Youth and community nonprofits / California / Santa Cruz

Youth development programs

Foodwhat Incorporated

A tax-exempt nonprofit in Santa Cruz, California, classified by the IRS as youth development programs. For the year ending Dec 2025 it reported $4,436,494 in revenue and $1,901,452 in expenses.

Data as of November 8, 2026Markdown copy JSON data

What it says it does

“FoodWhat?! is a youth empowerment and food justice organization. Here youth engage in relationships with land, food, and each other in ways that are grounded in love and justice. We provide meaningful space where youth define and cultivate their empowerment, liberation, wellbeing.”From the organization's Form 990 for the year ending Dec 2025, as written (including spelling); all-capital text shown in normal capitalization.

IRS facts

Type: Youth development programs (IRS activity code O50)

Mailing city (IRS): Santa Cruz, California 95064

EIN: 81-2590280

Tax status: 501(c)(3), eligible to receive tax-deductible donations; IRS-recognized as tax-exempt since 2016, per IRS records posted October 13, 2026.

Revenue on its latest IRS filing: $4,436,494 (year ending Dec 2025)

Check its status on IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search · Filings on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer

Foodwhat Incorporated finances

From the annual returns the group files with the IRS (Form 990, or the shorter Form 990-EZ for smaller groups), 2 filed years. Net assets are what it owns minus what it owes; management and general is office, admin and insurance cost. A dash means not reported (the short form does not ask for employees or volunteers). Each figure links to that year's return. A year is left out when no return is in the IRS e-file data; that does not mean the group was inactive.

Year ending	Dec 2021	Dec 2025
Total revenue	$1,175,457	$4,436,494
Total expenses	$836,224	$1,901,452
Total assets	$1,066,881	$4,662,813
Liabilities	$4,694	$95,742
Net assets	$1,062,187	$4,567,071
Employees	48	58
Volunteers	9	6
IRS form	Form 990	Form 990

Where the money goes, year ending Dec 2025

Programs $1,493,641 (79%)
Management and general $174,570 (9%)
Fundraising $233,241 (12%)

Where the money comes from, year ending Dec 2025

Gifts and grants $4,398,111 (99%)
Program fees $4,849 (0%)
Investment income $33,884 (1%)
Other -$350

Other is negative: the filing nets losses, for example on events or investments, against income. Percentages use only the positive sources and are rounded, so they may not add to 100.

People: 58 employees and 6 volunteers reported for the year ending Dec 2025. Counts only; BackPR does not publish names of officers or staff.

Revenue trend: Growing. Revenue went from $1,175,457 (year ending Dec 2021) to $4,436,494 (Dec 2025), about +39% a year.

Growth label: we compare total revenue on the oldest and the newest return shown above. Growing means revenue rose by more than 10% a year on average, Shrinking means it fell by more than 10% a year, and Steady means a change between -10% and +10% a year. The rate is the compounded yearly average between the two returns, so it hides ups and downs in between (see the table). We only label groups with returns at least a year apart and at least $5,000 of revenue on the oldest one. This is our own calculation, not an IRS rating or a judgment of quality.

Source: IRS Form 990 Series Downloads (the returns open on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, which republishes the IRS files). Figures are as the organization filed them. California nonprofit.

How it compares

1 of 10 youth development nonprofits in Santa Cruz when sorted from largest to smallest revenue. This shows size only, not quality. Groups with no reported revenue are listed last.

Size: revenue of $4,436,494 is in the top 10% of the 1,664 youth development nonprofits in California that report revenue to the IRS (the city count above also includes groups with none). The median is $169,823.

Our analysis of the IRS Business Master File (posted October 13, 2026), using each group's latest reported revenue. Groups are sorted by revenue and split into ten equal bands, using all California groups of this type (Youth development, which covers several IRS activity codes). Size only, not a rating.

Around Santa Cruz and its county

Santa Cruz County, California: the Census Bureau estimates about 46,196 children under 18 (July 1, 2024). This directory lists 126 youth and community nonprofits with a mailing ZIP code in the county, about 2.7 per 1,000 children. The count includes PTAs, arts and day care groups, so it is not a measure of places for kids.

This group's ZIP code is matched to the county that holds most of its area, so counts are approximate. County figures come from the Census Bureau's Vintage 2024 population estimates.

What is Foodwhat Incorporated's EIN?

Foodwhat Incorporated's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-2590280. It is the nine-digit number the IRS uses to identify the organization. Source: IRS Exempt Organizations Business Master File posted October 13, 2026.

Is Foodwhat Incorporated a nonprofit?

Yes. The IRS lists Foodwhat Incorporated in Santa Cruz, California as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3), recognized since 2016. This is from the IRS Business Master File posted October 13, 2026. Status can change, so check its current status on the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search before you donate.

Are donations to Foodwhat Incorporated tax-deductible?

Yes, the IRS lists gifts to Foodwhat Incorporated as tax-deductible (IRS Business Master File posted October 13, 2026). How much you can deduct depends on your own taxes, and this is not tax advice. Check its current status on the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search before you donate.

What does Foodwhat Incorporated do?

In its own words on its Form 990 for the year ending Dec 2025: "FoodWhat?! is a youth empowerment and food justice organization. Here youth engage in relationships with land, food, and each other in ways that are grounded in love and justice. We provide meaningful space where youth define and cultivate their empowerment, liberation, wellbeing." The IRS classifies it as: Youth development programs.

How much money does Foodwhat Incorporated take in?

For the year ending Dec 2025, Foodwhat Incorporated reported total revenue of $4,436,494 and total expenses of $1,901,452 on its Form 990 (IRS Form 990 e-file data).

Do you run this organization?

EIN 77-0226712

Youth development programs

Kinnect Volleyball Club

Santa Cruz, CA 95062

Tax-exempt since 2022 · EIN 88-2557531

All youth and community nonprofits in Santa Cruz

Source: IRS Exempt Organizations Business Master File, posted October 13, 2026. We list 501(c)(3) organizations whose IRS activity code is youth development, amateur sports, camps and recreation, parent-teacher groups, children's services, child day care or arts education. We show the city and ZIP code only, never a street address or contact person. A listing is not an endorsement.

Data as of November 8, 2026. Sources: IRS Business Master File (posted October 13, 2026), IRS Form 990 series e-file data, U.S. Census Bureau population estimates (July 1, 2024), state child care licensing records in the BackPR finder. Growth labels, ranks and percentiles are BackPR's own calculations.

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