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

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
88¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$840K 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

FY2021 · 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
88%
of spending
Looks good: 88% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$840K
to officers and key staff · 8% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 8% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 2.4 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
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
$283K
8% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 8% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
21
of 22 voting members
Looks good: 21 of 22 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$8.9M
-7% vs prior year
Spent
$10.8M
To programs
88%
Net assets
$3.4M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$8.9M
FY2021▼ -7%
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
$10.8M
FY2021▲ +42%
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
$3.4M
FY2021▼ -34%
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 FY2021 Form 990 (year ending June 2021) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2021 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

88 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 88% · $9.5M Management & general 8% · $848K Fundraising 4% · $425K

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

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Who runs it and what they're paid

31 people listed on the 990; $840K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2020); the FY2021 filing did not itemize Part VII
President, CEO (to Jun '20)
$156,296Pt VII · Sec A
$153,135Pt VII · Sec A
Director, Fresh Taste
$151,636Pt VII · Sec A
$146,706Pt VII · Sec A
VP, Develop & Communications
$131,937Pt VII · Sec A
Controller
$100,432Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer (to Dec' 20)
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$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 →

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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.

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

Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $8.8M · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

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.

$6.8Mprogram expense
02

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.

$1.7Mprogram 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.

$343Kprogram 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 FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$8.9M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$8.0M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$878K
Investment incomeLn 3$8K
Money outPt IX
$10.8M
Ln 25
Programscol B$9.5M
Managementcol C$848K
Fundraisingcol D$425K
Owns and owesPt X
$3.4M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.1M
Total assetsLn 16$3.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$283K
PeoplePt VI, VII
31
listed · VII A
PaidVII A6
Voting boardVI 1a22
IndependentVI 1b21
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$8.0M
Government grantsLn 1e$538K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$878K
Investment incomeLn 3$8K
Other incomeLn 4–11$3K
Total revenueLn 12$8.9M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.5M
SavingsLn 2$620K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$2.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$32K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$58K
Other assetsLn 15$150K
Total assetsLn 16$3.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$283K
Net assetsLn 32$3.4M
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 FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$5.3M$2.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$25K$32K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$87K$58K
Total assetsLn 16$6.0M$3.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$942K$283K
Net assetsLn 32$5.1M$3.4M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$6.6M$6.6M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$478K$317K$94K$67K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.6M$1.0M$311K$224K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$108K$75K$20K$13K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$146K$102K$27K$18K
Payroll taxesLn 10$147K$102K$27K$18K
Legal feesLn 11b$4K$2K$996$64
Accounting feesLn 11c$61K$43K$17K$1K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$624K$447K$165K$11K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$30K$13K$2K$15K
Office expensesLn 13$33K$26K$5K$2K
Information technologyLn 14$153K$109K$41K$3K
OccupancyLn 16$322K$225K$55K$42K
TravelLn 17$8K$8K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$160K$160K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$29K$19K$6K$4K
InsuranceLn 23$34K$2K$31K$1K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$135K$86K$42K$7K
All other expensesLn 24e$99K$96K$3K
Total functional expensesLn 25$10.8M$9.5M$848K$425K

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 Viewing $8.9M$10.8M−$1.9M$3.4M 990 PDF
FY2020 $9.6M$7.6M$2.0M$5.1M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $8,901,727 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $8,565,391$8,012,325
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $1,030,989$877,983
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $2,441$8,373
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $22,495$3,046
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $9,621,316$8,901,727
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $2,866,078$6,638,211
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $2,726,211$2,450,884
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $2,015,265$1,691,555
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $7,607,554$10,780,650
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $2,013,762−$1,878,923
Part VI · Governance 21 of 22 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body22
VI-1b Independent voting members21
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 $8,901,727 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1b Membership dues$1,312,549
VIII-1e Government grants$538,100
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$6,161,676
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$8,012,325
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $194,377 · Unrelated business $405,389 · Excluded from tax $278,217$877,983
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $8,373$8,373
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $3,046$3,046
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $194,377 · Unrelated business $405,389 · Excluded from tax $289,636$8,901,727
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $10,780,650 across 19 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $6,638,211$6,638,211
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $317,131 · Management $93,727 · Fundraising $66,954$477,812
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,037,066 · Management $311,045 · Fundraising $224,182$1,572,293
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $75,093 · Management $19,854 · Fundraising $13,160$108,107
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $101,526 · Management $26,844 · Fundraising $17,792$146,162
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $101,768 · Management $26,907 · Fundraising $17,835$146,510
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $2,492 · Management $996 · Fundraising $64$3,552
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $42,983 · Management $17,187 · Fundraising $1,108$61,278
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $447,397 · Management $165,494 · Fundraising $10,664$623,555
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $12,879 · Management $2,500 · Fundraising $14,525$29,904
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $26,453 · Management $4,676 · Fundraising $1,900$33,029
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $109,267 · Management $41,494 · Fundraising $2,674$153,435
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $225,151 · Management $55,447 · Fundraising $41,586$322,184
IX-17 TravelPrograms $8,094$8,094
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $159,556$159,556
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $18,725 · Management $5,762 · Fundraising $4,321$28,808
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $1,950 · Management $30,837 · Fundraising $1,000$33,787
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $86,401 · Management $41,651 · Fundraising $7,000$135,052
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $95,838 · Management $3,483$99,321
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $9,507,981 · Management $847,904 · Fundraising $424,765$10,780,650
Part X · Balance sheet $3,633,661 assets, 17 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,730,964$1,504,917
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $3,537,466$619,864
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $373,765$1,128,957
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $88,580$47,367
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $56,444$92,836
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $86,659$57,851
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $25,290$31,869
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $150,190$150,000
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $6,049,358$3,633,661
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $216,580$133,232
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $613,000$149,900
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $112,760$0
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $942,340$283,132
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $4,250,850$2,169,741
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $856,168$1,180,788
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $5,107,018$3,350,529
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $6,049,358$3,633,661
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $3,350,529 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$8,901,727
XI-2 Total expenses$10,780,650
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$1,878,923
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$5,107,018
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$203,500
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$81,066
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$3,350,529

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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