Watered Gardens 
The information on this page was last updated 5/24/2026. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
Watered Gardens serves the poor and homeless in Joplin, MO.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Watered Gardens
531 Kentucky
Joplin, MO 64801
Website: wateredgardens.org
Phone: 417.623.6030
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 202586821
CEO/President: James Whitford
Chairman: Maggie Schade
Board size: 10
Founder: James and Marsha Whitford
Ruling year: 2009
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 06/30
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 2013
Purpose
To see the Church boldly engaged with the homeless and poor relationally, responsibly, and compassionately.
Mission statement
We exist to serve the local Church in its mission to help the poor in Jesus' name.
Statement of faith
-- We believe the Bible to be the inspired, infallible, ultimate authoritative Word of God.
-- We believe there is one God, eternally existing as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
-- We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is Deity, that He was born of a virgin, was sinless during His life on earth, that we are redeemed by His atoning death through His shed blood, that He bodily resurrected and ascended into heaven, and that He will come again in power and great glory.
-- We believe that individuals are saved through the exercise of a singular, exclusive faith in the risen Lord, at which time they are regenerated by the Holy Spirit who sanctifies and sets them apart from evil in the world.
-- We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, by whom Christ indwells each believer, enabling him or her to live a godly life of obedience as he or she reaches for maturity.
-- We believe the Holy Spirit unites all true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and that together they form one body, the church.
Articles
| 5/8/2026 | Watered Gardens, LifePath Christian Ministries Earn Highest Donor Confidence Score |
| 4/23/2026 | True Charity, Prayercast and SWBTS |
| 12/22/2025 | Teaching Children the Value of Work |
Donor confidence score
Show donor confidence score details
To understand our donor confidence score, click here.
Transparency grade
A
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Rescue Missions/Homeless Shelters
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 995 of 1420 | 99 of 159 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 1055 of 1420 | 117 of 159 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 1111 of 1420 | 120 of 159 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 450 of 1421 | 48 of 159 |
To understand our financial efficiency ratings, click here.
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 10% | 16% | 15% | 13% | 16% | 15% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 8% | 12% | 12% | 11% | 10% | 13% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 93% | 76% | 83% | 83% | 66% | 86% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 10% | 11% | 12% | 12% | 16% | 15% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 7% | 24% | 17% | 17% | 34% | 14% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 81% | 76% | 75% | 72% | 70% | 72% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 97% | 113% | 98% | 89% | 64% | 86% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 79% | 87% | 73% | 64% | 45% | 62% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 3% | -13% | 2% | 11% | 36% | 14% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 2% | -9% | 1% | 6% | 27% | 8% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 9% | 13% | 13% | 15% | 14% | 13% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.56 | 0.72 | 0.55 | 0.44 | 0.48 | 0.51 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 3.07 | 8.35 | 4.52 | 3.19 | 2.12 | 4.17 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 2.05 | 6.05 | 2.50 | 1.39 | 1.02 | 2.12 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 10.24 | 7.26 | 17.27 | 8.78 | 452.23 | 415.28 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.09 | 0.14 | 0.06 | 0.11 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 5.18 | 1.71 | 4.53 | 7.64 | 11.72 | 5.66 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 10% | 2% | 1% | 4% | 0% | 0% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 145% | 136% | 179% | 221% | 207% | 197% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Cash | $550,536 | $1,024,810 | $1,587,456 | $1,985,189 | $826,206 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $12,513 | $23,891 | $8,500 | $274,220 | $15,150 |
| Short-term investments | $1 | $72,607 | $55,631 | $1,278 | $0 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $563,050 | $1,121,308 | $1,651,587 | $2,260,687 | $841,356 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $4,138,372 | $3,950,832 | $3,617,040 | $2,531,715 | $2,667,967 |
| Other long-term assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term assets | $4,138,372 | $3,950,832 | $3,617,040 | $2,531,715 | $2,667,967 |
| Total assets | $4,701,422 | $5,072,140 | $5,268,627 | $4,792,402 | $3,509,323 |
| Liabilities | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $77,510 | $64,920 | $188,016 | $4,999 | $2,026 |
| Other current liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current liabilities | $77,510 | $64,920 | $188,016 | $4,999 | $2,026 |
| Debt | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total liabilities | $77,510 | $64,920 | $188,016 | $4,999 | $2,026 |
| Net assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Without donor restrictions | $4,419,621 | $4,792,397 | $4,982,651 | $3,836,273 | $3,465,297 |
| With donor restrictions | $204,291 | $214,823 | $97,960 | $951,130 | $42,000 |
| Net assets | $4,623,912 | $5,007,220 | $5,080,611 | $4,787,403 | $3,507,297 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Total contributions | $2,294,410 | $2,365,471 | $2,151,486 | $2,356,338 | $1,780,368 |
| Program service revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Membership dues | $64,355 | $50,919 | $32,747 | $17,680 | $8,816 |
| Investment income | $23,632 | $41,298 | $47,960 | $249 | $680 |
| Other revenue | $623,873 | $390,022 | $349,967 | $1,216,470 | $284,129 |
| Total other revenue | $711,860 | $482,239 | $430,674 | $1,234,399 | $293,625 |
| Total revenue | $3,006,270 | $2,847,710 | $2,582,160 | $3,590,737 | $2,073,993 |
| Expenses | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Program services | $2,600,598 | $2,089,590 | $1,662,992 | $1,611,922 | $1,284,307 |
| Management and general | $437,297 | $362,848 | $350,813 | $327,907 | $225,758 |
| Fundraising | $366,756 | $345,258 | $283,904 | $370,596 | $270,739 |
| Total expenses | $3,404,651 | $2,797,696 | $2,297,709 | $2,310,425 | $1,780,804 |
| Change in net assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Surplus (deficit) | ($398,381) | $50,014 | $284,451 | $1,280,312 | $293,189 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | ($398,381) | $50,014 | $284,451 | $1,280,312 | $293,189 |
Compensation
Compensation data for this ministry has not been collected.
Response from ministry
No response has been provided by this ministry.
The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 5/24/2026. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]