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Grow Oak Ridge LLC

EIN 81-1747608 · Oak Ridge, TN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood82 out of 100GovernanceFair69 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

The mission of Grow Oak Ridge is to connect locally grown foods with the public through farmers markets community gardens and education. We produce two farmers markets a summer garden education program and numerous other educational sessions throughout the year on healthy cooking gardening and other health-related topics.

Income
$173,957
Spending
$147,510
Spent on programs
78%
Reserves
4.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 39%
Employees
0
Volunteers
150

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

Good: 82 out of 100. Higher than 51% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 7% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 15% of income.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    78% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 19 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

Fair: 69 out of 100. Higher than 64% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 8 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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.

  • 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. $73,218 spent. Our primary summer initiative is the Grow Your Own: Backyard & Community Gardening program. In 2025 it supported 43 families in cultivating vegetables at home and in community gardens. The program supplied free seeds seedlings hand tools organic fertilizers and educational sessions. Participants were tasked with weighing their harvest yielding approximately 5800 pounds of food. We provide a Garden Coach to visit their gardens and give in-person help and advice. Our participants say they have learned life-long gardening skills in our program. We also operate a community garden offering the public a chance to rent a summer garden plot.
  2. $39,212 spent. Grow Oak Ridge produced two farmers markets in 2025: the Winter Farmers Market and Farmers Market To Go an online year-round farmers market. Both of these offer farmers a low-barrier venue in which to sell locally grown foods to the public. The Winter Farmers Market also features educational programming such as Nourish Kids Club for children and free educational classes for adults on topics such as growing your own food and on the preparation of healthy meals. The Winter Farmers Market had 10,000 visitors in 2025. It also accepts and doubles SNAP benefits for fresh produce up to $20 per day per eligible customer. Farmers Market To Go had about 500 customers and distributed double SNAP benefits of about $1,000 during the year.
  3. $2,402 spent. Grow Oak Ridge provided food assistance to others in 2025 through its Nourish Kids Club and Double Up Food Bucks programs. The Nourish Kids Club offers children aged 2 to 12 a complimentary vegetable tasting and $5 in Produce Bucks to purchase fresh produce from local farmers at the Winter Farmers Market. The club also offers educational activities emphasizing the importance of consuming fresh fruits and vegetables for a healthy lifestyle. In 2025 the Nourish Kids Club benefitted approximately 800 children distributing nearly $4,000 worth of local produce fostering positive relationships between farmers and children. Additionally the Double Up Food Bucks initiative facilitated SNAP doubling at the Winter Farmers Market.

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 October 13, 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 October 2019.

    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 October 21, 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.