Friends of Amy B H Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
AS STEWARDS OF AMY GREENWELL ETHNOBOTANICAL GARDEN AND COMMUNITY FOREST, WE CULTIVATE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE WITH HAWAI'I'S UNIQUE BIOCULTURAL HERITAGE THROUGH PLACE-BASED EDUCATION, COMMUNITY-DRIVEN CONSERVATION, AND COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH. WE WILL PROTECT THE GARDEN IN PERPETUITY, RESTORING ITS LIVING COLLECTIONS AND CULTURAL SITES, AND BUILD PARTNERSHIPS THAT SUPPORT A THRIVING, RESILIENT LANDSCAPE AND AGROECOLOGICAL SUSTAINABILITY. KA M?LAMA ?ANA I KA MO?OMEHEU. I MEA E OLA AI MAI K?IA MUA AKU-PRESERVING CULTURE. SO THAT THERE IS LIFE TO COME.
- Income
- $707,537
- Spending
- $509,471
- Spent on programs
- 83%
- Reserves
- 5.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 51%
- Employees
- 7
- Volunteers
- 250
- Highest pay
- $63,107, executive di
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
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 4% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 28% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 77% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1583% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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
Good: 84 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2514 of 14 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
0 of 7Reports no 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
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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, 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)
- $421,359 spent. ORGANIZATIONAL GROWTH AND LEADERSHIP THE FRIENDS OF AMY B.H. GREENWELL ETHNOBOTANICAL GARDEN ("THE GARDEN") BUILT OUT ITS PERMANENT STAFF TO SEVEN, INCLUDING NEW HIRES IN EDUCATION AND FOREST MAINTENANCE. STAFF UNDERTOOK PROFESSIONAL TRAINING IN PROGRAM MANAGEMENT, CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIPS, FIRST AID, AND SUSTAINABLE PROPAGATION TECHNIQUES. A DORIS DUKE CONSERVATION FELLOW COMPLETED A COMMUNITY NETWORK STUDY IN THE SUMMER, AND THE GARDEN WAS PREPARING TO HOST ITS FIRST KUPU/AMERICORPS CONSERVATION LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM INTERN IN EARLY 2025. DIGITAL OUTREACH EXPANDED SIGNIFICANTLY, WITH A REDESIGNED WEBSITE, INCREASED SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE, AND MULTIMEDIA DOCUMENTATION OF THE GARDEN'S PROGRAMS. NATIVE PLANT NURSERY AND CONSERVATION THE GARDEN DISTRIBUTED A TOTAL OF 898 TREES AND 563 PLANTS IN 2024 THROUGH A COMBINATION OF GIVEAWAYS, PUBLIC SALES, AND RESTORATION PARTNERSHIPS. OVER 50 NATIVE, ENDEMIC, AND POLYNESIAN-INTRODUCED SPECIES WERE PROPAGATED AND SHARED, INCLUDING RARE TAXA LIKE BRIGHAMIA INSIGNIS, HIBISCUS CLAYI, AND SANTALUM PANICULATUM. OUTPLANTING ON GARDEN GROUNDS ALSO RESUMED, WITH NATIVE TREES AND PLANTS SUCH AS SCAEVOLA CHAMISSONIANA ADDED TO THE LANDSCAPE. 1,600 SQUARE FEET OF NEW NURSERY SPACE WAS COMPLETED, INCLUDING A PEST-CONTROL QUARANTINE ZONE. PUBLIC EVENTS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT A SUNDAY FARMERS MARKET IN THE GARDEN PARKING LOT CONTINUED AS A VIBRANT WEEKLY GATHERING, SUPPORTING OVER 500 VISITORS EACH WEEK AND REINFORCING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN LOCAL AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION, AND COMMUNITY. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR INCLUDED A HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION IN NOVEMBER, DRAWING 375 ATTENDEES FOR TREE GIVEAWAYS, PLANT SALES, CULTURAL DEMONSTRATIONS, AND EDUCATIONAL BOOTHS. IN TOTAL, AGEG HOSTED 21 PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH EVENTS IN 2024, INCLUDING AN ONGOING MONTHLY ETHNOBOTANY TALK AND POTLUCK SERIES FEATURING EXPERT SPEAKERS ON TOPICS SUCH AS TRADITIONAL FARMING, EDIBLE INVASIVES, AND BIOCULTURAL RESTORATION. THESE EVENTS STRENGTHENED COMMUNITY DIALOGUE AND WERE MADE AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR WIDER ACCESS. ORGANIZATIONAL GROWTH AND LEADERSHIP THE FRIENDS OF AMY B.H. GREENWELL ETHNOBOTANICAL GARDEN ("THE GARDEN") BUILT OUT ITS PERMANENT STAFF TO SEVEN, INCLUDING NEW HIRES IN EDUCATION AND FOREST MAINTENANCE. STAFF UNDERTOOK PROFESSIONAL TRAINING IN PROGRAM MANAGEMENT, CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIPS, FIRST AID, AND SUSTAINABLE PROPAGATION TECHNIQUES. A DORIS DUKE CONSERVATION FELLOW COMPLETED A COMMUNITY NETWORK STUDY IN THE SUMMER, AND THE GARDEN WAS PREPARING TO HOST ITS FIRST KUPU/AMERICORPS CONSERVATION LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM INTERN IN EARLY 2025. DIGITAL OUTREACH EXPANDED SIGNIFICANTLY, WITH A REDESIGNED WEBSITE, INCREASED SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE, AND MULTIMEDIA DOCUMENTATION OF THE GARDEN'S PROGRAMS. NATIVE PLANT NURSERY AND CONSERVATION THE GARDEN DISTRIBUTED A TOTAL OF 898 TREES AND 563 PLANTS IN 2024 THROUGH A COMBINATION OF GIVEAWAYS, PUBLIC SALES, AND RESTORATION PARTNERSHIPS. OVER 50 NATIVE, ENDEMIC, AND POLYNESIAN-INTRODUCED SPECIES WERE PROPAGATED AND SHARED, INCLUDING RARE TAXA LIKE BRIGHAMIA INSIGNIS, HIBISCUS CLAYI, AND SANTALUM PANICULATUM. OUTPLANTING ON GARDEN GROUNDS ALSO RESUMED, WITH NATIVE TREES AND PLANTS SUCH AS SCAEVOLA CHAMISSONIANA ADDED TO THE LANDSCAPE. 1,600 SQUARE FEET OF NEW NURSERY SPACE WAS COMPLETED, INCLUDING A PEST-CONTROL QUARANTINE ZONE. PUBLIC EVENTS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT A SUNDAY FARMERS MARKET IN THE GARDEN PARKING LOT CONTINUED AS A VIBRANT WEEKLY GATHERING, SUPPORTING OVER 500 VISITORS EACH WEEK AND REINFORCING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN LOCAL AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION, AND COMMUNITY. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR INCLUDED A HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION IN NOVEMBER, DRAWING 375 ATTENDEES FOR TREE GIVEAWAYS, PLANT SALES, CULTURAL DEMONSTRATIONS, AND EDUCATIONAL BOOTHS. IN TOTAL, AGEG HOSTED 21 PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH EVENTS IN 2024, INCLUDING AN ONGOING MONTHLY ETHNOBOTANY TALK AND POTLUCK SERIES FEATURING EXPERT SPEAKERS ON TOPICS SUCH AS TRADITIONAL FARMING, EDIBLE INVASIVES, AND BIOCULTURAL RESTORATION. THESE EVENTS STRENGTHENED COMMUNITY DIALOGUE AND WERE MADE AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR WIDER ACCESS.
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 November 6, 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 June 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 November 4, 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.