Tilth Alliance: Nonprofit Profile, Financials & Form 990 (EIN 94-3261971)

Melissa Spear’s $121K as Executive Di is at the 45th 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 · 1 named individual · Part VII

Name	FY2024	FY2023	FY2022	FY2021	FY2020
Melissa Spear	$120,711	$117,718	$114,647	$113,613	$114,314

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

Promotes a sustainable, equitable food system in Washington by supporting local farmers and providing low-income communities with access to fresh, locally grown food.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $2.3M · in their own filed words · FY2024

01

Farm and Agriculture Programs

Supports small to midsize farmers and diversified crop agriculture throughout washington with a focus on promoting sustainable agricultural practices. Activities include an annual conference, farm walks and a farmer podcast, and eat local first, a program to connect consumers directly to local farms and grow demand for local food.

$1.2Mprogram expense

02

Community Programs

Provides adult classes and engage the community in organic gardening, food preservation, composting, waste management, and environmental stewardship. Manage and maintain two learning gardens where programmatic, educational and community engagement activities take place.

$601Kprogram expense

03

Market Programs

Provides access to sustainably locally grown food to low income communities. Operates the farm stand at rbufw.

$464Kprogram expense

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 · FY2024

Donor Advised Charitable Giving INCFY2024$64K

Kaphan FoundationFY2024$53K

The Seattle FoundationFY2024$51K

Madrono FoundationFY2024$50K

Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift FundFY2024$31K

Seattle Parks FoundationFY2024$28K

Forterra NwFY2024$26K

PatagoniaorgFY2024$20K

Total grants receivedfrom 21 funders$414K

See all 21 funders →

Grants paid · 154 grants · $1.8M · 2020–2024

Gustavsen & Co LLCFY2024$29,265

Yang FarmFY2024$10,000

Willow Brook FarmFY2024$10,000

Vashon Peony CoFY2024$10,000

United Territories of Pacific Islanders Washington-Utopia WAWA · FY2024$10,000

Spotted Frog FarmFY2024$10,000

Social Good Fund INCCA · FY2024$10,000

Rabbit Fields FarmFY2024$10,000

Old Brick FarmFY2024$10,000

Ola Aina FarmsFY2024$10,000

North Star FarmFY2024$10,000

Maverick FarmFY2024$10,000

Lovgren DairyFY2024$10,000

Kezama FarmFY2024$10,000

Jembe FarmFY2024$10,000

Hop Frog FarmFY2024$10,000

Hogstead FarmFY2024$10,000

Hillcrest FarmFY2024$10,000

See all 154 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

Download 990

from philanthropy.org

1The main four

Money inPt VIII

$4.7M

Ln 12

Gifts and grantsLn 1h$4.1M

Fees for servicesLn 2g$421K

Other incomeLn 4–11$219K

Money outPt IX

$5.2M

Ln 25

Programscol B$4.2M

Managementcol C$660K

Fundraisingcol D$283K

Owns and owesPt X

$726K

net assets · Ln 32

Cash and savingsLn 1–2$148K

Total assetsLn 16$1.2M

LiabilitiesLn 26$493K

PeoplePt VI, VII

16

listed · VII A

PaidVII A1

Voting boardVI 1a15

IndependentVI 1b15

2In more detail

Revenue in detailPt VIII

Gifts and grantsLn 1h$4.1M

Government grantsLn 1e$2.6M

Noncash giftsLn 1g$61K

Fees for servicesLn 2g$421K

Investment incomeLn 3$16K

Other incomeLn 4–11$219K

Total revenueLn 12$4.7M

Assets in detailPt X, end of year

CashLn 1$5K

SavingsLn 2$143K

Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$148K

Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$164K

Other assetsLn 15$283K

Total assetsLn 16$1.2M

LiabilitiesLn 26$493K

Net assetsLn 32$726K

OperationsPt I, VI

EmployeesI 551

VolunteersI 6374

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

Line	Start FY24	End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2	$698K	$148K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c	$134K	$164K
Total assetsLn 16	$1.7M	$1.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26	$590K	$493K
Net assetsLn 32	$1.2M	$726K

4Every line

Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line

Line	Total	Programs	Management	Fundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1	$579K	$579K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5	$121K	$12K	$78K	$30K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7	$2.3M	$1.9M	$218K	$185K
Other employee benefitsLn 9	$234K	$188K	$32K	$14K
Payroll taxesLn 10	$218K	$174K	$24K	$20K
Accounting feesLn 11c	$24K		$24K
Lobbying feesLn 11d	$66K	$66K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g	$712K	$664K	$39K	$10K
Advertising and promotionLn 12	$7K	$5K	$240	$1K
Office expensesLn 13	$33K	$15K	$2K	$17K
Information technologyLn 14	$54K	$35K	$18K	$945
OccupancyLn 16	$153K	$58K	$95K
TravelLn 17	$31K	$30K	$808	$123
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19	$14K	$13K	$500
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22	$38K		$38K
InsuranceLn 23	$34K		$34K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24	$536K	$483K	$47K	$5K
All other expensesLn 24e	$11K	$129	$10K	$233
Total functional expensesLn 25	$5.2M	$4.2M	$660K	$283K

Filing history

Year	Money in	Money out	In minus out	Net assets	Download
FY2024 Latest Viewing	$4.7M	$5.2M	−$428K	$726K	990 PDF
FY2023	$4.4M	$4.9M	−$541K	$1.2M	990 PDF
FY2022	$4.7M	$3.9M	$792K	$1.7M	990 PDF
FY2021	$3.5M	$3.5M	−$83K	$904K	990 PDF
FY2020	$3.8M	$3.5M	$274K	$987K	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 FY2024 990 (6 parts)

Part I · Summary $4,749,808 revenue, 12 lines filed

I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $3,707,575$4,092,795

I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $357,766$421,349

I-10 Investment incomePrior year $29,511$16,217

I-11 Other revenuePrior year $268,321$219,447

I-12 Total revenuePrior year $4,363,173$4,749,808

I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $492,993$579,461

I-14 Benefits paid to members$0

I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $2,710,810$2,887,621

I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0

I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,700,435$1,710,834

I-18 Total expensesPrior year $4,904,238$5,177,916

I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$541,065−$428,108

Part VI · Governance 15 of 15 board members independent, no flags

VI-1a Voting members of the governing body15

VI-1b Independent voting members15

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 $4,749,808 across 9 lines filed

Lines not itemized here account for $217,460 of total revenue; see the IRS return.

VIII-1b Membership dues$5,977

VIII-1e Government grants$2,634,867

VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,451,951

VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$60,556

VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$4,092,795

VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $421,349$421,349

VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $16,217$16,217

VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $1,987$1,987

VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $638,809 · Excluded from tax $18,204$4,749,808

Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $5,177,916 across 18 lines filed

IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $579,461$579,461

IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $12,071 · Management $78,462 · Fundraising $30,178$120,711

IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,912,316 · Management $217,842 · Fundraising $184,821$2,314,979

IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $188,422 · Management $31,519 · Fundraising $14,257$234,198

IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $174,303 · Management $23,751 · Fundraising $19,679$217,733

IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $23,925$23,925

IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $65,999$65,999

IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $663,782 · Management $39,028 · Fundraising $9,614$712,424

IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $4,888 · Management $240 · Fundraising $1,422$6,550

IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $14,625 · Management $1,570 · Fundraising $16,675$32,870

IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $34,689 · Management $18,159 · Fundraising $945$53,793

IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $57,591 · Management $94,920$152,511

IX-17 TravelPrograms $30,222 · Management $808 · Fundraising $123$31,153

IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $13,118 · Management $500$13,618

IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $37,838$37,838

IX-23 InsuranceManagement $33,830$33,830

IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $483,065 · Management $47,125 · Fundraising $5,449$535,639

IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $129 · Management $10,322 · Fundraising $233$10,684

IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $4,234,681 · Management $659,839 · Fundraising $283,396$5,177,916

Part X · Balance sheet $1,219,615 assets, 16 lines filed

X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $248,017$4,810

X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $450,175$142,873

X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $510,986$595,152

X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $30,668$21,077

X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$8,781

X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $133,611$164,046

X-15 Other assetsStart of year $370,999$282,876

X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,744,456$1,219,615

X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $212,092$180,167

X-19 Deferred revenue$20,728

X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $378,116$292,580

X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $590,208$493,475

X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $857,484$499,432

X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $296,764$226,708

X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,154,248$726,140

X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,744,456$1,219,615

Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $726,140 net assets at year end

XI-1 Total revenue$4,749,808

XI-2 Total expenses$5,177,916

XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$428,108

XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,154,248

XI-10 Net assets at end of year$726,140

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

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