Sweet Farm Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE O
- Income
- $547,982
- Spending
- $855,571
- Spent on programs
- 82%
- Reserves
- 1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 93%
- Employees
- 10
- Volunteers
- 50
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
Weak: 35 out of 100. Higher than 3% of charities in its peer group (animals, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.0 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 32% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 56% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 51% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1582% 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
Strong: 97 out of 100. Higher than 96% of charities in its peer group (animals, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2510 of 10 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.
Independent check of accounts
12 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
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 (1)
- $701,686 spent. SWEET FARM, ESTABLISHED IN 2016, INITIALLY BEGAN AS A FARM ANIMAL SANCTUARY. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, IT BECAME CLEAR THAT OUR FOOD AND CLIMATE SYSTEMS ARE SO DEEPLY INTERTWINED THAT THEIR STORIES CANNOT BE TOLD INDIVIDUALLY. TO DRIVE TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE, OUR CO-FOUNDERS REALIZED IT WAS ESSENTIAL TO CONSIDER ALL ASPECTS OF OUR FOOD SYSTEM AND ITS TIES TO ENERGY, WASTE, AND MATERIAL SYSTEMS. BY 2017, SWEET FARM HAD EXPANDED ITS INITIATIVES TO ENCOMPASS REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE AND TECH & INNOVATION, DRIVING IMPACT FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL SCALES. AS THE FIRST CLIMATE SANCTUARY, OUR FOCUS REMAINS ROOTED IN FOSTERING CLIMATE-CONSCIOUSNESS AND AMPLIFYING IMPACT THROUGH HOLISTIC, SYSTEMS-BASED APPROACHES.SWEET FARM HAS EXPERIENCED THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE FIRSTHAND; EVACUATING OUR ANIMALS DUE TO WILDFIRES IN 2020 AND BEING FORCED TO CLOSE OUR AGRICULTURE PROGRAMS IN 2021 DUE TO CALIFORNIA'S DROUGHT. WITH NO END TO THESE CLIMATE DISASTERS IN SIGHT, IN 2021 WE MADE THE DECISION TO RELOCATE OUR FARM, ANIMALS AND PROGRAMS TO THE MORE CLIMATE SECURE REGION OF UPSTATE NEW YORK. THIS MOVE WAS COSTLY FOR OUR ORGANIZATION, BUT OUR NEWLY BUILT 50-ACRE FARM IS PROVIDING A MORE SUSTAINABLE HOME TO ALLOW US TO GROW THE IMPACT OF OUR PROGRAMS IN THE LONG TERM.OUR EXPERIENCE AS CLIMATE REFUGEES PUTS US IN A UNIQUE POSITION TO CONNECT OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS TO THE REALITIES OF CLIMATE CHANGE. WE ALWAYS TAKE A PRAGMATIC AND POSITIVE APPROACH IN OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, AMPLIFYING INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT CAN MOVE THE NEEDLE FORWARD TOWARDS A MORE COMPASSIONATE AND SUSTAINABLE WORLD.CENTRAL TO OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ARE THE STORIES OF OUR FARM ANIMAL RESCUE ANIMALS ALSO KNOWN AS OUR ANIMAL AMBASSADORS. AS OF 2025, SWEET FARM NOW CARES FOR OVER 100 RESCUED FARM ANIMALS ON THE FARM. FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS WE WERE FOCUSED ON ENSURING THE LONG-TERM HEALTH AND SAFETY OF FARM ANIMALS FROM SANCTUARIES THAT WERE CLOSING. IN THAT TIME, WE'VE BROUGHT IN OVER 60 RESCUED FARM ANIMALS, WITH 40 COMING FROM SANCTUARIES THAT WERE CLOSING OR NEEDING TO DOWNSIZE. FUNDING IN THE SANCTUARY SPACE IS IN CRISIS, AND WE ARE TRYING TO SUPPORT AS MANY ANIMALS AS WE CAN WITH A PERMANENT HOME. THE PAST TWO YEARS WE'VE ALSO CONTINUED OUR WORK TO MINIMIZE THE LOCAL FERAL CAT POPULATION THROUGH A WELL-MANAGED TNR PROGRAM AND ADOPTION OF NEARLY 40 KITTENS. AND WE HELPED LOCAL WILDLIFE RESCUERS IN SAVING AND RERELEASING TO THE WILD OVER 40 OPOSSUMS.ADDING NEW RESCUES TO OUR SWEET FARM FAMILY WAS DONE THROUGH CAREFUL INTEGRATION. THE CARE OF OUR ANIMALS IS OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY, WHICH INCLUDES DAY-TO-DAY CARE, MEDICAL CARE AND ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES TO MAKE SURE OUR ANIMALS ARE HAPPY AND HEALTHY. IN 2025 WE ALSO HAD TO CONTEND WITH HIGH COSTS FOR MEDICAL CARE FOR OUR ANIMALS. MANY OF OUR ANIMAL AMBASSADOR SPECIES ARE TRADITIONALLY RAISED FOR FOOD AND NOT FOR LONG LIFE, WHICH LEADS TO A HIGH FREQUENCY OF MEDICAL INTERVENTIONS AS THE ANIMALS AGE.IN 2025, OUR IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS REMAINED STRONG WITH WELL-ATTENDED EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. WE DEVELOPED A WIDE VARIETY OF EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS RANGING FROM: A) TECH AND INNOVATION TRENDS IN FARMING, B) MUSHROOM CULTIVATION AND FORAGING, C) DEBUNKING PLANT-BASED MYTHS TO INSPIRE PEOPLE TO SHIFT TO A MORE PLANT-BASED DIET, D) BACKYARD COMPOSTING AND WINDOWSILL HERB PLANTING, AND E) KIDS PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON ANIMALS, PLANTS, AND THE PLANET. WE ARE PARTICULARLY EXCITED TO BE DEVELOPING A 4-H CURRICULUM FOR KIDS THAT WILL CONTINUE TO GROW WITH OUR 4-H GROUP. AS OF 2025, WE CURRENTLY HAVE OVER 60 CHILDREN WHO HAVE TAKEN PART IN OUR PROGRAM. WE'VE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE LOCAL 4-H LEADERSHIP TO CREATE A GROUP THAT WILL FOCUS ON LONG-TERM CARE OF FARM ANIMALS AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.OUR TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION PROGRAM REMAINS A CORNERSTONE OF HOW WE SCALE OUR IMPACT GLOBALLY. START-UPS THAT ARE WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SWEET FARM HAVE NOW COLLECTIVELY RAISED OVER $700M AND ARE BUILDING PRODUCTS THAT WILL DISRUPT OUR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE SYSTEMS FOR THE BETTER, WITH IMPACT AT A GLOBAL SCALE. IT'S EXCITING FOR US TO SEE SOME OF OUR EARLIEST TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM PARTNERS MAKING THEIR IDEAS A REALITY IN 2024 AND 2025. IN MARCH, INNERPLANT WAS RECOGNIZED BY FAST COMPANY AS ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST INNOVATIVE COMPANIES FOR THEIR ABILITY TO INFORM FARMERS FAR EARLIER OF STRESSES AND THEREFORE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE INPUTS NEEDED TO PRODUCE HEALTHY AND RESILIENT CROPS. SWEET FARM PILOTED THEIR FIRST FIELD TRIALS SEVERAL YEARS AGO, GETTING THEM OUT OF THE LAB AND INTO THE REAL ENVIRONMENT FOR THE FIRST TIME. IN MAY, ANOTHER COMPANY SWEET FARM HELPED FROM DAY ONE, TURTLETREE, ENTERED ITS FIRST COMMERCIAL PARTNERSHIP IN THE USA TO LAUNCH FUNCTIONAL FOODS CONTAINING THEIR PRECISION-FERMENTED, ANIMAL-FREE LACTOFERRIN. THIS PRODUCT TARGETS ENDURANCE ATHLETES AND ADDRESSES IRON-DEFICIENCY CHALLENGES. SWEET FARM HAS ALSO BEEN HELPING GET NEW FIRST OF A KIND PILOTS OFF THE GROUND THIS LAST YEAR ACROSS SECTORS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WATER REMEDIATION, AGRICULTURE, AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, EXTENDING SWEET FARM'S IMPACT TO THE GLOBAL STAGE.IN 2025, OUR REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE PROGRAM IS GROWING ROOTS AS WE BUILD OUT OUR MARKET GARDENS IN NEW YORK STATE. WE HAVE ALREADY PLANTED OVER 2,000 GARLIC BULBS TO OVERWINTER, WITH OVER A THOUSAND PEONY AND DAHLIA TUBERS IN THE GROUND FOR THE FLOWER PROGRAM. WE ALSO HAVE OVER 15,000 HEIRLOOM PLANT SEEDS WARMING IN THE SOIL AT THE GREENHOUSE. WE ARE EXCITED FOR THESE PLANTS TO SHOWCASE THE BEAUTY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY IN OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS NEXT YEAR, WITH THE PRODUCE GOING TO LOW-INCOME FAMILIES IN THE COMMUNITY. SINCE 2024, OVER 6,000 LBS OF PRODUCE MADE ITS WAY INTO OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP LOW-INCOME AND FOOD-INSECURE RESIDENTS. MOST OF THE PRODUCE WAS PICKED UP AT OUR PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN FARM CART, AS WELL AS DISTRIBUTED THROUGH PARTNER NON-PROFITS LIKE THE LIVING WELL, DUNDEE FRESH AND THE MASTER GAR
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 March 2016.
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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