Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Plant It Forward

EIN 27-3967754 · Houston, TX

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood89 out of 100GovernanceGood73 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

To empower refugees to develop sustainable farming businesses that produce fresh healthy food for our community. We operate three key program areas: farmer education, farm services, and enterprise programs.

Income
$1.9 million
Spending
$1.3 million
Spent on programs
85%
Reserves
6.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 50%
Employees
8
Highest pay
$13,892, eco

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 75% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 6.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 29% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 30% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 33% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    85% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 73 out of 100. Higher than 32% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 8 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

    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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 September 30, 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 (2)
  1. $891,410 spent. WE PROVIDE BUSINESS AND AGRICULTURAL TRAINING TO A NETWORK OF OVER 60 GROWERS IN THE HOUSTON REGION. TRAINING INCLUDES INDIVIDUALIZED COACHING, PROVISION OF WORKSHOPS AND DEMONSTRATIONS, AND SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES WHICH ENABLE NETWORK FARMERS TO PARTICIPATE IN STATE-WIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES LIKE CONFERENCES. URBAN FARMING PROGRAM (FORMALLY KNOWN AS FARM SERVICES PROGRAM): WE BELIEVE URBAN FARMS ARE AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF HOUSTONS LANDSCAPE. WE SUPPORT URBAN FARMS BY MANAGING FOUR URBAN SITES, WHICH ARE LEASED TO 8 FARMING ENTITIES. IN ADDITION TO FUNDING SHARED SITE SERVICES AND ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT FOR FARMERS, WE LINK THE COMMUNITY TO THESE FARMS SO THEY CAN EXPERIENCE THEIR FOOD FIRSTHAND AND MEET THEIR FARMERS THROUGH HANDS-ON VOLUNTEER WORK DAYS AND OTHER COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS.
  2. $217,040 spent. THROUGH OUR FOOD AND HUB WE CONNECT FARMERS TO FAIR MARKETS BY FACILITATING SALES THROUGH PIE FARM SHARE (ALSO KNOWN AS COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE /CSA), AND AT LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS. WE SUPPORT FARMERS ENTERPRISES BY PROVIDING MARKETING SUPPORT AND DIRECT MARKETING SERVICES FOR GOODS SOLD THROUGH OUR FOOD HUB. WE ALSO AGGEEGATE AND DISTRIBUTE FARMS PRODUCE TO LOCAL COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THROUGH FOOD ACCESS PARNERS LIKE THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK. IN FY 2023 WE IMPLEMENETED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN THE FOOD HUB SPACE, INCLUDING INSTALLING A WALK-IN COLD STORAGE AND PURCHASES OF OTHER EQUIPMENT, WHICH IS USED BY PIFS FARMERS NETWORK ON A WEEKLY BASIS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

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

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

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since April 2011.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 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.