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Food & Water Watch
Food & Water Watch reported $20.7 million in revenue and $16.0 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $77.34 went to program services, $9.75 to management and general costs and $12.91 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 94.8% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $262,459 (FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). 14 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 16% between 2019 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 $16MFor 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 $21MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 77.3% | 94.2% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 9.7% | 3.1% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 12.9% | 2.3% |
| 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 | 94.8% | 96.4% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 10.5% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 1.3% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $262,459 | $213,323 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.64% | 0.61% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 14 | 3 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 22.9 | 6.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 9 of 10 | 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 - Food & Water Watch provides public education about health and environmental issues in regard to food production that is sustainable, local, chemical-free, clearly labeled, family-farmed, and humanely raised
Climate - working at the state and local level to educate and advocate on climate change by eliminating the production and use of fossil fuels which makes progress towards banning fracking and stopping new and existing fossil fuel infrastructure
Water - the water program educates and advocates about affordable, publicly controlled drinking water, health and environmental dangers of bottled water, health and environmental dangers of fracking and fossil fuels, the importance of moving from fossil fuels to safe, renewable energy and the importance of public investment in infrastructure
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Director/trustee, officer, 36.10 hrs/week | $225,695 | $0 | $36,764 | $262,459 |
| MANAGNG DIR. OF PHILANTHROPY Highest compensated employee, 39.57 hrs/week | $174,165 | $0 | $32,029 | $206,194 |
| CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER Officer, 39.13 hrs/week | $173,316 | $0 | $32,774 | $206,090 |
| MANAGING DIRECTOR OF ORGANIZING Highest compensated employee, 37.40 hrs/week | $170,900 | $0 | $31,569 | $202,469 |
| DEPUTY DIR.OF FOOD & WATER ACTION Highest compensated employee, 33.10 hrs/week | $164,515 | $0 | $29,924 | $194,439 |
| MANAGING DIR. OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS Highest compensated employee, 37.80 hrs/week | $165,001 | $0 | $29,355 | $194,356 |
14 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Food & Water Watch (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $455K (Part IX, line 5).
7 filings since 2019
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–1b10 · 9 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 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5123
- Volunteers Part I, line 62,462
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| FUSE FUNDRASING GROUP LLC Fundraising services | $537,977 |
| CLIFTONLARSONALLEN LLP Accounting consulting and software servi | $220,809 |
| DJMC LLC Printing services | $158,062 |
| RWT PRODUCTION LLC Direct mail services | $155,272 |
| JACKSON RIVER LLC Database support services | $151,716 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 8 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
58 private foundations reported grants to Food & Water Watch totaling $6.9M 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 & Water Watch'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 & Water Watch, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Food & Water Watch spent in FY2025, $77.34 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Tomchei Shabbos D'LakewoodLakewood, NJ · revenue $21M · programs 90.2% · 2024
- ExtrafoodKentfield, CA · revenue $21M · programs 98.1% · FY2025
- South Plains Food BankLubbock, TX · revenue $21M · programs 92.2% · FY2025
- Food Research & Action CenterWashington, DC · revenue $21M · programs 94.3% · 2024
- Community SeniorservAnaheim, CA · revenue $20M · programs 92.9% · FY2025
All food, agriculture & nutrition charities · Largest charities in District of Columbia
Questions people ask
How much of Food & Water Watch's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Food & Water Watch reported that 77.3% of its $16.0 million in expenses went to program services, 9.7% to management and general and 12.9% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Food & Water Watch pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Food & Water Watch reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $262,459, for the role of FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Food & Water Watch get its money?
Of $20.7 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 94.8% came from contributions and grants and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Food & Water Watch a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 32-0160439 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 202533509349300908 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202540589349301209 · read the filing
- FY2023 (6 mo.): Form 990 for the 6-month short period ending June 30, 2023, object 202441169349300019 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022 (amended), object 202430609349301468 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202233199349313258 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202103199349317250 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202013219349306801 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 32-0160439: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.