By partnering with schools, parents and community leaders, we believe we can help local food systems empower individuals to learn new ways of seeing and engaging with the world. We believe change can start with a bit of knowledge and a small seed in the hand of a child.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
91¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$66K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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
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
4 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $20K a year · 7% of revenue · last 5 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
91%
of spending
Looks good: 91% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$66K
to officers and key staff · 42% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 42% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $16K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$9K
14% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 14% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
8
of 13 voting members
Looks good: 8 of 13 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$133K
Spent
$157K
To programs
91%
Net assets
$55K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$133K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$133K
FY2021$235K
FY2022$340K
FY2023$318K
FY2024$425K
Expenses
$157K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$157K
FY2021$212K
FY2022$283K
FY2023$311K
FY2024$390K
Net assets
$55K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$55K
FY2021$78K
FY2022$135K
FY2023$142K
FY2024$190K

From the FY2020 Form 990 · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Mar 2015.

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

Where the money goes

91 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 91% · $143K Management & general 7% · $11K Fundraising 1% · $2K

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

13 people listed on the 990; $66K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Di
$43,615Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$13,526Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$6,731Pt VII · Sec A
$1,750Pt VII · Sec A
$588Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Julie Brunson’s $66K as Executive Di is at the 69th 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 · 6 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Julie Brunson$65,720$64,432$59,146$56,968$43,615
Rich Brunson——$15,384$14,049$13,526
Debra Whelan————$6,731
Shelly Muench————$1,750
Sean Ferguson—$690———
Janna Vanderveen————$588

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 Hope Gardens executive salaries →

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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

Nourishes communities by teaching children and adults about local food systems through hands-on learning.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $143K · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Hope gardens provides hands-on learning experiences that teach students the art and science of growing food. By partnering with schools, we are a resource for teachers and administrators who are looking for new ways to teach and implement self-staining food programs.

$143Kprogram 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 · FY2022

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$133K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$114K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$19K
Investment incomeLn 3$219
Money outPt IX
$157K
Ln 25
Programscol B$143K
Managementcol C$11K
Fundraisingcol D$2K
Owns and owesPt X
$55K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$58K
Total assetsLn 16$64K
LiabilitiesLn 26$9K
PeoplePt VI, VII
13
listed · VII A
PaidVII A5
Voting boardVI 1a13
IndependentVI 1b8
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$114K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$8K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$19K
Investment incomeLn 3$219
Total revenueLn 12$133K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$9K
SavingsLn 2$49K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$58K
Total assetsLn 16$64K
LiabilitiesLn 26$9K
Net assetsLn 32$55K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 58
VolunteersI 673
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$77K$58K
Total assetsLn 16$77K$64K
LiabilitiesLn 26$8$9K
Net assetsLn 32$77K$55K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$44K$42K$162$2K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$31K$31K
Payroll taxesLn 10$6K$6K
Accounting feesLn 11c$3K$227$3K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$8K$8K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$1K$714$322
Office expensesLn 13$3K$2K$53$286
Information technologyLn 14$6K$6K
TravelLn 17$366$366
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$162$121$41
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$2K$2K
InsuranceLn 23$3K$2K$944$45
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$49K$49K$305
Total functional expensesLn 25$157K$143K$11K$2K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $425K$390K$35K$190K 990 PDF
FY2023 $318K$311K$7K$142K 990 PDF
FY2022 $340K$283K$58K$135K 990 PDF
FY2021 $235K$212K$23K$78K 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $133K$157K−$24K$55K 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 FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $132,745 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $104,569$113,834
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $45,323$18,692
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $68$219
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $149,960$132,745
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $81,708$81,068
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $31,229$75,800
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $112,937$156,868
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $37,023−$24,123
Part VI · Governance 8 of 13 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body13
VI-1b Independent voting members8
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $132,745 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$113,834
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$7,579
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$113,834
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $18,692$18,692
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $219$219
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $18,692 · Excluded from tax $219$132,745
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $156,868 across 13 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $42,198 · Management $162 · Fundraising $1,596$43,956
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $30,733$30,733
IX-10 Payroll taxesManagement $6,379$6,379
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $227 · Management $3,255$3,482
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $7,670$7,670
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $714 · Management $322$1,036
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $2,189 · Management $53 · Fundraising $286$2,528
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $6,121$6,121
IX-17 TravelPrograms $366$366
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $121 · Management $41$162
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $2,193$2,193
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $2,027 · Management $944 · Fundraising $45$3,016
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $48,921 · Management $305$49,226
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $143,480 · Management $11,461 · Fundraising $1,927$156,868
Part X · Balance sheet $64,447 assets, 11 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $12,167$9,091
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $65,100$48,851
X-4 Accounts receivable$2,121
X-14 Intangible assets$4,384
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $77,267$64,447
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $8$4,610
X-19 Deferred revenue$4,666
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $8$9,276
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $77,259$55,171
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $77,259$55,171
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $77,267$64,447
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $55,171 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$132,745
XI-2 Total expenses$156,868
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$24,123
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$77,259
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$2,035
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$55,171

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

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