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Valley Verde

EIN 45-3084814 · San Jose, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair60 out of 100GovernanceGood84 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

VALLEY VERDE INCREASES SELF-SUFFICIENCY, HEALTH, AND RESILIENCE, THROUGH A CULTURALLY INFORMED COMMUNITY BASED FOOD SYSTEM TO PROMOTE FOOD JUSTICE.

Income
$442,252
Spending
$704,283
Spent on programs
83%
Reserves
5.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 70%
Employees
11
Volunteers
53
Highest pay
$115,363, executive dir.

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: 60 out of 100. Higher than 29% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 59% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 14% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    83% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 14 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

Good: 84 out of 100. Higher than 69% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    4 of 4 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

    7 of 7

    Has a 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

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • 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, 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 (1)
  1. $582,951 spent. SHARED GARDEN PROGRAM: VALLEY VERDE PARTNERS WITH SCHOOLS IN UNDERSERVED NEIGHBORHOODS. CHILDREN ARE TAUGHT TO GARDEN AT SCHOOL, WHILE THEIR PARENTS GARDEN AT HOME. FAMILIES ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM ARE PROVIDED RAISED-BED GARDENS AT HOME, ALONG WITH THE SUPPLIES NEEDED TO GROW FRESH VEGETABLES; SUCH AS SOIL, COMPOST, IRRIGATION SYSTEMS, AND SEEDLINGS. FAMILIES ATTEND A FULL YEAR OF MONTHLY WORKSHOPS WHERE THEY LEARN ABOUT BEST PRACTICES IN ORGANIC URBAN AGRICULTURE. WE ALSO SHARE IDEAS FOR HEALTHY, AFFORDABLE AND DELICIOUS MEALS. IN ADDITION TO BUILDING SKILLS,WORKSHOPS ARE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD A STRONGER SENSE OF COMMUNITY WITH OTHERFAMILIES. AFTER THE FIRST YEAR, MANY HOME GARDENING ALUMNI STAY INVOLVED BY PICKINGUP FREE SEEDLINGS EACH SEASON FOR THEIR HOME GARDENS AND CONTINUING TO RECEIVETECHNICAL ADVICE FROM THE VALLEY VERDE COMMUNITY. DEEP ROOTS: AFTER A YEAR OF PARTICIPATION IN THE SHARED GARDEN PROGRAM, PARTICIPANTSARE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DEEP ROOTS PROGRAM, WHERE THEY LEARN ADVANCED GARDENING SKILLS, SUCH AS PROPAGATING, SEED GERMINATION, AND WATER CONSERVATION. IT'S A SIX MONTH PROGRAM. SUPER JARDINEROS: A TWO-YEAR APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM FOR DEEP ROOTS PROGRAM ALUMNI.PARTICIPANTS LEARN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND JOB SKILLS TRAINING AS APPRENTICES AND LEARN TO GROW COMMERCIAL-QUALITY ORGANIC SEEDLINGS. THE SEEDLINGS ARE USED TO SUPPLY THE SHARED GARDEN PROGRAM AND/OR ARE SOLD TO THE PUBLIC. THE SEEDLINGS THAT ARE GROWN REFLECT THE CULTURAL PREFERENCES OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY'S LARGEST ETHNIC GROUPS, I.E. MEXICAN,VIETNAMESE, INDIAN, CHINESE, AND FILIPINO. HOMELAND NURSERY: VALLEY VERDE STARTED IT'S OWN NURSERY IN 2021. COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN PURCHASE MULTI-ETHNIC VEGETABLE SEEDLINGS FOR THEIR GARDEN.COMPOSTING: UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SIX MONTH COMPOSTING PROGRAM, WHERE THEY LEARN HOW TO TURN FOOD WASTE INTO COMPOST USING A COMPOST BIN OR A WORM BIN.

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

  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 December 2025.

    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 January 2012.

    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.