Hunger Free Colorado
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
HUNGER FREE COLORADO EXISTS TO END HUNGER IN COLORADO.
- Income
- $4.5 million
- Spending
- $5.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 85%
- Reserves
- 1.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 60%
- Employees
- 38
- Volunteers
- 11
- Highest pay
- $140,747, ceo
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
Fair: 50 out of 100. Higher than 15% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.1 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 18% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 12% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 25% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1585% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 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 74% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports 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
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $3.0 million spent. CLIENT SERVICES: HFC'S CLIENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT MAKES IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO ACCESS FOOD RESOURCES USING A MULTILINGUAL FOOD RESOURCE HOTLINE, BILINGUAL COMMUNITY- BASED OUTREACH AND A STATEWIDE NETWORK OF OUTREACH PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS. OUR FOOD RESOURCE HOTLINE, MOBILE OUTREACH TEAM AND OUR STATEWIDE PARTNER NETWORK CONNECTED MORE THAN 30,000 INDIVIDUALS TO NUTRITIOUS FOOD RESOURCES, INCLUDING THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP), THE SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN (WIC), FOOD PANTRIES, AND MEAL SITES. HFC AND OUR PARTNERS TOGETHER SUBMITTED ONLINE SNAP APPLICATIONS ON BEHALF OF MORE THAN 17,357 HOUSEHOLDS WHILE ALSO HELPING THEM LOCATE NEARBY AND CONVENIENT FOOD RESOURCES.
- $550,301 spent. POLICY AND ADVOCACY: HFC LED A GRASSROOTS COALITION TO SECURE CONTINUED FUNDING FOR THE HEALTHY SCHOOL MEALS FOR ALL PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES ACCESS TO FREE MEALS TO ALL COLORADO PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS, AS WELL AS FUNDING FOR SCHOOLS TO PURCHASE LOCALLY PRODUCED FOODS, EQUIPMENT AND TRAINING FOR MORE HEALTHY, FROM- SCRATCH COOKING AND WAGE BOOSTS FOR FRONT-LINE SCHOOL NUTRITION PROFESSIONALS.
- $406,482 spent. ORGANIZING: HFC HAS WORKED WITH MORE THAN 1,000 YOUTH, PARENTS, FARMERS AND SCHOOL NUTRITIONAL PROFESSIONALS AND ORGANIZED DOZENS OF LISTENING AND EDUCATION SESSIONS AND ADVOCACY TRAININGS TO COLLABORATE AND STRATEGIZE ON SHAPING SCHOOL MEALS THAT ARE NUTRITIOUS, CULTURALLY RELEVANT AND THAT INCORPORATE COLORADO-GROWN AND PRODUCED FOODS. HFC IS BUILDING A MOVEMENT OF COMMUNITY LEADERS DEDICATED TO MAKING SURE ALL COLORADANS HAVE ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS, CULTURALLY RELEVANT FOOD, WHILE ALSO BOOSTING COLORADO FARMERS AND RANCHERS AND CREATING STRONGER, MORE EQUITABLE LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS.
- $300,232 spent. OUTREACH & COMMUNICATION
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
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.
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.
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.
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 October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 2003.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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.