The Chicago Farmers

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
366000597
IRS 990-EZ coverage
2018–2025
Forms available
Form 990-EZ 2025
Location
Mokena, IL, USA
Phone
3123883276
Rating
61
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$50,309
Expenses
$59,161
Assets
$130,093
Liabilities
$7,614

Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

12 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • JOHN EDWARDS (PRESIDENT)
  • JUDITH SCHNEIDER (VICE PRESIDENT)
  • KAY WHITLOCK (FORMER PRESIDENT)

People named in this filing

  • JOHN EDWARDS (PRESIDENT)
  • JUDITH SCHNEIDER (VICE PRESIDENT)
  • JENNY WEBB (SECRETARY)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Promote, foster and encourage the business of producing, handling and marketing agricultural products.

What it reported doing in 2025

The chicago farmers provide a forum for education and an exchange of information between members and others allied in agribusiness. This is carried out with a number of member directed activities scheduled throughout the year, which provide members a means to enhance their knowledge, profitability, stewardship, consumer awareness, and fellowship. 1. Luncheon meetings are held from september through may in downtown chicago that feature pertinent programs and speakers covering the latest developments in the industry and topics of interest to members2. Special seminars and regional meetings presented by experts on subject matter of interest to members held in both chicago and outlying areas

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
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

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of total spending goes to programs.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 52
  • Transparency & Controls: 82
  • Sustainability: 39
  • Growth: 0

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 56.9%; rating input score 57
  • Program expense ratio: 43.8%; rating input score 44

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 51st percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Limited

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -17.6%; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.2; rating input score 68; 68th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.06; rating input score 17; 17th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -48.2% per year; rating input score 0; 9th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -16.8% per year; rating input score 0; 17th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -3.1% per year; rating input score 0; 28th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 56.9% of revenue deployed · 43.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: Filed governance answers
  • Accomplishments: 2 filed program accomplishments · $26K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 12 people listed
  • Consistency: 8 of 8 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 1 filed schedules
  • Filing history: 8 filing years from 2018 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • 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: Mission deployment rate scored 57/100.
  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 44/100.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 23/100.
  • High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 17/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 56/100.