The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts Inc

Overview

Mission

The food bank of western Massachusetts' mission is to feed our neighbors in need and lead the community to end hunger. The food bank provides food both directly and through its member food pantries, meal sites, shelters and other social service programs, to an estimated 120,750 individuals monthly who are at risk of hunger and/or food insecure on any given day, week or month of the year. In addition to food distribution, the food bank also provides snap outreach and enrollment, nutrition education, capacity building resources for our region's food assistance network, and public education and advocacy on hunger and, more broadly, food insecurity - not knowing where your next meal will come from.

What it reported doing in 2024

Support for local food providers: the food bank offered technical support, professional workshops on fundraising, volunteer management, and trainings in food safety to member food providers. It also provided capacity-building activities for members with the goal of helping them increase efficiency and the amount of food distributed. To carry out this program, the following services/trainings were provided:(1) institute trainings for members in areas such as, fundraising, volunteer management, advocacy, disaster planning, and best practices.(2) network coalition meetings that strengthened the food assistance network in western Massachusetts by periodically bringing members together to receive updates from both the food bank and feeding america, and allowing these organizations to network with each other, as well as to learn about best practices.(3) snap outreach and enrollment educated community members about snap (formerly food stamps) and assisted potentially eligible individuals through the application process. In fy25 the food bank submitted for approval 809 applications to the Massachusetts department of transitional assistance with a 70% approval rate.(4) provided small capacity building grants to assist members provide more food to their guests.(5)food assistance navigation provided food assistance to 497 individuals referred through masshealth programs and 493 individuals referred by other providers.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 65% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 79% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
042751023
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Headquarters
Chicopee, MA, USA
Phone
4132479738
Rating
86
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 86
  • Transparency & Controls: 81
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 47
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 89.3%; rating input score 89
  • Program expense ratio: 90.6%; rating input score 91
  • Fundraising efficiency: $16.83 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 53; 53rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 94.7%; rating input score 95; 24th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 99.8%; rating input score 100; 37th 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; 66th 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: 1.6%; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.56; rating input score 52; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.33; rating input score 43; 43rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 3.1%; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 9.6% per year; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 7.5% per year; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 14.3% per year; rating input score 100; 79th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 89.3% of revenue deployed · 90.6% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 22 of 22 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $33.4M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $222K · 33 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 3 contractors listed · $1.5M reported
  • Consistency: 41 of 41 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 10 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 12 annual filings from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 163 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 123 filed related-organization links
  • 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

33 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • ANDREW MOREHOUSE (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $221,779 total reported compensation
  • NANCY ROBINSON (SR. DIR. OF OPERATIONS): $174,631 total reported compensation
  • SHIRLEY DEL RIO (DIRECTOR OF FOOD OPERATION): $153,468 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.