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Operation Food Search
Operation Food Search reported $43.7 million in revenue and $40.1 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $94.57 went to program services, $2.35 to management and general costs and $3.08 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 98.4% of the total. Government grants made up 6.0%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $200,966 (PRESIDENT & CEO). 5 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 7% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $40MFor 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 September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $44MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 94.6% | 94.2% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 2.4% | 3.1% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 3.1% | 2.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.03 | $0.02 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 98.4% | 96.4% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 6.0% | 10.5% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.6% | 1.3% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $200,966 | $213,323 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.50% | 0.61% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 5 | 3 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 8.0 | 6.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 17 of 17 | 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 expenseFounded in 1981, Operation Food Search (ofs) is a hunger relief organization that provides free food, nutrition education and innovative programs proven to reduce food insecurity. With a strategic focus aimed at ending childhood hunger, ofs empowers families and increases access to healthy and affordable food. The agency provides food and services to nearly 200,000 individuals on a monthly basis - one-third of whom are children - through a network of more than 600 community partners in 25 missouri and illinois counties
The out of school meals program ensures that children continue to receive nutritious meals when school is not in session. Ofs distributed more than 800,000 meals through our out of school meals programs. Our summer meals program provides thousands of children with meals through sites throughout the st. Louis region during the summer months. Our afterschool refuel provides children with a meal after the bell rings, either at school or at partner locations such as libraries. These meals provide the fuel needed for children to be successful for the remainder of the day. Operation backpack…
Metromarket is a mobile grocery store that travels to areas with limited access to fresh, healthy food. Metromarket's innovative approach uses a customer model to empower the community to shop at significantly lower prices than retail grocers. Fresh, affordable produce has been carefully selected from local farm partners and is brought directly to partner sites in the community. As a part of the organization's family, metromarket is growing its programming, including recipe tastings, nutrition education and other community nutrition offerings. Ofs served nearly 39,000 individuals at 388…
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, 60.00 hrs/week | $186,218 | $0 | $14,748 | $200,966 |
| CFO Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $136,150 | $0 | $6,725 | $142,875 |
| CDO Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $122,260 | $0 | $12,306 | $134,566 |
| COO Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $121,521 | $0 | $12,089 | $133,610 |
| CPO Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $105,860 | $0 | $11,378 | $117,238 |
5 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Operation Food Search (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $186K (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–1b17 · 17 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 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 575
- Volunteers Part I, line 66,584
Private foundation grants it received
52 private foundations reported grants to Operation Food Search totaling $597K 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 Operation Food Search's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Operation Food Search, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Operation Food Search spent in FY2025, $94.57 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All food, agriculture & nutrition charities · Largest charities in Missouri
Questions people ask
How much of Operation Food Search's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, Operation Food Search reported that 94.6% of its $40.1 million in expenses went to program services, 2.4% to management and general and 3.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Operation Food Search pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Operation Food Search reported for one person in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 was $200,966, for the role of PRESIDENT & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Operation Food Search get its money?
Of $43.7 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, 98.4% came from contributions and grants (including 6.0% from government grants) and 0.6% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Operation Food Search a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 43-1241854 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 September 30, 2025, object 202610619349301321 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, object 202520489349301617 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, object 202420469349301717 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, object 202300469349301035 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, object 202220469349302902 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, object 202130479349300613 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 43-1241854: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.