The Talking Farm grows produce, herbs, and flowers using sustainable practices while educating the community about agriculture, biodiversity, and horticulture through hands-on learning and example at Howard Street Farm and off-site teaching gardens.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
Run by 20 volunteers and 9 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990-EZIndependent: 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
FY2025
latest Form 990-EZ
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
1 of 2
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $13K a year · 7% of revenue · last 2 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 1 of the last 2 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 2 filings
Named funders
2
named funders · $28K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$108K
total owed
No data yet: the filing does not give total assets.
Pt X · Ln 26
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$175K
+13% vs prior year
Net assets
−$29K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$175K
FY2025▲ +13%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$186K
FY2021$175K
FY2022$127K
FY2023$156K
FY2025$175K
Expenses
—
FY2025
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$140K
FY2021$195K
FY2022Not on file
FY2023Not on file
FY2025Not on file
Net assets
−$29K
FY2025▼ -138%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$219K
FY2021$199K
FY2022$149K
FY2023$76K
FY2025−$29K

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending March 2025) · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jul 2007.

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

Who runs it and what they're paid

5 people listed on the 990-EZ.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Jennifer Engel’s $5K as Board Member is at the 4th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1613 $100K–1M education 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.

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Programs and updates

Grows food sustainably and teaches community members about farming and nature.

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Provided by the organization

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2 programs · $135K · in their own filed words · FY2021
01

Set-up and maintenance of mini-gardens and mini-farms at elementary, middle schools, and high schools in Evanston and Skokie Illinois.

$71Kprogram expense
02

Howard Street Farm is a 3-acre urban farm in Skokie, IL. The farm is a site for growing fresh produce using sustainable agriculture practices, educational programs, and community gatherings.

$64Kprogram 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
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$28K

By the numbers

The FY2025 990-EZ, line by line.

1The main four
Money in
$175K
Other income$175K
Owns and owes
−$29K
net assets
Liabilities$108K
People
5
listed
Paid0
2In more detail
Revenue in detail
Other income$175K
Total revenue$175K
Assets in detailEnd of year
Liabilities$108K
Net assets−$29K
Operations
Employees9
Volunteers20
Fiscal year endsMarch

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $175K−$29K 990 PDF
FY2024 Not on file
FY2023 $156K$76K 990 PDF
FY2022 $127K$149K 990 PDF
FY2021 $175K$195K−$21K$199K 990 PDF
FY2020 $186K$140K$46K$219K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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