Food Now Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
952549152
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Desert Hot Springs, CA, USA
Phone
7602887878
Rating
81
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$2,175,454
Expenses
$2,022,776
Assets
$616,402
Liabilities
$8,313

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

Leadership & pay

8 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • THOMAS TRAGESSER (Executive Dir.): $34,950 total reported compensation
  • DANA C JOHNSON (Executive Dir.): $16,752 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 now strives to improve the quality of life for residents of the western coachella valley by providing food assistance, community outreach and support services which strengthen families and build healthy communities.

What it reported doing in 2024

FOR FY 2024/2025 THE AGENCY ACCOMPLISHED THE FOLLOWING: FOOD ASSISTANCE: AGENCY PROVIDED WEEKLY SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS FOR 4,319 UNDUPLICATED LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS LIVING IN THE WESTERN COACHELLA VALLEY, INCLUDING 12,007 INDIVIDUALS, (6,066 ADULTS, 2,235 SENIORS, AND 3,706 CHILDREN). FOR F/Y 2024/2025 THE AGENCY DISTRIBUTED APPROXIMATELY 942,354 POUNDS OF FOOD, ENOUGH FOOD FOR APPROXIMATELY 1,282,000 MEALS.Reductions in SNAP and USDA benefits during 2025 triggered an increase in clients. USDA reduction included eliminating fresh meat and dairy products. Food Now has worked with distributor partners to offset adjustments with nutritious alternatives when available. Additional clients continue to use Food Now for supplemental weekly food distribution.HOMELESS NEEDS PROGRAM: THE AGENCY PROVIDES READY-TO-EAT MEALS FOR UNSHELTERED INDIVIDUALS. HOME DELIVERIES: THE AGENCY PROVIDES HOME DELIVERIES OF WEEKLY FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HOUSEBOUND DUE TO MEDICAL CONDITIONS OR FACE TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS. CHILDRENS BACKPACK WEEKEND MEAL PROGRAM: FOOD NOW HAS AN MOU WITH PALM SPRINGS UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT TO PROVIDE CHRONICALLY HUNGRY CHILDREN WITH ADDITIONAL MEALS FOR THE STUDENTS TO TAKE HOME ON WEEKENDS.COMPANION PET FOOD DISTRIBUTION: FOOD NOW PROVIDES WEEKLY DISTRIBUTIONS OF PET FOOD WHEN AVAILABLE.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 68% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered and total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 93
  • Transparency & Controls: 70
  • Accountability: 76
  • Sustainability: 48
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 91.1%; rating input score 91
  • Program expense ratio: 97.9%; rating input score 98
  • Fundraising efficiency: $143.51 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 90; 90th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 1 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 17
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 75%; rating input score 75; 13th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 78
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • 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: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 7%; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.3; rating input score 10; 10th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 84; 84th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 2.6%; rating input score 72; 72nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 7% per year; rating input score 100; 51st percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 7% per year; rating input score 100; 54th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 15.4% per year; rating input score 100; 75th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 91.1% of revenue deployed · 97.9% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 6 of 8 board members independent · 7 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $2M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $35K · 8 people listed · 1 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 28 of 28 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2011 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • 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 — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 9 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 10/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 56/100.