Tilth Alliance EIN 94-3261971

Tilth Alliance

EIN  94-3261971 Public charity (501(c)(3)) Seattle, WA
Form 990 (PDF) Compare with another nonprofit →
Verified accurate 8/24/26 · see original filing: IRS
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Size
$1–10M
What they do
Promotes a sustainable, equitable food system in Washington by supporting local farmers and providing low-income communities with access to fresh, locally grown food.
Leadership
Melissa Spear · Executive Di · $121K
Money in and out
$4.7M revenue, $5.2M expenses
Bottom line
82% program efficiency

Promotes a sustainable, equitable food system in Washington by supporting local farmers and providing low-income communities with access to fresh, locally grown food. For fiscal year 2024 it reported $4.7M in revenue, $5.2M in expenses, and $726K in net assets.Pt I

Where the money goes · FY2024
Total revenue
$4.7M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$5.2M
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$726K
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expenses (Pt I · Ln 19): −$428K
Where spending went · Part IX cols B–D
Program services $0.82 Management & general $0.13 Fundraising $0.05
Program efficiency
82%
of spending reaches programs▲ +2% vs prior filing year
Operating runway
0.3mo
months of highly liquid reserves at operating expense rate▼ -82% vs prior filing year
Surplus margin
-9%
revenue over expenses, this year▲ +27% vs prior filing year

Summary of the Filing

Part I · fiscal year 2024 · Form 990
Revenue
$4.7M
FY2024▲ +9%
Expenses
$5.2M
FY2024▲ +6%
Total assets
$1.2M
FY2024▼ -30%
Total liabilities
$493K
FY2024▼ -16%
Total revenue
$4.7M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$5.2M
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$726K
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expensesPt I · Ln 19−$428K
Total assetsPt X · Ln 16$1.2M
Program-expense ratioPt IX · col B82%
Voting members of governing bodyPt I · Ln 315
Independent voting membersPt I · Ln 415
Mission & Programs · Part III

Where the work happens

3 program services account for $2.3M of program spending, described in the organization's 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

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Identity & Classification

Form 990 Header · IRS Business Master File
Legal nameHdr · item CTilth Alliance
EINHdr · item D94-3261971
Principal addressHdr · item CSeattle, WA
WebsiteHdr · item Jnone reported
Year of formationHdr · item Lpending
State of legal domicileHdr · item MWA
Exempt statusHdr · item I501(c)(3) · active
NTEE classificationIRS BMFEnvironment (C400)
Ruling yearIRS BMFMay 1997

Governance & Policies

Part VI
Voting members of the governing bodyPt VI · Ln 1a15
Independent voting membersPt VI · Ln 1b15
Conflict-of-interest policyPt VI · Ln 12aYes
Whistleblower policyPt VI · Ln 13Yes
Document retention policyPt VI · Ln 14Yes
CEO/top-official compensation independently reviewedPt VI · Ln 15aYes
Family or business relationships among officers/directorsPt VI · Ln 2No

Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Di
$120,711Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Melissa Spear’s $121K as Executive Di is at the 45th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1843 $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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Melissa Spear$120,711$117,718$114,647
Melissa Spear$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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Statement of Revenue

Part VIII
Contributions & grants$4.1M · 86%
Program service revenue$421K · 9%
Other revenue$219K · 5%
Contributions & grants86%$4.1M
Program service revenue9%$421K
Other revenue5%$219K
Investment income$16K
— government grantsLn 1e$2.6M
Total revenueLn 12$4.7M

Statement of Functional Expenses

Part IX · allocated across program, management, and fundraising
Allocation · columns B–D
Program services $0.82 Management & general $0.13 Fundraising $0.05
Program services82%$4.2M
Management & general13%$660K
Fundraising5%$283K
Total functional expensesLn 25$5.2M

Balance Sheet

Part X · end of year
CashLn 1$148K
Total assetsLn 16$1.2M
Total liabilitiesLn 26$493K
Total net assetsLn 32$726K
Months of cash on handcomputed0.3

Financial Metrics

Form 990 · FY2024 · each ratio shown with the dollars behind it
Liquidity & Payout
Operating runway
Highly liquid reserves $148K · Operating expenses (Pt IX) $5.2M · Less non-cash grants $61K · Cash operating expenses/yr $5.1M
0.3 months
Where the money goes
Program services
Program services $4.2M · Total expenses $5.2M
82%
Management & General
Management & general $660K · Total expenses $5.2M
13%
Fundraising
Fundraising $283K · Total expenses $5.2M
5%
Cost to raise $1
Fundraising expense (3-yr avg) $321K · Solicited contributions (3-yr avg) $1.3M
$0.25 to raise $1 (3-yr avg)
Where the money comes from
Contribution dependence
Contributions & grants $4.1M · Total revenue $4.7M
86%
Government reliance
Government grants $2.6M · Total revenue $4.7M
55%
Earned-income share
Program service revenue $421K · Total revenue $4.7M
9%
Investment reliance
Investment income $16K · Total revenue $4.7M
0%
Program self-sufficiency
Program service revenue $421K · Total expenses $5.2M
8%
Growth & trend
Revenue growth (YoY)
This year $4.7M · Prior year $4.4M
+9%
Revenue CAGR
FY2020 $3.8M · FY2024 $4.7M
+6%
Net-asset trend (YoY)
End of year $726K · Beginning of year —
Beginning net assets not meaningfully positive — showing dollar change
Balance sheet
Surplus Margin
Revenue $4.7M · Expenses $5.2M
-9%
Liabilities-to-Assets
Total liabilities — · Total assets $1.2M
Net-asset ratio
Net assets $726K · Total assets $1.2M
60%
Marketable Investment Share
Publicly traded securities (Pt X, ln 11) — · Other securities (Pt X, ln 12) — · Total assets (Pt X, ln 16) $1.2M
Excludes program-related investments (Pt X, ln 13)
People & payroll
Highest Reported Total Compensation
Individual Melissa Spear · Reported title EXECUTIVE DI · Highest reported compensation $121K · Total expenses $5.2M
2%
Personnel share
Salaries, benefits & payroll (Pt IX 5-10) $2.9M · Total expenses $5.2M
56%
Peer comparison

Same NTEE category, revenue band, and state where available. Descriptive — not a grade.

MetricThis orgPeer medianPercentile
Program ratio 82%
Overhead ratio 13%
Fundraising cost ratio 7%
Revenue growth 9%
Accounting fee ratio 0%

Straight from the Form 990 — descriptive, not an evaluation. A ratio is hidden when its base is zero or too small to be meaningful; the dollars are always shown.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
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
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 →

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Filings & Schedule Manifest

Part IV
III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
FY2024 (Latest)$4.7M revenue · viewing · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2023$4.4M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2022$4.7M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2021$3.5M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2020$3.8M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF

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Sources

Every figure above is drawn from these filings
Form 990 e-file (XML) · FY2024IRS
Classification, formation year, addressIRS Business Master File
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