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Gardens Edge

EIN 26-0645372 · Albuquerque, NM

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood80 out of 100GovernanceStrong92 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

The Gardens Edge supports sustainable agriculture, micro-enterprise, and education in rural communities in order to revitalize cultural knowledge and improve economic well-being.

Income
$122,996
Spending
$164,071
Spent on programs
93%
Reserves
48.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 81%
Employees
1
Volunteers
5
Highest pay
$16,800, executive dir.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 80 out of 100. Higher than 55% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 48.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 33% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 8% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    93% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 92 out of 100. Higher than 90% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    3 of 3 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a 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.

  • 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, 2025, 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 (8)
  1. $77,176 spent. Traditional Medicine: This program helps train and support Maya women to learn traditional healing with medicinal plants, midwifery, and other healing modalities to offer holistic approaches to maternal health, emotional wellbeing, and other health issues. Serves 100
  2. $52,531 spent. Qachuu Aloom works with 500 Mayan families in Guatemala. Our grant goes to support gardening, seed saving, nutrition, and maternal health services and workshops, including home visits to these families. The 500 families live in 24 different villages, and each family receives workshops and home visits from Qachuu Alooms field team, as well as access to other special educational workshops and help marketing their crop and seed surplus. Mothers and their children in our maternal health project receive monthly cooking and gardening classes. Serving 500 families.
  3. $8,037 spent. Sand Dam: This project is building two Sand Dams to their second stage, to bring water to 525 Mayan families in Guatemala. We are also doing continued reforestation on hillsides around the dam. Serves 525 households.
  4. $7,098 spent. Seed Travels Project: The project is an exchange between farmers from Guatemala, NM, and California. We plant Amaranth seeds with partner gardens and host events at the gardens throughout the growing season. This year we had 2 gardens with an average of 30 people at each event.
  5. $5,466 spent. Farmer to Farmer: Mayan farmers visited New Mexico and California to share their stores with churches, community groups and other farmers. This visit is cross-cultural learning experiences that benefit the Mayan visitors as well as the US hosts, and people who attend workshops and talks. Serving 500.
  6. $1,191 spent. J Agricultural program - This program offers opportunities for residents of Albuquerque to participate in gardening events throughout the season. The community is invited to learn to plant , water with traditional acequia systems and harvest at the end of the season. Serves 80.
  7. $600 spent. Ancestral Skills workshops provide opportunities for youth and their families to learn ancestral skills from elders. We facilitate workshops in a variety of skills such as pottery, basket making, fiber arts, archery, and woodworking. Students learn skills that are often at risk of disappearing. These experiences help deepen our relationships to the plants around us by learning we can create and transform them into tools, medicines containers and clothes. Serves 40.
  8. Education - This program offers educational opportunities to Mayan students who would not otherwise have the opportunity to continue their study. Specifically focuses on opportunities like, cultural preservation, native language, organizational development. Serves 15.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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 2025.

    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 October 2007.

    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.