Star Farm Chicago

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
824504342
IRS 990 coverage
2020–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-N 2019
Location
Chicago, IL, USA
Phone
3127689949
Rating
86
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate

Reported finances

Revenue
$858,810
Expenses
$735,929
Assets
$1,014,557
Liabilities
$243,723

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

Leadership & pay

13 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • CAROL SUE GAMER (PRESIDENT (FROM SEPTEMBER))
  • CJ COLE (PRESIDENT (THRU SEPTEMBER))
  • KALA CUERTINGTON-SELLER (VICE PRESIDENT)
  • STEPHANIE DUNN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • STEPHANIE DUNN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $104,576 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Star farm chicago is an urban farm in the back of the yards neighborhood that seeks to increase accessibility and of locally grown organic produce through affordable farm stands, csas, year-round farmers markets participation, food donations, and providing local jobs, job training, and business incubation for adults with developmental disabilities and/or employment barriers, while engaging local families through our children's community garden program, after-school program, hosting community events and workshops, and fostering a safe, green space for all.

What it reported doing in 2024

On the farm, we create an inclusive space by providing local jobs, vocational training and horticultural therapy to people with disabilities and employment barriers, and to empower women. Through our work, we hope to inspire the next generation of urban growers and food justice advocates while improving the long term health and mental health outcomes of the community.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 74% 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.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 78
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 54
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 81.2%; rating input score 81
  • Program expense ratio: 81.6%; rating input score 82
  • Fundraising efficiency: $13.49 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 47; 47th 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: Limited
  • 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: 8 of 8 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: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 14.3%; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.38; rating input score 53; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.24; rating input score 28; 28th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 14.2%; rating input score 25; 25th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 23.1% per year; rating input score 100; 85th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 21% per year; rating input score 100; 86th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 41.9% per year; rating input score 100; 95th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 81.2% of revenue deployed · 81.6% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 5 of 5 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $600K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $105K · 13 people listed
  • Consistency: 29 of 29 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 5 filing years from 2020 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.

  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 47/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 53/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 25/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 28/100.