Black Belt Justice Center
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The mission of the organization is to equip, educate and empower black farmer initiatives and preserve the sustainability of the farm land.
- Income
- $1.3 million
- Spending
- $819,570
- Spent on programs
- 100%
- Reserves
- 20.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 83%
- Employees
- 1
- Volunteers
- 7
- Highest pay
- $130,815, 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
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 20.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 38% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 62% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 15100% 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
Good: 85 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 254 of 5 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
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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, 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 (3)
- $425,000 spent. Led multigenerational, multiracial advocacy efforts resulting in Black legacy farmers receiving $1.6B out of the $2.2B allocated under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 providing financial assistance payments to farmers determined to have experienced discrimination prior to January 1, 2021 in USDA farm lending programs. Additionally, the organization assisted 25 Black legacy farmers with tax advisement services pertaining to their federal tax filings. Furthermore, the organization launched the Lowcountry Sweetgrass Restoration and Human Sustainability Initiative (LSHSI) to address the man-made scarcity of wild sweetgrass caused by hyper-development, monopolization, and privatization of public lands in the South Carolina Lowcountry. Combined, these encroachments on public lands have severely limited access to the plant material needed by legacy basket artists and harvesters to preserve their ecocultural traditions.
- $219,570 spent. Secured debt cancellation payments ranging from $800K to over $1M authorized under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 for 30 Black legacy farmers. Commissioned 15 African American fiber artists to create artworks for Griots of Cotton, Indigo & Clay Traveling Exhibition and Permanent Collection (over 200+ quilts, sweetgrass baskets, dolls, and ironworks). Supported 25 traditional artists through honorariums, video and audio documentation, print interviews, digital marketing, and mutual aid.
- $175,000 spent. Sponsored traveling exhibition(s) of Black fiber art, sweetgrass basketry, and ironworks including community programs to deepen community engagement, awareness, and action regarding reparative land justice efforts. Distributed $50K in critical financial assistance and wild sweetgrass bundles to elder legacy basket artists through honorariums and wild sweetgrass bundles to address their immediate needs due to lack of access to sweetgrass as well as economic hardships.
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 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 October 13, 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 2024.
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 June 2012.
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 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.