Our mission is to grow a healthy community by connecting all people to nutritious foods. We DO this through various food education and food access programs.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
78¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 127 volunteers and 24 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · 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
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $38K a year · 7% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
78%
of spending
Looks good: 78% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$63K
to officers and key staff · 11% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 11% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.9 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $29K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$68K
16% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 16% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
10
of 10 voting members
Looks good: 10 of 10 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$418K
-35% vs prior year
Spent
$557K
To programs
78%
Net assets
$354K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$418K
FY2025▼ -35%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$390K
FY2021$685K
FY2022$423K
FY2023$560K
FY2024$640K
FY2025$418K
Expenses
$557K
FY2025▼ -8%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$278K
FY2021$339K
FY2022$536K
FY2023$567K
FY2024$608K
FY2025$557K
Net assets
$354K
FY2025▼ -28%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$236K
FY2021$581K
FY2022$468K
FY2023$461K
FY2024$493K
FY2025$354K

From the FY2025 Form 990 · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Exemption reinstated (2015-05-15). Per the IRS revocation list. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Apr 2016.

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

Where the money goes

78 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 78% · $435K Management & general 11% · $60K Fundraising 11% · $62K

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

11 people listed on the 990; $63K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Di
$63,300Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$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

Clara Metzler’s $63K as Executive Di is at the 67th 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 · 4 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Clara Metzler$63,300$61,800$48,461———
Annie Sachs——$15,508$55,731——
Tom Brenneman————$35,688$39,184
Courtney Cranor—————$1,840

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 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Improves children's health through food education and access in Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County.

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2 programs · $435K · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

Equitable Access

Project grows provides equitable access to affordable, nutritious food to support healthy choices for peopole of all ages in our community. Our programs include a mobile market that delivers over 13,000 pounds of fresh, affordable food annually to senior centers,public housing, and childcare centers; regular food donations to communities…

$306Kprogram expense
02

Food Education

Project grows provides food education both on our farm and throughout the community to build knowledge, skills, and confidence in growing, cooking, and eating healthy foods. Our programs include hands-on farm and garden experiences such as field trips, summer camps, and school garden lessons, as well as first-time job opportunities for…

$129Kprogram 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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$29K

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$418K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$212K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$206K
Investment incomeLn 3$351
Money outPt IX
$557K
Ln 25
Programscol B$435K
Managementcol C$60K
Fundraisingcol D$62K
Owns and owesPt X
$354K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$87K
Total assetsLn 16$423K
LiabilitiesLn 26$68K
PeoplePt VI, VII
11
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a10
IndependentVI 1b10
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$212K
Government grantsLn 1e$15K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$206K
Investment incomeLn 3$351
Total revenueLn 12$418K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$84K
SavingsLn 2$3K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$87K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$328K
Total assetsLn 16$423K
LiabilitiesLn 26$68K
Net assetsLn 32$354K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 524
VolunteersI 6127
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$145K$87K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$365K$328K
Total assetsLn 16$510K$423K
LiabilitiesLn 26$17K$68K
Net assetsLn 32$493K$354K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$63K$32K$19K$13K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$284K$238K$26K$20K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$10K$8K$885$688
Payroll taxesLn 10$26K$22K$2K$2K
Accounting feesLn 11c$8K$4K$3K$846
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$4K$2K$2K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$2K$2K$465
Office expensesLn 13$6K$4K$1K$282
OccupancyLn 16$17K$13K$4K
TravelLn 17$32$32
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$37K$37K
InsuranceLn 23$14K$11K$3K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$78K$58K$19K
All other expensesLn 24e$7K$2K$636$5K
Total functional expensesLn 25$557K$435K$60K$62K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $418K$557K−$139K$354K 990 PDF
FY2024 $640K$608K$32K$493K 990 PDF
FY2023 $560K$567K−$7K$461K 990 PDF
FY2022 $423K$536K−$113K$468K 990 PDF
FY2021 $685K$339K$345K$581K 990 PDF
FY2020 $390K$278K$112K$236K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $418,362 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $423,257$212,452
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $216,675$205,559
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $269$351
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $640,201$418,362
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $411,373$383,084
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $196,382$174,052
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $607,755$557,136
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $32,446−$138,774
Part VI · Governance 10 of 10 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body10
VI-1b Independent voting members10
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
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 $418,362 across 6 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $180 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1e Government grants$15,410
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$197,042
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$212,452
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $205,379$205,379
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $351$351
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $205,559 · Excluded from tax $351$418,362
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $557,136 across 14 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $31,650 · Management $18,990 · Fundraising $12,660$63,300
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $238,204 · Management $25,521 · Fundraising $19,850$283,575
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $8,259 · Management $885 · Fundraising $688$9,832
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $22,157 · Management $2,374 · Fundraising $1,846$26,377
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $4,227 · Management $3,382 · Fundraising $846$8,455
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $2,250 · Fundraising $1,594$3,844
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $1,861 · Fundraising $465$2,326
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $4,226 · Management $1,419 · Fundraising $282$5,927
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $13,412 · Management $3,917$17,329
IX-17 TravelPrograms $32$32
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $37,146$37,146
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $11,170 · Management $2,793$13,963
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $58,249 · Fundraising $19,360$77,609
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $2,087 · Management $636 · Fundraising $4,698$7,421
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $434,930 · Management $59,917 · Fundraising $62,289$557,136
Part X · Balance sheet $422,552 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $137,214$84,476
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $7,327$2,627
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$7,449
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $365,146$328,000
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $509,687$422,552
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $5,092$56,141
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $11,624$12,214
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $16,716$68,355
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $487,879$298,056
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $5,092$56,141
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $492,971$354,197
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $509,687$422,552
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $354,197 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$418,362
XI-2 Total expenses$557,136
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$138,774
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$492,971
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$354,197

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

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