The Bulb is a direct-service nonprofit advancing equitable, barrier-free access to fresh, nutritious produce through place-based mobile farmers markets in underserved communities. Our markets center around choice and are shaped by collaboration with local farms, grocery partners, and neighborhood leaders-supporting a healthier, more sustainable, and resilient charlotte.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
82¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$61K 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

FY2022 · 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 $143K a year · 13% 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
$61K
to officers and key staff · 12% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 12% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
1 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.3 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $65K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$30K
29% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 29% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
6
of 6 voting members
Looks good: 6 of 6 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$546K
+64% vs prior year
Spent
$506K
To programs
82%
Net assets
$71K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$546K
FY2022▲ +64%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$188K
FY2021$332K
FY2022$546K
FY2023$1.0M
FY2024$1.9M
FY2025$2.4M
Expenses
$506K
FY2022▲ +50%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$156K
FY2021$338K
FY2022$506K
FY2023$970K
FY2024$1.8M
FY2025$1.8M
Net assets
$71K
FY2022▲ +133%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$36K
FY2021$31K
FY2022$71K
FY2023$146K
FY2024$591K
FY2025$1.2M

From the FY2022 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim
You’re viewing the FY2022 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Exemption reinstated (2020-05-15). Per the IRS revocation list. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Mar 2021.

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% · $413K Management & general 14% · $73K Fundraising 4% · $20K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

8 people listed on the 990; $61K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Di
$50,706Pt VII · Sec A
$10,063Pt VII · Sec A
Interim Boar
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Lisa Mathews’s $65K as Executive Di is at the 19th percentile of top reported officer pay among 818 $1–10M 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

NameFY2025FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Lisa Mathews$64,640$30,613———
Annika Wreder$61,040————
Ebonee Bailey—$52,800$50,706$39,375—
India Houston————$18,120
Alisha Street————$13,626
Alisha Pruett——$10,063$413—

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 The Bulb Gallery executive salaries →

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

Provides local produce and health education to food-insecure neighborhoods.

Questions for The Bulb Gallery

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Your first name shows with your question. The Bulb Gallery answers here, for everyone.

1 program · $413K · in their own filed words · FY2022
01

The bulb gallery provides fresh produce that is grown by local farmers, as well as produce rescued from area grocery stores, to food insecure communities in and around charlotte and concord, NC, through donation- based, mobile farmers markets.

$413Kprogram 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 1 funder$65K

By the numbers

The FY2022 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$546K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$529K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$17K
Money outPt IX
$506K
Ln 25
Programscol B$413K
Managementcol C$73K
Fundraisingcol D$20K
Owns and owesPt X
$71K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$54K
Total assetsLn 16$101K
LiabilitiesLn 26$30K
PeoplePt VI, VII
8
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a6
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$529K
Government grantsLn 1e$141K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$17K
Total revenueLn 12$546K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$54K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$54K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$45K
Total assetsLn 16$101K
LiabilitiesLn 26$30K
Net assetsLn 32$71K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 511
VolunteersI 6525
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY22End FY22
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$9K$54K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$37K$45K
Total assetsLn 16$45K$101K
LiabilitiesLn 26$15K$30K
Net assetsLn 32$31K$71K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$61K$37K$18K$6K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$139K$139K
Payroll taxesLn 10$17K$8K$4K$4K
Accounting feesLn 11c$8K$8K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$47K$47K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$431$431
Office expensesLn 13$12K$12K
OccupancyLn 16$26K$26K
TravelLn 17$10K$10K
InterestLn 20$1K$1K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$8K$8K
InsuranceLn 23$20K$5K$12K$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$151K$144K$926$6K
All other expensesLn 24e$8K$4K$3K$1K
Total functional expensesLn 25$506K$413K$73K$20K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 LatestFiled with the IRS May 18, 2026 $2.4M$1.8M$569K$1.2M 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS Aug 19, 2025 $1.9M$1.8M$142K$591K 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Nov 14, 2024 $1.0M$970K$78K$146K 990 PDF
FY2022 ViewingFiled with the IRS Oct 13, 2023 $546K$506K$41K$71K 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Oct 17, 2022 $332K$338K−$6K$31K 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS Nov 10, 2021 $188K$156K$33K$36K 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2022 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $546,470 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $301,554$529,355
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $36,275$17,115
I-10 Investment incomePrior year −$5,625$0
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $332,204$546,470
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $122,821$216,006
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $215,091$289,835
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $337,912$505,841
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$5,708$40,629
Part VI · Governance 6 of 6 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body6
VI-1b Independent voting members6
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $546,470 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$141,165
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$388,190
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$529,355
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $17,115$17,115
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $17,115$546,470
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $505,841 across 14 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $36,710 · Management $18,045 · Fundraising $6,014$60,769
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $138,548$138,548
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $8,345 · Management $4,172 · Fundraising $4,172$16,689
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $7,660$7,660
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $46,582$46,582
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $431$431
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $11,771$11,771
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $25,638$25,638
IX-17 TravelPrograms $10,133$10,133
IX-20 InterestManagement $1,282$1,282
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $7,977$7,977
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $4,794 · Management $12,338 · Fundraising $2,397$19,529
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $144,021 · Management $926 · Fundraising $5,905$150,852
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $3,701 · Management $2,833 · Fundraising $1,446$7,980
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $413,013 · Management $72,894 · Fundraising $19,934$505,841
Part X · Balance sheet $100,816 assets, 9 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $8,522$53,934
X-4 Accounts receivable$1,600
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $36,876$45,282
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $45,398$100,816
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $14,790$29,579
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $14,790$29,579
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $30,608$71,237
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $30,608$71,237
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $45,398$100,816
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $71,237 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$546,470
XI-2 Total expenses$505,841
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$40,629
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$30,608
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$71,237

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2022 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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