Blessings in a Backpack
Blessings in a Backpack reported $13.7 million in revenue and $13.9 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $78.40 went to program services, $11.36 to management and general costs and $10.24 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 97.4% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $222,672 (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER). 10 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue fell 20% 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 $14MFor context, the median across 3,614 covered human services charities: $88.27 programs, $11.52 management, $0.21 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 $14M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$95.12 $13M
- Government grants$2.14 $293K
- Investment income$2.74 $375K
Other revenue was negative: −$24,803. 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) | 78.4% | 87.2% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 11.4% | 11.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 10.2% | 0.2% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.11 | $0.02 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 97.4% | 20.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 2.1% | 2.4% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 70.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $222,672 | $274,992 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.60% | 1.18% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 10 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 8.9 | 6.9 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 15 of 15 | 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 expenseBlessings in a backpack provides a flexible framework with efficient solutions for every community to end weekend hunger for its children. At more than 1,000 locations in 44 states, blessings in partnership with our community partners and volunteers, ensures children leave school on friday with a bag of nutrition to help them enjoy a weekend free of hunger.since 2008, more than one million children have enjoyed over 30 million hunger-free weekends.during the 2024-2025 school year, blessings in a backpack made over 2.7 million hunger-free weekends possible for kids. With more than 13.8 million…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $219,872 | $0 | $2,800 | $222,672 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $169,349 | $0 | $3,343 | $172,692 |
| CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $165,281 | $0 | $0 | $165,281 |
| VP-CHAPTER RELATIONS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $129,127 | $0 | $2,869 | $131,996 |
| DIR OF STRATEGY/PEOPLE, INTERIM CDO 7/1/24-2/28/25 Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $120,379 | $0 | $4,200 | $124,579 |
| MANAGING DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $116,843 | $0 | $4,200 | $121,043 |
| VP - NATIONAL FOOD SOLUTION Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $114,361 | $0 | $3,933 | $118,294 |
10 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Blessings in a Backpack (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $395K (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–1b15 · 15 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 541
- Volunteers Part I, line 616,500
Private foundation grants it received
7 private foundations reported grants to Blessings in a Backpack totaling $55,920 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 Blessings in a Backpack's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Blessings in a Backpack, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Blessings in a Backpack spent in FY2025, $78.40 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All human services charities · Largest charities in Kentucky
Questions people ask
How much of Blessings in a Backpack's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Blessings in a Backpack reported that 78.4% of its $13.9 million in expenses went to program services, 11.4% to management and general and 10.2% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Blessings in a Backpack pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Blessings in a Backpack reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $222,672, for the role of CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Blessings in a Backpack get its money?
Of $13.7 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 97.4% came from contributions and grants (including 2.1% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Blessings in a Backpack a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 26-1964620 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 202533159349304273 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202443189349301624 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202313189349302586 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202213199349316721 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202103169349302670 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202043219349316369 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 26-1964620: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.