Life Lab Science Program

EIN: 942778848 501(c)(3) Education

Santa Cruz, CA

Total Revenue
$2,298,901
Total Expenses
$2,320,551
Total Assets
$1,001,516
Net Assets
$406,067
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Financial Trends

Organization Details

Formation Year
1981
Legal Domicile
CA
Principal Officer
Whitney Cohen
Phone
8314002016
Tax Period
2024-01-01 to 2024-06-30

Life Lab Science Program, founded in 1981, is a community nonprofit in the Education sector that reported $2.3M in total revenue in fiscal year 2023. Revenue fell 45% from the prior year — a significant decline worth monitoring.

Mission

Life Lab cultivates childrens love of learning, healthy food, and nature through garden-based education.

Program Service Accomplishments

Program 1
Expenses: $1,691,249 Revenue: $1,650,730

Local School Site Programs: Life Lab provides garden classroom instruction, design, garden care, curriculum, teacher training, and program leadership and advisory support to school districts and...

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Local School Site Programs: Life Lab provides garden classroom instruction, design, garden care, curriculum, teacher training, and program leadership and advisory support to school districts and their public elementary schools in Santa Cruz County, particularly in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District through an extensive program partnership. Life Lab is also supporting garden-based learning in Live Oak School District and Santa Cruz City Schools, with a long-term vision of closer partnership with all 10 local districts and their 40 total elementary schools.(continued on schedule o)

Program 2

National Programs: Life Lab offers hands-on workshops on garden-based science, nutrition, and environmental education for educators from across the nation at its Garden Classroom in Santa Cruz, CA...

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National Programs: Life Lab offers hands-on workshops on garden-based science, nutrition, and environmental education for educators from across the nation at its Garden Classroom in Santa Cruz, CA, and on demand around the U.S. It also offers a 16-week intensive Certified School Garden Educator course of virtual trainings, coaching, and peer sharing for participants across the country. Life Lab also hosts an annual national School Garden Support Organization Leadership Institute in partnership with Whole Kids Foundation to help teams from peer organizations share and advance best practices for the field. Life Lab develops and distributes curricula, activity guides and other learning materials nationally to support preK-6 teachers in successfully implementing hands-on garden-based education programs. (continued on Schedule O)

Program 3

Local Community Site Programs: Life Lab provides school year field trips and summer day programs at its Garden Classroom and Blooming Classroom educational gardens located on farms in Santa Cruz and...

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Local Community Site Programs: Life Lab provides school year field trips and summer day programs at its Garden Classroom and Blooming Classroom educational gardens located on farms in Santa Cruz and Watsonville, respectively. Gardens give children the chance to experience hands-on learning about science, nutrition, the environment and much more. The Garden Classroom also serves as a demonstration site for visitors interested in developing educational gardens. Life Lab staff train and mentor more than 60 college and community interns to serve as experiential garden-based science and environmental educators each year in field trip programs.

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Trantor Score

Financial Health Score (300–850) · Liquidity · Solvency · Sustainability · Efficiency

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Liquidity (40%) • Solvency (30%) • Sustainability (20%) • Efficiency (10%)

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Financial Overview (2023)

Revenue Breakdown

Contributions & Grants $647,660
Program Service Revenue $1,656,192
Investment Income $511
Other Revenue $-5,462
TOTAL REVENUE $2,298,901

Expense Breakdown

Grants Paid $0
Salaries & Benefits $1,858,189
Fundraising Expenses $113,780
Program Expenses $1,691,249
Other Expenses $462,362
TOTAL EXPENSES $2,320,551

Year-over-Year Comparison

2023 2022 Change
Revenue $2,298,901 $4,176,191 -0.4%
Expenses $2,320,551 $3,980,372 -0.4%
Net Income $-21,650 $195,819 -1.1%
Key Indicators
Grants to Organizations Grants to Individuals Lobbying Political Activity Foreign Activities Donor Advised Fund Schedule B Required
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Governance

Voting Members
10
Independent Members
10
Employees
74
Volunteers
25

Governance Policies

Conflict of Interest Policy
Whistleblower Policy
Document Retention Policy

Special Practices & Reported Activities

Operated a School
Operated a Hospital
Provided First Class Travel
Reported Conflict of Interest
Reported Asset Diversion
Excess Benefit Transaction
Made Political Expenditures
Engaged in Lobbying
Operated Donor Advised Fund
Maintained Art Collections
Filed Form 720

Compensation of Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Total Officers
7
$249,830
Total Directors
10
$0
Key Employees
0
$0
Highest Compensated
0
reported
Name Title Hours/Week Role Reportable Comp Other Comp Total
Judit Camacho Co-Exec Dir 30.00
Officer
$82,836 $2,920 $85,756
Whitney Cohen Exec Director 30.00
Officer
$74,640 $8,835 $83,475
Don Burgett Co-Exec Dir 30.00
Officer
$71,189 $9,410 $80,599
Katy Stonebloom President 5.00
Officer Director
$0 $0 $0
Jacob Young Vice President 5.00
Officer Director
$0 $0 $0
Oscar Paz Secretary 3.00
Officer Director
$0 $0 $0
John Brissenden Treasurer 5.00
Officer Director
$0 $0 $0
Gary Appel Director 3.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Susana Dutro Director 2.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Barbara Gordon Director 3.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Alicia Martinez Director 3.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Jackie Medina Director 3.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Daisy Morales Director 2.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Note: Compensation data is self-reported by the organization on their Form 990. "Reportable Comp" includes salary, bonuses, and other reportable compensation from the organization and related organizations. "Other Comp" includes benefits, deferred compensation, and non-taxable benefits.

Historical Data

Year Revenue Expenses Assets Net Income
2025 No data No data No data No data
2024 $2,298,901 $2,320,551 $1,001,516 $-21,650
2023 $4,176,191 $3,980,372 $1,369,903 $195,819
2023 $4,176,191 $3,980,372 $1,369,903 $195,819
2022 $2,947,249 $2,742,810 $1,332,711 $204,439
2021 $1,126,555 $1,333,886 $458,755 $-207,331
2020 $684,568 $1,294,748 $475,946 $-610,180
2019 $1,692,709 $1,052,728 $940,952 $639,981
2018 $932,100 $862,105 $309,067 $69,995
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