Crop Swap LA
Legal name: Growing Communities Inc
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 873247920
- IRS 990 coverage
- 2022–2025
- Official website data refreshed
- Sep 2026
- Forms available
- Form 990 2025, Form 990-N 2021
- Location
- Los Angeles, CA, US
- Phone
- (213) 878-2752
- Rating
- 72
- Verdict
- SUPPORTED
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
- Sector
- Environmental Education and Outdoor Survival Programs
Reported finances
- Revenue
- $1,702,251
- Expenses
- $1,221,591
- Assets
- $1,455,940
- Liabilities
- $129,366
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.
Leadership & pay
7 people listed
Executive titles in this filing
- JAMIAH HARGINS (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
Highest reported compensation
- JAMIAH HARGINS (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $135,000 total reported compensation
- JOHN GARSIDE (DIRECTOR POLICY & DEVELOPMENT): $111,600 total reported compensation
- ECONZI BENJAMIN (DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCE): $93,000 total reported compensation
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.
Overview
Mission
We’re determined to grow food on unused spaces in ways that create jobs, preserve water, and equitably distribute the food.
What it reported doing in 2025
Growing communities, inc dba crop swap la develops micro-farms in urban areas to pprovide sustainable jobs and increase access to fresh, local produce for underserved communities affected by food insecurity. Each micro-farm supplies 15-22 families weekly with nutrient-rich produce grown within a 1-2 mile radius, eliminating reliance on carbon-intensive global supply chains. According to a recent study, the organization ranks highest in water recycling, energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, fertilizer use, and pesticide use compared to conventional farms. During the reporting period, the organization served 40 members through its affordable membership model, generated 2,419 pounds of produce, and delivered environmental, economic, and nutritional benefits to underserved communities in los angeles, California. The organization conducts regular courses and workshops that teach fundamental elements of sustainable gardening, providing participants with practical insights and hands-on experience regardless of their skill level. These educational events cover essential topics including irrigation basics and blended methodologies, as well as the complete growing cycle from planting through harvesting and soil recharging. By fostering community connectivity, the program empowers participants with the skills to grow their own food locally, which aligns with the organizations mission to reduce reliance on inefficient water and carbon-intensive global supply chains while equitably distributing produce grown on unused spaces. (revenue and expenses for this program are included in part iii, ln 4a.
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Donor-supported. 69% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
- Distribution model
- Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
The verdict
SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and a large share of available resources goes toward mission work. Revenue has declined or grown slowly and some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 63
- Transparency & Controls: 93
- Accountability: 68
- Sustainability: 57
- Growth: 40
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 61.4%; rating input score 61
- Program expense ratio: 85.7%; rating input score 86
- Fundraising efficiency: Limited
Transparency & Controls
- Consistency checks: 91.7%; rating input score 92; 15th percentile among comparable filings
- Pay-setting controls: Limited
- Foreign activity oversight: Limited
- Grant itemization coverage: Limited
- Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
- Related-party transparency: Limited
Accountability
- Independent voting board: 60%; rating input score 60; 16th percentile among comparable filings
- Governance controls: 7 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 78
- Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
- Whistleblower policy: Pass
- Document-retention policy: Pass
- CEO compensation review process: Pass
- Other executive compensation review process: Pass
- Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
- Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
- Audit committee oversight: Fail
- Independent financial-statement audit: Fail
Sustainability
- Operating margin: 28.2%; rating input score 80; 80th percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.19; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.09; rating input score 36; 36th percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 27.8%; rating input score 9; 9th percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: 11.2% per year; rating input score 100; 61st percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: -36% per year; rating input score 0; 1st percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: -22.8% per year; rating input score 0; 1st percentile among comparable filings
Details
- What they do: 5 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 1 operating location identified
- Where the money goes: 61.4% of revenue deployed · 85.7% of spending went to programs
- Governance: 3 of 5 board members independent · 7 of 9 filing controls reported
- Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $1M in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $135K · 7 people listed
- Consistency: 25 of 26 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
- Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
- Filing history: 4 filing years from 2022 to 2025
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- Money network: 3 filed money-flow records
- Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
- Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
- People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.
Key Signals
Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.
- High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
- Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 9 not reported.
- High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
- Moderate — Transparency & Controls: Schedule A contributions reconciliation did not reconcile in the filed values.
- Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 48/100.
- High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 9/100.
- Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 36/100.