Free Lunch Academy

Tax-deductible

Chicago, IL501(c)(3)Since 2014Arts & CultureEIN 47-2703768Revenue $137K in FY2025

On file with the IRSfreelunchacademy.com7837 S Colfax Avenue, 60649-5690 · Chicago, ILTax-exempt since Jan 2015Publicly supported — 509(a)(2)

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Free Lunch Academy is an innovative social enterprise that leverages social, emotional, artistic learning to cultivate character development.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
83¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

Before you give

FY2025 · 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
2 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $20K a year · 7% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 2 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
83%
of spending
Looks good: 83% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Cash reserves
16 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 15.5 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $20K
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
8
of 8 voting members
Looks good: 8 of 8 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$137K
+40% vs prior year
Spent
$158K
To programs
83%
Net assets
$242K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$137K
FY2025▲ +40%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$885K
FY2021$82K
FY2022$90K
FY2023$455K
FY2024$97K
FY2025$137K
Expenses
$158K
FY2025▲ +44%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$776K
FY2021$191K
FY2022$98K
FY2023$296K
FY2024$110K
FY2025$158K
Net assets
$242K
FY2025▼ -8%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$111K
FY2021$3K
FY2022$113K
FY2023$272K
FY2024$263K
FY2025$242K

From the FY2025 Form 990 · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jan 2015.

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

Where the money goes

83 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 83% · $132K Management & general 17% · $27K

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

10 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Develop Spec
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Dei Program
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Project Dire
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Legal Counse
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Educator
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Brand Consul
$0Pt VII · Sec A
See Free Lunch Academy 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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Cultivates character development through social-emotional artistic learning in schools and communities.

Questions for Free Lunch Academy

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $63K · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

In order to provide these seal services to 1,250 students, free lunch academy employed a total of nine (9) TEACHING/PERFORMING artists throughout the 2025 calendar year.

$32Kprogram expense
02

Free lunch academy subsidized housing for a total of one (1) free lunch academy ambassador throughout the 2025 calendar year.

$27Kprogram expense
03

Free lunch academy served nearly 10,000 chicagoland area youth through their youth development programming initiatives (E.G. Plays, workshops, artist residencies) in 2025.

$4Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$20K

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$137K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$97K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$39K
Investment incomeLn 3$109
Money outPt IX
$158K
Ln 25
Programscol B$132K
Managementcol C$27K
Owns and owesPt X
$242K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$204K
Total assetsLn 16$242K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
10
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b8
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$97K
Government grantsLn 1e$40K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$39K
Investment incomeLn 3$109
Total revenueLn 12$137K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$204K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$204K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$24K
Other assetsLn 15$10K
Total assetsLn 16$242K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$242K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 59
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$205K$204K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$25K$24K
Total assetsLn 16$264K$242K
LiabilitiesLn 26$2K$0
Net assetsLn 32$263K$242K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$32K$32K
Payroll taxesLn 10$3K$3K
Legal feesLn 11b$3K$3K$250
Accounting feesLn 11c$7K$7K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$9K$9K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$817$817
Office expensesLn 13$690$658$32
OccupancyLn 16$4K$4K
TravelLn 17$18K$18K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$2K$2K
InsuranceLn 23$8K$340$8K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$57K$51K$7K
All other expensesLn 24e$14K$9K$4K
Total functional expensesLn 25$158K$132K$27K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $137K$158K−$22K$242K 990 PDF
FY2024 $97K$110K−$13K$263K 990 PDF
FY2023 $455K$296K$159K$272K 990 PDF
FY2022 $90K$98K−$8K$113K 990 PDF
FY2021 $82K$191K−$109K$3K 990 PDF
FY2020 $885K$776K$109K$111K 990 PDF

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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 FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $136,668 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $80,300$97,422
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $10,693$39,137
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $6,329$109
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $97,322$136,668
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $22,368$35,724
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $87,935$122,727
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $110,303$158,451
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$12,981−$21,783
Part VI · Governance 8 of 8 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body8
VI-1b Independent voting members8
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
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
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $136,668 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$40,325
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$57,097
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$97,422
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $39,137$39,137
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $109$109
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $39,246$136,668
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $158,451 across 13 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $32,225$32,225
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $3,499$3,499
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $2,848 · Management $250$3,098
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $7,338$7,338
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $8,679$8,679
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $817$817
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $658 · Management $32$690
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $3,624$3,624
IX-17 TravelPrograms $17,528$17,528
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $1,695$1,695
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $340 · Management $8,058$8,398
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $50,566 · Management $6,556$57,122
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $9,329 · Management $4,409$13,738
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $131,808 · Management $26,643 · Fundraising $0$158,451
Part X · Balance sheet $241,911 assets, 9 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $204,638$204,240
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $276$3,606
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $25,412$23,717
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $34,135$10,348
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $264,461$241,911
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,670$0
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $262,791$241,911
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $262,791$241,911
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $264,461$241,911
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $241,911 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$136,668
XI-2 Total expenses$158,451
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$21,783
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$262,791
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$903
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$241,911

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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