Food Works is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating a sustainable food economy in Southern Illinois. Through farmer training and consumer education, Food Works promotes long-term farming networks that create healthy soils, healthy food, and healthy communities in the 23 counties that make up Southern Illinois

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
88¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$70K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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FY2022 · 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
3 of 4
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $127K a year · 22% of revenue · last 4 filings
Fine: a surplus in 3 of the last 4 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 4 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
$70K
to officers and key staff · 24% of spending
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 24% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
5 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 5.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $5K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$0
0% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
0
of 4 voting members
Concern: none of 4 voting members are independent.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$423K
+749% vs prior year
Spent
$293K
To programs
88%
Net assets
$131K
By yearFY2019–FY2025
Revenue
$423K
FY2022▲ +749%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2019$50K
FY2020$30K
FY2021$50K
FY2022$423K
FY2023$633K
FY2024$736K
FY2025$484K
Expenses
$293K
FY2022
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2019Not on file
FY2020Not on file
FY2021Not on file
FY2022$293K
FY2023$398K
FY2024$534K
FY2025$545K
Net assets
$131K
FY2022▲ ×22
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2019$8K
FY2020$9K
FY2021$6K
FY2022$131K
FY2023$547K
FY2024$664K
FY2025$583K

From the FY2022 Form 990 · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2022 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 Jul 2009.

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% · $259K Management & general 9% · $27K Fundraising 2% · $7K

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

12 people listed on the 990; $70K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Farming Alliance and Market Coordinator
$28,432Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Director
$24,900Pt VII · Sec A
Program Director Farm Beginnings
$6,996Pt VII · Sec A
Farmers Market Assistant
$6,822Pt VII · Sec A
Market Director
$2,119Pt VII · Sec A
Office Assistant Extra Help
$360Pt VII · Sec A
Market Assistant Extra Help
$147Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Jennifer Paulson’s $58K as Executive Director is at the 60th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1171 $100K–1M food & agriculture 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
Jennifer Paulson$57,751$45,661$42,089$24,900$12,095$12,628
Elizabeth Mikso-Deruntz$52,300$37,856$8,994———
Ellen Esling$43,240$39,637$2,737———
Libby Ervin$32,318$34,616$41,881$28,432$9,577$11,000
Jennifer Duensing$5,301$35,606$35,758———
Kyle J McAdams$26,666$25,668$23,580$360——
Karen Jensen-Britton—$9,615$24,397$6,822$4,535$221
Samantha Mauro$14,117$15,396$4,378———

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.

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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

Builds sustainable food systems through farmer training and consumer education.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $60K · in their own filed words · FY2022
01

2.Administrative set up of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) at local farmers markets and double value assistance for low income community members who buy from farmers markets. Provided support services for farmers markets to be able to accept SNAP, including healthy eating incentives.

$43Kprogram expense
02

1. Operated the Carbondale Community Farmers Market (winter season market)providing the community with access to fresh, locally grown food. Served approximately 35 vendors and 4600 community members.

$14Kprogram expense
03

3. Supported the development of sustainable farmers through the Southern Illinois Farming Alliance. Held workshops, field days and other educational events (Farm Crawl) on sustainable farming and small business practices. Served appropriately 175 people.

$3Kprogram 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 1 funder$5K
Grants paid · 5 grants · $160K · 2022–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$46,425
LeafFY2024$43,230
LeafFY2023$34,960
Unitemized GrantFY2023$29,974
Unitemized GrantFY2022$5,000

By the numbers

The FY2022 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$423K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$423K
Money outPt IX
$293K
Ln 25
Programscol B$259K
Managementcol C$27K
Fundraisingcol D$7K
Owns and owesPt X
$131K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$131K
Total assetsLn 16$131K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
12
listed · VII A
PaidVII A7
Voting boardVI 1a4
IndependentVI 1b0
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$423K
Government grantsLn 1e$396K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$0
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$3K
Total revenueLn 12$423K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$131K
SavingsLn 2$0
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$131K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$131K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$131K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 528
VolunteersI 620
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
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 FY22End FY22
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$131K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Total assetsLn 16$0$131K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$0
Net assetsLn 32$0$131K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$43K$43K
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$70K$56K$7K$7K
Management feesLn 11a$905$905
Legal feesLn 11b$53$53
Accounting feesLn 11c$15$15
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$0$0
Advertising and promotionLn 12$4K$4K
Office expensesLn 13$6K$6K
Information technologyLn 14$4K$4K
RoyaltiesLn 15$0$0
OccupancyLn 16$0$0
TravelLn 17$2K$2K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$59K$59K
InsuranceLn 23$2K$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$102K$102K$0$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$293K$259K$27K$7K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $484K$545K−$60K$583K 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS May 15, 2025 $736K$534K$202K$664K 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Nov 14, 2024 $633K$398K$235K$547K 990 PDF
FY2022 ViewingFiled with the IRS Nov 14, 2023 $423K$293K$131K$131K 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Nov 11, 2022 $50K$6K 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS Oct 14, 2021 $30K$9K 990 PDF
FY2019Filed with the IRS Aug 16, 2021 $50K$8K 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 O · Explanations
See the full FY2022 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $423,434 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grants$423,434
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $0$423,434
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$42,873
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefits$69,776
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expenses$180,153
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $0$292,802
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $0$130,632
Part VI · Governance 0 of 4 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body4
VI-1b Independent voting members0
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 $423,434 across 9 lines filed
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$0
VIII-1b Membership dues$945
VIII-1c Fundraising events$2,964
VIII-1d Related organizations$0
VIII-1e Government grants$396,489
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$23,036
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$0
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$423,434
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$423,434
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $292,802 across 19 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $42,873$42,873
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for membersPrograms $0$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $55,820 · Management $6,978 · Fundraising $6,978$69,776
IX-11a Management feesManagement $905$905
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $53$53
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $15$15
IX-11d Lobbying feesManagement $0$0
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $0$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesManagement $0$0
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $4,127$4,127
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $6,352$6,352
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $3,764$3,764
IX-15 RoyaltiesManagement $0$0
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $0$0
IX-17 TravelManagement $2,235$2,235
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officialsManagement $0$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $58,717$58,717
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $2,485$2,485
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $101,500 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$101,500
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $258,910 · Management $26,914 · Fundraising $6,978$292,802
Part X · Balance sheet $130,632 assets, 16 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearing$130,632
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investments$0
X-3 Pledges and grants receivable$0
X-4 Accounts receivable$0
X-8 Inventories for sale or use$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$0
X-11 Publicly traded securities$0
X-12 Other securities$0
X-13 Program-related investments$0
X-14 Intangible assets$0
X-15 Other assets$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $0$130,632
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expenses$0
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $0$130,632
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $0$130,632
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $130,632 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$423,434
XI-2 Total expenses$292,802
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$130,632
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$0
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$0
XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$0
XI-7 Investment expenses$0
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$0
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$130,632

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2022 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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