North Coast Growers Association
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF NCGA IS TO SUPPORT HUMBOLDT COUNTY'S FARMERS AND ARTISANPRODUCERS IN BUILDING A ROBUST AND RESILIENT LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM.
- Income
- $2.2 million
- Spending
- $2.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 92%
- Reserves
- 2.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 80%
- Employees
- 28
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $101,673, 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: 60 out of 100. Higher than 26% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.7 months of spending.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 60% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 84% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1592% 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
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 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
15 of 15Its accounts were audited 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, 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)
- $610,215 spent. AGRICULTURE PRODUCER SUPPORT AND OPERATION OF CERTIFIED FARMERS' MARKETS:9 FARMERS' MARKETS WERE OPEN IN 2025: "OLD TOWN FARMERS' MARKET" EUREKA, CA; "HENDERSON CENTER FARMERS' MARKET" EUREKA, CA; "FORTUNA FARMERS' MARKET" FORTUNA, CA; "MCKINLEYVILLE FARMERS' MARKET" MCKINLEYVILLE, CA; "ARCATA PLAZA FARMERS' MARKET" LOCATED ON THE PLAZA IN ARCATA, CA; "SHELTER COVE FARMERS' MARKET" SHELTER COVE, CA; "MIRANDA FARMERS' MARKET" MIRANDA,CA; AND "GARBERVILLE FARMERS' MARKET", GARBERVILLE, CA; "FRIDAY NIGHT MARKET" EUREKA, CA . OVER 150 LOCAL FARMERS PARTICIPATE IN THESE MARKETS, ALONG WITH ARTISAN CRAFT AND FOOD PRODUCERS. OVER 4,500 CUSTOMERS ATTEND WEEKLY. EMPLOYEES OF NCGA STAFF THESE FARMERS' MARKETS. NUTRITION EDUCATION AND FOOD ACCESS PROGRAMS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF FARMERS' MARKET OPERATIONS. CALFRESH (SNAP) OUTREACH EFFORTS TO PROMOTE CALFRESH AND ENROLL INDIVIDUALS IN THE CALFRESH PROGRAM (INCLUDING ADVERTISING, OUTREACH, EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES SUCH AS FIELD TRIPS AND MARKET TOURS) AS WELL AS THE PROCESSING OF CALFRESH BENEFITS THROUGH THE EBT SYSTEM (ELECTRONIC BENEFITS TRANSFER- CUSTOMERS SWIPE THEIR EBT CARDS THROUGH A POINT OF SALE DEVICE THAT DEBITS THE CUSTOMER CARD AND ELECTRONICALLY DEPOSITS THE DAILY TOTAL INTO NCGA BANK ACCOUNT). NCGA STAFF FACILITATES TOKENS (THE CALFRESH BENEFITS), WHICH ARE ISSUED TO CUSTOMERS AND THEN SPENT WITH THE FARMERS; THIS IS PASS THROUGH INCOME, AND THEREBY CATEGORIZED AS A LIABILITY. A CONTRACT WITH THE HUMBOLDT COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SUPPORTS THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS FOR THIS PROGRAM. THE TARGET POPULATION FOR THIS PROGRAM IS ALL LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS OF HUMBOLDT COUNTY. WE SEE AN AVERAGE OF OVER 500 INDIVIDUAL CALFRESH RECIPIENTS PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM WEEKLY, WITH OVER 15,000 UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATING IN 2025. OVER 200 LOCAL FAMILY FARMS BENEFIT FROM CALFRESH SPENDING AT NCGA FARMERS MARKETS. THE MARKET MATCH NUTRITION INCENTIVE PROGRAM PROVIDES A MATCH TO THE CALFRESH SPENDING, THIS MATCH IS KNOWN AS "MARKET MATCH" IN THE STATE OF CA. CUSTOMERS SPEND THE SCRIPT WITH THE FARMERS AND THE FARMERS REDEEM THESE WITH MARKET STAFF. THIS PROGRAM IS FUNDED IN PART WITH GRANTS FROM THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE THROUGH THE CALIFORNIA NUTRITION INCENTIVE PROGRAM (CNIP), THE FEDERAL GUS SCHUMACHER NUTRITION INCENTIVE PROGRAM (GUSNIP FORMERLY CALLED FINI).
- $657,510 spent. HARVEST HUB: HARVEST HUB, A FOOD HUB RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ORDERING, AGGREGATION, AND DISTRIBUTION OF LOCAL FOOD, PROVIDES CONNECTIONS BETWEEN FARMERS AND BUYERS INCLUDING LOCAL SCHOOLS, TRIBES AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS. NCGA STAFF ALSO FACILITATES A WEEKLY HARVEST BOX, MULTI-FARM CSA STYLE PRODUCE BOX DISTRIBUTION DELIVERY DIRECT TO CUSTOMERS. "HARVEST BOX" HAS LED TO STRENGTHENED CONNECTIONS WITH LOCAL RESOURCES, COMMUNITY, AND HEALTH CENTERS. HARVEST HUB SUPPORT INCLUSION OF LOCALLY SOURCED FISH IN THE LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HUMBOLDT DOCKSIDE MARKET IN EUREKA.
- $572,099 spent. AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND FARMER TRAINING:NCGA OFFERS FARMER TECHNICAL TRAINING AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT THROUGH EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS, TRAINING SERIES, ON-FARM ADVISING, HANDS-ON LEARNING AND CLASSROOM BASED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. THIS INCLUDES SUPPORT FOR ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT GRANTS AND PROGRAMS FOR FARMERS, WORKING DIRECTLY WITH MULTIPLE USDA AND CDFA PROGRAMS. THESE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES STRENGTHEN TECHNICAL SKILL-BUILDING, LEADING TO MORE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since October 2009.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.