Food Works

What it reported doing in 2025

3. Southern Illinois Farming Alliance (SIFA)- Food Works sponsors this farmer-driven network whose focus is to encourage area farmers to learn from each other. The Alliance provides peer-to-peer education and networking opportunities by organizing Field Days and a Regional Conference. In 2025 SIFA held 5 field days and workshop events. 2025 began with our annual SIFA Conference, held on January 14 at The Pavilion in Marion, Illinois. This one-day event is dedicated to advancing sustainable farming by offering resources, expert insights, and networking opportunities for farmers, homesteaders, and local food supporters. Keynote speaker Liz Graznak of Happy Hollow Farm in Jamestown, Missouri, shared how her 16-acre diversified fruit, vegetable, and ornamental cut flower operation is adapting to the impacts of climate change. Six additional breakout sessions addressed topics ranging from organic pest control and strategies for finding farmland to insurance options and retirement planning for farmers. In 2025, two Pasture Walks offered behind-the-scenes tours of livestock farms that integrate multiple animal species into their grazing systems while improving soil and pasture health through rotational regenerative grazing practices. A hands-on Poultry Processing Workshop, held in partnership with the University of Illinois Extension Modern Homesteading Series, provided a rare opportunity to learn chicken butchery and best practices for on-farm processing and sales. In 2025, changes to the Illinois Meat and Poultry Inspection Act increased the number of birds farmers may process on-farm, opening new opportunities for farmer entrepreneurs. December's soil health workshop focused on designing whole-farm fertility systems using locally available inputs. Fertile Ground: Whole-Farm Fertility Systems Design & Management brought together soil scientists, practitioners, farm designers, and growers to explore both the science of soil fertility and practical insights from farmers actively building soil health on their operations. Each event included a shared meal featuring ingredients sourced from southern Illinois farmers, creating space to build community and strengthen camaraderie among participants. Partnerships played a critical role in sustaining our farmer-focused educational programming following the sudden loss of funding from the USDA Transition to Organic Partnership Program early in the year. We extend our sincere thanks to the Illinois Grazing Lands Coalition, Illinois Farm Bureau, the University of Illinois Extension, the Neighborhood Co-op Grocery, Glacier's End, and the Illinois Stewardship Alliance for their support. We are also grateful to Fresh Pasture Farms and The Flock Farm for generously opening their farms for educational programs. The Neighborhood Co-op Farm Crawl is an annual, weekend-long event where local farmers open their farms to the community. Participants have the opportunity to tour working farms, ask questions, and learn about the diversity of farming in our region. This year's crawl featured eight new farms, spanning from Anna to Marion, Illinois. Proceeds from the event benefit Food Works, and the 2025 Farm Crawl raised $3,407 in support of its mission.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 95.8%; rating input score 96
• Program expense ratio: 85.3%; rating input score 85
• Fundraising efficiency: $1,150.59 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 98; 98th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 91.7%; rating input score 92; 20th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 0%; rating input score 0; 8th 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: -12.4%; rating input score 17; 17th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.1; rating input score 43; 43rd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 52.4%; rating input score 3; 3rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 22.3% per year; rating input score 100; 85th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 28% per year; rating input score 100; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 37.6% per year; rating input score 100; 93rd percentile among comparable filings