TPL Ranked Top Charity

San Francisco, CA, 11/29/01 – In their year-end assessments of the largest national charities, leading financial publications rated the Trust for Public Land among the nation’s most efficiently operated non profit organizations. The 30 year-old Trust buys threatened land for parks and open space. TPL was named one of the highest ranking charities for 2001 in Money, Forbes, Worth, and the Wall Street Journal’s Smart Money, which ranked the group as the top charity in the conservation field for its efficient use of funds.

“You want your charity to use your money for programs,” reported Smart Money’s Eleanor Laise, in her article, “Get the Most Out of a Charity.” “Looking at what portion of each dollar goes to fundraising, the lower the number, the better.”

The December 2001 issue of Smart Money reported that TPL spends 92 percent of its funds directly on programs, keeping fundraising costs to only 2 percent. The complete survey is available at SmartMoney.com

Money magazine named TPL one of seven charities “Doing Well at Doing Good.”

Forbes surveyed 200 charities for their article “Giving Smartly,” and assigned TPL a score of 100 for fundraising efficiency and 99 for charitable commitment.

Worth magazine also included the Trust for Public Land in its list of the 100 best national charities.

“TPL’s goal is to leverage our funds to protect more land,” says TPL President Will Rogers. “The next 30 years will determine the fate of much of America’s undeveloped land. The pressure has never been greater.”

The Trust for Public Land works nationwide to protect land as urban parks, gardens and playgrounds, and for recreation, agriculture and open space around fast-developing communities. In 2001, donated funds helped TPL complete 177 projects in 31 states. Since its founding in 1972, TPL has protected 1.4 million acres valued at 2.5 billion.