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Plants People Community

EIN 82-5297261 · Oceanside, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair67 out of 100GovernanceWeak26 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

PLANTS, PEOPLE, COMMUNITYIS DEDICATED TO FOSTERING HOLISTIC ENVIRONMENTAL AND ADVANCING FOOD SYSTEMS THROUGH CULTURALLY RELEVANT PROGRAMMING. WE EMPOWER COMMUNITIES BY INTEGRATING CONSERVATION STRATEGIES, EMPHASIZING THE INTRINSIC LINK BETWEEN CULTURAL VITALITY AND ECOLOGICAL HEALTH. OUR INITIATIVES-SPANNING URBAN FARM MANAGEMENT, SEED SOVEREIGNTY, BOTANICAL FIELDWORK, HABITAT RESTORATION, AND POLICY ADVOCACY IN FOOD SYSTEMS-INCLUDE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT FOSTER HANDS-ON LEARNING AND ACTIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. BCDI ENHANCES BOTH ECOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING AND PRACTICAL SKILLS THROUGH BROAD-BASED COLLABORATION IN OUR COMMUNITIES, NURTURING RESILIENT ECOSYSTEMS AND PROMOTING BOTH CULTURAL AND PHYSICAL WELL-BEING. BY CELEBRATING AND REVITALIZING OUR BOTANICAL HERITAGE WITHIN ECOLOGICAL CONTEXTS, BCDI STRIVES TO CULTIVAE A PROFOUND APPRECIATION AND RESPECT FOR THE DIVERSITY OF OUR PLANET'S ECOSYSTEMS AND THEIR INTEGRAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HUMAN COMMUNITIES.

Income
$264,153
Spending
$286,440
Spent on programs
74%
Reserves
11.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 84%
Employees
3
Volunteers
150
Highest pay
$86,961, president an

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

Fair: 67 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 11.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 8% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 33% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    74% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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

Weak: 26 out of 100. Higher than 3% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    5 of 25

    0 of 4 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no 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.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 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, 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)
  1. $212,352 spent. PLANTS, PEOPLE, COMMUNITY EMPOWERS COMMUNITIES BY ACTIVELY ENGAGING IN URBAN AGRICULTURE, SEED SOVEREIGNTY, AND CULTURALLY RELEVANT BOTANICAL EDUCATION. WE FOCUS ON DISMANTLING BARRIERS AND CULTIVATING RECIPROCAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR ECOSYSTEMS, ENSURING EQUITY FOR BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, AND OTHER HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED GROUPS. THROUGH HANDS-ON FARM MANAGEMENT, EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH, AND POLICY ADVOCACY, WE STRIVE TO NURTURE BOTH ECOLOGICAL AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE. BCDI CHAMPIONS OOMMUNITY-LED INITITIAVES, ENSURING THAT OUR WORK NOT ONLY SUPPORTS BUT IS DRIVEN BY THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE, PROMOTING ECOLOGICAL SUSTAINBILITY, SOCIAL EQUITY, AND HUMAN WELL-BEING.

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

  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 2024.

    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 May 2018.

    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.