Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Garden City Harvest Inc

EIN 81-0510580 · Missoula, MT

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair64 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

GARDEN CITY HARVEST'S MISSION IS TO PLANT SEEDS AND GROW TOGETHER TO CREATE A HEALTHY COMMUNITY.

Income
$1.2 million
Spending
$1.4 million
Spent on programs
81%
Reserves
2.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 63%
Employees
39
Volunteers
180
Highest pay
$93,729, 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: 64 out of 100. Higher than 33% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 6% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 10% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 0% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    81% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 20 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

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 48% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    12 of 12 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

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (1)
  1. $1.1 million spent. GARDEN CITY HARVEST WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1996 AS THE COMMUNITY'S PROACTIVE SOLUTION TO FOOD INSECURITY TO ENSURE PEOPLE COULD MEET THEIR BASIC NEEDS FOR HEALTHY, NUTRIENT-RICH FOOD. THE FARMING AND GARDENING NONPROFIT CURRENTLY MANAGES 22 FARMS, COMMUNITY GARDENS, AND SCHOOL GARDENS THROUGHOUT MISSOULA, MONTANA. ITS MISSION IS TO PLANT SEEDS AND GROW TOGETHER TO CREATE A HEALTHY COMMUNITY. THE MISSION IS ENACTED THROUGH FOUR PROGRAMS ON WHICH MORE THAN 20,000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS RELY EACH YEAR. THE COMMUNITY GARDENS PROGRAM OFFERS PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO AFFORDABLY GROW FOOD TO FEED THEIR OWN FAMILIES. ROUGHLY 65% OF PARTICIPANTS LIVE IN LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS WHERE BUDGETS ARE TIGHT. GARDEN CITY HARVEST PROVIDES THE INDIVIDUAL GARDEN PLOTS, TOOLS, WATER, COMPOST, AND THE KNOWLEDGE AND GUIDANCE OF OTHERS TO ENSURE GARDENERS' SUCCESS. EACH YEAR, THE ORGANIZATION RENTS 435 GARDEN PLOTS AT 11 GARDEN LOCATIONS, PRIMARILY IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE FOOD INSECURITY IS GREATEST. PLOT RENTAL IS OFFERED ON A SLIDING SCALE BASED ON HOUSEHOLD INCOME. GARDEN CITY HARVEST'S FARM TO SCHOOL PROGRAM PROVIDES EXPERIENTIAL, HANDS-ON LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES TO K-12 STUDENTS, ENCOURAGING THEM TO EXPLORE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN FARMING AND THE FOOD THEY EAT. FARM TO SCHOOL STAFF MEMBERS MANAGE EIGHT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GARDENS, OFFER IN-CLASS LESSONS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, AND EDUCATIONAL FARM FIELD TRIPS AND GARDEN LESSONS DURING THE GROWING SEASON. THIS PROGRAM SERVES ROUGHLY 5,000 STUDENTS PER YEAR. THE NEIGHBORHOOD FARMS PROGRAM GROWS TONS OF FRESH PRODUCE AT FOUR URBAN FARMS, MAKING IT ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY. GARDEN CITY HARVEST USES ITS WELL-ESTABLISHED LOCAL FOOD DISTRIBUTION NETWORK WITH OVER A DOZEN PARTNER AGENCIES TO GET THIS FOOD TO MISSOULA'S MOST VULNERABLE CITIZENS. SUSTAINABLE FARMING PRACTICES ARE ADHERED TO AT ALL OF ITS SITES, PROMOTING SOIL HEALTH AND LESSENING THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. GARDEN CITY HARVEST'S YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM OFFERS EMPLOYMENT AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR ROUGHLY 25-30 TEENS ANNUALLY AT THE YOUTH FARM. THERE, TEENS WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH OVERWHELMING PERSONAL CHALLENGES LEARN JOB AND LIFE SKILLS, BUILD MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS, AND GAIN SELF-CONFIDENCE. THROUGH THIS WORK, THEY GAIN THE TOOLS TO REDEFINE THEMSELVES. THROUGH THIS WORK, WE MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE, MAKING FRESH, HEALTHY PRODUCE ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE TO EVERYONE. WE OPERATE SEVERAL FARM STANDS THAT SERVE SENIORS AND LOW-INCOME FAMILIES, SELLING FRESH PRODUCE AT DEEPLY DISCOUNTED PRICES. WE OFFER SLIDING SCALE PRICING (BASED ON HOUSEHOLD INCOME) FOR ALL OF OUR SERVICES. OUR VOLUNTEER FOR VEGGIES PROGRAM IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN SUSTAINABLE FARMING BY WORKING ALONGSIDE OUR STAFF AND RECEIVING VEGETABLES IN RETURN. IN ADDITION, THIS WORK BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER AND CONNECTS THEM IN SIMPLE YET MEANINGFUL WAYS. ALL OF THIS COMBINES TO MAKE MISSOULA A HEALTHIER, MORE CONNECTED COMMUNITY.

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 October 13, 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 November 6, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since November 1996.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 November 4, 2026.

  7. Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.

    A much larger organization has a similar name: City Harvest Inc (New York, NY), EIN 13-3170676. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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.