Join Our Donor Community

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” ~ Winston Churchill

Giving to Growing Gardens is a direct way for you to promote sustainable agriculture education in the community. Almost 20% of Growing Gardens’ funding comes directly from individuals in our community! Your support each year is important to our growth and stability as an organization. 89% of the funding we raise goes directly to our programming.

Colorado Gives Day

Colorado Gives Day is one of our most important fundraisers of the year. Donations help us continue our important children’s education programs, providing over 4,500 children a year with incredible hands-on education that focuses on organic gardening, garden-to-table cooking, nutrition education, and the importance of biodiversity and community.

Colorado Gives Day is a statewide day of giving and philanthropy during the month of December, with the primary day of giving taking place on Tuesday, December 5th. You can schedule a donation to take place on a specific day or join the movement on December 5th to make your impactful donation. Colorado Gives day also has a 1M+ million dollar incentive fund, which makes your donation go further and increases your impact with every dollar raised.

Help Us Nurse Milo Back to Good Health

We are asking for your help with expenses for our beloved Milo.

Abby and Katelyn drove Milo to CSU in Fort Collins for emergency kidney stone surgery on Tuesday (9/5) night.  He did great in surgery – he’s young and healthy and is now recovering at the animal hospital for a few days. 

This is an unexpected expense and we’re hoping our community will contribute to help cover Milo’s vet bill, hospital stay, and post-surgery recovery. He’s one of our most beloved goats and we’re happy he’s on the road to recovery. We look forward to him coming home to the farm soon.

Help Us Rebuild Our Food Project

We need your help to continue our Longmont food access and education programs in 2023 and beyond.

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Help Us Reach Our $50,000 Goal – 11%

Recent developments at our Longmont Food Project Farm, in partnership with the YMCA, are challenging our ability to continue producing the quantity of fresh food our partners and community members rely on each year.

This past fall 60% of the Longmont Food Project Farm’s growing space was repurposed to build a turf athletic field. We are very supportive of the YMCA’s mission to provide athletic opportunities for children living on low incomes in Longmont, and are working closely with the Y to reconfigure the farm to make the best use of the remaining space. Our overall growing space will, however, be significantly reduced, affecting the amount of food we can grow and distribute to our local partners, such as the OUR Center, Timberline PK-8th school, Wild Plum Preschool, and the I Have A Dream Foundation.

Your generous donations are critical in supporting additional staffing and resources needed for reconfiguring the remaining space at the YMCA farm and installing infrastructure for the new pilot farm located at 15th Avenue and Pratt Street at Bethlehem Lutheran Church.

Donation Levels

Perennial Donors set up an automatic, monthly contribution that sustains Growing Gardens throughout the year. These donations continue without having to renew and you may change or stop your contribution at any time.

Just like perennial flowers that come back spring after spring to brighten our gardens, perennial donor’s support provides consistent growth for Growing Gardens.

Our Perennial Donors enjoy the following benefits:

• Convenience. Annual support of Growing Gardens continues monthly without having to renew
• Enjoy 2 tickets to our annual summer VIP happy hour on the farm.
• Easier on your budget. Contribute a planned amount each month rather than a one-time gift
• Your support is always active, month after month, year after year
• You establish that you value Growing Gardens as an important community resource
• You may change or stop your membership at any time

Cultivating Partners contribute $1,000+ annually to Growing Gardens. These donors know that their philanthropy supports Growing Gardens’ mission and vision at a substantial level.

As a Cultivating Partner:

• Your dedication allows Growing Gardens to focus less time on fundraising and more time rolling up our sleeves and growing food for and with our community.
• Your commitment helps inspire others to support sustainable agriculture and donate to Growing Gardens.

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”
~Mahatma Gandhi

Heirloom Partners give $5,000 or more to Growing Gardens each year. As an Heirloom Partner, you are demonstrating personal responsibility to our organization–through your generous support– and our mission of cultivating community through sustainable urban agriculture.

Your contribution may be designated in several ways:
• Heirloom Partner gifts are used to match donations generated at our Farm Dinner fundraising event. Research has shown that donors are 84% more likely to give if there is a matching source of funding.
• Heirloom Partner gifts may be designated to a specific program at Growing Gardens or used where needed most as an unrestricted gift

As an Heirloom Partner, you are entitled to the following benefits:
• Personal recognition as an Heirloom Partner on Growing Gardens website.
• Invitations to events especially for Heirloom Partners
• Unique opportunities to visit our programs and see your donation effect in action

“The greatest use of a life is to spend it on something that will outlast it.”
~William James

Our Legacy Partners enhance the long-term stability of Growing Gardens and increase our reach in the community. We invite you to invest in our future by becoming a Legacy Partner.

Legacy Partners give to Growing Gardens in the following ways:

Writing a gift to Growing Gardens in your Will

How to: It’s easy! Just a few sentences in your will or trust are all that is needed. “I, (name) of (city, state, zip) give, devise and bequeath to Growing Gardens of Boulder County (written $ amount or percentage) for its unrestricted use and purpose.”

It’s Flexible: You can change your mind at any time, or leave a percentage of your estate to us.

Tax benefits: Your estate is entitled to an estate tax charitable deduction for the full value of your gift to Growing Gardens.

Making a tax-free donation to Growing Gardens from your IRA

If you are 70½ years old or older, you can take advantage of a simple way to benefit Growing Gardens and receive tax benefits in return.

How to: Contact your IRA custodian to complete the gift.

Tax benefits: You can give up to $100,000 from your IRA directly to a qualified charity such as Growing Gardens without having to pay income taxes on the money.

If you have not yet taken your required minimum distribution for the year, your IRA charitable rollover gift can satisfy all or part of that requirement.

Giving Your IRA to Growing Gardens–a wise decision

IRAs are excellent for accumulating assets for your use during retirement. However, many people are surprised to learn that they are not an efficient way to pass an inheritance to loved ones.

The Tax Consequences of IRAs

When you name anyone other than your spouse as beneficiary of your IRA, it will be exposed to income taxes. Upon your death, the assets remaining in your IRA can be taxed as much as 39.6 percent (and even higher if your estate is subject to estate taxes).

As a nonprofit organization, Growing Gardens is tax-exempt, so we can use 100 percent of your IRA contribution. One of the benefits of giving your IRA assets to Growing Gardens is you can give without losing some of the value to taxes.  Ask your financial planner about gifting your IRA to Growing Gardens and giving other assets that are not as heavily taxed to family members.

How to:
• Decide what percentage (1–100%) you would like Growing Gardens to receive
• Contact your IRA administrator for a change-of-beneficiary form
• Name Growing Gardens as the beneficiary and specify the percentage of your IRA that you would like to give us on the form
• Return the form to your IRA administrator

When you include Growing Gardens in your will or other estate plans, you’ll become a Legacy Partner. We appreciate your gift, and with your permission, would like to recognize you as a Legacy Partner.

Our corporate sponsors play a large role in helping Growing Gardens to serve our community. Businesses of all sizes are encouraged to work alongside our team by sponsoring programs and projects, as well as volunteering. Click here to learn more about sponsoring.

Additional Ways to Give

Donate Stock

Workplace giving or employee match programs

Donate in-kind items

Donate your vehicle

Growing Gardens’ Income and Expenses Breakdown

I am writing on behalf of my son Joe, and I to express our sincere gratitude for the gifts given to us from Growing Gardens. I’m not sure how Growing Gardens came into our lives, but we are so lucky to have found such a compassionate & caring non-profit. As a single Mom I have never had the funds to pay in for full for Summer Camps/After School Programs/Community Classes. I reached out to Megan a few years ago regarding scholarships for Joe. I was met with a woman who never ever has judged our financial situation, who whenever possible says yes, and who has never put pressure on me to pay for services in the moment. I’m beyond words on how much this means to me! It is already a difficult place to be in, not having enough, but Growing Gardens has made it ok, and more than ok.

You’ve allowed me to provide for my son, and give him the same opportunities as other children, that is a gift which will never be forgotten. In closing, thank you to each, and everyone one of you for opening your hearts to Joe, and I. For ensuring that just because we are lacking monetarily, that our hearts are overflowing with the wonders of Growing Gardens!

— Jessica, Peace Garden Mom, Scholarship Recipient

Your support makes a difference.

Thank you for including Growing Gardens in your philanthropic plans.

Please contact Vanessa Keeley at 303-443-9952 or vanessa@growinggardens.org with any questions. Thank you!