Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb County Inc
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 300306736
- IRS 990-EZ coverage
- 2016–2025
- Forms available
- Form 990-EZ 2025, Form 990-N 2014
- Location
- Marietta, GA, USA
- Phone
- 7705284070
- Rating
- 55
- Verdict
- MIXED
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
- Sector
- Garden Club, Horticultural Program
Reported finances
- Revenue
- $177,663
- Expenses
- $92,516
- Assets
- $249,561
- Liabilities
- $7,420
Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.
Leadership & pay
9 people listed
Executive titles in this filing
- Janis Hylton (President)
- Mike Sumpter (President-elect and Project Chair)
People named in this filing
- Janis Hylton (President)
- Mike Sumpter (President-elect and Project Chair)
- Bill Lovelace (Treasurer)
Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.
Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.
Overview
Mission
To provide horticultural education and assistance to the citizens of Cobb County, GA. In conjunction with the University of Georgia and the Cobb County Extension office, the members make presentations; visit homes and offices; work in community gardens and certified projects; answer questions from the public in person, on the phones, and in writing; and provide assistance to County staff, community garden organizations, and HOAs. We provide not-for-profit service to the community and to promote the knowledge of and interest in gardening.
What it reported doing in 2025
In community outreach, supported community gardens with expertise, financial support, administrative assistance, and on-site work. In extenuating circumstances, provided additional financial assistance. Continued adult educational efforts via paid speakers, hosting Gardeners Nights Out, and monthly Lunch and Learn events. Initiated horticultural related monthly Book Club.
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Donor-supported. 75% 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
MIXED - The filed numbers largely add up and revenue comfortably covers expenses. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of total spending goes to programs.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 17
- Transparency & Controls: 100
- Sustainability: 79
- Growth: 60
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 13.5%; rating input score 14
- Program expense ratio: 23%; rating input score 23
Transparency & Controls
- Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
- Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
Sustainability
- Operating margin: 47.9%; rating input score 91; 91st percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.7; rating input score 87; 87th percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.03; rating input score 29; 29th percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: -5.7% per year; rating input score 0; 19th percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: 11.5% per year; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: 11.3% per year; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
Details
- Where the money goes: 13.5% of revenue deployed · 23% of spending went to programs
- Governance: Filed governance answers
- Accomplishments: 3 filed program accomplishments · $21K in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 9 people listed
- Consistency: 9 of 9 current checks pass
- Schedules: 4 filed schedules
- Filing history: 10 filing years from 2016 to 2025
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- Money network: Resolved incoming and outgoing counterparties from filed money flows.
- 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 — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 14/100.
- High — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 23/100.
- High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
- High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 29/100.