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Denver Urban Gardens

EIN 74-2374848 · Denver, CO

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair55 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

DENVER URBAN GARDENS' (DUG) MISSION IS TO PROVIDE ACCESS, SKILLS, AND RESOURCES FOR PEOPLE TO GROW HEALTHY FOOD IN COMMUNITY AND REGENERATE URBAN GREEN SPACES.

Income
$4.1 million
Spending
$4.4 million
Spent on programs
85%
Reserves
1.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 47%
Employees
20
Volunteers
3,930
Highest pay
$176,817, executive director

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: 55 out of 100. Higher than 18% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 24% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 9% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 8% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    85% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 60% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    18 of 18 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

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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 (3)
  1. $1.6 million spent. DUG'S COMMUNITY GARDENS INCLUDE BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SPACES, MANAGED BY A DEDICATED TEAM OF VOLUNTEER GARDEN LEADERS AND CULTIVATED BY A LARGE NETWORK OF COMMUNITY GARDENERS. COMMUNITY GARDENS PROVIDE AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY TO GROW FRESH, HEALTHY FOOD FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES. GARDENERS TYPICALLY PLANT ANNUALS-SUCH AS TOMATOES AND PUMPKINS-EACH SEASON, FOLLOWING THE GROWING CYCLE FROM SEED STARTING TO PREPARING THE GARDEN FOR DORMANCY. THE DIVERSITY IN DUG'S GARDENS IS REFLECTED IN THEIR VARYING SIZES, ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES, COMMUNITY CULTURES, AND INTERNAL COMMUNITY AGREEMENTS. DUG'S FOOD FORESTS, ESTABLISHED WITH GENEROUS COMMUNITY SUPPORT, HAVE EXPANDED TO NUMEROUS LOCATIONS ACROSS THE AREA AND FEATURE A VARIETY OF FOOD-PRODUCING TREE AND SHRUB SPECIES. UNLIKE COMMUNITY GARDENS, FOOD FORESTS OFFER ONGOING SUPPORT FOR THE COMMUNITY THROUGH PERENNIAL TREES AND BUSHES THAT YIELD FOOD YEAR AFTER YEAR. THESE SPACES ARE OPEN TO EVERYONE, ALLOWING COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO HARVEST BERRIES, NUTS, AND OTHER PRODUCE AS THEY WISH. EACH SITE IS CARED FOR BY TRAINED VOLUNTEER TREE KEEPERS WHO HELP MAINTAIN THE AREA AND FOSTER A SENSE OF COMMUNITY.
  2. $361,356 spent. UNDER THE FOOD ACCESS UMBRELLA, DUG OFFERS THREE UNIQUE PROGRAMS: GROW A GARDEN, CULTURALLY INCLUSIVE SEEDS, AND COMMUNITY SEED DISTRIBUTION. THE GROW A GARDEN PROGRAM CONNECTS INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS WITH SEEDS, SEEDLINGS, AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES TO SUPPORT GROWING FOOD AT HOME OR IN A DUG GARDEN. THIS PROGRAM SERVES A WIDE RANGE OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS, MANY OF WHOM ARE FROM HOUSEHOLDS WITH LIMITED INCOME. LIKE DUG'S OTHER FOOD ACCESS INITIATIVES, THE COMMUNITY SEED DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO REDUCE FINANCIAL BARRIERS TO GROWING FOOD, WHETHER AT HOME OR IN A COMMUNITY GARDEN. DUG'S COMMUNITY SEED DISTRIBUTION IS ONE OF THE LARGEST PUBLICLY AVAILABLE COLLECTIONS OF FREE SEEDS IN THE AREA, HELPING THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES START THEIR OWN GARDENS. THE CULTURALLY INCLUSIVE SEEDS PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH MARGINALIZED IDENTITIES BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO RARE AND SPECIALTY PLANT VARIETIES, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON CULTURAL INCLUSIVITY. DUG BELIEVES THAT MEANINGFUL AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD ACCESS PRIORITIZES FOODS THAT ARE FAMILIAR AND DESIRABLE TO EACH INDIVIDUAL, REGARDLESS OF BACKGROUND. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, DUG SUPPORTS A GLOBAL ARRAY OF GROWING AND CULINARY PRACTICES, CELEBRATING THE SHARED DIVERSITY OF ITS COMMUNITY.
  3. $1.8 million spent. DUG'S EDUCATION PROGRAMMING HAS BEEN SUPPORTING URBAN GARDENERS THROUGHOUT METRO DENVER FOR MANY YEARS. THESE PROGRAMS ARE GROUNDED IN A DEEP RESPECT FOR ALL PEOPLE AND THEIR TRADITIONS, PROMOTE ORGANIC PRACTICES THAT REGENERATE THE EARTH, AND ENGAGE LEARNERS IN A VARIETY OF WAYS. DUG OFFERS BOTH ADULT AND YOUTH EDUCATION PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS A COMMUNITY COMPOSTER TRAINING PROGRAM. THE ADULT AND YOUTH EDUCATION PROGRAMS PROVIDE NUMEROUS WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES, MANY OF WHICH OFFER FLEXIBLE, PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN OPTIONS TO ENSURE ACCESSIBILITY FOR ALL. THE COMMUNITY COMPOSTER TRAINING PROGRAM IS WIDELY ATTENDED BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND DUG GARDENERS ACROSS THE FRONT RANGE, HELPING TO BUILD KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWING AND COMPOSTING PRACTICES.

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since October 1985.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.