The Scotts Miracle-gro Foundation
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation is a corporate foundation based in Marysville, Ohio, established in 2016. It is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to sparking positive social and environmental change through grant awards and partnerships with nonprofits nationwide. The foundation operates under the company's broader purpose of "GroMoreGood" and focuses on transforming neighborhoods, introducing children to gardening and outdoor activities, and enhancing local environments.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$859K
-21.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.8M
-31.7% YoY
Grant Count
22
-8.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$80K
-25.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Scotts Miracle-gro Foundation reported a distributable amount of $54K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to ensure current and future generations have access to gardens and greenspaces and clean water resources. Its philanthropy is organized around four core pillars:
- Community Enhancement through Gardens and Green Spaces — Supporting the creation of gardens and green spaces to transform communities and bring people together
- Youth Empowerment — Getting kids outdoors and connecting children to the benefits of gardening and greenspace programming
- Environmental Improvement — Protecting and restoring natural resources, including bays and estuaries
- Community Resilience — Fostering holistic well-being and resilience in communities
Grantmaking
The foundation makes grants across the United States with typical award amounts ranging from $3,000 to $300,000. Recent grant recipients include:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds projects across the United States, with documented activity in multiple states including California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Virginia. It has particular focus on major urban centers as well as smaller communities.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Data (2024):
- Total Assets: $858,618
- Total Revenue: $1,551,014
- Total Expenses: $1,780,911
- Total Liabilities: $0
The foundation receives funding support from The Good Growth Alliance, which provided $700,000 for general operating budget in 2023.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $858,618 | $1,088,515 | $2,069,071 |
| Revenue | $1,551,014 | $1,620,518 | $1,768,884 |
| Expenses | $1,780,911 | $2,561,074 | $2,294,152 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,757,968 | $2,575,500 | $2,307,993 |
| Net Investment Income | $51,014 | $37,818 | $11,584 |
| Distributable Amount | $53,744 | $59,917 | $148,876 |
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
100 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Scotts Miracle-gro Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Franklin Park Conservatory ($215,000), Kidsgardening ($215,000), The Nature Conservancy ($200,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALLIANCE FOR THE GREAT LAKES CHICAGO, IL | ENVIRONMENT | $75,000 |
| ALLIANCE FOR WATER EFFICIENCY CHICAGO, IL | ENVIRONMENT | $130,000 |
| AVALON THEATRE STREETSCAPE MARYSVILLE, OH | GARDENS - OTHER | $50,000 |
| BRONX DEFENDERS BRONX, NY | SOCIAL JUSTICE | $37,000 |
| COLUMBUS METROPOLITAN LIBRARY FOUNDATION COLUMBUS, OH | GARDENS - OTHER | $20,000 |
| FRANKLIN PARK CONSERVATORY COLUMBUS, OH | GARDENS - OTHER | $215,000 |
| KIDSGARDENING BURLINGTON, VT | GARDENS - OTHER | $215,000 |
| MINORITIES FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA ORLANDO, FL | SOCIAL JUSTICE | $20,000 |
| NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE FOUNDATION WASHINGTON, DC | ENVIRONMENT | $100,000 |
| NATIONAL HEAD START ASSOCIATION PHILADELPHIA, PA | GARDENS - OTHER | $100,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key leadership includes:
- Brian Herrington — President
- Brian Gorka — Vice President and Treasurer
- Jim King — President of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation (as of 2021)
The leadership team operates on an uncompensated basis.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BRIAN HERRINGTON | PRESIDENT | 0.5 | — |
| BRIAN GORKA | VP, TREASURER | 0.5 | — |
| PAULA POWELL | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| KATHERINE DICKENS | VP, SECRETARY | 15 | — |
| TERRI OTT | VP, CONTROLLER | 0.5 | — |
| BERNARD ASIRIFI | ASST. SECRETARY | 0.5 | — |
| PATRICIA ZIEGLER | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation continues to actively administer the GroMoreGood Grassroots Grants program with KidsGardening. The 2025 grantees were announced in April 2025, and the program remains open for 2026 applications. The foundation has maintained a partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) for more than 10 years, supporting efforts to protect and restore bays and estuaries.
2026 GroMoreGood Grassroots Grant - KidsGardeningSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Scotts Miracle-gro Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission is to ensure current and future generations have access to gardens and greenspaces and clean water resources. Its philanthropy is organized around four core pillars: • **Community Enhancement through Gardens and Green Spaces** — Supporting the creation of gardens and green spaces to transform communities and bring people together • **Youth Empowerment** — Getting kids outdoors and connecting children to the benefits of gardening and greenspace programming • **Environmen…
How do I apply for a grant from The Scotts Miracle-gro Foundation?
The foundation makes grants across the United States with typical award amounts ranging from $3,000 to $300,000. Recent grant recipients include: • Franklin Park Conservatory Womens Sustaining Board ($215,000, 2024) • Alliance for Water Efficiency ($130,000, 2024) • National Recreation and Park Association ($100,000, 2024) The foundation operates the **GroMoreGood Grassroots Grants** program in partnership with KidsGardening, an annual grant program designed to bring gardening benefits to child…
Where does The Scotts Miracle-gro Foundation make grants?
The foundation funds projects across the United States, with documented activity in multiple states including California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Virginia. It has particular focus on major urban centers as well as smaller communities.
What size grants does The Scotts Miracle-gro Foundation award?
In 2024, The Scotts Miracle-gro Foundation awarded 22 grants totaling $1.8M — an average of about $80K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Scotts Miracle-gro Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Scotts Miracle-gro Foundation reported a distributable amount of $54K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Scotts Miracle-gro Foundation's EIN?
The Scotts Miracle-gro Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 61-1794169. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Scotts Miracle-gro Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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