Homeless Garden Project

Analysis

Homeless Garden Project is a registered charity in United States, based in Santa Cruz, CA. It received its IRS tax-exemption ruling in April 1998, 28 years ago. Its declared purposes cover human services, which this site groups under poverty relief. The IRS classifies it as a publicly supported organisation (donations from the general public) under section 501(c)(3), and contributions to it are listed as tax-deductible.

In the financial year ending December 2023, Homeless Garden Project reported income of $1.5m and spending of $1.6m, spending 112% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2019 to December 2023, income fell from $3.0m to $1.5m (-51%), an average of -16% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2020, when income dropped by 60%. Over the whole period it spent 69% of the income it received.

Among 62,758 United States charities whose main cause is poverty relief and that reported income, Homeless Garden Project sits at the 80th percentile: it is larger than about 80% of them. Against every charity in United States with reported income it ranks in the 83rd percentile, and in the 84th percentile within CA. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Flatwater Foundation ($1.5m), Kids Klub Inc ($1.5m) and Culture of Life Family Services ($1.5m).

On its Form 990 for the period ending December 2023, revenue came from contributions and grants 60% of the total. Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees was $111k (6.8% of expenses). Other salaries and wages came to $998k. At year end it held assets of $4.2m against liabilities of $170k, net assets of $4.1m. It reported 84 employees.