Feeding America
Chicago, IL · EIN 363673599 · FY2023 is the latest filing on record · pre-cached
Feeding America: A financial powerhouse that defies simplistic charity metrics.
Feeding America reported total revenue of $4.9B and total expenses of $4.9B in its latest fiscal year, resulting in an operating margin of -0%. Over 12 years, the organization has maintained an average operating margin of 1%. It holds 1.4 months of operating reserves, which is a 1.0 month increase since its earliest record. The organization relies heavily on donations, which make up 97% of its revenue.
Myth
A good charity spends very little on its people.
Reality
Feeding America spends only 1% of its budget on compensation, demonstrating that a large, effective organization can operate with a minimal compensation footprint.
Myth
Efficient charities don't pay for fundraising.
Reality
Feeding America spends less than 1¢ in professional fundraising fees for every dollar contributed, showing highly efficient fundraising practices.
Myth
Charities should have massive reserve funds to be considered stable.
Reality
Feeding America's 1.4 months of operating reserves, while not exceptionally high, places it at the 49th percentile among its peers, indicating a reasonable level of financial preparedness.
Worth watching
- • Feeding America has experienced 1 consecutive year of deficit, which is a point to monitor.
- • The organization's operating reserves of 1.4 months are relatively thin, leaving less buffer for unexpected challenges.
Multi-year trend
Operating reserve months
Net assets ÷ monthly expenses — how long the org could run on savings alone.
Operating margin
(Revenue − expenses) ÷ revenue, per fiscal year.
How it compares to peers
Percentile rank among 73 Human Services organizations. Higher is framed as better on every bar here — including reserves and staff investment, which conventional overhead-ratio scoring would penalize.
Dashed line = peer median (50th percentile)
Ask about Feeding America
Answers are grounded only in this org's filed financial data above -- it won't guess at their programs, leadership, or anything not shown on this page.
Source: latest Form 990 PDF via ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.