Better Place Forests is one of those ideas whose time has come.  As a 33-year funeral director who has seen the social mores of Death Care move away from the traditional options during that time, I see where there is a place for ideas like Better Place Forest to catch on with a segment of the population and embrace their idea of memorialization.

However, new ideas and businesses sometimes don’t happen as fast or as linear as the founders may anticipate.  While I don’t know what is behind the move, Better Place Forests has announced that their business system will become a Non-Profit business.  You can read about the company’s evolution to Non-Profit status here.

The company will still be an operating business but will operate as a Non-Profit.  Non-profit businesses still operate with sound business principles in the economic sphere of commerce.  I know something about them as I have been associated with a company in the Non-Profit Senior Living and Health Care realm for almost 20 years.  I served six years on the Board, and as Chairman of the Board for Vivie for three years, and also served for six years as Chairman of the Board of Vivie spin-off partnership Ethos Home Health.  

Both of those companies are Non-profit but work at building business, gaining market share, providing employment opportunities, and grinding out financial success as we compete with profit-oriented businesses every day.  The only difference being instead of rewarding shareholders with profits, those profits are put back into the communities that we serve.

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

So, my guess is that Better Place Forests will somehow transfer shareholder stock into a current non-profit status.  There is probably a tax advantage for shareholders to do so, however, I’m guessing that the foundation of the company will stay intact and move forward with a slightly altered business plan that will still be focused on preserved forests as a memorialization destination for many people.

And, I’m also guessing that there is still ample opportunity to help foster some of your clients needs and wishes about being memorialized in a natural preserve.  Partnering with Better Place Forests can help your funeral home or cemetery do just that.  You can learn how to do that here.

Related Article — “Why I started Better Place Forests – Brad Milne”

Related Article —  “Better Place Forests becomes both “High Touch” and “High Tech”.  Funeral Director Daily October 8, 2024.

For what it is worth — Better Place Forests has been a sponsor of Funeral Director Daily and for that I am grateful.  Their sponsorship, along with the other sponsors, has allowed subscribers to receive Funeral Director Daily free of charge five days per week in their e-mail inbox.  I don’t know if the non-profit status will change that relationship but I do know from my affiliation with BPF that they have a great group of people working there and have ideals of conservation of the environment coupled with memorialization of society in a sustainable environment as the precipice of their existence and that is commendable.

There has been no better people to work with than Better Place Forest CEO Adam Tibbs and Strategic Partnerships executive Tim Rogers in building our relationship and whatever path their lives take I wish them much success.

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