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Food for Free Committee
Food for Free Committee reported $13.3 million in revenue and $13.5 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $91.65 went to program services, $3.78 to management and general costs and $4.57 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 99.8% of the total. Government grants made up 8.5%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $191,938 (CEO). 3 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 74% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $13MFor context, the median across 349 covered food, agriculture & nutrition charities: $94.56 programs, $3.12 management, $2.32 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $13M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$91.12 $12M
- Government grants$8.51 $1.1M
- Program service revenue$0.22 $29,010
- Other revenue$0.15 $20,034
Investment income was negative: −$19,983. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 91.6% | 94.2% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 3.8% | 3.1% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 4.6% | 2.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.05 | $0.02 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 99.8% | 96.4% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 8.5% | 10.5% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.2% | 1.3% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $191,938 | $213,323 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.42% | 0.61% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 1.5 | 6.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 16 of 16 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseFood recovery: food for frees food recovery program works with grocery stores, farms, universities and other businesses to collect fresh and prepared food that might otherwise be discarded. This food is then distributed to shelters, churches and food pantries to distribute to their communities. Approximately 1.9m pounds of food was distributed in FY25
Just eats: just eats distributes grocery boxes and bulk pallets of assorted produce and dry good to low-income housing sites, food pantries, and community service agencies in the greater boston area. Volunteer groups and food for free staff prepare the boxes and bulk deliveries, bringing over 2.8 million pounds of food to partners each year
School markets: this program brings farmers market-style markets to 7 public schools across cambridge and somerville. Students and their families can shop for fresh, healthy groceries for free during after shcool pick up times once a month
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEO Officer, highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $189,853 | $0 | $2,085 | $191,938 |
| DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $119,312 | $0 | $13,521 | $132,833 |
| CHIEF OF STAFF Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $100,195 | $0 | $19,760 | $119,955 |
3 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Food for Free Committee (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $424K (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b16 · 16 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 538
- Volunteers Part I, line 61,368
Private foundation grants it received
13 private foundations reported grants to Food for Free Committee totaling $136K on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Food for Free Committee's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Food for Free Committee, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Food for Free Committee spent in FY2025, $91.65 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- RefedChicago, IL · revenue $13M · programs 77.9% · 2024
- Second HelpingsIndianapolis, IN · revenue $13M · programs 90.5% · FY2025
- Acceso ImpactBrooklyn, NY · revenue $13M · programs 84.9% · 2024
- North Country Food BankEast Grand Forks, MN · revenue $13M · programs 94.2% · FY2025
- The Food Group MinnesotaNew Hope, MN · revenue $13M · programs 84.9% · FY2025
All food, agriculture & nutrition charities · Largest charities in Massachusetts
Questions people ask
How much of Food for Free Committee's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Food for Free Committee reported that 91.6% of its $13.5 million in expenses went to program services, 3.8% to management and general and 4.6% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Food for Free Committee pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Food for Free Committee reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $191,938, for the role of CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Food for Free Committee get its money?
Of $13.3 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 99.8% came from contributions and grants (including 8.5% from government grants) and 0.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Food for Free Committee a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 22-2561771 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, object 202630299349301328 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202541269349302764 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202441359349304789 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202203349349300740 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202133349349300978 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202012799349300211 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 22-2561771: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.