Fondy Food Center Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

Fondy increases access to healthy, local food and economic opportunity across greater milwaukee by operating local farmers markets throughout the year; providing access to land, resources and support to small-scale farmers; and building a better food system to improve food security & food justice in our community. The non-profit organization was created in 2000 on milwaukees north side as a response to food security & system assessments that identified a high concentration of hunger, poverty, and dependence on emergency food pantries in the area - and the key role that the struggling fondy farmers market played. The city of milwaukee started the market in 1917 and managed operations until the budget was cut in the 1980s. Farmers struggled to keep the market going until fondy was created with the explicit mandate to ensure the supply of fresh, locally grown food to the neighborhood. This market improves public health, strengthens the local economy, protects the environment, and serves as a community gathering space. Over the past decade, fondy has grown from one farmers market to an organization creating strategic food systems change with multi-sector partners. Fondy now operates two markets -fondy farmers market and milwaukee winter farmers market - that supported over a hundred vendors and thousands of shoppers in 2021. In 2010, fondy started the fondy farm project, which supports low-resource farmers with access to the land, resources, and support they need to operate a successful business. And in 2015, in order to expand the agencys public health impact, fondy launched the milwaukee farmers market coalition - a city-wide healthy, local food access initiative that connects more low-income consumers to more milwaukee area farmers markets. In 2017 fondy partnered with the city of milwaukee to build a new eco park and community gathering space next to the fondy farmers market.the fondy farmers market (ffm): ffm is milwaukees largest and most diverse farmers market and the springboard for the agencys healthy food efforts. It is a national leader in connecting with low- income and diverse consumers, and is the state leader in farmers market snap redemption and nutrition incentive programs. The ffms open air market creates space for the community-shoppers of all ages, organization representatives, artists, and performers-to connect with each other and the more than 40 producers which sell at the market from june through november. Tens of thousands of shoppers visit the market each year-primarily drawing from the milwaukees north side. The market has long been recognized as a key community gathering space and the new fondy park greatly expands that role. The milwaukee winter farmers market (mwfm): the mwfm is the premier winter farmers market in the region. Its longtime mission is to promote local, sustainable agriculture; increase economic opportunities for small family farms and innovative food businesses; provide equitable access to wholesome food; and build a vibrant gathering place for metro milwaukee residents and visitors. Fondy food center took over stewardship of this market in the fall of 2015.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 36.1%; rating input score 36
• Program expense ratio: 69.3%; rating input score 69
• Fundraising efficiency: $28.11 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th 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; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 6 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 67
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 48%; rating input score 92; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.1; rating input score 66; 66th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.03; rating input score 58; 58th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 14.6%; rating input score 24; 24th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 3.2% per year; rating input score 100; 33rd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 4.5% per year; rating input score 100; 41st percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 1.3% per year; rating input score 100; 22nd percentile among comparable filings