Cultivating Place Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
TO ELEVATE AND EXPAND THE WAY OUR WORLD THINKS & TALKS ABOUT GARDENING AND GARDENERS THROUGH PUBLIC RADIO PROGRAMS, PODCASTS, BOOKS, OTHER WRITING, PUBLIC SPEAKING, FILM DOCUMENTARY SERIES, AND PUBLIC EDUCATIONAL EVENTS, IN ORDER TO GROW A WORLD WHERE GARDENERS/STEWARDS/GROWERS AND GARDENS/CULTIVATED PLACES ARE VALUED AS POWERFUL INTERSECTIONAL AGENTS AND SPACES OF POSITIVE GROWTH AND CHANGE IN OUR WORLD.
- Income
- $250,786
- Spending
- $251,288
- Spent on programs
- 93%
- Reserves
- 0 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 94%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $39,996, executve director
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
Weak: 32 out of 100. Higher than 5% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover -0.0 months of spending.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 103% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 0% of income.
Spending floor
15 of 1593% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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
Fair: 66 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 6 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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 (3)
- $164,343 spent. CULTIVATING PLACE FILMS: IN 2027, CULTIVATING PLACE IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR PRESENTING PBS STATION, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA PUBLIC MEDIA, WILL ROLL OUT OUR FIRST SEASON OF A TOTAL OF THREE PROPOSED SEASONS OF THE POWER OF GARDENERS: A 10-EPISODE PUBLIC TELEVISION DOCUMENTARY SERIES THAT REIMAGINES THE ROLE OF GARDENERS IN OUR WORLD. THROUGH INTIMATE STORIES AND LANDSCAPES, THE SERIES SHOWS HOW EVERYDAY ACTS OF TENDING CAN RESTORE, CONNECT, AND TRANSFORM.
- $54,018 spent. CULTIVATING PLACE PODCAST: CONVERSATIONS ON NATURAL HISTORY AND THE HUMAN IMPULSE TO GARDEN IS A WEEKLY PUBLIC RADIO PROGRAM & PODCAST EXPLORING WHAT WE MEAN WHEN WE GARDEN. THROUGH THOUGHTFUL CONVERSATIONS WITH GROWERS, GARDENERS, NATURALISTS, SCIENTISTS, ARTISTS, AND THINKERS, CULTIVATING PLACE ILLUSTRATES THE MANY WAYS IN WHICH GARDENS ARE INTEGRAL TO OUR NATURAL AND CULTURAL LITERACY.
- $16,264 spent. CULTIVATING PLACE COMMUNITY ADVOCACY: THROUGH UP TO 30 IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL SPEAKING EVENTS TO AUDIENCES AROUND THE U.S. ANNUALLY, COMMUNITY GATHERINGS FOR RECORDED-LIVE PODCAST INTERVIEWS (ON AVERAGE 6 ANNUALLY), AND MONTHLY ONLINE GATHERINGS OF GARDENERS, WE SHARE INFORMATION, RESEARCH, EXPERIENCE, AND THEREBY ENGAGE, EDUCATE, ENCOURAGE, AND EMPOWER GARDENERS TO CULTIVATE THEIR PLACES WITH EVER-GREATER CAREECOLOGICALLY, SOCIALLY, CULTURALLY, ECONOMICALLY, AND SPIRITUALLY.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since November 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
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.