Forefront FY2020 filing

Tax-deductible

Chicago, IL501(c)(3)Since 1974Foundations & GrantmakersEIN 23-7376023Revenue $9.6M in FY2020

On file with the IRSmyforefront.org200 W Madison St 2nd Floor, 60606-3414 · Chicago, ILTax-exempt since Jun 1974Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

Tell your story. Claim this org

To build a vibrant social impact sector for all the people of illinois.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
78¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$748K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2020 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $2.3M a year · 17% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
78%
of spending
Looks good: 78% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$748K
to officers and key staff · 10% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 10% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
8 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 8.3 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $31K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$942K
16% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 16% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
23
of 24 voting members
Looks good: 23 of 24 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$9.6M
Spent
$7.6M
To programs
78%
Net assets
$5.1M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$9.6M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$9.6M
FY2021$8.9M
FY2022$14.5M
FY2023$22.6M
FY2024$8.5M
FY2025$16.1M
Expenses
$7.6M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$7.6M
FY2021$10.8M
FY2022$9.4M
FY2023$10.0M
FY2024$19.1M
FY2025$9.5M
Net assets
$5.1M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$5.1M
FY2021$3.4M
FY2022$8.4M
FY2023$21.0M
FY2024$9.1M
FY2025$16.3M

From the FY2020 Form 990 (year ending June 2020) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim
You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jun 1974.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

78 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 78% · $6.0M Management & general 14% · $1.1M Fundraising 7% · $540K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Something off? Claim to fix it

Who runs it and what they're paid

30 people listed on the 990; $748K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2019); the FY2020 filing did not itemize Part VII
President, CEO (to June 20)
$221,726Pt VII · Sec A
Director, Fresh Taste
$140,686Pt VII · Sec A
$138,127Pt VII · Sec A
$130,608Pt VII · Sec A
VP, Develop & Communications
$117,336Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Monique B Jones’s $287K as President, CEO is at the 66th percentile of top reported officer pay among 661 $10–100M philanthropy & grantmaking nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Monique B Jones$286,886$281,250$271,437$258,789——
Eric Weinheimer————$156,296$221,726
Derek Stovall-Leonard—$191,886$185,461$164,823$153,135$138,127
Patrice James—$151,914————
Karen Lehman——$112,585$140,335$151,636$140,686
Yusef Garcia—$132,906$147,999$131,838$131,937$117,336
Dawn Melchiorre————$146,706$130,608
Aerica Camille Love$113,249$119,186$104,944———

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Forefront executive salaries →

On this list? Claim this org

Something off? Claim to fix it

Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Strengthens Illinois's social impact sector by providing nonprofits and foundations with essential financial, accounting, administrative, and consulting services to help them achieve their missions.

Questions for Forefront

Tap to ask. Forefront sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Forefront answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

Know this org? Add your story

3 programs · $5.1M · in their own filed words · FY2019
01

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.

$3.5Mprogram expense
02

Fresh 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.

$1.2Mprogram expense
03

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 on an interim or continuing basis.

$439Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$31K
Grants paid · 497 grants · $36.3M · 2019–2024
Austin Coming TogetherIL · FY2024$543,031
YmenIL · FY2024$450,000
Westside Health AuthorityIL · FY2024$260,000
Dion S Chicago Dream INC NfpIL · FY2024$253,000
GardeneersIL · FY2024$221,000
Chicago Horticultural SocietyIL · FY2024$200,000
Grow Greater Englewood INCIL · FY2024$150,000
First Congregational United Church of ChristFY2024$150,000
Enlace ChicagoIL · FY2024$125,000
Circle Urban MinistriesIL · FY2024$120,000
Illinois Stewardship AllianceIL · FY2024$100,000
The Hack FoundationCA · FY2024$100,000
Gsj Family Life CenterIL · FY2024$100,000
American Indian Center INCIL · FY2024$100,000
Trickster Art GalleryIL · FY2024$78,000
Movement Strategy CenterCA · FY2024$78,000
Growing Home INCIL · FY2024$78,000
See all 497 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$9.6M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$8.6M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.0M
Other incomeLn 4–11$22K
Money outPt IX
$7.6M
Ln 25
Programscol B$6.0M
Managementcol C$1.1M
Fundraisingcol D$540K
Owns and owesPt X
$5.1M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$5.3M
Total assetsLn 16$6.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$942K
PeoplePt VI, VII
30
listed · VII A
PaidVII A5
Voting boardVI 1a24
IndependentVI 1b23
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$8.6M
Government grantsLn 1e$580K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$329K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.0M
Investment incomeLn 3$2K
Other incomeLn 4–11$22K
Total revenueLn 12$9.6M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.7M
SavingsLn 2$3.5M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$5.3M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$25K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$87K
Other assetsLn 15$150K
Total assetsLn 16$6.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$942K
Net assetsLn 32$5.1M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 536
VolunteersI 665
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.6M$5.3M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$24K$25K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$116K$87K
Total assetsLn 16$3.7M$6.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$292K$942K
Net assetsLn 32$3.4M$5.1M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$2.9M$2.9M
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$3K$3K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$576K$360K$125K$91K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.8M$1.1M$398K$282K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$90K$60K$16K$14K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$123K$82K$22K$19K
Payroll taxesLn 10$154K$103K$28K$23K
Legal feesLn 11b$11K$8K$3K$300
Accounting feesLn 11c$156K$108K$44K$4K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$745K$517K$209K$20K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$49K$25K$6K$18K
Office expensesLn 13$80K$28K$49K$3K
Information technologyLn 14$217K$149K$63K$6K
OccupancyLn 16$374K$252K$68K$54K
TravelLn 17$67K$54K$13K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$118K$96K$22K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$29K$17K$7K$4K
InsuranceLn 23$21K$9K$10K$1K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$108K$89K$19K$0
All other expensesLn 24e$39K$38K$988
Total functional expensesLn 25$7.6M$6.0M$1.1M$540K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $16.1M$9.5M$6.6M$16.3M 990 PDF
FY2024 $8.5M$19.1M−$10.6M$9.1M 990 PDF
FY2023 $22.6M$10.0M$12.6M$21.0M 990 PDF
FY2022 $14.5M$9.4M$5.1M$8.4M 990 PDF
FY2021 $8.9M$10.8M−$1.9M$3.4M 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $9.6M$7.6M$2.0M$5.1M 990 PDF

More to add? Claim this org

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $9,621,316 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $4,750,185$8,565,391
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $955,770$1,030,989
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $3,862$2,441
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $63,723$22,495
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $5,773,540$9,621,316
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $1,091,979$2,866,078
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $2,548,556$2,726,211
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $2,128,546$2,015,265
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $5,769,081$7,607,554
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $4,459$2,013,762
Part VI · Governance 23 of 24 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body24
VI-1b Independent voting members23
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $9,621,316 across 9 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $24,444 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1b Membership dues$1,302,729
VIII-1c Fundraising events$329,046
VIII-1e Government grants$580,000
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$6,353,616
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$8,565,391
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $110,176 · Unrelated business $415,876 · Excluded from tax $504,937$1,030,989
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $2,441$2,441
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$1,949−$1,949
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $110,176 · Unrelated business $415,876 · Excluded from tax $529,873$9,621,316
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $7,607,554 across 20 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $2,863,228$2,863,228
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $2,850$2,850
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $359,817 · Management $125,315 · Fundraising $90,630$575,762
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,103,568 · Management $397,718 · Fundraising $282,356$1,783,642
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $59,792 · Management $16,204 · Fundraising $13,544$89,540
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $82,177 · Management $22,215 · Fundraising $18,599$122,991
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $103,021 · Management $27,919 · Fundraising $23,336$154,276
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $7,800 · Management $3,147 · Fundraising $300$11,247
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $108,305 · Management $43,701 · Fundraising $4,168$156,174
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $516,876 · Management $208,561 · Fundraising $19,892$745,329
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $25,474 · Management $5,658 · Fundraising $18,069$49,201
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $27,833 · Management $48,581 · Fundraising $3,400$79,814
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $148,813 · Management $62,763 · Fundraising $5,640$217,216
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $252,095 · Management $67,679 · Fundraising $54,144$373,918
IX-17 TravelPrograms $53,693 · Management $13,032$66,725
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $95,982 · Management $22,047$118,029
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $17,400 · Management $7,486 · Fundraising $4,400$29,286
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $9,476 · Management $10,122 · Fundraising $1,439$21,037
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $88,837 · Management $19,220 · Fundraising $0$108,057
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $38,244 · Management $988$39,232
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $5,965,281 · Management $1,102,356 · Fundraising $539,917$7,607,554
Part X · Balance sheet $6,049,358 assets, 17 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,502,211$1,730,964
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $1,083,900$3,537,466
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $802,145$373,765
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $82,419$88,580
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $64,549$56,444
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $115,945$86,659
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $24,138$25,290
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $300$150,190
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $3,675,607$6,049,358
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $165,966$216,580
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payable$613,000
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $125,982$112,760
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $291,948$942,340
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,360,374$4,250,850
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $2,023,285$856,168
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $3,383,659$5,107,018
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $3,675,607$6,049,358
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $5,107,018 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$9,621,316
XI-2 Total expenses$7,607,554
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$2,013,762
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$3,383,659
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$290,403
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$5,107,018

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

Your org? Add context

Made it to the end? Claim this org

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.