THE MISSION OF START GARDEN IS TO BRING TOGETHER FINANCIAL, INTELLECTUAL, AND SOCIAL CAPITAL TO ENTREPRENEURS TO EMPOWER THE STARTUP ECOSYSTEM OF WEST MICHIGAN.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.2M
+109.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$402K
+548.4% YoY
Grant Count
17
+183.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$24K
+128.9% YoY
About Start Garden Inc
Based on IRS filings
Start Garden Inc is a nonprofit organization focused on Community Improvement & Capacity Building, based in GRAND RAPIDS, MI. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $2.2M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 17 grants totaling $402K. Net investment income was $17.
Focus Areas
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,150,744 | $1,026,706 | $2,309,768 |
| Revenue | $4,456,215 | $1,291,217 | $1,857,506 |
| Expenses | $3,063,330 | $2,403,017 | $2,415,491 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $17 | $1,405 | $483 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
63 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Captus Creative ($76,037), Supreme Focus Entertainment ($50,500), Peadbo Inc ($50,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ROSEFELLOWS COLLECTIVE LLC GRAND RAPIDS, MI | — | $20,000 |
| REEL FREE LLC LOWELL, MI | — | $21,000 |
| RITUIL LLC KALAMAZOO, MI | — | $5,000 |
| A3STETICALLY PLEASING GRAND RAPIDS, MI | — | $20,000 |
| GRAND RAPIDS AREA BLACK BUSINESS GRAND RAPIDS, MI | — | $10,000 |
| BLACK QUIEEN BEE LLC GRAND RAPIDS, MI | — | $11,000 |
| PEADBO INC WASHINGTON, DC | — | $50,000 |
| CAPTUS CREATIVE COMSTOCK PARK, MI | — | $76,037 |
| AURORA INTERNATIONAL FOODS LLC GRAND HAVEN, MI | — | $26,000 |
| SPIRIT FIRE LLC FENNVILLE, MI | — | $20,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAREL ROSS | EXECUTIVE DIRECTORPRESIDENT | 40 | $168,600 |
| JORGE GONZALEZ | PROGRAM DIRECTOR | 40 | $143,242 |
| PAUL MOORE | PROGRAM DIRECTOR | 40 | $141,285 |
| LAURIE SUPINSKI | PROGRAM DIRECTOR | 40 | $142,442 |
| KYAMA KITAVI | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| RENEE WILLIAMS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JOE JONES | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ROB JANDERNOA | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JOE LAMPEN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JEREMY DEROO | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| MARY ONEIL | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Start Garden Inc?
Start Garden Inc is a nonprofit organization focused on Community Improvement & Capacity Building, based in GRAND RAPIDS, MI. It holds $2.2M in total assets as of 2024.
How large is Start Garden Inc?
As of 2024, Start Garden Inc holds $2.2M in total assets with $4.5M in annual revenue. It awarded 17 grants totaling $402K in 2024.
Where does Start Garden Inc operate?
Start Garden Inc has awarded grants in District of Columbia, Michigan.
What size grants does Start Garden Inc award?
In 2024, Start Garden Inc awarded 17 grants totaling $402K — an average of about $24K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Start Garden Inc's EIN?
Start Garden Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-1987459. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Start Garden Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
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