Common Roots INC FY2020 filing

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Common Roots provides food education, food access and organic farming programs.

Form 990 Part I, line 1, FY2020. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 26-4146964) · Dispute this line
501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
65¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

Before you give

FY2020 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
The IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
The latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $30K a year · 5% of revenue · last 6 filings
A surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
65%
of spending
65% of spending went to programs.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
2.1 mo
of spending, in cash
2.1 months of spending in cash.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
6
named funders · $102K
6 funders name it on their filings.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$193K
181% of total assets
Liabilities are 181% of assets.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
8
of 8 voting members
8 of 8 voting members are independent.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Revenue
$409K
Spent
$495K
To programs
65%
Net assets
−$86K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$409K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$409K
FY2021$578K
FY2022$508K
FY2023$604K
FY2024$833K
FY2025$713K
Expenses
$495K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$495K
FY2021$535K
FY2022$548K
FY2023$539K
FY2024$685K
FY2025$661K
Net assets
−$86K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020−$86K
FY2021−$43K
FY2022−$83K
FY2023−$19K
FY2024$130K
FY2025$182K

From the FY2020 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Aug 2009.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

65 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 65% · $324K Management & general 35% · $172K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

8 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Anthony Jones’s $49K as Board Member is at the 50th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1172 $100K–1M food & agriculture nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2023FY2022
Anthony Jones$48,875—
Elizabeth Spitler$28,800$19,200

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Common Roots INC executive salaries →

Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo
  • Loans to or from officersSch L · Pt II2 listed

Programs and updates

Teaches food skills and provides meals to children and families.

Questions for Common Roots INC

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Your first name shows with your question. Common Roots INC answers here, for everyone.

3 programs · $324K · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program (Farm at SV) is a collaboration of our farm partners, the community, and the South Burlington School District to grow food for schools, the food insecure, and the community while engaging youth in food education.

Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2020. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 26-4146964) · Dispute this line
$293Kprogram expense
02

The Farm to School Program is a partnership with the South Burlington School District Nutrition Services, and aims to teach students, teachers, and parents about the value of fresh, local foods.

Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2020. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 26-4146964) · Dispute this line
$25Kprogram expense
03

The Farm 2 Go Program collaborates with chefs and food educators to cook with middle school students who prepare meals for their families using local foods.

Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2020. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 26-4146964) · Dispute this line
$6Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
See all 6 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$409K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$252K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$157K
Money outPt IX
$495K
Ln 25
Programscol B$324K
Managementcol C$172K
Owns and owesPt X
−$86K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$88K
Total assetsLn 16$107K
LiabilitiesLn 26$193K
PeoplePt VI, VII
8
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b8
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$252K
Government grantsLn 1e$25K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$157K
Total revenueLn 12$409K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$88K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$88K
Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesLn 9$1K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$18K
Total assetsLn 16$107K
LiabilitiesLn 26$193K
Net assetsLn 32−$86K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 514
VolunteersI 620
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$883$88K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$25K$18K
Total assetsLn 16$27K$107K
LiabilitiesLn 26$32K$193K
Net assetsLn 32−$5K−$86K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$164K$164K$0$0
Payroll taxesLn 10$18K$18K$0$0
Advertising and promotionLn 12$0$0$0$0
Office expensesLn 13$2K$0$2K$0
OccupancyLn 16$89K$0$89K$0
TravelLn 17$0$0$0$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$7K$7K$0$0
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$215K$134K$81K$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$495K$324K$172K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 LatestFiled with the IRS May 15, 2026 $713K$661K$52K$182K 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS Nov 14, 2025 $833K$685K$149K$130K 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Nov 14, 2024 $604K$539K$64K−$19K 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Nov 15, 2023 $508K$548K−$40K−$83K 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Nov 15, 2022 $578K$535K$43K−$43K 990 PDF
FY2020 ViewingFiled with the IRS Nov 15, 2021 $409K$495K−$86K−$86K 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

A · Public support I · Grants O · Explanations
See the full FY2020 990
Part I · Summary $408,853 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $123,859$251,869
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $180,574$156,984
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $304,433$408,853
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $149,674$182,414
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $155,067$312,812
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $304,741$495,226
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$308−$86,373
Part VI · Governance 8 of 8 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body8
VI-1b Independent voting members8
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $408,853 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$25,200
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$226,669
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$251,869
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$156,984
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $156,984 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$408,853
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $495,226 across 8 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $164,251 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$164,251
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $18,163 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$18,163
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $0 · Management $2,231 · Fundraising $0$2,231
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $0 · Management $88,699 · Fundraising $0$88,699
IX-17 TravelPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $7,267 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$7,267
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $133,949 · Management $80,666 · Fundraising $0$214,615
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $323,630 · Management $171,596 · Fundraising $0$495,226
Part X · Balance sheet $106,716 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $883$87,960
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $1,000$1,000
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $25,023$17,756
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $26,906$106,716
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $9,747$5,166
X-22 Loans from officers and insidersStart of year $14,000$0
X-23 Secured mortgages and notes payableStart of year $8,000$3,000
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payable$184,665
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $31,747$192,831
X-31 Retained earnings or endowmentStart of year −$4,841−$86,115
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year −$4,841−$86,115
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $26,906$106,716
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets −$86,115 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$408,853
XI-2 Total expenses$495,226
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$86,373
XI-4 Net assets at start of year−$4,841
XI-10 Net assets at end of year−$86,115

Form 990 e-file FY2020 from the IRS (about our sources) · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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