Good Food Institute Inc.

97%

Impact & Measurement

Accountability & Finance

Culture & Community

Leadership & Adaptability

Good Food Institute Inc.

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501(c)(3) organization

Donations are tax-deductible

GFI.ORG

PO Box 96503 PMB 42019

Washington DC 20090-6503

202-596-2262

Washington DC | IRS ruling year: 2016 | EIN: 81-0840578

An EIN is a unique nine-digit number that identifies a business for tax purposes.

Organization Mission

We are developing the roadmap for a sustainable, secure, and just protein supply. We identify the most effective solutions, mobilize resources and talent, and empowe ... (More)

Rating Information

Great

This charity's score is 97%, earning it a Four-Star rating. If this organization aligns with your passions and values, you can give with confidence.

This overall score is calculated from multiple beacon scores, weighted as follows: 37% Accountability & Finance, 46% Impact & Measurement, 9% Leadership & Adaptability, 7% Culture & Community. Learn more about our criteria and methodology.

Historical Ratings

Charity Navigator's ratings previously did not consider Leadership & Adaptability, Culture & Community, or Impact & Measurement. The historic rating mainly reflects a version of today’s Accountability and Finance score. More information on our previous rating methodologies can be found on our rating methodology page.

Rating histories are available for a growing number of rated organizations. Check back later to see if this organization has a rating history!

Accountability & Finance

Score

92

Most Recent Fiscal Year:
FY 2022

This beacon provides an assessment of a charity's financial health (financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness) and its commitment to governance practices and policies.

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Key Accountability Metrics

Full Credit

Partial Credit

No Credit

Majority Independent Board Members - 80% independent members

10 out of 10 points

Source: IRS Form 990

Independent Board Size - 4 independent members

0 out of 10 points

Industry professionals strongly recommend an independent governing body to allow for full deliberation and diversity of thinking on governance and other organizational matters. For most organizations, we check to see if the organization has at least three independent board members. For large, donor-funded organizations, we check to see if the organization has at least five independent board members

Source: IRS Form 990

Financial Statements - Audit and Oversight Committee

20 out of 20 points

An Audit, Review, or Compilation provides important information about financial accountability and accuracy. Organizations are scored based on their Total Revenue Amount:

Total Revenue Amount	Expectation to Receive Credit
$2 million or higher and 40% or higher donor support	Expected to complete an audit and have an audit oversight committee
$1 million or higher	Expected to complete an audit
$500,000 - $1 million	Expected to complete an audit, review, or compilation
Less than $500,000	No expectation (removed from scoring methodology)

Source: IRS Form 990

Material Diversion of Assets - None

20 out of 20 points

A diversion of assets — any unauthorized conversion or use of the organization's assets other than for the organization's authorized purposes, including but not limited to embezzlement or theft — also can seriously call into question a charity's financial integrity. We review the charity's most recent IRS Form 990 to see if the charity has reported any diversion of assets.

Source: IRS Form 990

Tax Form Disclosures and Policies

Full Credit

Partial Credit

No Credit

Website Listed on Tax Form - Listed

5 out of 5 points

Charity Navigator looks for a website on the IRS Form 990 as an accountability and transparency metric.

Nonprofits act in the public trust and reporting publicly on activities is an important component.

Source: IRS Form 990

Conflict of Interest Policy - Listed

5 out of 5 points

Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a conflict of interest policy on the IRS Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.

This policy protects the organization and by extension those it serves, when it is considering entering into a transaction that may benefit the private interest of an officer, director and/or key employee of the organization.

Source: IRS Form 990

Whistleblower Policy - Listed

5 out of 5 points

Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a whistleblower policy per the IRS Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.

This policy outlines procedures for handling employee complaints, as well as a confidential way for employees to report financial or other types of mismanagement.

Source: IRS Form 990

Document Retention and Destruction - Listed

5 out of 5 points

Charity Navigator looks for the existence of a document retention and destruction policy per the IRS Form 990 as an accountability and transparency measure.

This policy establishes guidelines for the handling, backing up, archiving and destruction of documents. These guidelines foster good record keeping procedures that promote data integrity.

Source: IRS Form 990

Documents Board Meeting Minutes - Yes

5 out of 5 points

Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the IRS Form 990 that the organization has this process in place as an accountability and transparency measure.

An official record of the events that take place during a board meeting ensures that a contemporaneous document exists for future reference.

Source: IRS Form 990

Tax Form Distributed to Board Before Filing - Listed

5 out of 5 points

Providing copies of the IRS Form 990 to the governing body prior to filing is considered a best practice, as it allows for thorough review by the individuals charged with overseeing the organization. The Form 990 asks the charity to disclose whether or not it has followed this best practice.

Loans to/from Officers - None

5 out of 5 points

Making loans to related parties, such as key officers, staff, or Board members, is not standard practice in the sector as it diverts the charity's funds away from its charitable mission and can lead to real and perceived conflict-of-interest problems.

The IRS requires charities to disclose on their Form 990 any loans to or from current and former officers, directors, trustees, key employees, and other "disqualified persons." Some state laws go so far as to prohibit loans to board members and officers.

Although employees and trustees are permitted to make loans to charities, this practice can also result in real and/or perceived conflict of interest problems for the charity. Furthermore, it is problematic because it indicates that the organization is not financially secure. Our analysts check to see if any loans have been made.

Website Disclosures

Full Credit

Partial Credit

No Credit

Tax Form Posted on Nonprofit's Website as stated on Form 990 - Missing

0 out of 5 points

For almost all charities, we check the charity's IRS Form 990 to see if it discloses that the Form 990 is available on the charity's website. As with the audited financial statement, donors need easy access to this financial report to help determine if the organization is managing its financial resources well.

Source: IRS Form 990

Financial Metrics

Full Credit

Partial Credit

No Credit

Liabilities to Assets: Ratio - 11.15%

25 out of 25 points

The Liabilities to Assets Ratio is determined by Total Liabilities divided by Total Assets (most recent IRS Form 990). This ratio is an indicator of an organization's solvency and/or long-term sustainability.

Source: IRS Form 990

Program Expense: Ratio - 77.56%

25 out of 25 points

The Program Expense Ratio is determined by Program Expenses divided by Total Expense (average of most recent three IRS Forms 990). This measure reflects the percent of its total expenses a charity spends on the programs and services it exists to deliver.

Source: IRS Form 990

Fundraising Efficiency: Ratio - $0.06

25 out of 25 points

The amount spent to raise $1 in charitable contributions. To calculate a charity's fundraising efficiency, we divide its average fundraising expenses by the average total contributions it receives. We calculate the charity's average expenses and average contributions over its three most recent fiscal years.

Source: IRS Form 990

Working Capital: Ratio - 2.54 years

25 out of 25 points

Determines how long a charity could sustain its level of spending using its net available assets, or working capital, as reported on its most recently filed IRS Form 990. Dividing these net available assets in the most recent year by a charity's average total expenses, yields the working capital ratio. We calculate the charity's average total expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.

Source: IRS Form 990

Additional Information

Total Revenue and Expenses - Data Available

This chart displays the trend of revenue and expenses over the past several years for this organization, as reported on their IRS Form 990.

Salary of Key Persons - Data Available

Presented here are up to five of this organization's highest compensated employees. This compensation data includes salary, cash bonuses, and expense accounts and is displayed exactly how it is reported to the IRS. The amounts do not include nontaxable benefits, deferred compensation, or other amounts not reported on Form W-2. In some cases, these amounts may include compensation from related organizations. Read the IRS policies for compensation reporting

Bruce Friedrich, President And Founder

$166,991

Sarah David, Gen. Counsel, Secretary, Treasurer

$155,374

Jessica Almy, Svp - Policy

$149,413

Elizabeth Specht, Svp - Science And Technology

$147,645

Susan Mccausland-halteman, Svp - Development

$141,221

Source: IRS Form 990 (page 7), filing year 2022

IRS Published Data (Business Master File) - Data Available

Below are some key data points from the Exempt Organization IRS Business Master File (BMF) for this organization. Learn more about the BMF on the IRS website

Foundation Status:

Organization which receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or the general public 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) (BMF foundation code: 15)

Affiliation:

Independent - the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations). (BMF affiliation code: 3)

Data Sources (IRS Forms 990) - Data Available

The Form 990 is a document that nonprofit organizations file with the IRS annually. We leverage accountability and finance data from it to form Encompass ratings. Click here to search for this organization's Forms 990 on the IRS website (if any are available). Simply enter the organization's name (Good Food Institute Inc.) or EIN (810840578) in the 'Search Term' field.

Impact & Measurement

In partnership with

Score

100

This beacon estimates the actual impact a charity has on the lives of those it serves, and determines whether it is making good use of donor resources to achieve that impact.

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Assessments

Impact

100 out of 100 points

100% of Impact & Measurement score

Full Credit

Partial Credit

No Credit

Impact Evaluation

100 out of 100 points

Impact Statement

The Good Food Institute is a nonprofit think tank and international network of organizations working to accelerate alternative protein innovation. This rating is based on assessments by Giving Green. For more information visit https://www.givinggreen.earth/top-climate-change-nonprofit-donations-recommendations

Program Context

The Good Food Institute is a nonprofit think tank and international network of organizations working to accelerate alternative protein innovation.

Data Time Period

Benchmark for Scoring

Methodology

This rating is based on assessments by Giving Green. For more information visit https://www.givinggreen.earth/top-climate-change-nonprofit-donations-recommendations

Data Source

Measurement

Unscored

0% of Impact & Measurement score

Equity Data (4/7)
	We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
	We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and/or portfolios.
	We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization/'s programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
	We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
	We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
	We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured
	We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.

Equity Policies & Processes (7/7)
	We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
	We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
	We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
	We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
	We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
	We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
	We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.

Leadership & Adaptability

Score

100

This beacon provides an assessment of the organization's leadership capacity, strategic thinking and planning, and ability to innovate or respond to changes in constituent demand/need or other relevant social and economic conditions to achieve the organization's mission.

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Strategy

40 out of 40 points

Full Credit

Partial Credit

No Credit

Mission Statement

The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization's mission.

We are developing the roadmap for a sustainable, secure, and just protein supply. We identify the most effective solutions, mobilize resources and talent, and empower partners across the food system to make alternative proteins accessible, affordable, and delicious.

Vision Statement

The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.

A world where alternative proteins are no longer alternative.

Strategy Goals

The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking and goal setting through sharing their most important strategic goals.

Goal One: Fostering a strong open-access alt protein research and training ecosystem: Advancing R&D, growing the scientific ecosystem, and mapping areas to allow alt proteins to compete on taste and price

Goal Two: Influencing the public sector to support alternative proteins: Advocating for fair policy and public investment in alternative proteins

Goal Three: Influencing the private sector to prioritize alternative proteins: Working with the private sector to accelerate innovation and scale the supply chain faster than market forces alone would allow

Leadership

30 out of 30 points

Full Credit

Partial Credit

No Credit

Investment in Leadership Development

The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development.

Doubling last year's amount, GFI budgets $1,000 per employee to support professional development. We also conduct monthly supervisor training and are committed to rolling out a management essentials training to all supervisors with an external training consultant in the next few months.

External Focus on Mobilizing Mission

The nonprofit provides evidence of leadership through focusing externally and mobilizing resources for the mission.

GFI is the field catalyst for the alternative protein sector. By embracing our role as a convenor, GFI and our strategic partners connect people from all over the world. Last year, people from 50+ countries were brought together by more than 100 GFI-hosted conferences, technical workshops, roundtables, seminars, and networking events. As part of this ecosystem-building work, leaders in GFI’s global student movement are spurring new alternative protein research and training programs at universities, and we now have 53 chapters globally. GFI also publishes authoritative reports, articles, and data-driven analyses that amplify key insights and spark innovative ideas, and these received over 17,700 total downloads in 2022.

Adaptability

30 out of 30 points

Full Credit

Partial Credit

No Credit

Investment in Leadership Development

30 out of 30 points

The nonprofit has an opportunity to tell the story of how the organization adapted to tremendous external changes in the last year.

Few could have predicted the events that shaped the global food system in the past year. The war in Ukraine prompted a sharp increase in food prices around the globe, casting once-reliable food and feed supplies in doubt. We saw the fragile world economy’s rocky recovery from the shocks of the Covid-19 pandemic. In a world in which distant events are felt at supermarkets from Seoul to São Paulo, the reliable domestic production of food—especially protein—is not simply a matter of good economics but also national security. Throughout these changes, GFI has worked to ensure that alternative proteins are a part of the discussion about food security and global health. In October 2022, Foreign Policy magazine published an article co-authored by GFI founder and president Bruce Friedrich and Climate Advisers CEO Nigel Purvis about alternative proteins as a food security imperative for governments. The Center for Strategic and International Studies validated this idea—and GFI’s theory of change—in their recent report on the potential of alternative proteins to improve global food security, food systems resilience, global health, national security, and economic competitiveness. By amplifying the benefits of alternative proteins to governments around the world and positioning alternative proteins as a scalable solution to global challenges, we are seizing this pivotal moment to create a stronger food system for all.