Better Business Bureau

Charity Contact Information BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comments Programs

Tax Status Governance Fund Raising Financial

Name:	Civic Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati
Address:	2715 Reading Road
	Cincinnati, OH 45206
Phone:	(513) 221-0981
Web Address:	www.civicgardencenter.org

Civic Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati does not meet the following 2 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Standard 6: Board Policy on Effectiveness - Have a board policy of assessing, no less than every two years, the organization's performance and effectiveness and of determining future actions required to achieve its mission. The charity states that it does not have a formal policy that its performance and effectiveness will be assessed at least once every two years.   Standard 16: Annual Report - Have an annual report available to all, on request, that includes: (a) the organization's mission statement, (b) a summary of the past year's program service accomplishments, (c) a roster of the officers and members of the board of directors, (d) financial information that includes (i) total income in the past fiscal year, (ii) expenses in the same program, fund raising and administrative categories as in the financial statements, and (iii) ending net assets. The charity's 2010 annual report does not include a roster of the board of directors and a breakdown of expenses by fundraising, programs, and administration.

Civic Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati meets the remaining 18 Standards for Charity Accountability.

The Civic Garden Center provides education through classes, a lending library, and a horticultural helpline. The Neighborhood Gardens Program assists community groups, primarily in low-to-moderate income neighborhoods, convert vacant lots into productive community food gardens. According to the charity, there are currently 43 active gardens in 23 neighborhoods. Community Garden Development Training (CGDT) is the educational component of the Neighborhood Gardens Program and offers a series of 12 free classes that provide community residents with technical assistance, leadership training, horticulture education, and start-up materials. The Summer Sprouts Program serves children ages 3 to 13 in low-income neighborhoods who have limited or no access to green space. The program provides children with a safe place to play and learn the basics or organic gardening, plants, and nutrition, and to create arts and crafts pertaining to gardening and nature. According to the charity, in 2010, over 400 children participated in summer programming. The Grow to Learn to Grow Program is a school based continuation of the Summer Sprouts Program. The children utilize nearby community gardens or school yard gardens to start seeds for Summer Sprouts, and benefit from the continuing harvest. According to the charity, in 2010, 523 students took part in the program, in 16 different locations throughout the city. The Compost Kids Program is for students kindergarten through sixth grade and consists of a three field trips to the Garden Center, where the students learn the basics of composting and recycling. According to the charity, in 2010, 112 children and 17 adults participated in the field trips.

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009, Civic Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati's program expenses were:

Program Services	624,922
Total Program Expenses:	$624,922

Chief Executive : Ms. Vickie Ciotti, Executive Director

Compensation*:

$72,000

Chair of the Board: Ms. Karen Sills
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Retired

Board Size: 15

Paid Staff Size: 11

*Compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.

Method(s) Used:

direct mail appeals, telephone appeals, invitations to fundraising events, print advertisements, radio, grant proposals, Internet, planned giving arrangements

Fundraising costs were 15% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $495,464, are donations received as a result of fundraising activities.)

This charity is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.

The following information is based on Civic Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009.

Source of Funds
Contributions	335,286
Special Events	138,398
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments	106,732
Other	51,467
Grants from Governmental Agencies	43,053
Invetsment Income	39,330
Donated Services and Supplies	21,780
Program Service Fees	8,161
Total Income	$744,207

Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 75%  Fund Raising: 9%  Administrative: 16%

Total income				$744,207
	Program expenses			$624,922
	Fund raising expenses			73,796
	Administrative expenses			136,012
Total expenses				$834,730
Expenses in Excess of Income				(90,523)
Beginning net assets				2,400,630
Ending net assets				2,310,107
Total liabilities				46,743
Total assets				$2,356,850