Garden Academy
Garden Academy consistently operates with modest surpluses and reports no officer compensation.
EIN: 200462154 · West Orange, NJ · NTEE: B26 · Updated: 2026-03-28
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Revenue | $4.6M |
| Total Expenses | $4.6M |
| Program Spending | 85% |
| CEO/Top Officer Pay | $4.5M |
| Net Assets | $1.7M |
| Transparency Score | 88/100 |
Search Intent Cockpit
Garden Academy Form 990, Revenue, CEO Pay, and IRS Filing Signals
Garden Academy is surfaced here as a decision-ready nonprofit financial profile, not just a charity listing. The page consolidates IRS Form 990 revenue, expenses, assets, tax-exempt classification, executive compensation, mission score, red flags, and year-by-year filing history so donors, researchers, journalists, and grant teams can answer the common search questions around Garden Academy in one place.
Form 990 Filing Summary
13 filing years are available, with latest revenue of $4.6M and expenses of $4.6M.
Revenue and Expenses
Garden Academy reported $4.6M in revenue and $4.6M in expenses, a surplus of $16K.
Executive Compensation
Top officer compensation appears as $4.5M in the stored analysis, with context against revenue and expenses below.
Charity Score and Red Flags
88/100 mission score, 2 red flags, and 4 strengths are shown from structured and AI review.
Is Garden Academy Legit?
Some Concerns
Assessment based on IRS 990 filings, spending patterns, and AI analysis. Not a guarantee of legitimacy. Full charity check →
IRS 990 Data Cockpit
Where the Money Comes From and Where It Goes
Revenue Source Mix
Revenue-source line items are not available on the stored filing yet. Future ingestion now preserves contribution, program-revenue, and investment-income fields when ProPublica provides them.
Expense Deployment
| Program services | $3.9M (85%) |
Across stored filings, Garden Academy shows contribution history pending. Next enrichment targets: revenue-source fields, IRS BMF classification.
Decision Cockpit
One-Stop Donor, Research, and Peer Context Hub
| Decision Lens | Signal | What to Inspect Next |
|---|---|---|
| Legitimacy | Some Concerns | Good filing record; 2 red flags identified |
| Mission spend | 85% to programs | Excellent |
| Financial durability | Grade A | 13 stored filing years |
| Peer context | Compare with Dance For The Cure Inc | New Jersey and Education context |
Trust Check
Review legitimacy, deductibility, red flags, and filing consistency.
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Garden Academy directs 85% of its spending to programs. This exceeds the industry benchmark of 65%, indicating strong mission focus.
About Garden Academy
Garden Academy (EIN: 200462154) is a nonprofit organization based in West Orange, NJ, classified under NTEE code B26. The organization reported total revenue of $4.6M and total assets of $3.2M according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of Garden Academy's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.
Organization Overview
Garden Academy is a mid-size nonprofit that has been operating for 21 years, with 13 years of IRS 990 filings on record (2011–2023). Revenue has grown at a compound annual rate of 4.3%.
Key Financial Metrics (2023)
From the most recent IRS 990 filing on record:
| Total Revenue | $4.6M |
| Total Expenses | $4.6M |
| Surplus / Deficit | +$16K |
| Total Assets | $3.1M |
| Total Liabilities | $1.3M |
| Net Assets | $1.7M |
| Operating Margin | 0.3% |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio | 43.4% |
| Months of Reserves | 8.1 months |
Financial Health Grade: A
In 2023, Garden Academy reported a surplus of $16K with revenue exceeding expenses, holds 8.1 months of operating reserves (strong position), has a debt-to-asset ratio of 43.4% (moderate leverage).
Financial Trends
Over 13 years of filings (2011–2023), Garden Academy's revenue has grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.3%.
| Year | Revenue Change | Expense Change | Asset Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | +3.0% | +4.3% | -2.2% |
| 2022 | -1.2% | +0.5% | +2.8% |
| 2021 | +1.4% | -2.3% | -20.8% |
| 2020 | +6.6% | +8.6% | +25.8% |
| 2019 | +1.3% | -1.3% | -8.5% |
IRS Tax-Exempt Classification
| IRS Classification Codes | 2000 |
| IRS Ruling Date | 2005 |
Classification data from ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. Additional BMF data may be available after enrichment.
AI Transparency Report
Mission Effectiveness Score
NonprofitSpending's AI analysis rates Garden Academy with a Mission Score of 88 out of 100 (Excellent). This score reflects the organization's overall financial transparency, program spending efficiency, and governance indicators derived from IRS 990 public filings.
Spending Breakdown
- admin: 10%
- programs: 85%
- fundraising: 5%
According to IRS 990 filings, Garden Academy allocates its expenses as follows: admin: 10%, programs: 85%, fundraising: 5%. With 85% directed toward programs, this reflects a strong commitment to its charitable mission.
Key Financial Metrics (2023)
From the most recent IRS 990 filing on record:
- The organization reported a surplus of $16K, with revenue exceeding expenses.
- Debt-to-asset ratio: 43.4%.
Executive Compensation Analysis
Garden Academy consistently reports 0% officer compensation across all available filings, which is highly unusual for an organization of its size ($4.5M+ revenue) and suggests either a fully volunteer executive leadership or compensation structured in a way not reported under this specific line item on the 990.
Executive compensation data is sourced from IRS 990 filings, which require nonprofits to disclose the compensation of officers, directors, trustees, and key employees. NonprofitSpending analyzes this data relative to the organization's total revenue and sector benchmarks to assess whether executive pay is reasonable.
Red Flags
The following concerns were identified during AI analysis of Garden Academy's IRS 990 filings:
- Lack of detailed functional expense breakdown (program, admin, fundraising) in provided data prevents precise efficiency analysis.
- Consistent 0% officer compensation for an organization of this size is highly unusual and may indicate compensation is reported under other categories, potentially obscuring true executive costs.
Strengths
The following positive indicators were identified for Garden Academy:
- Consistent operational surpluses, with revenue generally exceeding expenses (e.g., $4,577,718 revenue vs. $4,562,067 expenses in 2023).
- Steady growth in assets, from $2,324,323 in 2014 to $3,089,721 in 2023, indicating financial stability.
- Remarkable consistency in reporting 0% officer compensation across all filings, suggesting a strong commitment to directing funds to mission or a unique compensation structure.
- Long and consistent IRS 990 filing history (13 filings), demonstrating transparency and compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions about Garden Academy
Is Garden Academy a legitimate charity?
Garden Academy (EIN: 200462154) is a registered tax-exempt nonprofit based in New Jersey. Our AI analysis gives it a Mission Score of 88/100. It has 13 years of IRS 990 filings on record. Total revenue: $4.6M. 2 red flags identified. 4 strengths noted. Financial health grade: A.
How does Garden Academy spend its money?
Garden Academy directs 85% of its spending to programs and services. Fundraising costs 5%. This exceeds the 65% industry benchmark.
Are donations to Garden Academy tax-deductible?
Garden Academy is registered as a tax-exempt nonprofit (EIN: 200462154). Donations to most 501(c)(3) organizations are tax-deductible. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
How much does the Garden Academy CEO make?
Garden Academy's highest-compensated officer earns $4.5M annually. The organization reported $4.6M in total revenue. Executive compensation data is disclosed in IRS 990 filings.
What percentage of Garden Academy's spending goes to programs?
Garden Academy directs 85% to programs, 5% to fundraising. This exceeds the 65% industry benchmark for efficient nonprofits.
How does Garden Academy compare to similar nonprofits?
With a transparency score of 88/100 (Excellent), Garden Academy is above average for NTEE category B26 nonprofits. The score reflects financial transparency, program spending efficiency, and governance quality based on IRS 990 data.
Where is Garden Academy located?
Garden Academy is headquartered in West Orange, New Jersey and files with the IRS under EIN 200462154. It is classified under NTEE code B26.
How many years of IRS 990 filings does Garden Academy have?
Garden Academy has 13 years of IRS 990 filings on record at NonprofitSpending. This extensive filing history provides a strong basis for evaluating long-term financial trends. The most recent filing shows $4.6M in total revenue.
Is Garden Academy a good charity?
Based on the available IRS 990 data, Garden Academy appears to be a well-managed charity with consistent financial stability, modest operational surpluses, and a notable absence of reported officer compensation, which are positive indicators for donors.
How does Garden Academy manage its executive compensation?
The IRS 990 filings consistently show 0% officer compensation, which is highly unusual for an organization of this scale. This suggests either a volunteer executive team or that executive compensation is reported under different expense categories, warranting further inquiry for full transparency.
What is Garden Academy's financial trend over the past decade?
Garden Academy has shown consistent revenue growth, from $3,013,790 in 2014 to $4,577,718 in 2023, with expenses generally tracking closely, resulting in modest operational surpluses in most years. Assets have also grown steadily, indicating financial health.
Filing History
IRS 990 filing history for Garden Academy showing financial trends over 13 years of public records:
Over 13 years of IRS 990 filings (2011–2023), Garden Academy's revenue has grown by 64.8%, moving from $2.8M to $4.6M. Total assets increased by 235.4% over the same period, from $921K to $3.1M. Total functional expenses rose by 66.9%, from $2.7M to $4.6M. In its most recent filing year (2023), Garden Academy reported a surplus of $16K, with revenue exceeding expenses. The organization holds $1.3M in liabilities against $3.1M in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 43.4%), resulting in net assets of $1.7M.
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Liabilities | Officer Comp. % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $4.6M | $4.6M | $3.1M | $1.3M | — | — |
| 2022 | $4.4M | $4.4M | $3.2M | $1.4M | — | View 990 |
| 2021 | $4.5M | $4.4M | $3.1M | $1.4M | — | — |
| 2020 | $4.4M | $4.5M | $3.9M | $2.4M | — | View 990 |
| 2019 | $4.2M | $4.1M | $3.1M | $1.6M | — | View 990 |
| 2018 | $4.1M | $4.2M | $3.4M | $1.9M | — | View 990 |
| 2017 | $3.8M | $3.6M | $3.1M | $1.6M | — | View 990 |
| 2016 | $3.5M | $3.5M | $2.9M | $1.6M | — | View 990 |
| 2015 | $3.7M | $3.4M | $2.9M | $1.6M | — | View 990 |
| 2014 | $3.0M | $3.1M | $2.3M | $1.3M | — | View 990 |
| 2013 | $3.0M | $3.0M | $1.2M | $74K | — | View 990 |
| 2012 | $3.2M | $2.9M | $1.3M | $221K | — | View 990 |
| 2011 | $2.8M | $2.7M | $921K | $116K | — | View 990 |
Year-by-Year Financial Summary
- 2023: Revenue of $4.6M, expenses of $4.6M, and assets of $3.1M (revenue +3.0% year-over-year).
- 2022: Revenue of $4.4M, expenses of $4.4M, and assets of $3.2M (revenue -1.2% year-over-year).
- 2021: Revenue of $4.5M, expenses of $4.4M, and assets of $3.1M (revenue +1.4% year-over-year).
- 2020: Revenue of $4.4M, expenses of $4.5M, and assets of $3.9M (revenue +6.6% year-over-year).
- 2019: Revenue of $4.2M, expenses of $4.1M, and assets of $3.1M (revenue +1.3% year-over-year).
- 2018: Revenue of $4.1M, expenses of $4.2M, and assets of $3.4M (revenue +8.6% year-over-year).
- 2017: Revenue of $3.8M, expenses of $3.6M, and assets of $3.1M (revenue +7.8% year-over-year).
- 2016: Revenue of $3.5M, expenses of $3.5M, and assets of $2.9M (revenue -4.0% year-over-year).
- 2015: Revenue of $3.7M, expenses of $3.4M, and assets of $2.9M (revenue +21.5% year-over-year).
- 2014: Revenue of $3.0M, expenses of $3.1M, and assets of $2.3M (revenue +0.3% year-over-year).
- 2013: Revenue of $3.0M, expenses of $3.0M, and assets of $1.2M (revenue -7.0% year-over-year).
- 2012: Revenue of $3.2M, expenses of $2.9M, and assets of $1.3M (revenue +16.4% year-over-year).
- 2011: Revenue of $2.8M, expenses of $2.7M, and assets of $921K.
View Individual Filing Years
Explore detailed financial data from each IRS 990 filing year for Garden Academy:
Data Sources and Methodology
This transparency report for Garden Academy is generated by NonprofitSpending's AI analysis engine. The data is sourced from publicly available IRS 990 filings accessed through the ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer API and IRS electronic filing records. The Mission Score, spending breakdown, and other analytical insights are produced by artificial intelligence and should be used as one of multiple factors when evaluating a nonprofit organization.
IRS 990 forms are annual information returns that most tax-exempt organizations must file with the IRS. These forms provide detailed financial information including revenue, expenses, assets, liabilities, and compensation of officers. NonprofitSpending processes this data to provide accessible transparency reports for donors, researchers, and the general public.
Disclaimer
AI-generated analysis based on IRS public records. Not financial or legal advice. Verify information directly with the organization.