Seeds
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEEDS IS ESTABLISHED TO IMPLEMENT LOCAL SOLUTIONS TO GLOBAL ISSUES AT THE INTERSECTION OF ECOLOGY, EDUCATION, AND DESIGN.
- Income
- $3.1 million
- Spending
- $3.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 85%
- Reserves
- 3.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 61%
- Employees
- 110
- Volunteers
- 29
- Highest pay
- $94,838, executive 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
Fair: 69 out of 100. Higher than 37% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.5 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 15% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 3% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 7% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1585% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 60% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 258 of 8 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a 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
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports 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 (3)
- $1.8 million spent. ECOSCHOOL: OVER THE 2025 SCHOOL YEAR, SEEDS PROVIDED OVER 105,000 STUDENT-CONTACT HOURS OF ACADEMIC AND CULTURAL ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES AT 14 PARTNER SCHOOLS IN RURAL NORTHWEST MICHIGAN SERVING OVER 1,100 UNIQUE STUDENTS. STUDENTS ARE PREDOMINANTLY FROM UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES WITH HIGH RATES OF POVERTY. ACTIVITIES FOCUSED ON PLACE-BASED LEARNING IN SAFE AND INSPIRING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL-LEARNING SPACES. SEEDS PROGRAMS PRIORITZE HANDS-ON AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES THAT DEVELOP LEADERSHIP, LIFE SKILLS, AND RESILIENCE WITH DAILY ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT, STEM SUBJECTS, NUTRITION AND CULINARY ARTS INSTRUCTION, ARTS AND CULTURE, AND WHOLE-FAMILY ACTIVITIES.
- $481,226 spent. ECOCORPS: IN 2025, SEEDS EMPLOYED 25 CREWMEMBERS IN THIS GREEN COLLAR CAREER EXPLORATION PROGRAM. CREWMEMBERS SERVE THEIR COMMUNITY WHILE GAINING VALUABLE WORK EXPERIENCE, SKILLS TRAINING, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND LEADERSHIP AND COLLECTIVELY ENGAGED IN 1,645 HOURS OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. SERVICE LEARNING PROJECTS IMPROVED 19 PUBLIC SITES, RESCUED OR GREW 6,500 POUNDS OF DONATED PRODUCE, AND PRODUCED OVER 75 CUBIC YARDS OF COMPOSTED FOOD SCRAPS. THEIR EXPERIENCES INCLUDE HISTORIC PRESERVATION, PARKLAND MANAGEMENT, SUSTAINABLE TRAIL DESIGN, HABITAT RESTORATION, REFORESTATION, SMALL-SCALE AGRICULTURE, CARPENTRY, AND MORE.
- $347,837 spent. ECOSTRATEGIES: SEEDS CONTINUES A TRADITION OF OFFERING PROFESSIONAL ANALYSIS, ASSISTANCE WITH TARGET SETTING AROUND 'GREEN GOALS', AND PLANNING FOR RESOURCE MANAGEMENT TO A VARIETY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, COMMUNITY INSTITUTIONS, AND TRIBAL ENTITIES. IN 2025, SEEDS CONTINUED CONVENING A 10-COUNTY MOVEMENT TO DIVERT ORGANIC WASTES CURRENTLY GOING INTO LANDFILLS INTO HIGHER AND BETTER USES. ECOSTRATEGIES HELPED SEEDS PRIORITIZE AND DOCUMENT CLOSE TO 30MTCO2E OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION PREVENTION AND SEQUESTRATION.
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 October 13, 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 November 6, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since September 1999.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 November 4, 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.