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Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association

EIN 01-6048322 · Unity, ME

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood88 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MAINE ORGANIC FARMERS AND GARDENERS ASSOCIATION IS TRANSFORMING OUR FOOD SYSTEM BY SUPPORTING FARMERS, EMPOWERING PEOPLE TO FEED THEIR COMMUNITIES AND ADVOCATING FOR AN ORGANIC FUTURE.

Income
$6.2 million
Spending
$5.8 million
Spent on programs
78%
Reserves
10.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 43%
Employees
66
Volunteers
2,255
Highest pay
$134,348, executive di

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 88 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 10.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 5% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 5% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 5% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    78% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 48% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    15 of 15 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (5)
  1. $932,261 spent. COMMON GROUND COUNTRY FAIR - TO PROMOTE TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES THROUGH EDUCATIONAL TALKS, PANEL DISCUSSIONS, AND DEMONSTRATIONS AS WELL AS A MULTITUDE OF FOOD, CRAFT AND SERVICE VENDORS. SERVES APPROXIMATELY 65,000 CLIENTS OVER THREE DAYS.
  2. $1.3 million spent. FARMER PROGRAMS - TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SPECIFIC TO ORGANIC FARMING AND GARDENING. PROVIDE MARKETING ASSISTANCE TO GROWERS AND PROCESSORS. ASSIST EXPERIENCED GROWERS AND PROCESSORS, HELP NEW ORGANIC FARMERS START, EDUCATE CONVENTIONAL FARMERS CONCERNING THE BENEFITS OF ORGANIC METHODS. SERVES APPROXIMATELY 4,500 CLIENTS.
  3. $1.1 million spent. CERTIFICATION PROGRAM - ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S OLDEST CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS. ACCREDITED BY THE USDA IN 2003, MOFGA CERTIFICATION SERVICES, LLC (MCS LLC) CERTIFIES CROPS, WILDCROPS, LIVESTOCK, LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS, AS WELL AS PROCESSED AND HANDLED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS TO THE USDA NATIONAL ORGANIC STANDARDS. IN 2024, MCS LLC CERTIFIED 537 ORGANIC OPERATIONS. CERTIFIED CLEAN CANNABIS BY MOFGA CERTIFICATION SERVICES, LLC(MC3)(FORMALIZED IN 2017) OFFERS A VERIFIED MARKETING CLAIM OF GROWING PRACTICES THAT MIRRORS THE NATIONAL ORGANIC PROGRAM. THIS IS MOFGA'S PROGRAM, ADMINISTERED BY MCS, AND DOES NOT FALL UNDER FEDERAL ORGANIC ACCREDITATION. AS OF 2024 YEAR-END, CERTIFIED 10 OPERATIONS.
  4. $1.3 million spent. COMMUNITY EDUCATION - TO EDUCATE THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON ORGANIC FARMING, GARDENING AND ORCHARDING METHODS, AS WELL AS LOW IMPACT FORESTRY. COMMUNICATIONS & OUTREACH - PERIODICALS & PUBLICATIONS ARE PRODUCED FOR MEMBERS & THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE ENVIRONMENTAL, NUTRITIONAL, AND RURAL VALUES; APPROXIMATELY 6,300 MEMBERS SERVED WITH PUBLICATION BY MOFGA. MAINE HERITAGE ORCHARD - THE MAINE HERITAGE ORCHARD IS A TEN-ACRE PRESERVATION ORCHARD ON THE MOFGA GROUNDS IN UNITY. IT IS CURRENTLY HOME TO MORE THAN 400 APPLE AND PEAR VARIETIES TRADITIONALLY GROWN IN MAINE. MORE ARE BEING PLANTED EACH YEAR. MANY OF THESE VARIETIES ARE NOW ON THE VERGE OF EXTINCTION. THE ORCHARD IS PLANTED ON A TERRACED, RECLAIMED GRAVEL PIT AND IS MANAGED USING INNOVATIVE, ORGANIC ORCHARD PRACTICES. PUBLIC POLICY - REVIEWS EXISTING AND PROPOSED LEGISLATION AND REGULATIONS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO THE PURPOSE OF MOFGA. IT MAY PROPOSE AND SUPPORT LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY PROPOSALS AS APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. EL SALVADOR SISTERING - PROMOTES SOLIDARITY AMONG SMALL FARMERS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS IN MAINE AND EL SALVADOR, FOCUSING ON ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION THROUGH SUSTAINABLE, ORGANIC AGRICULTURE AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES.
  5. COMMUNITY EDUCATION - TO EDUCATE THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON ORGANIC FARMING, GARDENING AND ORCHARDING METHODS, AS WELL AS LOW IMPACT FORESTRY. COMMUNICATIONS & OUTREACH - PERIODICALS & PUBLICATIONS ARE PRODUCED FOR MEMBERS & THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE ENVIRONMENTAL, NUTRITIONAL, AND RURAL VALUES; APPROXIMATELY 6,300 MEMBERS SERVED WITH PUBLICATION BY MOFGA. MAINE HERITAGE ORCHARD - THE MAINE HERITAGE ORCHARD IS A TEN-ACRE PRESERVATION ORCHARD ON THE MOFGA GROUNDS IN UNITY. IT IS CURRENTLY HOME TO MORE THAN 400 APPLE AND PEAR VARIETIES TRADITIONALLY GROWN IN MAINE. MORE ARE BEING PLANTED EACH YEAR. MANY OF THESE VARIETIES ARE NOW ON THE VERGE OF EXTINCTION. THE ORCHARD IS PLANTED ON A TERRACED, RECLAIMED GRAVEL PIT AND IS MANAGED USING INNOVATIVE, ORGANIC ORCHARD PRACTICES. PUBLIC POLICY - REVIEWS EXISTING AND PROPOSED LEGISLATION AND REGULATIONS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO THE PURPOSE OF MOFGA. IT MAY PROPOSE AND SUPPORT LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY PROPOSALS AS APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. EL SALVADOR SISTERING - PROMOTES SOLIDARITY AMONG SMALL FARMERS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS IN MAINE AND EL SALVADOR, FOCUSING ON ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION THROUGH SUSTAINABLE, ORGANIC AGRICULTURE AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since August 1979.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.