Food Equality Initiative Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
472377396
IRS 990 coverage
2018–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-N 2015
Location
Lenexa, KS, USA
Phone
8168000884
Rating
75
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Alliance/Advocacy

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$239,114
Expenses
$306,340
Assets
$194,262
Liabilities
$3,941

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

10 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • Erin Martinez (CEO)
  • Leigh Wagner (President)
  • Nancy Venneman (Vice President)

Highest reported compensation

  • Erin Martinez (CEO): $90,000 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Food Equality Initiative fights for nutrition security and health equity for all.

What it reported doing in 2024

Food is Medicine Home Program (Signature Program) Food Equality Initiative's (FEI) Food is Medicine Home Program remains the cornerstone of its mission to bridge the gap between health and food access. Through this home delivery model, FEI provides culturally appropriate and medically-tailored groceries directly to households managing chronic health conditions and dietary restrictions. In 2024, FEI delivered 9,298 pounds of safe, nutritious food-enough for 7,748 meals-to 124 households. By partnering with the Kansas City Food Hub and purchasing directly from local growers, FEI not only ensured a steady supply of nutrient-dense, farm-fresh produce but also strengthened the local food economy. This model reduces barriers such as transportation and mobility limitations while upholding dignity, choice, and access to high-quality foods that support better health outcomes.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 100% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Hybrid. The nonprofit split its reported program spending across 60% for direct work, and 40% for grants.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of total spending goes to programs and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 56
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 90
  • Sustainability: 19
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 66.8%; rating input score 67
  • Program expense ratio: 52.1%; rating input score 52
  • Fundraising efficiency: $2.72 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 12; 12th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 80th 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 8 controls in place; rating input score 75
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -28.1%; rating input score 10; 10th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.63; rating input score 29; 29th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 29.4%; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 8.5% per year; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 4.9% per year; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 13.1% per year; rating input score 100; 74th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 66.8% of revenue deployed · 52.1% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 9 of 9 board members independent · 6 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $160K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $90K · 10 people listed
  • Consistency: 41 of 41 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 6 filing years from 2018 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • 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.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 52/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 12/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 10/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 29/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 11/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 40/100.