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Partners in Food Solutions

EIN 27-5097190 · Edina, MN

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair60 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

IMPROVE THE FOOD VALUE CHAIN IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES BY MOBILIZING CORPORATE VOLUNTEERS TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE WITH SMALL AND GROWING FOOD PROCESSORS.

Income
$5.7 million
Spending
$6.9 million
Spent on programs
86%
Reserves
3.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 98%
Employees
13
Volunteers
1,345
Highest pay
$353,100, ceo until 6/30/2024

Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 23% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 38% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 21% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 67% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    86% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 64% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    12 of 12 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (1)
  1. $5.9 million spent. PARTNERS IN FOOD SOLUTIONS (PFS) WORKS TO STRENGTHEN THE AFRICAN FOOD PROCESSING SECTOR BY IDENTIFYING HIGH-POTENTIAL, AFRICAN-LED FOOD BUSINESSES AND PROVIDING THEM WITH FREE-OF-COST CONSULTING SERVICES POWERED BY EMPLOYEE VOLUNTEERS FROM OUR CONSORTIUM OF WORLD-CLASS FOOD COMPANIES -- GENERAL MILLS, CARGILL, BHLER, THE HERSHEY COMPANY, ARDENT MILLS, AND THE J.M. SMUCKER COMPANY. THESE EMPLOYEES WORK VIRTUALLY AND DIRECTLY WITH THE AFRICAN COMPANIES TO HELP SOLVE SPECIFIC TECHNICAL AND BUSINESS CHALLENGES. PFS EMPLOYS SKILLED AFRICAN FIELD STAFF WHO PARTNER WITH IMPACT INVESTORS AND OTHER LOCAL ECOSYSTEM ORGANIZATIONS IN ORDER TO FURTHER ASSIST AFRICAN FOOD COMPANIES BY HELPING THEM TAP INTO THE LARGER FOOD PROCESSING ENVIRONMENT, BOTH REGIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. PFS OPERATES A SERIES OF ADDITIONAL SERVICES TO SURROUND OUR PRIMARY TECHNICAL TRAINING AND CONSULTING OFFERING. AN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM HELPS PLACE AND SUPPORT YOUNG AFRICAN FOOD EXPERTS AT THEIR FIRST INDUSTRY JOB. A CERTIFICATION PROGRAM HELPS CLIENT COMPANIES SUCCEED IN ACHIEVING INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED CERTIFICATIONS, LEADING TO BETTER FOOD SAFETY AND EXPORT CAPABILITIES. A FINANCE PROGRAM HELPS COMPANIES ATTRACT OUTSIDE INVESTMENT, AND OCCASIONALLY UNDERWRITES SMALL TICKET LOANS IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT PROJECTS RECOMMENDED BY VOLUNTEER EXPERTS.PFS HELPS IMPROVE FOOD SECURITY, NUTRITION, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA. OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS HAVE PROVIDED ACCESS TO THEIR WORLD-CLASS EXPERTISE AND EMPOWERED MORE THAN 2,800 OF THEIR SKILLED EMPLOYEES TO VOLUNTEER ON MORE THAN 2,700 SERVICES WITH LOCAL AFRICAN FOOD COMPANIES. OVER 2,400 VOLUNTEERS HAVE CONTRIBUTED OVER 180,000 CONSULTING HOURS. OUR PROGRAMS HAVE HELPED STRENGTHEN THE CAPACITY OF OVER 2,500 FOOD COMPANIES IN ETHIOPIA, KENYA, TANZANIA, UGANDA, RWANDA, MALAWI, ZAMBIA, GHANA, NIGERIA, AND COTE D'IVOIRE, IMPACTING 1.8 MILLION LOCAL SMALLHOLDER FARMERS. IN OUR MOST RECENT YEAR, A SAMPLE OF OUR CLIENT FOOD COMPANIES IN AFRICA REPORTED AVERAGE REVENUE GROWTH OF 29%, A 19% INCREASE IN NEW FULL TIME EMPLOYEES, AND A 28% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF FARMERS SUPPORTED WITHIN THEIR SUPPLY CHAINS. VISIT WWW.PARTNERSINFOODSOLUTIONS.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PARTNERS IN FOOD SOLUTIONS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending May 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since August 2011.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.