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A Growing Culture Inc

EIN 37-1636754 · Asheville, NC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair50 out of 100GovernanceFair56 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

WE UNITE TO RECLAIM AGENCY OVER OUR FOODWAYS.

Income
$508,240
Spending
$589,610
Spent on programs
82%
Reserves
1.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
2
Volunteers
9
Highest pay
$71,773, executive director

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

Fair: 50 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 35% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 16% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 29% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    82% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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

Fair: 56 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 9 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no 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

    0 of 5

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

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 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 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 (4)
  1. $241,366 spent. PARTNERSHIPS - A GROWING CULTURE (AGC) MEETS THE EMERGING NEEDS OF GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE WORLD TO ADVANCE THE STRUGGLE FOR FOOD SOVEREIGNTY. IT PROVIDES STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORT, INCLUDING WRITING, EDITING, GRAPHIC DESIGN, VIDEO PRODUCTION AND EDITING, WEB DEVELOPMENT, AND SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT. AGC CO-CREATES NARRATIVE AND ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS, DIGITAL CONTENT, EVENTS, AND PUBLICATIONS. ADDITIONALLY, IT HOSTS TRAININGS, WORKSHOPS, AND OTHER METHODS OF SKILL AND CAPACITY SHARING FOR PARTNER GROUPS.
  2. $106,397 spent. STORYTELLING - A GROWING CULTURE CREATES OPEN-ACCESS, FREE DIGITAL CONTENT ACROSS PLATFORMS TO CHALLENGE AND SHIFT POPULAR FOOD NARRATIVES. THROUGH THIS CONTENT, AGC AMPLIFIES THE VOICES OF SMALL-SCALE FARMERS, PEASANTS, AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, PROVIDING SPACE FOR THEM TO SHARE THEIR STRUGGLES AND SOLUTIONS. IN DOING SO, AGC FOSTERS A CULTURE OF AWARENESS ABOUT THE CURRENT AND HISTORICAL INJUSTICES IN OUR FOOD SYSTEM AND BUILDS SOLIDARITY WITH COMMUNITIES SEEDING RADICAL HOPE FOR A MORE JUST AND DIGNIFIED FUTURE.
  3. $135,330 spent. PRESS OUTREACH - WITH THE GOAL OF CULTIVATING A MORE HOLISTIC AND NUANCED STORYTELLING ECOSYSTEM, A GROWING CULTURE BRIDGES THE GAP BETWEEN PEASANT AND INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES AND THE MEDIA. AGC FACILITATES EMERGING MUTUAL SUPPORT FOR BOTH JOURNALISTS AND THESE COMMUNITIES THROUGH DIRECT COMMUNICATION CHANNELS, PRESS FORUMS, MEDIA WORKSHOPS, AND NEWSLETTERS. TO DATE, AGC HAS HOSTED SIX FORUMS, BROADCAST IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES, WITH OVER 700 JOURNALISTS IN ATTENDANCE FROM MORE THAN 300 MEDIA OUTLETS WORLDWIDE. OVER 1,000 JOURNALISTS HAVE SIGNED UP FOR AGC'S PRESS FORUMS AND HAVE HELPED PRODUCE MORE THAN 200 PUBLISHED STORIES.
  4. $384 spent. CONNECT

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 October 2011.

    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.