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CHARITY REVIEW
Issued: October 2025 Expires: October 2027

Growing Gardens of Boulder County

Accredited Charity
Accredited Charity

Meets Standards
(303) 443-9952
1630 Hawthorn Avenue
Boulder, CO, 80304
https://growinggardens.org
📄 Full Report 🖨️ Print 📋 BBB Charity Standards

Standards For Charity Accountability

Governance

  1. Board Oversight
  2. Board Size
  3. Board Meetings
  4. Board Compensation
  5. Conflict of Interest

Measuring Effectiveness

  1. Effectiveness Policy
  2. Effectiveness Report

Finances

  1. Program Expenses
  2. Fundraising Expenses
  3. Accumulating Funds
  4. Audit Report
  5. Detailed Expense Breakdown
  6. Accurate Expense Reporting
  7. Budget Plan

Fundraising & Info

  1. Truthful Materials
  2. Annual Report
  3. Website Disclosures
  4. Donor Privacy
  5. Cause Marketing Disclosures
  6. Complaints

Growing Gardens of Boulder County meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Stated Purpose:
"to enrich the lives of our community through sustainable urban agriculture that empowers people to experience a direct and deep connection with plants, the land, and each other."

Year, State Incorporated:
1998, CO

Growing Gardens of Boulder County (GGBC) reports that it stewards three farms and seven community gardens across Boulder County. The organization uses regenerative agriculture practices to increase plant diversity, soil health, integrate livestock, and improve climate resilience. GGBC’s Cultiva Youth Project is a leadership program for youth ages 14-18, where participants manage an urban organic farm, grow produce for the local community, and develop leadership, teamwork, and job skills. The Children's Peace Garden facilitates school field trips and class visits, an after school garden club, family cooking classes, and a week-long summer camp for children ages 5-11. GGBC offers a range of classes for adults and families focused on various aspects of agriculture and horticulture, such as garden planning and design, composting, honeybees, goats, seed legacy, cooking, and more. The organization’s Food Project aims to promote food security and reduce health disparities by increasing access to fresh foods, seeds, plant starts, and gardening education and resources for low-income community members.

For the year ended December 31, 2024, Growing Gardens of Boulder County's program expenses were:

Program services $892,625
Children's Peace Garden $626,083
Total Program Expenses $1,518,708

Chief Executive
Vanessa Keeley, Executive Director

Compensation*
$128,493

Chair of the Board
Marcia Greenblatt, PhD

Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
Managing Principal, Business Director, Investigation and Remediation, Integral Consulting

Board Size
13

Paid Staff Size
17

*2023 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.

Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Grant proposals, Internet, Direct mail appeals, Planned giving arrangements, Print advertisements (newspapers, magazines, etc.), Radio, Cause-related marketing (affinity credit cards, consumer product sales, etc.), Television

Fundraising costs were 5% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $1,659,271, are donations received as a result of fundraising activities.)

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.

The following information is based on Growing Gardens of Boulder County's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2024.

Source of Funds
Classes and other program fees $398,629
Foundations $379,450
Government $330,665
Plant sales, Community Supported Agriculture $319,693
Contributions $223,731
Special events, net $150,761
Corporations $82,177
Solar rebates and reimbursements $33,912
Scientific and Cultural Facilities District $31,348
Rental income $21,957
In-kind contributions $18,596
Other income $7,250
Interest income $3,539
Total Income $2,001,708

Programs: 83% Fundraising: 5% Administrative: 13%

Total Income $2,001,708
Total expenses: $1,839,719
  Program expenses $1,518,708
  Fundraising expenses $88,229
  Administrative expenses $232,782
  Other expenses $0
Income in Excess of Expenses $161,989
Beginning Net Assets $1,975,742
Other Changes In Net Assets $0
Ending Net Assets $2,137,731
Total Liabilities $199,437
Total Assets $2,337,168

Note: According to the organization's 2024 audited financial statements, GGBC received in-kind contributions totaling $18,596 in the form of advertising ($7,791), beer and wine ($4,046), a donated vehicle ($3,644), and supplies ($3,115).

An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the International Association of Better Business Bureaus.

This report is not to be used for fundraising or promotional purposes.

RELATED CONTENT

Report completed by:
BBB Wise Giving Alliance