Metro Blooms
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.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
Metro Blooms partners with communities to create resilient landscapes and foster clean watersheds, embracing the values of equity and inclusion to solve environmental challenges.
- Income
- $1.6 million
- Spending
- $1.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 74%
- Reserves
- 2.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 66%
- Employees
- 22
- Volunteers
- 98
- Highest pay
- $105,936, 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: 65 out of 100. Higher than 30% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.4 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 33% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 9% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 22% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1574% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 24 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
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 42% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 13 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
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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 (2)
- $562,824 spent. Learning with Blue Thumb: Blue Thumb - Planting for Clean Water is Metro Blooms' education program and a statewide partnership of local governments and private companies promoting practices that protect pollinators and improve clean water, including planting natives, rain gardens, and shoreline stabilization. Sustainable Landcare Training - Growing a green workforce and environmental stewardship. This 30-hour training is offered primarily to young adults in communities impacted by environmental injustices. Participants gain job-ready skills in maintaining and inspecting rain gardens, native plantings, and other climate-resilient practices, as well as a greater understanding of our relationship to the environment. Metro Blooms had 55 participants in 2024 and later hired 7 trainees to work on Metro Booms Design+Build projects, including prepping and planting large sites in Minneapolis. 4 trainees worked inspecting city-installed rain gardens in Minneapolis. Workshops - Metro Blooms reached hundreds of DIYers with our free Blue Thumb's Online Learning Series, where people learn about Resilient Yards, Turf Alternatives, Resilient Shorelines, and Seed Saving. We also partnered with City of Lakes Community Land Trust to provide sustainable gardening and maintenance workshops to many first-time homeowners. In 2024, 19 workshops were offered with 367 participants. In addition, there were 3,673 online learning series registrants. Lawns to Legumes - Minnesotans received grants and support to plant native pollinator habitat at their home. Blue Thumb facilitated the program with the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources. In 2024, 5.2 million square feet of new pollinator habitat was created, 2,969 grantees completed projects, and 6,898 pollinator-friendly trees and shrubs were planted.
- $519,530 spent. Our Community Projects in 2024 included the following: Partnering with communities to create resilient landscapes and foster clean watersheds - Metro Blooms engaged residents in communities most impacted by environmental injustices to work towards climate-resilient green spaces that soak in and clean rainwater, offer cooling shade, and provide habitat. Metro Blooms partnered with 8 rental communities to incorporate clean-water practices and planting native plants for pollinators and that centered community priorities. Residents were active decision-makers in their projects. Metro Blooms hired residents as project stewards to work alongside the Organization in planting and landcare. These projects were made possible by public and private funding, including watershed districts, cities and counties, foundations, property owners, and individual donations, and by partnering with deeply rooted community members and organizations. The projects had 759 resident and community member participants, 8,745 native plants planted in 46 rain or pollinator gardens, and 55 trees planted in 2024. We partnered with Wilderness in the City, park and conservation agencies, and others to create six pollinator gardens in Twin Cities regional parks, showcasing native plants and styles of planting to support pollinators. 550 volunteers helped plant 18,000 plants, creating 50,000 square feet of pollinator habitat.
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
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 2024.
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 September 1979.
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.