BERKSHIRE AGRICULTURAL VENTURES INC Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

BERKSHIRE AGRICULTURAL VENTURES INC

EIN 81-4386302 · Agricultural Programs (K20)

What they do

BERKSHIRE AGRICULTURAL VENTURES MISSION is to SUPPORT LOCAL FARMS and STRENGTHEN LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS. WE PROVIDE BUSINESS ASSISTANCE, FLEXIBLE LOANS, and STRATEGIC RESOURCES to FARMERS and FOOD PRODUCERS IN BERKSHIRE COUNTY, MA; LITCHFIELD COUNTY, CT; and COLUMBIA and DUTCHESS COUNTIES, NY. IN 2024, WE PROVIDED OVER $420,000 IN LOANS and SERVED APPROXIMATELY 100 CLIENTS WITH WELL OVER 2,000 HOURS of BUSINESS ASSISTANCE. OUR WORK HAS AN IMPACT ON OUR LOCAL ECONOMY and COMMUNITY BY HELPING FARMS GROW and THRIVE, EXPANDING ACCESS to LOCAL FOOD, and KEEPING LAND IN AGRICULTURE.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $69.60 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 2025The charity has a recent tax report to read.

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

They name their leaders13 people are listed in the latest report.

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

Money made simple

47.88%of revenue went to mission work69.6% of expenses · Program services

8.33%of revenue went to fundraising12.1% of expenses

$68.81spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

12.61%of revenue went to management and office costs18.3% of expenses

$2.16in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

98.5%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

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

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $99,250 for REBECCA BUSANSKY (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). 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 2025

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.

$100revenue

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$2,132,615

Mission workProgram services$1,021,05847.88% of revenue69.6% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$268,83112.61% of revenue18.3% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$177,6048.33% of revenue12.1% of expenses

Revenue left after expensesReported annual surplus$665,12231.19% of revenueShown in gray on the chart

Total expenses$1,467,49368.81% of revenue

Gray means reported revenue left after expenses for this filing year. It does not necessarily mean cash sitting in a bank account.

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

2025CurrentExpense mix: 69.6% mission · 18.3% management · 12.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 68.81% of revenue

2024Expense mix: 74.9% mission · 14.8% management · 10.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 84.60% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 73.0% mission · 13.9% management · 13.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 90.33% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 78.6% mission · 13.5% management · 7.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 68.18% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 87.0% mission · 8.3% management · 4.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 68.45% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 84.5% mission · 11.4% management · 4.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 153.29% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 80.4% mission · 13.0% management · 6.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 77.69% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 88.0% mission · 7.5% management · 4.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 58.52% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$2,132,615

Expenses$1,467,493

Annual surplus $665,122 Revenue was higher than expenses 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)$1,021,058 · 69.6% of expenses

Management and office costs$268,831 · 18.3% of expenses

Fundraising$177,604 · 12.1% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$2,132,615

Expenses$1,467,493

Assets$3,168,944

Income$2,132,615

Contributions$2,099,726

Mission work (program services)$1,021,058

Fundraising$177,604

Grants given$1,534,440

Average grant$34,099

Management and general$268,831

Executive compensation (total)$85,502

Accounting fees$78,218

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2025

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

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

REBECCA BUSANSKYEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $99,250

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 (13)

REBECCA BUSANSKYEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

AMANDA FREUNDDIRECTOR

DAN SCHAEFFERTREASURER

DAVID VALICENTIDIRECTOR

DON PERDUECLERK

ERIK RASMUSSENVICE PRESIDENT

GLENN BERGMANDIRECTOR

MARTHA PAGEDIRECTOR

MARYANN TEBBENPRESIDENT

MEG BANTLEDIRECTOR

MIMI BEAVENDIRECTOR

RACHEL MORIARTYDIRECTOR

TOM GARDNERDIRECTOR

About this charity

Recognized since: January 2017
Location: 4 CASTLE ST STE 215, GT BARRINGTON, MA 01230-2401
County: Berkshire
In care of: % REBECCA BUSANSKY
Primary officer: REBECCA BUSANSKY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Emailinfo@berkshireagventures.org Phone(413) 645-3594

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2025
Tax period began: January 1, 2025
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: WHITTLESEY PC
NTEE classification: Agricultural Programs (K20)
IRS tax category: Agricultural Programs
Grant-giving organization: Yes