to plant healthy trees on private and public property throughout the Twin Cities metro area, as well as providing career skills training for Tree Trust YouthBuild and Branches participants through expert tree climbing instruction, mentoring, and job shadowing. We were thrilled to add new key positions to our team, expanding our capabilities to provide high quality landscape construction projects. Three arborist apprentices participated in our Minnesota Department of Labor registered apprenticeship program, an investment in green industry workforce training for those considering a high-demand career as skilled professional arborists.
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INCOME
REVENUE
Government Grants $1,814,344 Contributions $421,022 Earned Income $2,861,109
Investment and Other Income $567,495
TOTAL REVENUE $5,663,970
EXPENSES
Management and General $874,143 Fundraising $211,969 Career Pathways $1,829,836 Community Forestry $716,198 Landscape Services $1,483,543
TOTAL EXPENSES $5,115,689
BALANCE
ASSETS
Cash and Cash Equivalents $1,671,940 Investments $453,191 Accounts and Pledges Receivable $574,750
Property and Equipment $375,143 Other Assets $139,077
TOTAL ASSETS $3,214,101
LIABILITIES & NET ASSETS
Total Current and Long-term Liabilities $684,211
Net Assets Without Donor Restriction $2,426,330
Net Assets With Donor Restriction $103,560
TOTAL LIABILITIES & NET ASSETS $3,214,101
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FINANCIALS
FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY THANK YOU
As we celebrate the accomplishments of 2021, we recognize you – our donors and funders – who made these accomplishments possible. Your generous support helped us to provide meaningful workforce training to over 300 youth and young adults and inspire hundreds of elementary school students with hands-on environmental education. You made it possible for us to come together as a community to add over 7,000 diverse, wellestablished trees to our urban forest. The positive impact of your giving on individual lives and in our community as a whole cannot be overstated.
Thank you for your partnership with Tree Trust. Together, we are creating a legacy of transformed lives and landscapes in our community for generations to come.
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FUNDERS
Corporate & Foundation Funders
Adventium Enterprises, LLC
Affinity Plus Credit Union
AmazonSmile Foundation
American Forests
Arthur J Gallagher & Co.
B.H. Semler Family Fund
Bachman’s Floral, Home and Garden
Bloomington Lions Club
Calmenson Foundation
Cargill
CenterPoint Energy
Central Indiana Community Foundation
CHC: Creating Healthier Communities
D&K Krueger Family Fund of the Saint Paul and Minnesota Foundation
Dakota Electric Association
Ecolab Foundation
EDP Foundation
Elmer L. & Eleanor J. Anderson Foundation
Forest Lake Lions Club
Gamer Packaging, Inc.
General Mills
HoneyHill Weddings
IAG Commercial
Jaye F. and Betty F. Dyer Foundation
JustGive - Great Nonprofits
Lillian Wright & C. Emil Berglund Foundation
McNeely Foundation
Government Funders
City of Eden Prairie
City of Maplewood
City of Mendota Heights
City of Minneapolis Health Department
City of Minnetonka
City of St Louis Park
Dakota County Employment and Economic Assistance Department
Medtronic Minnesota Environmental Fund Northrop Grumman Otto Bremer Trust Overstory Pohlad Family Foundation Premium Tree Protection RBC Foundation
Royal Credit Union Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation Securian Foundation
Target Circle, The Good Coin Foundation Tennant Foundation
The Head Family Foundation
The Heart of America Foundation
The Jackie McElroy-Edwards Charitable Fund
The Lisa Lind Charitable Fund
TPAC Underwriters, Inc. U.K. Foundation
UnitedHealth Group
Van Nelson Family Charitable Fund Walser Foundation
Wells Fargo WEM Foundation Xcel Energy Foundation YouthCare
Hennepin County Environment & Energy Hennepin County Human Resources
Hennepin County Human Services & Public Health Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority
Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources U.S. Department of Labor Washington County Community Services Department
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DONORS
$1,000+ (Tree Champions)
Barb & Keith Watschke
Brooks Anderson
Daniel Lessin Donald Willeke G. Rolf & Patricia Svendsen
John Ollmann
Ken & Abby Dawkins Kim & Marilyn Jenkins
Kirk & Ione Brown
Larry & Beth Crosby Lee & Liz Hickerson Linda & Michael Kriel
Ann Clowser
Dale & Barbara Weick
Dana Beasley
Elaine Thander
Erin Eneobe
Henry Padgett
Holly & Reed Anderson James Lenfestey
James Rustad
John & Nancy Peyton Kanokwan Laoraowiroj
Kathleen Hawes
Kirky & Melissa Otto
Konrad Schmidt & Mary Stefansky
Kurt Herke
Kyle White
Martha Greiner
Mary Hunstiger
Michael Vennewitz
Nicholas Friedl Norm Champ
Norman & Conni Bjornnes
Peter D’Ascoli
Roman Zych and Marek Zych Ronald & Joan Cornwell S. Michael Huntington
Stephanie & Ernest Brody
Anonymous (3)
$500-$999
Leif Nestingen
Mary Bang Mary Ofstie Michele Bevis & Steve Wardell Milton Harrison Paul & Carrie Martinson Phyllis Kahn
Rhea Rochon & Damien RochonWashington
Richard & Beverly Mast
Richard & Susan Goldman
Richard Neuman
Robert Beugen Tami OHara Wayne Reffke William & Ann Fox
Denotes Board Member | Denotes Staff Member | Denotes Friends of Trees
If we omitted or misspelled your name, feel free to reach out to us: development@treetrust.org
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DONORS
$100-$499
Alton Shimp
Andrew Garrett
Ann Longfellow
Ann Novitske
Annie Chevalier
Annika Brink
Barry Waldner
Beth Harrington
Brian Thielke
Bruce & Jean Grussing
Carl & Terry Baer
Carol & Joe Stinar
Catherine Lexau
Charlie Kramer
Cheryl Evans
Connor Gleason
Conrad Pedersen & Rodney Alan
Craig Luedemann & Mary Robischon
Cynthia Kolkind
David & Lynn Isaacson
David & Nancy Erpestad
David Brisbin
David Holt
David Hunter
David Muller
Deborah & Wallace Johnson
Ellie Vilendrer
Eric Sullivan
F.J. Halla & C.K. Hansen
Gennae Falconer
Giampaolo Malin
Gordon Jans
Greg Silverman
Ian MacDonald
James & Monica Preisen
Jane Burnham
Janet Arones
Jeffery & Patricia Stewart
Jeffery McNaught & Lori Mittag
Jill Vuchetich
Jim Azarski & Nancy Werner-Azarski
John Christensen
Johnna Hobbs
Jon Hawes
Jonathan & Thea Rozenbergs
Julie Samuelson
Julie Toth
Karla & Paul Williams
Katrina Hamilton Keith Kuffel
Kevin & Beth Dooley
Kurts & Becky Strelnieks
Lindsey King
Lisa Shaffer
Lorna Levine
Marian Eisner
Mark Genszler
Mark Valentine
Martha Lewis-Hunstiger
Mary & Gilford Sundeen
Mary Miller
Michael Geerdes
Michael Menzel
Michelle Dieschbourg
Mike Hand & Lorann Halverson
Monica Strelnieks
N. Wade
Patricia Clawson
Paul Kinder
Paula Henry
Peggy & Glen Booth
Peggy Sammons & Kandi Retzlaff
Peter Thompson
R. Craig & Mariana Shulstad
Randy Johnson
Richard & Carrie Jensen
Richard Harvey Robert Hand
Sandra Halbach
Shannon Murphy
Sharon Reese
Stephen Eide
Stephen Grove
Steven Beuning
Stuart & Linda Ruehle
Teresa Loetscher
Terrance & Noreen Shaughnessy
Theresa Filner Hutchison
Trudy Dunham
Vicki Turnquist & Tucker
Plumstead
Wendy Smith
Wendy Wehr
William & Mary Book
William MacPhail
William Wangensteen
Anonymous (2)
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Abby Peklo
Amy Funk
Andrea Melink
Andrew Ailes
Art & Cheri Rolnick
Becca Klahn
Ben & Rollie Marcovitch
Bobbi Braaten
Brandon Haugrud
Brian Rice
Britta Dosland
Bruce Abas Carey Meyer
Carole Cera
Catherine Lundoff
Dale Ketchum
David Bradshaw
David Hill
David Paulson
Dennis & Linda Maetzold
Diane Savino
Donna & Edward Kraus
Elise Schendel
Emily Hancock
Gary Winter
George Christoferson
Gilbert Ahlstrand
James & Carol Henderson
James & Sally Novotny
Janet Weivoda
Jared & Krista Smith
DONORS
$99 and under
Jean Greenwood
Jean Hammink
Jeffrey Willius
Jennifer & Mark Westpfahl
Jo Ann Buysse
John & Ann Elward
John Carlson
John Keimel & Ellen Kraft
Jon Woo Josh Noah Josh Williams
Judy Cowden & Neil Bright
Kara Christenson Karen Leiferman
Kathleen Mayer Ken & Rose Holman
Laura Hess
Laura Husting
Laura LeFebvre
Lauren Sutherland
Lawrence & Vicki Kloze
Linda Goodman
Lisa Hinz
Lisa Noah
Lisa Thomson Lyle & Joan Johnson
Lynette Kopperud
Mamie Segall & Bill Sierks
Mandy Hwang Marjorie Huebner
Mary Gaulke
Mary Loberg & Mark Sonderup
Mary Tinkham Matt Boys
Merlin & Judy Halverson Nancy & Terrance McCormick
Nancy Hoang
Pam Jewson & Peter Swenson
Pamela Belknap
Patrick McCoy
Paul Moss Phil Duran
Philip Schaffner
Phyllis Genest-Stein Rachel Magennis Schnobrich
Rebecca Shedd Richard Fish
Richard Murray
Richard Reardon
Sandra Gold & Paul Medina Sarah Woessner Shari Mattsen
Sharon Goldman
Susan Ranney & Brian Shapiro
Thomas & Marilyn Miller
Thomas Edwin Koepke
Tim & Deborah Nelson
Wendy Naughton
Wendy Strachota William & Sandy Goral
Anonymous (3)
Denotes Board Member | Denotes Staff Member | Denotes Friends of Trees
If we omitted or misspelled your name, feel free to reach out to us: development@treetrust.org
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1419 Energy Park Drive, St. Paul, MN 55108 952-767-3880
