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Nonprofiteer
← DENVER URBAN GARDENS

Form 990 for tax year 2025

Filed by DENVER URBAN GARDENS.

Totals

Total revenue
$4,093,066
Total expenses
$4,446,764
Contributions and grants received
$3,618,816
Grants paid
$844,304
Program service revenue
$502,355
Investment income
$14,893
Other revenue
-$42,998
Total assets, end of year
$1,587,956
Total liabilities, end of year
$380,744
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$1,207,212
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$3,793,104
Management and general expenses
$374,501
Fundraising expenses
$279,159
Program service expenses (Part III)
$3,793,104

Program services were 85.3% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1c · Fundraising events

    $229,986

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $1,918,084

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $1,470,746

  • 1g · Noncash contributions included above

    $354,438

  • 2a · Program service revenue: EDUCATION & ENGAGEMENT

    total $254,675 · related or exempt $254,675

  • 2b · Program service revenue: GARDENS & FOOD FORESTS

    total $204,036 · related or exempt $204,036

  • 2c · Program service revenue: FOOD ACCESS PROGRAM

    total $43,644 · related or exempt $43,644

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $14,893 · excluded $14,893

  • 8a · Fundraising events: gross income

    $18,900

  • 8a · Fundraising events: contributions included on line 1c

    $229,986

  • 8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

    $74,943

  • 8c · Net income from fundraising events

    total -$56,043 · excluded -$56,043

  • 11a · Other revenue: MISCELLANEOUS INCOME

    total $13,045 · related or exempt $13,045

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $13,045

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments

    total $844,304 · program services $844,304

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $176,817 · program services $123,772 · management and general $53,045

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $1,202,500 · program services $1,009,601 · management and general $89,148 · fundraising $103,751

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $24,647 · program services $20,693 · management and general $1,827 · fundraising $2,127

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $166,675 · program services $139,938 · management and general $12,356 · fundraising $14,381

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $117,637 · program services $98,766 · management and general $8,721 · fundraising $10,150

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $16,255 · management and general $16,255

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $100,250 · management and general $100,250

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $289,637 · program services $162,249 · management and general $15,526 · fundraising $111,862

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $67,120 · program services $45,568 · management and general $17,647 · fundraising $3,905

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $94,944 · program services $79,713 · management and general $7,039 · fundraising $8,192

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $102,651 · program services $76,988 · management and general $20,530 · fundraising $5,133

  • 17 · Travel

    total $54,250 · program services $45,547 · management and general $4,022 · fundraising $4,681

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $10,969 · program services $8,227 · management and general $2,194 · fundraising $548

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $26,305 · program services $24,978 · management and general $613 · fundraising $714

  • 24a · Other expenses: GARDEN MATERIALS

    total $929,704 · program services $929,704

  • 24b · Other expenses: OTHER PROGRAM AND GENER

    total $173,319 · program services $169,283 · management and general $4,036

  • 24c · Other expenses: OTHER EXPENSES

    total $35,615 · program services $2,720 · management and general $20,316 · fundraising $12,579

  • 24d · Other expenses: FACILITY AND EQUIPMENT

    total $13,165 · program services $11,053 · management and general $976 · fundraising $1,136

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $69,973 · end of year $54,725

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $868,711 · end of year $561,930

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $640,184 · end of year $496,183

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $26,250 · end of year $13,204

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $3,783 · end of year $3,783

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $742,105

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $511,165

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $241,909 · end of year $230,940

  • 12 · Investments: other securities

    beginning of year $25,689 · end of year $27,122

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $253,052 · end of year $200,069

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $280,550 · end of year $151,377

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    beginning of year $18,369 · end of year $12,000

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $270,657 · end of year $217,367

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $690,075 · end of year $704,858

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $869,900 · end of year $502,354

Mission and programs · 2025

Mission

DENVER URBAN GARDENS' (DUG) MISSION IS TO PROVIDE ACCESS, SKILLS, AND RESOURCES FOR PEOPLE TO GROW HEALTHY FOOD IN COMMUNITY AND REGENERATE URBAN GREEN SPACES.

  • DUG'S COMMUNITY GARDENS INCLUDE BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SPACES, MANAGED BY A DEDICATED TEAM OF VOLUNTEER GARDEN LEADERS AND CULTIVATED BY A LARGE NETWORK OF COMMUNITY GARDENERS. COMMUNITY GARDENS PROVIDE AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY TO GROW FRESH, HEALTHY FOOD FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES. GARDENERS TYPICALLY PLANT ANNUALS-SUCH AS TOMATOES AND PUMPKINS-EACH SEASON, FOLLOWING THE GROWING CYCLE FROM SEED STARTING TO PREPARING THE GARDEN FOR DORMANCY. THE DIVERSITY IN DUG'S GARDENS IS REFLECTED IN THEIR VARYING SIZES, ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES, COMMUNITY CULTURES, AND INTERNAL COMMUNITY AGREEMENTS. DUG'S FOOD FORESTS, ESTABLISHED WITH GENEROUS COMMUNITY SUPPORT, HAVE EXPANDED TO NUMEROUS LOCATIONS ACROSS THE AREA AND FEATURE A VARIETY OF FOOD-PRODUCING TREE AND SHRUB SPECIES. UNLIKE COMMUNITY GARDENS, FOOD FORESTS OFFER ONGOING SUPPORT FOR THE COMMUNITY THROUGH PERENNIAL TREES AND BUSHES THAT YIELD FOOD YEAR AFTER YEAR. THESE SPACES ARE OPEN TO EVERYONE, ALLOWING COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO HARVEST BERRIES, NUTS, AND OTHER PRODUCE AS THEY WISH. EACH SITE IS CARED FOR BY TRAINED VOLUNTEER TREE KEEPERS WHO HELP MAINTAIN THE AREA AND FOSTER A SENSE OF COMMUNITY.

    Expenses $1,635,762 · Grants $844,304 · Revenue $204,036

  • UNDER THE FOOD ACCESS UMBRELLA, DUG OFFERS THREE UNIQUE PROGRAMS: GROW A GARDEN, CULTURALLY INCLUSIVE SEEDS, AND COMMUNITY SEED DISTRIBUTION. THE GROW A GARDEN PROGRAM CONNECTS INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS WITH SEEDS, SEEDLINGS, AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES TO SUPPORT GROWING FOOD AT HOME OR IN A DUG GARDEN. THIS PROGRAM SERVES A WIDE RANGE OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS, MANY OF WHOM ARE FROM HOUSEHOLDS WITH LIMITED INCOME. LIKE DUG'S OTHER FOOD ACCESS INITIATIVES, THE COMMUNITY SEED DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO REDUCE FINANCIAL BARRIERS TO GROWING FOOD, WHETHER AT HOME OR IN A COMMUNITY GARDEN. DUG'S COMMUNITY SEED DISTRIBUTION IS ONE OF THE LARGEST PUBLICLY AVAILABLE COLLECTIONS OF FREE SEEDS IN THE AREA, HELPING THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES START THEIR OWN GARDENS. THE CULTURALLY INCLUSIVE SEEDS PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH MARGINALIZED IDENTITIES BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO RARE AND SPECIALTY PLANT VARIETIES, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON CULTURAL INCLUSIVITY. DUG BELIEVES THAT MEANINGFUL AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD ACCESS PRIORITIZES FOODS THAT ARE FAMILIAR AND DESIRABLE TO EACH INDIVIDUAL, REGARDLESS OF BACKGROUND. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, DUG SUPPORTS A GLOBAL ARRAY OF GROWING AND CULINARY PRACTICES, CELEBRATING THE SHARED DIVERSITY OF ITS COMMUNITY.

    Expenses $361,356 · Revenue $43,644

  • DUG'S EDUCATION PROGRAMMING HAS BEEN SUPPORTING URBAN GARDENERS THROUGHOUT METRO DENVER FOR MANY YEARS. THESE PROGRAMS ARE GROUNDED IN A DEEP RESPECT FOR ALL PEOPLE AND THEIR TRADITIONS, PROMOTE ORGANIC PRACTICES THAT REGENERATE THE EARTH, AND ENGAGE LEARNERS IN A VARIETY OF WAYS. DUG OFFERS BOTH ADULT AND YOUTH EDUCATION PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS A COMMUNITY COMPOSTER TRAINING PROGRAM. THE ADULT AND YOUTH EDUCATION PROGRAMS PROVIDE NUMEROUS WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES, MANY OF WHICH OFFER FLEXIBLE, PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN OPTIONS TO ENSURE ACCESSIBILITY FOR ALL. THE COMMUNITY COMPOSTER TRAINING PROGRAM IS WIDELY ATTENDED BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND DUG GARDENERS ACROSS THE FRONT RANGE, HELPING TO BUILD KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWING AND COMPOSTING PRACTICES.

    Expenses $1,795,986 · Revenue $254,675

  • Revenue $13,045

As filed on the 2025 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • Brianna Borin

    BOARD DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Richard Hess

    BOARD DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Kendall Kadish

    BOARD DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Adam Larkey

    BOARD DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Peter Lifari

    BOARD DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Bill Mahar

    BOARD DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Jasmine McGlade

    BOARD DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Kelly Nordini

    BOARD DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Jesse Ogas

    BOARD DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Denny Post

    BOARD DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Corine Roberts

    BOARD DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Kelli Rojas

    BOARD DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Melinda Warner

    BOARD DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Ginger White

    BOARD DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Doug Wooley

    BOARD DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Jason Longsdorf

    CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Brad Dodson

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Charon Earnest

    SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Linda Appel Lipsius

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $176,817
    From this org
    $153,414
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $23,403
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $153,414
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $23,403
    Filer's total
    $176,817

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Answered yes

  • 3 · Form 990 of other organizations
  • 3 · Compensation survey or study
  • 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee

Answered no

  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
  • 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
  • 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
  • 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
  • 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
  • 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2025
Filed
9 July 2026
IRS schema version
2025v4.2
Source object
202601919349300130

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