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Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin

EIN 39-1490691 · Madison, WI

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood75 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceReports resultsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SECOND HARVEST FOODBANK EXISTS TO END HUNGER IN SOUTHWESTERN WISCONSIN.

Income
$59.3 million
Spending
$55.1 million
Spent on programs
92%
Reserves
2.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 87%
Employees
107
Volunteers
5,536
Highest pay
$262,396, executive director/president

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 6% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 7% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 14% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    92% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 30% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    14 of 14 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 June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Reports results. Its tax return states measurable results. These are its own figures and nobody has checked them.

Results it reports

  • 26.3 million pounds of food were distributed.Work delivered
  • More than 230,000 half-gallons of milk were sourced.Work delivered
  • 5.6 million pounds of safe, edible food were rescued from retail partners and redistributed through food pantry partners.Work delivered
  • More than 1,500,000 pounds of TEFAP commodities were distributed.Work delivered

Read from the return by an AI model and shown only where the wording was found in the return. These are the charity's own figures.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $50.1 million spent. 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.
  2. $489,594 spent. FOOD SHARE OUTREACH - SHFB PROVIDES APPLICATION ASSISTANCE TO POTENTIALLY ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS.
  3. $95,514 spent. THE EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IS A USDA PROGRAM THAT PURCHASES NUTRITIOUS FOODS AND PROVIDES THEM TO FOOD BANKS AND OTHER PARTNERS FOR DISTRIBUTION. THIS WAS THE FIRST YEAR SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK OF SOUTHERN WISCONSIN PARTICIPATED AS A PASS-THROUGH AGENCY FOR TEFAP, DISTRIBUTING MORE THAN 1,500,000 POUNDS OF THESE COMMODITIES FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

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

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

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since November 1984.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.