Plant With Purpose is a $14.4 million, 40+ year-old Christian organization dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty, reversing deforestation, and restoring hope through the power of Jesus Christ, working through partners in nine countries.
Under the direction of its Board of Directors, the new Chief Executive Officer will lead this growing organization into its envisioned future. Responsibilities include operations planning and evaluation, policy development and administration, personnel and fiscal management, fund development, public relations, and ensuring that international programs are resourced and effective.
Plant With Purpose was founded in 1984 under the name, Floresta. Founder Tom Woodard, a San Diego-based, former Food for the Hungry volunteer, saw a direct connection between rural poverty and land degradation. Floresta was incorporated independently in both the Dominican Republic and the United States, each with local boards of directors. This became the model for subsequent international partners, many of whom still operate under the name Floresta.
In 1987 Floresta began using microfinance as a tool to encourage agroforestry and sustainable agriculture. The current CEO was hired in 1993, when the organization served 80 Dominican families, with an annual budget of $250,000 and only one other employee.
In 1996, Floresta expanded operations into Mexico and, in 1997, Haiti. In 2004 Floresta began to work in Africa, setting up Floresta Tanzania. The next year, the budget exceeded $1 million for the first time.
Between 2005 and 2010, the program became more standardized, with a unified theory of change, and migrated from microfinance to savings-led local programs. Additionally, an emphasis was placed on multilateral collaboration and learning between all of the partners. This led to the collaborative creation of a shared agriculture curriculum and a Biblically-based curriculum for church partners and savings group participants.
Starting in 2008, the organization began conducting comprehensive triennial impact evaluations, with the goal of continually improving program effectiveness.
In 2010, Floresta USA rebranded as Plant With Purpose to better champion their mission to a growing community in the United States. As their multilateral partnerships grew and more countries were added, the global partnership has become ever more tightly knit, sharing lessons learned, a common Theory of Change, Common Operating Standards, unified planning cycles, and curriculum that has been developed collaboratively by the entire partnership.
In 2015, with the expansion into eastern DRC, Plant With Purpose began using a model that focused on organizing work around sub-watersheds to maximize downstream environmental impact. This experiment led to the discovery of a spillover effect, such that even nonparticipants received significant economic and social benefits. Since then, every Plant With Purpose partner has adopted the integrated watershed model, incorporating (1) economic empowerment via savings groups, (2) environmental restoration via regenerative agriculture, and (3) spiritual renewal via close collaboration with local churches.
In 2020, the results of their impact evaluations were noticed by a large funder, and over the course of the next five years, led to increasing interest from institutional funders and multiple seven-figure grants. And in recent years, Plant With Purpose has collaborated closely with organizations like Hope International and Compassion International, and has also received a grant from the Lilly Endowment to engage US churches in creation care.
Since those hopeful beginnings in the Dominican Republic, Plant With Purpose has expanded its program to walk alongside rural communities in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mexico, Tanzania, and Thailand.
Since 1984, Plant With Purpose has quietly become a global leader, operating at the nexus of spiritual renewal, environmental restoration, and poverty alleviation. The organization has planted nearly 80 million trees and has direct partnership with more than 650,000 people in nine countries, including almost 1,400 global churches. With exceptional and documented development outcomes, the organization is poised for continued growth and now seeks a Chief Executive Officer to lead it to a new level of national leadership and international impact.
Plant With Purpose has been led for the past 33 years by CEO Scott Sabin, who is retiring at the end of 2025. The 12-member Board of Directors employs a policy governance model, is very committed to the mission and work of the ministry, and has been recognized for their excellence in nonprofit leadership . There are currently 43 team members in the U.S., about half of whom reside in the San Diego area.
Revenues have experienced strong growth over the years from $7.4 million in FY2020 to $14.4 million in FY2025. These are mainly derived from foundations (approx. 60%) and major gifts from individuals (approx. 33%). Increased funding has been driven by the strong endorsements they have received from key funders due to their comprehensive Impact Reports . The organization does not accept GIK or U.S. government support.
Plant With Purpose believes that poverty and environmental damage are deeply connected and require a connected solution. Thats why they take a holistic approach to solving these problems, working hand in hand with communities to restore the land, lift families out of poverty, and renew hope through faith. Their vision is a world where people and planet flourish .
A Complete Solution to Poverty and Environmental Destruction
Many charities focus on poverty or the environment. The truth is that you cant fix one without addressing the other. Thats why their program tackles both, together.
When land is restored, families grow more food. When families have savings, they invest in their future. When faith is strengthened, communities find unity and resilience. This interconnected approach creates a ripple effectstronger farms, thriving families, and a restored environment. Their mission is:
Reversing rural poverty. Restoring watersheds. Renewing hope. Rooted in faith.
Global Impact
Plant With Purpose operates innine countries around the world. Their international work is 100%locally-led , with global offices operating both as independent agencies within their country, and alliance partners with Plant With Purpose U.S., which supports their ongoing work.
Partners, Not Projects
The heart of their mission is restoring relationshipsbetween people and planet, between people and one another, and between people and Creator. Broken relationships are at the root of oppression, inequality, and poverty. Plant With Purpose believes in the inherent value, equality, and agency of all people, that the rural farmers they work with can solve the problems of poverty and environmental damage in their region with the right tools and support. They work with people as partners , not projects . This sense of mutual respect and collaboration is at the core of their work and reflected in everything they do.
How is Plant With Purpose Different?
Their work takes a holistic approach to addressing rural poverty and environmental degradation in a way that equips and empowers local communities to create their own change. Rather than focusing on economic development, ecological restoration, or spiritual renewal alone, Plant With Purposes approach integrates all three, simultaneously addressing the root causes of poverty and deforestation within a watershed.
Locally Led. Globally Transformative.
Plant With Purpose's Community Designed Restoration (CDR) is about more than just fixing problemsits about restoring hope. By combining economic development , environmental restoration , and community empowerment , CDR addresses the deep, connected roots of poverty and deforestation within a watershed.
The Purpose of CDR
Thriving People. Plant With Purpose helps rural farming families improve their long-term economic and social well-being.
More Food, More SecurityIncreased crop production through agroforestry, tree planting, and regenerative farming.
Local Leadership MattersCommunities take ownership and drive change based on their values and needs.
Healthy Ecosystems. Restoring land means more biodiversity, stronger environmental resilience, and cleaner water and soil. Planting the right trees improves soil health, protects water sources, and brings balance back to nature.
Climate Resilience. Stronger land and stronger communities mean better protection against climate change.
Restored Relationships. True change happens when people reconnectwith each other, their environment, and their Creator.
Purpose Groups: THE CORE OF CDR
CDR works through Purpose Groups small, locally led groups that are the heart of their watershed model. When neighbors work together, they create real, lasting change.
Life in a watershed is linkedwhat happens upstream affects those downstream. While their program reaches about 60% of watershed residents , the benefits impact 100% of the communityand even neigh]]> <
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