Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Madison Northside Planning Council Inc

EIN 39-1759164 · Madison, WI

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak32 out of 100GovernanceFair52 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND FOSTER EQUITY ON THE NORTHSIDE THROUGH COMMUNITY ORGANIZING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

Income
$1.0 million
Spending
$1.2 million
Spent on programs
84%
Reserves
-7.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
other income, 43%
Employees
25
Volunteers
135
Highest pay
$80,000, director of food systems

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 32 out of 100. Higher than 5% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    2 of 20

    It owes 91% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 16% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 14% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    84% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Fair: 52 out of 100. Higher than 8% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    3 of 3 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    9 of 15

    Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

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

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 (3)
  1. $75,368 spent. THE FEED KITCHENS IS A 5,400 SQUARE FOOT COMMERCIAL KITCHEN, FOOD BUSINESS INCUBATOR AND LOCAL FOOD MANUFACTURING FACILITY. IN 2024, FEED SUPPORTED 75 COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES AND 15 NONPROFIT/COMMUNITY GROUPS. 70% OF THE COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES AT FEED ARE OWNED BY MINORITY ENTREPRENEURS AND ANOTHER 50% OWNED BY WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS. THESE BUSINESSES GENERATED NEARLY $2.3 MILLION REVENUE AND CREATED 43 FULL-TIME AND 39 PART-TIME JOBS. FEED ALSO ACTS AS A HUB FOR LOCAL FOOD PROCESSING, VOCATIONAL TRAINING, FOOD RECOVERY WORK BY HEALTHY FOOD FOR ALL, NONPROFIT AND COMMUNITY USE, AND AS AN EVENT VENUE FOR RESIDENTS AND CORPORATIONS. IN ADDITION TO THE STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITIES IN THE BUILDING, FEED OFFERS VALUABLE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, COACHING AND RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT THE LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM.IN 2024 FEED KITCHENS HAD MULTIPLE BUSINESSES GRADUATE FROM OUR FACILITY/SERVICES AND MOVE TO THEIR OWN PRODUCTION SPACES AND AS WE MOVE INTO OUR ELEVENTH YEAR OF OPERATION, GRADUATIONS ARE BECOMING MORE FREQUENT. OUR SIGNATURE EVENTS FOR 2024 WERE TASTE THE FUTURE, A FREE COMMUNITY EVENT WITH 400 ATTENDEES FEATURING 10 FEED KITCHENS ENTREPRENEURS EACH OFFERING 2 SMALL PLATE TASTINGS OF THEIR CUISINE AND OUR SUCCESSFUL HOLIDAY BAZAAR, A MARKET FEATURING BAKERS AND PACKAGED GOODS ENTREPRENEURS, WITH A DOZEN VENDORS AND ABOUT 250 ATTENDEES.
  2. $247,664 spent. THE FEED BAKERY TRAINING PROGRAM PROVIDES VOCATIONAL TRAINING FOR UNDEREMPLOYED, LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS. IN 2024 WE WERE ABLE TO CONTINUE OFFERING PAID BAKERY INTERNSHIP/TRAINING AND PROCEEDED WITH FOUR CLASS SESSION COHORTS EACH INCLUDING 4 INTERNS. STUDENTS RECEIVE HANDS-ON TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE BY PRODUCING FEED BAKERY PRODUCTS, WHICH ARE SOLD RETAIL AND WHOLESALE AROUND MADISON. WE PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH LIFE SKILLS TRAINING AS WELL AS SALES, MARKETING AND CUSTOMER SERVICE SKILLS. TRAINING ALSO INCLUDES CULINARY TECHNIQUES, KNIFE SKILLS, COMMERCIAL KITCHEN EQUIPMENT USE, FOOD SAFETY, BAKING PRACTICES, PRODUCT PACKAGING AND BAKING MATH. AT PROGRAM COMPLETION, STUDENTS TAKE THEIR SERVSAFE TEST TO HELP MAKE THEM A MORE VALUABLE EMPLOYEE TO PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYERS. STUDENTS RECEIVE JOB PLACEMENT SUPPORT AND ARE OFFERED A MENTOR TO ASSIST THEM IN NAVIGATING THE EMPLOYMENT WORLD.
  3. $125,163 spent. HEALTHY FOOD FOR ALL (HFFA) HAS BEEN A PROGRAM OF MADISON NORTHSIDE PLANNING COUNCIL SINCE 2016 AND SPECIALIZES IN THE RECOVERY AND DISTRIBUTION OF EXCESS PREPARED FOOD FROM EVENTS AND CAFETERIAS AS WELL AS PRODUCE FROM AREA FARMS. WITH THE SECOND YEAR OF AN EQUITABLE RECOVERY GRANT FROM THE STATE OF WI DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION, HFFA WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE EXPANDED SERVICES TO RECOVER AND DISTRIBUTE FOOD. IN 2024, HFFA RECOVERED AND DISTRIBUTED 297,000 POUNDS OF PREPARED FOOD AND 169,500 POUNDS OF PRODUCE TO FOOD PANTRIES AND OTHER LOCAL PARTNERS. BESIDES FOOD RECOVERY AND DISTRIBUTION, HFFA WORKS TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT FOOD WASTE AND FOOD RECOVERY ISSUES AS IT RELATES TO BOTH FOOD INSECURITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION EFFORTS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 December 2024.

    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 December 1994.

    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.