Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin

What it reported doing in 2024

Since 1986, second harvest foodbank of southern Wisconsin has partnered with hundreds of local agencies and organizations across 16 counties. We are southwestern Wisconsin's largest hunger-relief organization, distributing tens of millions of pounds of food each year. Through food acquisition and distribution, advocacy, communitypartnerships, and the support of thousands of volunteers, we are making our vision - a community where everyone has enough nutritious food to thrive - a reality. Every day, we prove that lives can be changed with food.second harvest relies almost entirely on philanthropic generosity to support nearly 300 partner agencies and programs across southwestern Wisconsin. In fy25, we distributed 26.3 million pounds of food - slightly less than fy24, which set a record for the most food ever distributed in our history. Each year, approximately 76 percent of the food we provide is nutrient-rich, including fresh produce, meat, dairy, and milk. Between january and june 2025, we sourced more than 230,000 half-gallons of milk and rescued 5.6 million pounds of safe, edible food from retail partners that would have otherwise gone to waste, redistributing it through our network of food pantry partners. Our work is vitally important to the nearly 147,000 people in southwestern Wisconsin who experience food insecurity - and it is made possible thanks to the generosity of thousands of businesses, donors, and volunteers.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 85.7%; rating input score 86
• Program expense ratio: 92.1%; rating input score 92
• Fundraising efficiency: $27.71 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 65; 65th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 94.1%; rating input score 94; 28th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • 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: 61.7%; rating input score 62; 12th 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; 77th 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: 7.1%; rating input score 64; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.49; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.06; rating input score 88; 88th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 1.4%; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 6.7% per year; rating input score 100; 55th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 6.8% per year; rating input score 100; 59th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 9.5% per year; rating input score 100; 67th percentile among comparable filings