Montezuma School to Farm Project
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MONTEZUMA SCHOOL TO FARM PROJECT UNITES OUR LOCAL AGRICULTURAL HERITAGE WITH OUR GROWING FUTURE BY ENGAGING STUDENTS AT THE CROSSROADS OF FOOD PRODUCTION, RESOURCE CONSERVATION, AND NUTRITION THROUGH EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES.
- Income
- $244,246
- Spending
- $266,956
- Spent on programs
- 77%
- Reserves
- 13.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 85%
- Employees
- 10
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: 74 out of 100. Higher than 42% of charities in its peer group (environment, under $250k).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 13.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 9% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 34% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1576% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 89% of charities in its peer group (environment, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 5 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
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
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, 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 (1)
- $204,180 spent. MONTEZUMA SCHOOL TO FARM PROJECT (ORGANIZATION) PROVIDES MONTHLY GARDEN LESSONS FOR PRE-KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 5TH GRADE STUDENTS AT KEMPER ELEMENTARY AND MESA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN CORTEZ, COLORADO, AND BIWEEKLY GARDEN LESSONS AT MANCOS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN MANCOS, COLORADO. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO PROVIDES A NINE-WEEK MIDDLE SCHOOL ELECTIVE COURSE AT THE MANCOS MIDDLE SCHOOL AND OFFERS ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS AND ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS ON FRIDAYS WHEN STUDENTS ARE NOT IN SCHOOL. THE ORGANIZATION SERVED 184 STUDENTS IN FRIDAY PROGRAMS AND PROVIDED 348 HOURS OF LESSONS TO MONTEZUMA COUNTY STUDENTS. ON AVERAGE, THE ORGANIZATION SERVES APPROXIMATELY 1,000 STUDENTS EVERY MONTH DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, THROUGHOUT MONTEZUMA COUNTY. THESE LESSONS INCLUDE CRITICAL CONCEPTS FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ARTS, AND MATHEMATICS TOPICS THAT ALIGN WITH COLORADO STATE ACADEMIC STANDARDS AND NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS. THE LESSONS COMBINE TASTINGS OF NUTRITIONAL FOODS WITHIN THE GARDENS AND HOLISTIC MODELS THAT INCLUDE ASPECTS OF SEVERAL INTERCONNECTING DISCIPLINES. THESE LESSONS ARE THE ORGANIZATIONS LARGEST PROGRAM AND PRIMARY FOCUS. THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDED OVER 10,000 TASTINGS OF FRESH FOOD TO STUDENTS DURING IN-SCHOOL AND OUT-OF-SCHOOL LESSONS. THE ORGANIZATION UTILIZES SIX SCHOOL GARDENS AND A TWO-ACRE PRODUCTION PLOT TO GROW OVER 5,000 POUNDS OF FRESH PRODUCE AND DONATES IT THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. ALL THE FOOD IS DISTRIBUTED VIA DONATIONS TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS, FOOD PANTRIES, AND FOOD SHARES. USING RESOURCE CONSERVING AND SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL PROCESSES, THE ORGANIZATION RESPONSIBLY GROWS LOCAL, ORGANIC, AND NUTRIENT DENSE FOOD WHILE TEACHING AND SERVING THE STUDENTS OF MONTEZUMA COUNTY, COLORADO.
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
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 2025.
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 May 2020.
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.
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