SUGi Foundation (doing business as SUGi / SUGi Project)
To restore biodiversity, climate resilience and community wellbeing in cities by creating ultra-dense native 'pocket forests' (Miyawaki method), delivering hands-on planting, education and research that reconnects people with nature.
About SUGi Foundation (doing business as SUGi / SUGi Project)
SUGi Foundation is a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit (tax-exempt since 2019) that designs, funds and supports dense native “pocket forests” in urban and peri-urban settings worldwide. Founded by Elise Van Middelem, the organization uses the Miyawaki method to build small, biodiverse woodland patches that accelerate tree growth, improve soil health, and create community green spaces.
Over the last 2–3 years SUGi has remained active globally—running large community plantings, publishing annual impact reports, partnering on academic research into wellbeing, and delivering high-profile projects such as the Manhattan Healing Forest on Roosevelt Island (NYC). The organization publishes annual impact reports and maintains an active events and volunteer program to support ongoing planting, maintenance and community engagement.
Notable achievements
Global pocket-forest program
Scaled the SUGi pocket-forest model internationally, delivering well over 100 pocket forests (public reporting indicates 200+ projects across multiple countries) and forming city- and community-level partnerships to restore urban biodiversity.
Manhattan Healing Forest (Roosevelt Island)
Delivered New York City’s first Miyawaki-style pocket forest in partnership with local organizations, schools and city stakeholders—an example of SUGi’s community-led planting and resilience work completed during the 2023–2024 period.
Research partnership on wellbeing
Partnered with academic researchers (including a pilot with the University of Oxford) to measure the ecological and human wellbeing impacts of pocket forests, integrating science into program design and monitoring.
At a glance
- Total assets
- $215K
- Annual revenue
- $299K
- Tax status
- 501(c)(3)Public charity
- EIN
- 84-2041713
- Location
- San Francisco, CA
- Website
- www.sugiproject.com
- On Mahalo since
- April 2026
Financial figures from the IRS Business Master File, the IRS’s registry of tax-exempt organizations.
Recognition
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