The Bulb Gallery

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
814676117
IRS 990 coverage
2020–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Location
Charlotte, NC, USA
Phone
6514914862
Rating
83
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Food, Agriculture, and Nutrition N.E.C.

Reported finances

Revenue
$2,416,246
Expenses
$1,847,406
Assets
$1,194,954
Liabilities
$35,168

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

6 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • LISA MATHEWS (EXECUTIVE DI): $64,640 total reported compensation
  • ANNIKA WREDER (FINANCE DIRE): $61,040 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The bulb is a direct-service nonprofit advancing equitable, barrier-free access to fresh, nutritious produce through place-based mobile farmers markets in underserved communities. Our markets center around choice and are shaped by collaboration with local farms, grocery partners, and neighborhood leaders-supporting a healthier, more sustainable, and resilient charlotte.

What it reported doing in 2025

In 2025, the bulb hosted 392 mobile markets, distributing 430,341 pounds of fresh produce to more than 25,000 guests and reaching an estimated 84,858 household members across mecklenburg county. Guest feedback reflected strong impact, with 93.62% reporting improved health, 96.98% increasing fruit and vegetable intake, and 88.59% reporting grocery savings that helped free up household funds for other essential needs. The organization also expanded operational capacity by adding a third cargo van and more than doubling cold storage with a second walk-in cooler, improving transportation and food preservation efforts. Sustainability initiatives diverted 68,730 pounds of organic waste through composting partnerships and repurposed over 20,000 clamshell and egg carton containers through a single-use plastics reuse program.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 82% 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.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown and some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 78
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 80
  • Sustainability: 56
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 69.8%; rating input score 70
  • Program expense ratio: 91.1%; rating input score 91
  • Fundraising efficiency: $40.87 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 76; 76th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd 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: 75%; rating input score 75; 14th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 23.5%; rating input score 76; 76th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.65; rating input score 22; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.03; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 6.8%; rating input score 46; 46th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 41.1% per year; rating input score 100; 95th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 43.6% per year; rating input score 100; 97th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 59.9% per year; rating input score 100; 98th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 69.8% of revenue deployed · 91.1% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 3 of 4 board members independent · 7 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $1.7M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $65K · 6 people listed
  • Consistency: 29 of 29 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 6 filing years from 2020 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 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 — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 22/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Whistleblower policy not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 46/100.