Powered by CharityEZ

CharityEZ

Charity report ready

GARDEN ACADEMY INC

We found this organization. Review its mission, finances, leadership, and ways to help below.

Back to search results

This takes you back to the exact search that opened this report.

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

GARDEN ACADEMY INC

EIN 20-0462154 · Education (B26)

What they do

GARDEN ACADEMY, INC. USES SCIENTIFIC DATA-BASED and ACCOUNTABLE INTERVENTIONS to PROVIDE AN INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION to STUDENTS WITH AUTISM, SO THAT THEY MAY LEAD LIVES of THE GREATEST POSSIBLE INDEPENDENCE. WE ARE COMMITTED to HELPING STUDENTS DEVELOP SKILLS NECESSARY to REALIZE THEIR FULL EDUCATIONAL POTENTIAL and to BECOME INTEGRAL and FUNCTIONAL MEMBERS of THEIR FAMILIES and THE COMMUNITY. GARDEN ACADEMY PROVIDES A HIGHLY STRUCTURED, INTENSIVE, OUTCOME-ORIENTED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM for STUDENTS ON THE AUTISTIC SPECTRUM, PROFESSIONAL TRAINING for ALL STAFF ON AN ON-GOING BASIS, PARENT TRAINING and TRANSITIONAL SERVICES for STUDENTS MOVING INTO LESS RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENTS. WHEN APPROPRIATE GARDEN ACADEMY ALSO PROMOTES INCREASED COMMUNITY AWARENESS and UNDERSTANDING of AUTISM, PERVASIVE DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS and APPROPRIATE INTERVENTIONS.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check
Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $75.80 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2024The charity has a recent tax report to read.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders10 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

78.10%of revenue went to mission work75.8% of expenses · Program services
0.94%of revenue went to fundraising0.9% of expenses
$102.99spent for every $100 of revenueSpending was higher than revenue this year.
23.95%of revenue went to management and office costs23.3% of expenses
$0.63in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.
0.4%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

  1. Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
  2. What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
  3. Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Worth asking: Expenses exceeded revenue by $137,060 this year. Ask whether that was planned or caused by a one-time event.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $230,491 for LAURA L GROW (EXECUTIVE DIR.). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2024

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$4,585,502
Mission workProgram services$3,581,23178.10% of revenue75.8% of expenses
ManagementOffice and general costs$1,098,40623.95% of revenue23.3% of expenses
FundraisingAsking for donations$42,9250.94% of revenue0.9% of expenses
Total expenses$4,722,562102.99% of revenue

Expenses were greater than revenue, so the colored ring fills the available $100 and the total above 100% is shown below.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails
2024CurrentExpense mix: 75.8% mission · 23.3% management · 0.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 102.99% of revenue
2023Expense mix: 77.1% mission · 22.6% management · 0.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 99.70% of revenue
2022Expense mix: 79.9% mission · 19.0% management · 1.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 99.66% of revenue
2021Expense mix: 77.9% mission · 20.9% management · 1.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 98.45% of revenue
2020Expense mix: 74.7% mission · 23.7% management · 1.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 96.71% of revenue
2019Expense mix: 75.0% mission · 20.1% management · 4.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 100.36% of revenue
2018Expense mix: 75.4% mission · 19.8% management · 4.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 98.49% of revenue
2017Expense mix: 74.2% mission · 20.2% management · 5.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 101.04% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$4,585,502
Expenses$4,722,562
Annual shortfall $137,060 Expenses were higher than revenue for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$3,581,231 · 75.8% of expenses
Management and office costs$1,098,406 · 23.3% of expenses
Fundraising$42,925 · 0.9% of expenses
See all reported dollar amounts
Revenue$4,585,502
Expenses$4,722,562
Assets$2,970,115
Income$4,585,502
Contributions$19,690
Mission work (program services)$3,581,231
Fundraising$42,925
Management and general$1,098,406
Accounting fees$20,000
People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2024

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation
LAURA L GROWEXECUTIVE DIR. · 35 hrs/week $230,491Base $213,510 · Other $16,981
DANIELLE GUREGHIANCLINICAL DIRECTOR · 35 hrs/week $164,448Base $152,452 · Other $11,996
EMILY MAHONPRINCIPAL · 35 hrs/week $151,199Base $137,710 · Other $13,489
TAYLOR CUSTERBCBA · 35 hrs/week $133,029Base $119,920 · Other $13,109
DEBORAH ALDIERONURSE · 35 hrs/week $111,701Base $106,098 · Other $5,603

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (10)

LAURA L GROWEXECUTIVE DIR.

DANIELLE GUREGHIANCLINICAL DIRECTOR

EMILY MAHONPRINCIPAL

TAYLOR CUSTERBCBA

DEBORAH ALDIERONURSE

AYOOLA AKINNUOYETRUSTEE

JENNY BAR YAACOVTREAS/ SEC

MARY BETH WALSHPRESIDENT

ROBERT D PARISITRUSTEE

WILLIAM F HEALEYTRUSTEE

About this charity

Recognized since
January 2005
Location
627 MOUNT PLEASANT AVE, WEST ORANGE, NJ 07052-1441
County
Essex
In care of
% LAURA GROW
Primary officer
LAURA GROW, Executive Director

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Emailinfo@gardenacademy.org Phone(973) 731-2030

Filing and classification

Latest tax year
2024
Tax period began
July 1, 2024
Return type
990
Tax preparer
CULLARI CARRICO LLC
NTEE classification
Education (B26)

Thanks for caring! Learning about a charity is a great first step toward giving back.

About this report: Information comes from public nonprofit records and may show the latest filing available.

Back to search results
Want to go deeper?

Full charity research is waiting at CharityEZ

Explore complete charity searches, information, reports, and research tools.

For Full Charity Searches and Information — Try CharityEZ
Are you this charity?Keep your current needs updated free with CharityEZ.
Post your needs free