The Greater Boston Food Bank

Legal name: Greater Boston Food Bank Inc

Overview

Mission

Through the compassion and commitment of our supporters, staff, partners, and volunteers, The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) takes a bold, innovative and multi-pronged approach to achieve our mission. Our Mission: End Hunger Here Sorting food in the warehouseGBFB is the largest hunger-relief organization in New England and among the largest food banks in the country. Last year, we distributed 107 million pounds of nutritious food to people who struggle to have enough to eat. We are committed to increasing our food distribution to provide three meals a day to every person in need in Eastern Massachusetts while supporting healthy lives and healthy communities.

What it reported doing in 2024

Gbfb acquires food through food industry product donations, food drives, and financial contributions that enable us to purchase additional high-nutrient quality food. We also benefit from the generosity of over 18,000 volunteers annually who help sort and distribute donated food products. Gbfb works to acquire, store, organize and distribute food through local food pantries, community meal programs, shelters, youth programs, senior centers and other community centers in the 190 cities and towns of eastern Massachusetts that gbfb serves. Gbfb's food assistance locator provides an easy way for people in need to find help nearby. Gbfb also distributes food directly to those in need through dedicated programs that serve particularly vulnerable groups, such as seniors and children. Since 2009, gbfb has operated out of a state-of-the-art 117,000 square-foot food distribution facility, the yawkey distribution center, located in the newmarket section of boston. The greater boston food bank is a member of feeding america, the nation's largest hunger-relief organization.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 91% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
042717782
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Official website data refreshed
Aug 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
Headquarters
Boston, MA, USA
Phone
617.427.5200
Rating
90
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Standard

Official website

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 86
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 49
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 86.8%; rating input score 87
  • Program expense ratio: 91.6%; rating input score 92
  • Fundraising efficiency: $22.23 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 60; 60th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 95%; rating input score 95; 34th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 5 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 83
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Pass
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 5.5%; rating input score 58; 58th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.5; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.11; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 1.8%; rating input score 59; 59th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 7.7% per year; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 8.1% per year; rating input score 100; 67th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 7.3% per year; rating input score 100; 53rd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: 2 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 1 operating location identified
  • Where the money goes: 86.8% of revenue deployed · 91.6% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 24 of 24 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $155.1M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $627K · 34 people listed · 5 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $5.4M reported
  • Consistency: 40 of 41 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 10 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 16 annual filings from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 11 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 1 filed related-organization link
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Leadership & pay

34 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • CATHERINE D'AMATO (PRESIDENT/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER): $627,385 total reported compensation
  • CHERYL ANNE OLDFIELD SCHONDEK (CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER): $434,134 total reported compensation
  • O'NEIL OUTAR (EXECUTIVE VP OF ADVANCEMENT): $421,862 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.