Farm and City
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
Farm&City is an independent 501c3 think & do tank dedicated to high quality urban & rural human habitat in Texas in perpetuity. We improve public policies to improve millions of Texans lives in ways that preserve and enhance Texas land, climate, and culture.
- Income
- $444,262
- Spending
- $543,404
- Spent on programs
- 86%
- Reserves
- -1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 71%
- Employees
- 8
- Volunteers
- 10
- Highest pay
- $80,327, executive dir.
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
Weak: 25 out of 100. Higher than 2% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 566% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 22% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 7% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1586% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 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
Fair: 69 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
18 of 254 of 4 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no 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)
- $468,117 spent. Farm&City works at the intersections of transportation, urban planning, sustainability, and equity to improve Texas public policy at the city, county, metropolitan, and state levels. In 2024, we hosted the 2024 Texas Vision Zero Summit in Houston, the Texas World Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Traffic Violence in Austin, and co-hosted a national conference, YIMBYtown 2024, credited in Texas and national media with changing the narrative on affordability and paving the way to significant land development reforms in Austin, Dallas, at the state level in Texas and across the nation. We continued our work in partnership with TxDOT to train local governments across the state on the safe systems approach, Vision Zero goals, proven countermeasures to save lives on Texas streets, and bringing Safe Streets and Roads for All funding to Texas communities, as well as providing Pedestrian Safety Trainings for Law Enforcement. We contributed to transportation and urban planning improvements across the state including Austin?s comprehensive approach to Equitable Transit Oriented Development, significant steps forward on Vision Zero at the cities of Dallas and Amarillo and others, and contributed significantly to state processes like the TxDOT State Long Range Transportation Plan and Texas Strategic Highway Safety Plan.
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 October 13, 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 April 2017.
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 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.