Unity Gardens INC

Tax-deductible

South Bend, IN501(c)(3)Food & AgricultureEIN 27-0901122Revenue $879K in FY2024

On file with the IRStheunitygardens.orgPo Box 10022, 46680-0022 · South Bend, INTax-exempt since Feb 2010Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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Unity Gardens promotes wellness by connecting our community to healthy food nature and each other through open gardensclasses and programs

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
79¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 2,500 volunteers and 28 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2024 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
5 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $162K a year · 27% of revenue · last 5 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 5 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
79%
of spending
Looks good: 79% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$72K
to officers and key staff · 11% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 60% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 11% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
7 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 6.7 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
5
named funders · $157K
Looks good: 5 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$40K
3% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 3% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
8
of 8 voting members
Looks good: 8 of 8 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$879K
+17% vs prior year
Spent
$660K
To programs
79%
Net assets
$1.5M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$879K
FY2024▲ +17%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$410K
FY2021$391K
FY2022$552K
FY2023$752K
FY2024$879K
Expenses
$660K
FY2024▲ +32%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$248K
FY2021$331K
FY2022$435K
FY2023$501K
FY2024$660K
Net assets
$1.5M
FY2024▲ +23%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$754K
FY2021$814K
FY2022$932K
FY2023$1.2M
FY2024$1.5M

From the FY2024 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Feb 2010.

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

Where the money goes

79 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 79% · $520K Management & general 10% · $65K Fundraising 11% · $74K

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; $72K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Presidentceo
$58,000Pt VII · Sec A
$14,490Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Sara Stewart’s $58K as Presidentceo is at the 60th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1171 $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

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Sara Stewart$58,000$58,000$45,000$45,000$45,000
Barbara Sutton$14,490$7,580$4,340——

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.

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Questions the 990 asks

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

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Connects community to healthy food, nature, and each other through gardens, classes, and programs.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $520K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

2024 Educational Programming: Unity Gardens hosts free gardening and orchard care classes both on-site in our education center and on-line. In addition we offer classes at our community partner sites.

$257Kprogram expense
02

2024 Free-Pick Orchards & Gardens: Unity Gardens connect our community to Fresh Food, Nature and one another through 40 free pick gardens and orchard sites. The 7 acre main site is the hub of operations.

$169Kprogram expense
03

2024 Farm to Market: Unity Gardens has a dedicated, separated area at the main garden to grow food for sale, creating revenue for organizational sustainability and mission support. In addition to fresh fruits, herbs and vegetables, Unity Gardens creates value added products such as soap, bees wax candles and balms, veggie pun cards honey…

$95Kprogram 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 5 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$879K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$729K
Other incomeLn 4–11$134K
Investment incomeLn 3$16K
Money outPt IX
$660K
Ln 25
Programscol B$520K
Managementcol C$65K
Fundraisingcol D$74K
Owns and owesPt X
$1.5M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$370K
Total assetsLn 16$1.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$40K
PeoplePt VI, VII
8
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b8
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$729K
Government grantsLn 1e$90K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$10K
Investment incomeLn 3$16K
Other incomeLn 4–11$134K
Total revenueLn 12$879K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$215K
SavingsLn 2$154K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$370K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$242K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$768K
Other assetsLn 15$30K
Total assetsLn 16$1.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$40K
Net assetsLn 32$1.5M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 528
VolunteersI 62,500
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$277K$370K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$222K$242K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$807K$768K
Total assetsLn 16$1.4M$1.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$229K$40K
Net assetsLn 32$1.2M$1.5M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$72K$20K$23K$30K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$368K$318K$19K$32K
Payroll taxesLn 10$34K$24K$5K$4K
Accounting feesLn 11c$8K$8K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$6K$96$270$6K
Office expensesLn 13$3K$240$558$3K
Information technologyLn 14$10K$7K$3K
OccupancyLn 16$13K$13K
TravelLn 17$2K$2K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$98$98
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$52K$52K
InsuranceLn 23$24K$18K$5K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$67K$66K$1K$354
Total functional expensesLn 25$660K$520K$65K$74K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $879K$660K$220K$1.5M 990 PDF
FY2023 $752K$501K$251K$1.2M 990 PDF
FY2022 $552K$435K$118K$932K 990 PDF
FY2021 $391K$331K$60K$814K 990 PDF
FY2020 $410K$248K$161K$754K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $879,354 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $595,828$729,247
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $70,653$16,442
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $86,013$133,665
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $752,494$879,354
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $326,362$474,248
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $174,825$185,462
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $501,187$659,710
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $251,307$219,644
Part VI · Governance 8 of 8 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body8
VI-1b Independent voting members8
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $879,354 across 7 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $79,285 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1e Government grants$89,940
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$639,307
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$10,418
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$729,247
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $16,442$16,442
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$54,380
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $16,442 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$879,354
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $659,710 across 13 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $19,508 · Management $23,032 · Fundraising $29,950$72,490
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $317,681 · Management $18,741 · Fundraising $31,793$368,215
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $24,486 · Management $5,031 · Fundraising $4,026$33,543
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $7,500$7,500
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $96 · Management $270 · Fundraising $5,825$6,191
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $240 · Management $558 · Fundraising $2,513$3,311
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $6,632 · Management $3,326$9,958
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $13,098$13,098
IX-17 TravelPrograms $2,262$2,262
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $98$98
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $51,896$51,896
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $18,348 · Management $5,303$23,651
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $65,644 · Management $1,499 · Fundraising $354$67,497
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $519,989 · Management $65,260 · Fundraising $74,461$659,710
Part X · Balance sheet $1,494,764 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $204,051$215,202
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $72,660$154,429
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $41,182$28,570
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $38,056$52,233
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$5,429
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $807,320$767,544
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $221,719$241,801
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $27,116$29,556
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,412,104$1,494,764
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $13,360$19,563
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $215,666$20,333
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $229,026$39,896
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,183,078$1,454,868
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,183,078$1,454,868
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,412,104$1,494,764
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,454,868 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$879,354
XI-2 Total expenses$659,710
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$219,644
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,183,078
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$52,149
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,454,868

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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