Terrace Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO ABOLISH FOOD DESERTS IN UNDERSERVED LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES, CREATE THE NEXT GENERATION OF FARMERS, AND PROVIDE HEALTHY FRESH PRODUCE TO THE UNDER REPRESENTED POPULATION. THROUGH EDUCATION, THE GOAL OF THE TERRACE FOUNDATION IS TO TEACH THE CHILDREN AND ADULTS TO LIVE SUSTAINABLY, OWN THEIR FOOD SUPPLY, AND DEFEAT FOOD RELATED ILLNESSES SUCH AS DIABETES, HEART DISEASE, AND STROKES.
- Income
- $513,384
- Spending
- $367,496
- Spent on programs
- 73%
- Reserves
- 0.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 65%
- Employees
- 13
- Volunteers
- 10
- Highest pay
- $72,313, executive director
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: 46 out of 100. Higher than 10% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.2 months of spending.
Debt
2 of 20It owes 93% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 28% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 1% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1572% 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: 74 out of 100. Higher than 55% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
18 of 253 of 3 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
0 of 10Did not give 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)
- $266,257 spent. SEE SCHEDULE OPROGRAMS AT THE TERRACE FOUNDATION:- VETS2FARMERS - TRAINING VETERANS SKILLS THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT AND BE PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF OUR SOCIETY.- FARMS4HEROS - INNER CITY PROGRAM THAT WORKS WITH URBAN VETERANS UTILIZING OPEN SPACES TO CREATE GARDENS THAT CAN BE A SOURCE FOR EDUCATION,GENERATING INCOME, AND JOB TRAINING.- FOOD DISTRIBUTION - DISTRIBUTION OF PRODUCE GROWN IN THE TERRACE FOUNDATION URBAN FARM TO DESIGNATED FOOD DESERTS WITHIN THE SANTA BARBARA AREA. THE TWO COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN DEEMED FOOD DESERTS ARE THE LOWER EASTSIDE AND THE LOWER WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOODS. PROVIDING LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS WITH FRESH HEALTHY NUTRITIOUS LOCALLY GROWN PRODUCE. FOOD DISTRIBUTION IS CARRIED OUT BY THE AMEN PROGRAM WHICH MANAGES ALL THE OPERATION DETAILS.- CALFRESH - DUE TO A LOCAL COMMUNITY DEFICIENCY THE TERRACE FOUNDATION DEVELOPED A PROGRAM THAT WILL SUPPORT CALFRESH RECIPIENTS BY SELLING UNDER MARKET RATE FRESH PRODUCE. HELPING MANY CALFRESH RECIPIENTS IMPROVE THEIR EATING HABITS AND THUS THEIR HEALTH. THE TERRACE FOUNDATION ALSO HELPS QUALIFY INDIVIDUALS MAKING THE PROCESS ACCESSIBLE TO THOSE THAT OTHERWISE WOULD NOT BE AWARE OF SOCIAL PROGRAMS.- COMIDA FRESCA - THE PURPOSE IS TO PROVIDE FRESH PRODUCE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT OTHERWISE WOULD NOT HAVE ACCESS. THE PRODUCE SOLD IS FRESH NEIGHBORHOOD PRODUCE LOCALLY GROWN WITH HIGH NUTRITIONAL VALUE. THE ORGANIZATION NOT ONLY PROVIDES A GATHERING PLACE FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO MINGLE WITH EACH OTHER BUT ALSO SUPPORTS COMMUNITY HEALTH.- EBT - TO SUPPORT THE LOCAL COMMUNITY LIVING IN WHAT HAS BEEN DEEMED A FOOD DESERT, THE TERRACE FOUNDATION HAS BEEN APPROVED TO RECEIVE EBT CARDS. THE ACCEPTANCE OF EBT CARDS WILL BE APPLIED TOWARDS HEALTHY MEALS, FRESH PRODUCE, AND SEEDLINGS. ALL SERVICES ARE RENDERED AT THE TERRACE FOUNDATION.- CHILDREN'S EDUCATION - FARM EDUCATION IS PROVIDED TO UNDERPRIVILEGED LOW-INCOME CHILDREN WITHIN THE LOWER EASTSIDE AND WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOODS. THE IDEA OF THE EDUCATION PROGRAM IS TO HELP COMMUNITY CHILDREN LIVE LONGER HEALTHIER SUSTAINABLE LIVES BY PROVIDING THEM WITH TOOLS THAT SUPPORT THE SUSTAINABILITY CAUSE. AS CHILDREN GROW AND LEARN, THEY SHARE THE EDUCATIONAL TOOLS WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS HELPING IMPROVE THE OVERALL QUALITY OF THEIR COMMUNITY.- PRODUCE - ORGANIC, AEROPONICS, ORCHARD GROWN ON THE URBAN FARM AT THE TERRACE FOUNDATION.- CSA (COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE) - A COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE PROGRAM WAS STARTED IN 2021. THE IDEA IS TO PROVIDE MEMBERS OF THE CSA PROGRAM WITH MEALS AND PRODUCE GROWN ON THE PROPERTY AND IN RETURN, OUR ORGANIZATION WOULD RAISE FUNDS TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE VARIOUS SERVICES OFFERED TO THOSE IN NEED. THE PROGRAM ENSURES LONGEVITY FOR THE NONPROFIT AND SUSTAINABILITY OF SERVICES RENDERED. THE CSA ALSO HELPS SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION AND BRINGS MORE AND MORE ATTENTION TO THE TERRACE FOUNDATION'S WORK. ESSENTIALLY WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL BECOMES A CSA MEMBER, THE DONATION AMOUNT GOES TOWARD MEALS SERVED AT PILGRIM TERRACE COOPERATIVE HOMES, PRODUCE GROWN IN THE URBAN GARDEN, OR STARTER SEEDLINGS.PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS:- THE TERRACE FOUNDATION PROVIDED 90,000 LBS OF PRODUCE IN ORDER TO FEED LOW-INCOME SENIORS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AT PILGRIM TERRACE COOPERATIVE HOMES. A SANTA BARBARA HOUSING COMMUNITY. THE CONTRIBUTION OF PRODUCE PROVIDES FRESH HEALTHY HIGHLY NUTRITIOUS LOCALLY GROWN PRODUCE TO THE KITCHEN OF PILGRIM TERRACE COOPERATIVE HOMES. THE PRODUCE DONATED IS UTILIZED AS INGREDIENTS FOR HOT MEALS AND AS PART OF THEIR FRESH SALAD BAR OFFERED DAILY TO THE COMMUNITY THAT RECEIVES MEALS FROM PTCH.- FARM AND GARDEN EDUCATION IS RENDERED THROUGH VARIOUS PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER COMMUNITY-BASED NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. THE TERRACE FOUNDATION PARTNERS WITH VEGGIE IQ, APPLES TO ZUCCHINI, SANTA BARBARA SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE TURNER FOUNDATION, AND MANY OTHER NUTRITION EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE INSTRUCTION TO LOW-INCOME CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY. DOING OUR PART TO INCREASE THE INTAKE OF MORE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF HEALTH AND LIFE OF CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY. UTILIZING EDUCATION AS A MEANS TO COMBAT FOOD-BORNE DISEASES IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES.- THE TERRACE FOUNDATION AEROPONICS, ORGANIC SOIL FARM, AND FRUIT ORCHARD.- FOOD FROM THE HEART: EXCLUSIVELY GROW GREENS TO SERVE 160 SENIORS ON A WEEKLY BASIS TO PROVIDE MEALS FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT PHYSICALLY ABLE TO COOK FOR THEMSELVES.- VEGGIE RESCUE: THE TERRACE FOUNDATION PROVIDES ANY LEFTOVER PRODUCE GROWN IN LOCATION AT THE WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD - SANTA BARBARA TO VEGGIE RESCUE. THE PRODUCE IS THEN DISTRIBUTED TO OTHER FOOD-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO SUPPLEMENT THEIR FOOD RESOURCES IN ORDER TO FEED THOSE IN NEED.- TURNER FOUNDATION: CURRENT 3-YEAR PROGRAM WORKING WITH 30+ CONTINUING STUDENTS AGES 8 TO 15. DEVELOPED A PILOT PROGRAM GEARED AT 1 ON-1 MENTORSHIP FOR AT-RISK YOUTH. UTILIZING THE URBAN GARDEN AS AN EDUCATIONAL AND LEARNING SPACE TEACHES CHILDREN ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF NUTRITION AND LIVING LONG SUSTAINABLE LIVES.- APPLE TO ZUCCHINI NONPROFIT: CONDUCTED CLASSES (AGES 8 TO 12 YRS OLD) ON PILGRIM TERRACE COOPERATIVE HOMES. THE CLASSES ARE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PILGRIM TERRACE COOPERATIVE HOMES COMMUNITY FOOD DISTRIBUTION/ CITY OF SANTA BARBARA: IN CONNECTION WITH PILGRIM TERRANCE COOPERATIVE HOMES, INC., DONATED 16,000 LBS OF ORGANIC PRODUCE,MICROGREEN, AND HYDROPONIC GREENS TO THE SANTA BARBARA COMMUNITY.- HARVESTED LOCAL SANTA BARBARA FLORA ORGANIC HONEY - 120 - 6 OZ JARS WERE DISTRIBUTED TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND RESIDENTS OF PILGRIM TERRACE COOPERATIVE HOMES.
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 March 2018.
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.