Passes our checks

Growing Veterans

EIN 47-2225742 · Lynden, WA

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

What it says it does

WE EMPOWER VETERANS TO CULTIVATE PURPOSE AND BELONGING BY GROWING FOOD, COMMUNITY, AND EACH OTHER.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Good: 74 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (human services, under $250k).

Reserves
20 of 35
Spendable reserves would cover 4.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20
It owes 14% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15
Spending exceeded income by 7% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15
Income rose 45% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 15
72% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Good: 88 out of 100. Higher than 80% of charities in its peer group (human services, under $250k).

Independent board
25 of 25
8 of 9 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
0 of 10
Did not give 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.
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

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (2)

$85,352 spent. DIRT THERAPY PROGRAM: IN 2025, GROWING VETERANS ADVANCED ITS MISSION OF IMPROVING VETERANS' MENTAL HEALTH THROUGH SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND PEER SUPPORT PROGRAMMING. THROUGH ITS DIRT THERAPY PROGRAM AT THE LYNDEN FARM, THE ORGANIZATION COMBINED HANDS-ON FARMING WITH PEER CONNECTION TO FOSTER BELONGING, PURPOSE, AND COMMUNITY REINTEGRATION. COMMUNITY MEMBERS CONTRIBUTED OVER 1,000 VOLUNTEER HOURS, AND THE ORGANIZATION HOSTED 2,603 HOURS OF PAID VETERAN INTERNSHIPS. APPROXIMATELY 6,200 POUNDS OF ORGANIC PRODUCE WERE GROWN AND DONATED, WITH ROUGHLY 95% DISTRIBUTED WITHIN WHATCOM AND ISLAND COUNTIES TO FOOD BANKS AND SHELTERS.
$70,059 spent. PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM: IN 2025, GROWING VETERANS ALSO DELIVERED THREE PEER SUPPORT TRAINING (PST) SESSIONS (BOTH IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL), GRADUATING 33 PARTICIPANTS, 75% OF WHOM WERE VETERANS. THE CURRICULUM EQUIPS PARTICIPANTS WITH TOOLS TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION, MINDFULNESS, AND RELATIONAL SKILLS. IN 2025, THESE SKILLS WERE APPLIED IN REAL-WORLD CRISIS SITUATIONS, WHERE STAFF INTERVENED WITH THREE INDIVIDUALS EXPRESSING SUICIDAL IDEATION, SUCCESSFULLY CONNECTING THEM TO CRISIS RESOURCES AND CONTINUED SUPPORT.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

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 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 March 2015.
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.

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