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Forefront
Forefront reported $16.1 million in revenue and $9.5 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $85.34 went to program services, $10.91 to management and general costs and $3.75 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 94.1% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $310,826 (PRESIDENT, CEO). 3 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 67% 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 $9.5MFor context, the median across 1,001 covered philanthropy, voluntarism & grantmaking charities: $91.65 programs, $6.50 management, $1.85 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 $16MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 85.3% | 90.2% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 10.9% | 6.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 3.7% | 1.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.02 | $0.02 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 94.1% | 79.9% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 1.7% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 4.6% | 0.0% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $310,826 | $325,675 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 3.29% | 1.56% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 20.7 | 56.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 24 of 24 | 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 expenseFresh taste is a sponsored project of forefront. It is a staffed funder initiative formed in 2002 by a group of illinois-based foundations and chicago city officials interested in changing how food is produced for, and processed and consumed in the chicago region
Forefront leverages the collective power of philanthropy and nonprofits to improve lives and strengthen communities. Founded in 1974, forefront is the only membership association in illinois for funders and nonprofits of all kinds, as well as their advisors and consultants. Some 1,100 individuals and institutions belong to forefront, and thousands more benefit from its resources, some of which are free. Forefront is based in chicago but serves the entire state. It is a hub for connection and collaboration as well as a source of research, programs, publications, and other tools, including a…
Converge consulting is a social enterprise owned and managed by forefront that delivers financial, accounting, and administrative solutions to nonprofits and foundations so that they can focus on their mission. We work with organizations to address their specific needs onan interim or continuing basis
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT, CEO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $286,886 | $0 | $23,940 | $310,826 |
| CHIEF OF STAFF Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $106,797 | $0 | $39,900 | $146,697 |
| SR CONSULTANT, CONVERGE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $113,249 | $0 | $18,805 | $132,054 |
| CFO (FROM DEC '24) Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $5,194 | $0 | $846 | $6,040 |
3 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Forefront (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $402K (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–1b24 · 24 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 4Yes
- 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 531
- Volunteers Part I, line 665
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| THE BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP Professional services | $1,375,000 |
| BDO FMA Professional services | $348,020 |
| ROBERT HALF Professional services | $141,474 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 3 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
36 private foundations reported grants to Forefront totaling $8.0M 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 Forefront's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Forefront, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Forefront spent in FY2025, $85.34 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Community Foundation of South GeorgiaThomasville, GA · revenue $16M · programs 91.8% · 2024
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- Columbus State Community College Development FoundationColumbus, OH · revenue $16M · programs 93.0% · FY2025
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Questions people ask
How much of Forefront's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Forefront reported that 85.3% of its $9.5 million in expenses went to program services, 10.9% to management and general and 3.7% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Forefront pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Forefront reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $310,826, for the role of PRESIDENT, CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Forefront get its money?
Of $16.1 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 94.1% came from contributions and grants (including 1.7% from government grants) and 4.6% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Forefront a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 23-7376023 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 202601139349300900 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024 (amended), object 202600689349301820 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202421139349300517 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202341319349306354 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202231299349302733 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202111349349302526 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 23-7376023: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.