Farmlink Project

Tax-deductible

Los Angeles, CA501(c)(3)Since 2020Human ServicesEIN 85-1398171Revenue $28.5M in FY2024

On file with the IRSfarmlinkproject.org3680 Wilshire Blvd Ste P04 Pmb 1590, 90010-2709 · Los Angeles, CATax-exempt since Feb 2021Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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We believe we can bring an end to hunger alongside massive food waste in our lifetime. Farmlink connects surplus produce to communities to support people in need, reduce carbon emissions and empower the next generation of young changemakers. This is our current organizational mission as IT stands. Tfp has grown and changed since we filed for our 501c3, and so IT reads differently from the mission statement on the schedule 1023 application.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
Run by 203 volunteers and 6 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · 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
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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 4
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $504K a year · under 1% of revenue · last 4 filings
Fine: a surplus in 3 of the last 4 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 4 filings
Spent on programs
328%
of spending
Looks good: 328% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$586K
to officers and key staff · 2% of spending
Top officer’s pay lower than 89% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 2% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 2.8 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $48K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$314K
6% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 6% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 8 voting members
Looks good: 7 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
$28.5M
-83% vs prior year
Spent
$28.2M
To programs
328%
Net assets
$4.6M
By yearFY2021–FY2024
Revenue
$28.5M
FY2024▼ -83%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$51.2M
FY2022$55.4M
FY2023$165.9M
FY2024$28.5M
Expenses
$28.2M
FY2024▼ -83%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$51.1M
FY2022$53.0M
FY2023$166.7M
FY2024$28.2M
Net assets
$4.6M
FY2024▲ +9%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$2.6M
FY2022$5.1M
FY2023$4.2M
FY2024$4.6M

From the FY2024 Form 990 (year ending March 2024) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Feb 2021.

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

Where the money goes

328 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 328% · $92.5M Management & general 6% · $1.6M Fundraising 2% · $657K

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; $586K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Chief Operating Officer
$129,178Pt VII · Sec A
$125,895Pt VII · Sec A
Man. Dir., Food Prgm & Agency Relations
$116,636Pt VII · Sec A
Head of Farmer Advocacy
$112,894Pt VII · Sec A
VP of Development (through 8/24)
$101,756Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Christine Choe’s $129K as Chief Operating Officer is at the 11th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3122 $10–100M human services 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

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Benjamin Shadle—$149,708——
Christine Choe$129,178$36,096——
Luis Yepiz$116,636$126,082$126,941—
Benjamin Collier$125,895$126,009$69,792$30,574
Emma Worth$101,756$112,093$124,287—
Michael Meyer$112,894———
Mike Meyer—$112,030——
Kira Kalkus———$49,779

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 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Connects surplus farm produce with communities in need to reduce hunger, fight climate change, and prevent food waste.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $92.4M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Food Waste and Hunger

Program services primarily pertain to collaborative activities of the organization to connect farmers to food banks, delivering excess farm fresh produce, that would otherwise go to waste, to feed families in need.

$91.9Mprogram expense
02

Field Fellowship

The field fellowship is activating young people with the tools to launch solutions for our most pressing global challenges: hunger and climate change. Every year we build a cohort of around 10 humanitarian avengers. Each fellow brings a unique perspective, but they all share an unmatched dedication to making the world a better place.

$287Kprogram expense
03

Sustainability

The mission of the sustainability team is to accurately quantify and translate the climate value of farmlink's food recovery to earn the credibility and trust needed to unlock funding, scale operations and impact, spur innovation, and shift the social perspectives that inform policy and legislative changes that promote human and…

$151Kprogram 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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$48K

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$28.5M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$99.1M
Investment incomeLn 3$179K
Fees for servicesLn 2g−$39K
Money outPt IX
$28.2M
Ln 25
Programscol B$92.5M
Managementcol C$1.6M
Fundraisingcol D$657K
Owns and owesPt X
$4.6M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$6.6M
Total assetsLn 16$5.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$314K
PeoplePt VI, VII
12
listed · VII A
PaidVII A5
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$99.1M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$86.4M
Fees for servicesLn 2g−$39K
Investment incomeLn 3$179K
Gains on assetsLn 7$7K
Total revenueLn 12$28.5M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.7M
SavingsLn 2$4.9M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$6.6M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$551K
Total assetsLn 16$5.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$314K
Net assetsLn 32$4.6M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 56
VolunteersI 6203
Fiscal year endsHeaderMarch
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.5M$6.6M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.9M$551K
Total assetsLn 16$5.0M$9.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$378K$314K
Net assetsLn 32$4.6M$9.2M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$81.9M$81.9M
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$4.4M$4.4M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$288K$37K$200K$52K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.8M$790K$545K$421K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$59K$27K$18K$14K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$89K$37K$32K$20K
Payroll taxesLn 10$161K$65K$58K$37K
Accounting feesLn 11c$81K$81K
Investment management feesLn 11f$3K$3K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$505K$78K$373K$53K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$6K$6K
Office expensesLn 13$56K$3K$47K$6K
Information technologyLn 14$2K$205$1K$419
OccupancyLn 16$18K$2K$13K$4K
TravelLn 17$192K$117K$53K$22K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$21K$13K$5K$2K
InsuranceLn 23$14K$14K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$5.0M$5.0M$67K$22K
All other expensesLn 24e$45K$5K$38K$3K
Total functional expensesLn 25$94.7M$92.5M$1.6M$657K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $28.5M$28.2M$368K$4.6M 990 PDF
FY2023 $165.9M$166.7M−$861K$4.2M 990 PDF
FY2022 $55.4M$53.0M$2.4M$5.1M 990 PDF
FY2021 $51.2M$51.1M$95K$2.6M 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 FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $99,269,299 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $28,506,709$99,129,467
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $13,946−$38,905
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $22,319$179,253
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $7,000−$516
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $28,549,974$99,269,299
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $26,493,244$86,362,255
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $577,904$2,353,693
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,110,643$5,982,787
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $28,181,791$94,698,735
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $368,183$4,570,564
Part VI · Governance 7 of 8 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body8
VI-1b Independent voting members7
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
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 $99,269,299 across 8 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for −$521 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$99,129,467
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$86,402,319
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$99,129,467
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission −$38,905−$38,905
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $172,406$172,406
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $6,847$6,847
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $5$5
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission −$39,426 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $179,258$99,269,299
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $94,698,735 across 19 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $81,925,644$81,925,644
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $4,436,611$4,436,611
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $36,910 · Management $199,728 · Fundraising $51,674$288,312
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $789,847 · Management $544,754 · Fundraising $421,271$1,755,872
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $27,020 · Management $17,958 · Fundraising $14,246$59,224
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $37,150 · Management $32,069 · Fundraising $20,006$89,225
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $65,443 · Management $58,361 · Fundraising $37,256$161,060
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $81,415$81,415
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $3,375$3,375
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $77,928 · Management $373,409 · Fundraising $53,374$504,711
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $5,803$5,803
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $2,792 · Management $47,409 · Fundraising $5,699$55,900
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $205 · Management $1,387 · Fundraising $419$2,011
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $1,883 · Management $12,726 · Fundraising $3,845$18,454
IX-17 TravelPrograms $116,515 · Management $53,227 · Fundraising $22,278$192,020
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $13,391 · Management $5,194 · Fundraising $2,289$20,874
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $14,353$14,353
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $4,950,020 · Management $67,119 · Fundraising $21,642$5,038,781
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $4,551 · Management $37,948 · Fundraising $2,591$45,090
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $92,485,910 · Management $1,556,235 · Fundraising $656,590$94,698,735
Part X · Balance sheet $9,491,247 assets, 14 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,234,735$1,707,830
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $1,288,659$4,889,004
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $423,739$2,236,638
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $76,743$51,842
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $46,383$25,558
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $38,184$29,784
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $1,879,657$550,591
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $4,988,100$9,491,247
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $377,889$313,988
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $377,889$313,988
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $3,106,621$5,235,557
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $1,503,590$3,941,702
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $4,610,211$9,177,259
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $4,988,100$9,491,247
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $9,177,259 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$99,269,299
XI-2 Total expenses$94,698,735
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$4,570,564
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$4,610,211
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$3,516
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$9,177,259

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

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