The American Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel

Mission:
The American Society for the Protection of Nature in
Israel (ASPNI), http://www.aspni.org/, was founded in
1986 to help raise awareness and support for the work of
the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI),
Israel's oldest and largest environmental organization.
Today, SPNI leads the public and decision-makers in the
search for environmentally sustainable and economically
sound ways to promote growth while protecting Israel's
unique environmental heritage. Through education, organizing
public involvement, informing decision-makers and proposing
creative solutions to development plans, SPNI has established
an impressive list of achievements. Since 1953, SPNI has
worked to promote knowledge, love, and respect for the land
among its citizens and abroad.

Recent News:
Traffic and Air Pollution:
Air pollution is a major and increasing problem in Israel.
According to a 2004 study conducted by the (Air Pollution and
Health) European Information System, the Tel Aviv-Jaffa region
has the worst air pollution among European cities, causing over
1,500 deaths each year. Furthermore, the Israel Ministry of the
Environment claims that one child in five suffers from breathing
difficulties as a result of serious air pollution. Health care and
other costs due to premature death and illness are estimated at
over $77.4 million a year. Transportation issues are considered the
major culprit of air pollution in the Tel Aviv-Jaffa region. SPNI's
review of the city's transportation policies showed that $220 million
has been spent over the past five years on expansion and
construction of roads and highways, while public transportation
has not been improved. Plans for a light railway in the city have
barely progressed, and viable solutions for a sustainable
transportation policy in the city are scarcely visible. SPNI is
working to raise public consciousness on the need to address the
air pollution issue and educate the public about the various
controversies that are delaying action, such as a
long-standing dispute over a light rail or subway system .

Financial Efficiency Evaluation:
According to Charity Navigator (http://www.charitynavigator.org/),
America’s leading charity evaluator, ASPNI has an overall rating of
4 stars (four stars is the highest rating.) Charity Navigator provides
the following breakdown of the ASPNI based on 990 tax returns through 2006:

Overall Rating: 4 stars ****

Organizational Efficiency
Program Expenses: 89.0%
Administrative Expenses: 5.8%
Fundraising Expenses: 5.1%
Fundraising Efficiency: $0.05
Efficiency Rating: 4 stars ****

Organizational Capacity
Primary Revenue Growth: 21.0%
Program Expenses Growth: 21.3%
Working Capital Ratio (years): 0.02
(ASPNI can sustain itself for 0.02 years without
generating new revenue.)
Capacity Rating: 4 stars ****

Organizational Capacity refers to an organization’s abilityto
sustain itself over time. Charities that exhibit consistent
revenue and expenses growth are more likely to sustain its
programs and services over the long haul.

ASPNI has net assets of $36,506. Compensation for its
Executive Director, Edit Reizes, was $72,648 which represents
4.67% of its expenses.

Recommendation:

ASPNI is a highly efficient non-profit. 89% of itsrevenue reaches its
target – educating and organizing the public in creating solutions
to environmental problems related to growing Israel’s economy.
ASPNI is also poised to sustain its programs and services
over the long haul.

For comparison purposes, Charity Navigator has given
an overall rating of two stars to the Sierra Club Foundation.
The Sierrra Club Foundation funds a range of environmental
projects which fall into the three general categories of public
education, litigation, and training aimed at creating a safe
and healthy environment.

ASPNI needs to advertise its financial efficiency and its four
star efficiency rating from Charity Navigator. It also needs to
update its website SPNI also needs to update it news section
in its website as the most recent entry refers to an article in
The Jerusalem Report March 5, 2007.