Medicine Bowl Giving Circle
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported a significant diversion of its assets during the year.
- Only 26% of its spending went to programs.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
Medicine Bowl is a constellation of movement organizers, farmers, and land stewards who are on a mission to nourish, feed, house & build alternative infrastructuresfor their communities and themselves. Nestled on 142 acres of land in the Green Mountains of Western North Carolina, Medicine Bowl is a home and a hub forhealing and movement building in the South.
- Income
- $804,255
- Spending
- $635,693
- Spent on programs
- 26%
- Reserves
- 7.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 3
- Highest pay
- $30,000, former founding 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
Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 46% of charities in its peer group (environment, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 7.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 21% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 15% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1526% 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
Fair: 69 out of 100. Higher than 36% of charities in its peer group (environment, $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
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.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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 (5)
- $72,410 spent. Land Residency - Medicine Bowl has a thriving residential community of queer, trans, and non-binary Black, Indigenous, People of Color individuals and families. Residents share in the stewarding, maintenance, and overall caretaking of Medicine Bowl grounds, buildings, and barns, including their living quarters and common areas within.
- $12,310 spent. Other Programs
- Residential Program: Medicine Bowl has a thriving residential community of queer, trans, and non-binary Black, Indigenous, People of Color individuals and families (currently 3 residents). Residents share in the stewarding, maintenance, and overall caretaking of Medicine Bowl grounds, buildings, and barns, including their living quarters and common areas within.
- Giving Circle: We believe in alternative and solidarity economies, which require us to share financial, technical, and cultural resources to land based communities within our networks based in NC, SC, VA, WVA, TN, KY, MS, AL, MS, LA, and South Africa.
- Convening Space & Programming: Medicine Bowl is a place for BIPOC and rural white folks to access land, animals, food, clean water, and meeting space for ritual, work, and retreat.
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 2021.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.