We restore native plants to open spaces and neighborhoods, steward creeks and watersheds, and provide hands-on nature education

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
82¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 7,400 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

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
5 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $161K a year · 8% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 5 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
82%
of spending
Looks good: 82% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$308K
to officers and key staff · 14% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 14% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
7 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 6.8 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
13
named funders · $345K
Looks good: 13 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$140K
8% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 8% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
12
of 12 voting members
Looks good: 12 of 12 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$2.5M
+11% vs prior year
Spent
$2.2M
To programs
82%
Net assets
$1.6M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$2.5M
FY2025▲ +11%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.7M
FY2021$1.9M
FY2022$1.9M
FY2023$1.7M
FY2024$2.2M
FY2025$2.5M
Expenses
$2.2M
FY2025▲ +12%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$1.7M
FY2021$1.7M
FY2022$1.7M
FY2023$1.8M
FY2024$2.0M
FY2025$2.2M
Net assets
$1.6M
FY2025▲ +20%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$660K
FY2021$903K
FY2022$1.2M
FY2023$1.1M
FY2024$1.3M
FY2025$1.6M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · 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: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jun 2018.

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

Where the money goes

82 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 82% · $1.8M Management & general 4% · $93K Fundraising 14% · $314K

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

15 people listed on the 990; $308K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Development Dir.
$113,464Pt VII · Sec A
Co-Exec Directr
$98,183Pt VII · Sec A
Co-Exec Directr
$95,940Pt VII · Sec A
Chairman
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice-Chairman
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Kate Dolkas’s $113K as Development Dir. is at the 39th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1851 $1–10M environment 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 · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024
Kate Dolkas$113,464$106,092
Junko Bryant$98,183$97,460
Alex Von Feldt$95,940$89,960

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

Programs and updates

Restores native plants, stewards waterways, and educates communities about nature.

Questions for Grassroots Ecology

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Your first name shows with your question. Grassroots Ecology answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $1.8M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Land STEWARDSHIP/HABITAT restoration programgrassroots ecology stewarded 25 sites encompassing 2,324 acres, 9 different watersheds and 1.5 miles of bay and shoreline. Grassroots ecology organized community volunteers to install 5,465 plants at these sites.

$1.8Mprogram expense
02

Education grassroots ecology engaged 7,400 people through volunteer workdays, educational events and internships.

$34Kprogram expense
03

Nursery programour nursery grows a diversity of locally native species from seeds and cuttings gathered within santa clara, san mateo and santa cruz counties. It then distributes about 20,000 plants for reintroduction within their watershed of origin.

$22Kprogram 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 13 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$2.5M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.7M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$809K
Investment incomeLn 3$68K
Money outPt IX
$2.2M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.8M
Managementcol C$93K
Fundraisingcol D$314K
Owns and owesPt X
$1.6M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.3M
Total assetsLn 16$1.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$140K
PeoplePt VI, VII
15
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a12
IndependentVI 1b12
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$809K
Government grantsLn 1e$135K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$35K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.7M
Investment incomeLn 3$68K
Gains on assetsLn 7$0
Total revenueLn 12$2.5M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$476K
SavingsLn 2$794K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.3M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$41K
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$1.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$140K
Net assetsLn 32$1.6M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 528
VolunteersI 67,400
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
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$1.1M$1.3M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$51K$41K
Total assetsLn 16$1.5M$1.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$174K$140K
Net assetsLn 32$1.3M$1.6M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$192K$192K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.2M$947K$65K$199K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$20K$18K$33$2K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$135K$126K$5K$4K
Payroll taxesLn 10$111K$90K$5K$16K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$0
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$372K$305K$1K$65K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$6K$4K$228$2K
Office expensesLn 13$0
Information technologyLn 14$29K$20K$3K$6K
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$21K$16K$2K$3K
TravelLn 17$11K$11K$5
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$0
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$10K$9K$602
InsuranceLn 23$35K$24K$7K$4K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$47K$36K$961$10K
All other expensesLn 24e$43K$37K$3K$3K
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.2M$1.8M$93K$314K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $2.5M$2.2M$262K$1.6M 990 PDF
FY2024 $2.2M$2.0M$244K$1.3M 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.7M$1.8M−$77K$1.1M 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.9M$1.7M$265K$1.2M 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.9M$1.7M$243K$903K 990 PDF
FY2020 $1.7M$1.7M$28K$660K 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 M · Noncash O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $2,504,845 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $836,147$808,617
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $1,389,120$1,655,166
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $42,533$67,567
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$17,846−$26,505
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $2,249,954$2,504,845
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,584,916$1,669,511
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $420,797$573,522
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $2,005,713$2,243,033
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $244,241$261,812
Part VI · Governance 12 of 12 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body12
VI-1b Independent voting members12
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 $2,504,845 across 11 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for −$26,505 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1e Government grants$134,907
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$673,710
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$34,623
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$808,617
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $1,655,166$1,655,166
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $67,567$67,567
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or loss$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assets$0
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $1,722,733 · Excluded from tax −$26,505$2,504,845
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,243,033 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $192,380$192,380
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $947,486 · Management $64,909 · Fundraising $199,199$1,211,594
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $17,670 · Management $33 · Fundraising $1,919$19,622
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $125,521 · Management $5,165 · Fundraising $4,343$135,029
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $90,129 · Management $5,063 · Fundraising $15,694$110,886
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal fees$0
IX-11c Accounting fees$0
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $305,350 · Management $1,312 · Fundraising $65,271$371,933
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $4,169 · Management $228 · Fundraising $1,849$6,246
IX-13 Office expenses$0
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $20,061 · Management $2,757 · Fundraising $6,385$29,203
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $16,027 · Management $2,403 · Fundraising $2,560$20,990
IX-17 TravelPrograms $10,813 · Management $5$10,818
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetings$0
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $9,029 · Fundraising $602$9,631
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $23,928 · Management $7,229 · Fundraising $3,530$34,687
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $36,411 · Management $961 · Fundraising $10,118$47,490
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $36,661 · Management $3,187 · Fundraising $2,676$42,524
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,835,635 · Management $93,252 · Fundraising $314,146$2,243,033
Part X · Balance sheet $1,736,999 assets, 19 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $330,658$475,959
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $720,267$793,683
X-3 Pledges and grants receivable$0
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $406,681$426,102
X-8 Inventories for sale or use$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$0
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $50,886$41,255
X-11 Publicly traded securities$0
X-12 Other securities$0
X-13 Program-related investments$0
X-14 Intangible assets$0
X-15 Other assets$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,508,492$1,736,999
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $173,704$140,399
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $173,704$140,399
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,266,438$1,511,600
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $68,350$85,000
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,334,788$1,596,600
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,508,492$1,736,999
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,596,600 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,504,845
XI-2 Total expenses$2,243,033
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$261,812
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,334,788
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,596,600

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

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