Growing Gardens

Tax-deductible

Portland, OR501(c)(3)Human ServicesEIN 93-1213728

Growing gardens uses the experience of growing food in schools, backyards and correctional facilities to cultivate healthy, equitable communities.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
82¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 200 volunteers and 37 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2024 · 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
5 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $210K a year · 11% of revenue · last 5 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 5 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 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
$153K
to officers and key staff · 6% of spending
Top officer’s pay lower than 63% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 6% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
8 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 8.0 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $11K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$805K
34% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 34% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
13
of 15 voting members
Looks good: 13 of 15 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$2.4M
+13% vs prior year
Spent
$2.4M
To programs
82%
Net assets
$1.5M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$2.4M
FY2024▲ +13%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$966K
FY2021$1.6M
FY2022$2.2M
FY2023$2.1M
FY2024$2.4M
Expenses
$2.4M
FY2024▲ +14%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$937K
FY2021$1.3M
FY2022$1.6M
FY2023$2.1M
FY2024$2.4M
Net assets
$1.5M
FY2024▲ +2%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$501K
FY2021$838K
FY2022$1.5M
FY2023$1.5M
FY2024$1.5M

From the FY2024 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Jan 1997.

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% · $1.9M Management & general 8% · $194K Fundraising 10% · $227K

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

Who runs it and what they're paid

16 people listed on the 990; $153K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Dir.
$101,625Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$42,236Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$9,340Pt VII · Sec A
Co-Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Co-Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Jason Skipton’s $102K as Executive Dir. is at the 37th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3869 $1–10M human services 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

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Jason Skipton$101,625$93,176$87,038$78,459$76,654
Thuy Pham$42,236————
Shireen Duke$9,340$7,664———

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

Programs and updates

Cultivates healthy, equitable communities by growing food in schools, backyards, and correctional facilities.

Provided by the organization

This section is blank until Growing Gardens claims this page.

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3 program services account for $1.8M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2024.
01

Youth Grow

This program empowers PRE-K-12 students to explore nature, culture, and food through hands-on stem-aligned classes, after school clubs focused on food justice and healthy cooking, and a high school internship in gardening, food systems, and leadership development.

$866Kprogram expense
02

Home Gardens

Since growing gardens inception in 1996, this program has supported nearly 2,000 families to start home gardens, supporting fresh food access for over 1,000 adults and children annually. We partner with individuals, families, hospitals and affordable housing developments to build backyard organic gardens and provide three years of free…

$729Kprogram expense
03

Lettuce Grow

This program provides educational classes and gardening experiences to adults and juveniles who are incarcerated across the state of oregon. Through hands-on production in prison gardens and classes that provide horticultural credentials, and post-release job connections, we provide incarcerated adults and youth with workforce…

$248Kprogram expense

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Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$11K
Grants paid · 4 grants · $111K · 2023–2024
Outgrowing HungerOR · FY2024$34,881
Friends of Zenger FarmOR · FY2024$33,044
Outgrowing HungerOR · FY2023$34,364
Friends of Zenger FarmOR · FY2023$8,261

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$2.4M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.4M
Investment incomeLn 3$41K
Money outPt IX
$2.4M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.9M
Managementcol C$194K
Fundraisingcol D$227K
Owns and owesPt X
$1.5M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.6M
Total assetsLn 16$2.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$805K
PeoplePt VI, VII
16
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a15
IndependentVI 1b13
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.4M
Government grantsLn 1e$854K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$45K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$40K
Investment incomeLn 3$41K
Gains on assetsLn 7$0
Total revenueLn 12$2.4M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$868K
SavingsLn 2$708K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.6M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$305K
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$2.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$805K
Net assetsLn 32$1.5M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 537
VolunteersI 6200
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.1M$1.6M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$3K$305K
Total assetsLn 16$1.8M$2.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$260K$805K
Net assetsLn 32$1.5M$1.5M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$86K$86K
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$161K$89K$32K$40K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.3M$1.1M$63K$101K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$26K$23K$1K$2K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$140K$119K$8K$13K
Payroll taxesLn 10$166K$144K$9K$13K
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$102K$33K$63K$7K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$0
Office expensesLn 13$29K$8K$10K$11K
Information technologyLn 14$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$40K$500$40K
TravelLn 17$38K$37K$818$311
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$15K$3K$12K
InsuranceLn 23$9K$412$9K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$253K$208K$11K$34K
All other expensesLn 24e$2K$61K−$65K$5K
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.4M$1.9M$194K$227K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $2.4M$2.4M$37K$1.5M 990 PDF
FY2023 $2.1M$2.1M$51K$1.5M 990 PDF
FY2022 $2.2M$1.6M$597K$1.5M 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.6M$1.3M$337K$838K 990 PDF
FY2020 $966K$937K$29K$501K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2024 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $2,399,776 across 12 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$39,828
VIII-1e Government grants$853,850
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,476,146
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$44,836
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$2,369,824
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $40,623$40,623
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 eventsExcluded from tax −$19,506−$19,506
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $8,835$8,835
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $8,835 · Excluded from tax $21,117$2,399,776
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,362,915 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $85,670$85,670
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 $88,805 · Management $32,293 · Fundraising $40,366$161,464
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,131,144 · Management $62,990 · Fundraising $101,252$1,295,386
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $22,640 · Management $1,424 · Fundraising $2,220$26,284
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $119,268 · Management $8,206 · Fundraising $12,530$140,004
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $143,931 · Management $8,654 · Fundraising $13,203$165,788
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal fees$0
IX-11c Accounting fees$0
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11e Professional fundraising fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $32,595 · Management $62,596 · Fundraising $6,715$101,906
IX-12 Advertising and promotion$0
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $8,049 · Management $9,771 · Fundraising $11,293$29,113
IX-14 Information technology$0
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $500 · Management $39,852$40,352
IX-17 TravelPrograms $36,557 · Management $818 · Fundraising $311$37,686
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 $2,642 · Management $11,881$14,523
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $412 · Management $9,044$9,456
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $208,385 · Management $11,110 · Fundraising $33,933$253,428
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $61,453 · Management −$65,027 · Fundraising $5,429$1,855
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,942,051 · Management $193,612 · Fundraising $227,252$2,362,915
Part X · Balance sheet $2,347,179 assets, 20 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $309,828$868,242
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $795,321$708,436
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $652,135$450,514
X-4 Accounts receivable$0
X-8 Inventories for sale or use$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $5,017$14,954
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $3,288$305,033
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 $1,765,589$2,347,179
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $89,938$91,031
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $170,005$713,641
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $259,943$804,672
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $982,684$1,360,887
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $522,962$181,620
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,505,646$1,542,507
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,765,589$2,347,179
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,542,507 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,399,776
XI-2 Total expenses$2,362,915
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$36,861
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,505,646
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,542,507

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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