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Frontera Farmer Foundation

Tax-deductible

Chicago, IL501(c)(3)Food & Agriculture EIN 33-1055393Revenue $233K in FY2024Latest return filed Nov 11, 2025

On file with the IRSrickbayless.com/foundation/about.htmlChicago, ILTax-exempt since Apr 2004Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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To provide assistance to poor and needy families in rural farming communities and to organizations which promote agricultural studies and protection of the environment.

Form 990 Part I, line 1, FY2024. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 33-1055393) · Dispute this line
501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
100¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 60 volunteers.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2024 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
The IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2024
latest Form 990
The latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $6K a year · 3% of revenue · last 5 filings
A surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
100%
of spending
100% of spending went to programs.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Cash reserves
18.7 mo
of spending, in cash
18.7 months of spending in cash.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $20K
1 funder names it on their filings.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$0
0% of total assets
Liabilities are 0% of assets.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
0
of 7 voting members
None of 7 voting members are independent.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
In line with peersDifferent from peersFar from peersNo peer rangeNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$233K
+51% vs prior year
Spent
$187K
To programs
100%
Net assets
$322K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$233K
FY2024▲ +51%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$167K
FY2021$151K
FY2022$346K
FY2023$154K
FY2024$233K
Expenses
$187K
FY2024▼ -7%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$220K
FY2021$161K
FY2022$254K
FY2023$201K
FY2024$187K
Net assets
$322K
FY2024▲ +16%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$240K
FY2021$231K
FY2022$323K
FY2023$276K
FY2024$322K

From the FY2024 Form 990 · see the original

Give Follow Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Apr 2004.

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

Where the money goes

100 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 100% · $187K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25. Every line is in By the numbers.

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

7 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Deann Bayless
Exec. Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Rick Bayless
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Jon Cherniss
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Joel Smith
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Leslie Cooperband
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Paul Fehribach
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Karen Trilevsky
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
See Frontera Farmer Foundation executive salaries →

Questions the 990 asks

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

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo

Programs and updates

Helps poor rural families and promotes agricultural studies and environmental protection.

Questions for Frontera Farmer Foundation

Tap to ask. Frontera Farmer Foundation sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Frontera Farmer Foundation answers here, for everyone.

1 program · $187K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

To promote small, sustainable farms serving the chicago area by providing them with capital development grants.

Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2024. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 33-1055393) · Dispute this line
$187Kprogram 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 · FY2024
Donor Advised Charitable Giving INCFY2024$20K
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$20K
Grants paid · 5 grants · $1.0M · 2020–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$181,638
Unitemized GrantFY2023$200,000
Unitemized GrantFY2022$248,544
Unitemized GrantFY2021$160,500
Unitemized GrantFY2020$216,552

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$233K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$233K
Money outPt IX
$187K
Ln 25
Programscol B$187K
Owns and owesPt X
$322K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$292K
Total assetsLn 16$322K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
7
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b0
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$233K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$164K
Total revenueLn 12$233K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$239K
SavingsLn 2$53K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$292K
Notes and loans receivableLn 7$29K
Total assetsLn 16$322K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$322K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 660
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aNo
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$277K$292K
Total assetsLn 16$277K$322K
LiabilitiesLn 26$500$0
Net assetsLn 32$276K$322K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$182K$182K
Accounting feesLn 11c$2K$2K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$3K$3K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$115$115
Total functional expensesLn 25$187K$187K$0$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS Nov 11, 2025 $233K$187K$45K$322K 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Nov 13, 2024 $154K$201K−$47K$276K 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Aug 30, 2023 $346K$254K$93K$323K 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Nov 10, 2022 $151K$161K−$10K$231K 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS Nov 15, 2021 $167K$220K−$52K$240K 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

A · Public support I · Grants O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990
Part I · Summary $232,813 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $154,021$232,813
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $154,021$232,813
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $200,000$181,638
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $0$0
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,164$5,725
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $201,164$187,363
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$47,143$45,450
Part VI · Governance 0 of 7 board members independent, 5 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members0
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyNo
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $232,813 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$163,721
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$69,092
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$232,813
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$232,813
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $187,363 across 4 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $181,638$181,638
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $2,500$2,500
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $3,110$3,110
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $115$115
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $187,363 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$187,363
Part X · Balance sheet $321,600 assets, 11 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $223,758$239,329
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $52,892$52,892
X-7 Notes and loans receivableStart of year $0$29,379
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $276,650$321,600
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $500$0
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $500$0
X-29 Capital stock or trust principalStart of year $0$0
X-30 Paid-in or capital surplusStart of year $0$0
X-31 Retained earnings or endowmentStart of year $276,150$321,600
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $276,150$321,600
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $276,650$321,600
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $321,600 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$232,813
XI-2 Total expenses$187,363
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$45,450
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$276,150
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$321,600

Form 990 e-file FY2024 from the IRS (about our sources) · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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