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Detroit MI | IRS ruling year: 1977 | EIN: 38-2156255
Gleaners Community Food Bank, with broad community support, fights hunger in southeastern Michigan. In collaboration with our member agencies, the Feeding America ne ... (More)
Gleaners Community Food Bank, with broad community support, fights hunger in southeastern Michigan. In collaboration with our member agencies, the Feeding America network, and our program partners, we provide millions of pounds of donated and purchased food to people in need. In so doing, Gleaners is committed to distributing high quality food. Through education and advocacy, we will reduce reliance on the emergency food system. Gleaners adopts best practices and cost effective systems and procedures to achieve the highest possible return on its human and financial resources. Gleaners fulfills its role with a sense of compassion and urgency while nourishing, sustaining and advancing hope in our community. (Less)
Great
This charity's score is 98%, 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: 33% Accountability & Finance, 57% Impact & Results, 10% Leadership & Adaptability. Learn more about our criteria and methodology.
We recognize that not all metrics and beacons equally predict a charity’s success. The percentage each beacon contributes to the organization’s overall rating depends on the number of beacons an organization has earned.
Use the tool below to select different beacons to see how the weighting shifts when only one, two, or three beacons are earned.
| Date Published | Form 990 FYE | Overall Score | Overall Rating |
| Rating Version: 2.1 | |||
| 3/1/2022 | 2020 | 94.69 | |
| 11/1/2020 | 2019 | 87.62 |  |
| 9/3/2019 | 2018 | 93.62 | |
| 7/1/2019 | 2017 | 94.69 | |
| 9/1/2018 | 2017 | 92.74 | |
This organization received multiple star ratings within this fiscal year, due to an update to its Accountability and Transparency data and/or the receipt of an amended Form 990. | |||
| 12/1/2017 | 2016 | 93.41 | |
| 11/1/2016 | 2015 | 88.24 | |
| 6/1/2016 | 2014 | 84.09 | |
| Rating Version: 2.0 | |||
| 12/22/2015 | 2014 | 81.60 | |
| 12/1/2014 | 2013 | 81.89 | |
| 5/1/2013 | 2012 | 81.75 | |
| 6/1/2012 | 2011 | 93.61 | |
| 9/20/2011 | 2010 | 93.70 | |
| Rating Version: 1.0 | |||
| 7/1/2011 | 2010 | 94.51 | |
| 8/1/2010 | 2009 | 94.55 | |
| 3/1/2009 | 2008 | 92.03 | |
| 5/1/2008 | 2007 | 91.60 | |
| 5/1/2007 | 2006 | 88.49 | |
| 7/1/2006 | 2005 | 78.57 |  |
| 5/1/2005 | 2004 | 77.90 | |
| 5/1/2004 | 2003 | 86.23 | |
| 4/15/2003 | 2002 | 86.00 | |
| 10/15/2002 | 2001 | 97.02 | |
The IRS is significantly delayed in processing nonprofits' annual tax filings (Forms 990). As a result, the Accountability & Finance score for Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan is outdated and the overall rating may not be representative of its current operations. Please check with the charity directly for any questions you may have.
Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan has earned a 95% for the Accountability & Finance beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of a charity's financial health (financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness) and its commitment to governance practices and policies.
This Accountability & Finance score represents IRS Form 990 data up until FY 2020, which is the most recent Form 990 currently available to us.
Learn more
Full Credit
Partial Credit
No Credit
Not Applicable
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990 that the organization has these governance practices in place.
Sources Include: IRS Form 990
| Independent Voting Board Members ... (More) The presence of an independent governing body is strongly recommended by many industry professionals to allow for full deliberation and diversity of thinking on governance and other organizational matters. Our analysts check the Form 990 to determine if the independent Board members are a voting majority and also at least five in number. (Less) | |
| No Material Diversion of Assets ... (More) 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 – can seriously call into question a charity's financial integrity. We check the charity's last two Forms 990 to see if the charity has reported any diversion of assets. If the charity does report a diversion, then we check to see if it complied with the Form 990 instructions by describing what happened and its corrective action. This metric will be assigned to one of the following categories:
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| Audited Financials Prepared by Independent Accountant ... (More) Audited financial statements provide important information about financial accountability and accuracy. They should be prepared by an independent accountant with oversight from an audit committee. (It is not necessary that the audit committee be a separate committee. Often at smaller charities, it falls within the responsibilities of the finance committee or the executive committee.) The committee provides an important oversight layer between the management of the organization, which is responsible for the financial information reported, and the independent accountant, who reviews the financials and issues an opinion based on its findings. We check the charity's Form 990 reporting to see if it meets this criteria.
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| Does Not Provide Loan(s) to or Receive Loan(s) From Related Parties ... (More) Making loans to related parties such as key officers, staff, or Board members, is not standard practice in the sector as it may divert the charity's funds away from its charitable mission and can lead to real and perceived conflict-of-interest problems. This practice is discouraged by sector trade groups which point to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act when they call for charities to refrain from making loans to directors and executives. And the IRS is concerned enough with the practice that it 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." Furthermore, some state laws go so far as to prohibit loans to board members and officers. And 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 is an indicator that the organization is not financially secure. (Less) | |
| Documents Board Meeting Minutes ... (More) An official record of the events that take place during a board meeting ensures that a contemporaneous document exists for future reference. Charities are not required to make their Board meeting minutes available to the public. As such, we are not able to review and critique their minutes. For this performance metric, we are checking to see if the charity reports on its Form 990 that it does keep those minutes. In the future, we will also track and rate whether or not a charity keeps minutes for its committee meetings. (Less) | |
| Distributes 990 to Board Before Filing ... (More) Providing copies of the Form to the governing body in advance of 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. If the charity has not distributed its Form 990 to the board before filing, then we deduct 4 points from its Accountability and Transparency score. (Less) | |
| Does not Compensate Board Members ... (More) The IRS requires that any compensation paid to members of the charity's governing body be listed on the Form 990. Furthermore, all members of the governing body need to be listed whether or not they are compensated. It is not unusual for some members of the board to have compensation listed. The executive director of the organization frequently has a seat on the board, for instance, and is compensated for being a full time staff member. However, it is rare for a charity to compensate individuals only for serving on its Board of Directors. Although this sort of board compensation is not illegal, it is not considered a best practice. (Less) | |
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990, or for some metrics on the charity's website, that the organization has these policies in place.
Sources Include: IRS Form 990 and organization's website
| Conflict of Interest ... (More) Such a 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 or director of the organization. Charities are not required to share their conflict of interest policies with the public. Although we can not evaluate the substance of its policy, we can tell you if the charity has one in place based on the information it reports on its Form 990. If the charity does not have a Conflict of Interest policy, then we deduct 4 points from its Accountability and Transparency score. (Less) | |
| Whistleblower ... (More) This policy outlines procedures for handling employee complaints, as well as a confidential way for employees to report any financial mismanagement. Here we are reporting on the existence of a policy as reported by the charity on its Form 990. (Less) | |
| Records Retention and Destruction ... (More) Such a policy establishes guidelines for handling, backing up, archiving and destruction of documents. These guidelines foster good record keeping procedures that promotes data integrity. Here we are reporting on the existence of a policy as reported by the charity on its Form 990. If the charity does not have a Records Retention and Destruction Policy, then we deduct 4 points from its Accountability and Transparency score. (Less) | |
| CEO Compensation Process ... (More) This process indicates that the organization has a documented policy that it follows year after year. The policy should indicate that an objective and independent review process of the CEO's compensation has been conducted which includes benchmarking against comparable organizations. We check to be sure that the charity has reported on its Form 990 its process for determining its CEO pay. (Less) | |
| Donor Privacy ... (More) Donors can be reluctant to contribute to a charity when their name, address, or other basic information may become part of donor lists that are exchanged or sold, resulting in an influx of charitable solicitations from other organizations. Our analysts check the charity's website to see if the organization has a donor privacy policy in place and what it does and does not cover. Privacy policies are assigned to one of the following categories:
The privacy policy must be specific to donor information. A general website policy which references "visitor" or "user" personal information will not suffice. A policy that refers to donor information collected on the website is also not sufficient as the policy must be comprehensive and applicable to both online and offline donors. The existence of a privacy policy of any type does not prohibit the charity itself from contacting the donor for informational, educational, or solicitation purposes. (Less) | |
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990, or for some metrics on the charity's website, that the organization makes this information easily accessible.
Sources Include: IRS Form 990 and organization's website
| CEO Salary Listed on 990 ... (More) Charities are required to list their CEO's name and compensation on the Form 990. Our analysts check to be sure that the charities complied with the Form 990 instructions and included this information in their filing. (Less) | |
| Board of Directors Listed on Website ... (More) Our analysts check to see if the charity lists Board members on its website. Publishing this information enables donors and other stakeholders to ascertain the make up of the charity's governing body. This enables stakeholders to report concerns to the Board. Charity Navigator does not cross-check the Board members listed on the website with that reported on the Form 990, because the latter often isn't available until more than a year after the charity's fiscal year ends. In that time, the charity's Board members may have changed, and the charity typically reflects those more recent changes on the website. (Less) | |
| Key Staff Listed on Website ... (More) It is important for donors and other stakeholders to know who runs the organization day-to-day. Charity Navigator does not cross-check the leadership listed on the website with that reported on the Form 990 because the latter often isn't available until more than a year after the charity's fiscal year ends. In that time, the charity's leadership may have changed and the charity typically reflects those more recent changes on the website. In other words, since the Form 990 isn't especially timely, it can not be used to verify the leadership information published on the charity's site. (Less) | |
| Audited Financial Statements Listed on Website ... (More) We check the charity's website to see if it has published its audited financial statements for the fiscal year represented by the most recently filed IRS Form 990. It is important for donors to have easy access to this financial report to help determine if the organization is managing its financial resources well. We currently rate charities on whether or not they publish their audit on their website. (Less) | |
| Form 990 Available on Website ... (More) We check the charity's website to see if it has published its most recently filed IRS Form 990 (a direct link to the charity's 990 on an external site is sufficient). It is important for donors to have easy access to this financial report to help determine if the organization is managing its financial resources well. (Less) | |
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot ApplicableLiabilities to Assets Ratio - 14.00% - 5/10 ptsLiabilities to Assets Ratio - 14.00% - 5/10 pts
The Liabilities to Assets Ratio is determined by Total Liabilities divided by Total Assets (most recent 990).
Part of our goal in rating the financial performance of charities is to help donors assess the financial capacity and sustainability of a charity. As do organizations in other sectors, charities must be mindful of their management of total liabilites in relation to their total assets. This ratio is an indicator of an organization’s solvency and or long term sustainability. Dividing a charity's total liabilities by its total assets yields this percentage.
Source: IRS Form 990
Working Capital Ratio - 0.34 years - 10/10 ptsWorking Capital Ratio - 0.34 years - 10/10 pts
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 Form 990. We include in a charity's working capital unrestricted and temporarily restricted net assets, and exclude permanently restricted net assets. 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
Fundraising Efficiency - $0.04 - 7.5/10 ptsFundraising Efficiency - $0.04 - 7.5/10 pts
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
Administrative Expense Ratio - 2.70% - 10/10 ptsAdministrative Expense Ratio - 2.70% - 10/10 pts
As reported by charities on their IRS Form 990, this measure reflects what percent of its total budget a charity spends on overhead, administrative staff and associated costs, and organizational meetings. Dividing a charity's average administrative expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Fundraising Expense Ratio - 4.30% - 10/10 ptsFundraising Expense Ratio - 4.30% - 10/10 pts
This measure reflects what a charity spends to raise money. Fundraising expenses can include campaign printing, publicity, mailing, and staffing and costs incurred in soliciting donations, memberships, and grants. Dividing a charity's average fundraising expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Program Expense Ratio - 92.80% - 10/10 ptsProgram Expense Ratio - 92.80% - 10/10 pts
The Program Expense Ratio is determined by Program Expenses divided by Total Expense (average of most recent three 990s).
This measure reflects the percent of its total expenses a charity spends on the programs and services it exists to deliver. Dividing a charity's average program expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Program Expense Growth - 7.84% - 10/10 ptsProgram Expense Growth - 7.84% - 10/10 pts
Organizations that demonstrate consistent annual growth in program expenses are able to outpace inflation and thus sustain their programs year to year. These organizations also supply givers with greater confidence by maintaining broad public support for their programs. We compute the average annual growth of program expenses using the following formula: [(Yn/Y0)(1/n)]-1, where Y0 is a charity's program expenses in the first year of the interval analyzed, Yn is the charity's program expenses in the most recent year, and n is the interval of years passed between Y0 and Yn.
Source: IRS Form 990
This chart displays the trend of revenue and expenses over the past several years for this organization, as reported on their IRS Form 990.
Presented here are this organizations key compensated staff members as identified by our analysts. 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
Gerald Brisson, President & CEO
$240,859 (0.23% of Total Expenses)
Current CEO and Board Chair can be found in the Leadership & Adaptability report below.
Source: IRS Form 990 (page 7), filing year 2020
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
Activities:
Community service organization (BMF activity code: 408)
Supplying money, goods or services to the poor (BMF activity code: 560)
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)
The Form 990 is a document that nonprofit organizations file with the IRS annually. We leverage finance and accountability 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 (Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan) or EIN (382156255) in the 'Search Term' field.
This organization was impacted by COVID-19 in a way that effected their financial health in 2020. This normally would have reduced their star rating. Due to the unprecedented nature of the pandemic, we give charities such as this one the opportunity to share the story of COVID's impact on them, and doing this pauses our revision of their rating. Charities may submit their own pandemic responses through their nonprofit portal.
Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan reported being impacted by COVID-19 in the following ways:
Program Delivery
Fundraising Capacity
Revenue
Staffing
Administrative Capacity
Balance Sheet
Project timelines for some activities were forced to moved up, some projects in turn were delayed; keeping up with a higher level of demand amid new processes
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's operations financially:
We saw a significant increase in donations & federal funding (95% increase combined) & a corresponding increase in operations expenses. We also saw an increase in donated food (35%), the majority coming from federal sources. Increased federal funding/reimbursement dollars allowed us to test & launch new distribution methods to support increased need in the community. Need & urgency for growth magnified our capacity/operational constraints, supported an expedited purchase of a new warehouse building to ensure we're able to respond appropriately to future surges in need. Increased funding was used for food (100% increase in purchased food) and labor. This allowed us to focus on our goal of feeding more people rather than extensive resource focused on finding funds. This also enabled us to be creative and flexible in safely keeping our workforce employed (no furloughs or layoffs), provide additional temporary jobs to the workforce, & provide more impact on the tremendous community need.
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's delivery of programs:
The core mission of moving food out into the community through community partnerships & direct community distribution sites was accomplished through creative thinking & immediate action & remained strong throughout the crisis. However, several of our pre-pandemic partnerships within the community were put on hold or eliminated altogether because of the crisis. Despite the close of many small, volunteer-run pantries, Gleaners was able to increase mobile deliveries and find new partners. However, the handful of program partnerships with an evaluation component (including public clinics & schools) were put on hold & remain in limbo. All in-person nutrition education was halted as well, although we quickly pivoted to virtual platforms: both recorded & live. With virtual access in place, we have been able to reach many more people with healthy recipe demos & other nutritional educational information. All in-person garden & service-learning work with school-aged children was also stopped.
How this organization adapted to changing conditions caused by COVID-19:
Thanks to our community's generosity, we ramped up our efforts & use the lessons learned to inform future activities. We are finding new solutions to provide food & improve the well-being of people in southeast MI. The increase in demand for food during COVID necessitated additional leased warehouse space & trucks. More recently, we purchased a new distribution center & are consolidating operations for greater efficiencies. Additional adaptations included better use of technology to market food distributions & a new effort to pack & distribute shelf-stable quarantine boxes quickly for home delivery organizations & agencies without adequate refrigeration. We have also leveraged various technologies for conducting meetings with Gleaners stakeholders. During the height of the pandemic, we provided additional amenities & flexibility to support our frontline staff. We also distributed PPE & created a handbook on safe operations for other non-profits assisting Gleaners with distributions.
Innovations the organization intends to continue permanently after the pandemic:
There are several innovations we will continue for the foreseeable future, including introduction of a virtual component of our nutritional education work reaching more people than ever, wider partnerships with other non-profits, governmental organizations, service clubs, and more that can distribute directly to those that need food assistance, and continuing the work we’ve helped lead in partnership with the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) to receive USDA reimbursements for mobile distributions of fresh foods to students instead of the conventional Federally-legislated approach of feeding kids in summer. The results of this new approach included less food waste, greater individual satisfaction, an increase in family-oriented cooking activities, and lower per-person cost. We have provided those evaluation findings to legislators as they debate the new Childhood Food Assistance legislation.
Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan has earned a 100% for the Impact & Results beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
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.
Learn more
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot Applicable
Program
Partner Agency Distribution, Mobile Pantries, Meet Up and Eat Up, My Neighborhood Mobile Grocery and
Activities
Gleaners Community Food Bank Inc primarily collects, warehouses and distributes food to front-line organizations like food pantries and soup kitchens. It also manages smaller programs that serve meals and provide groceries directly to beneficiaries.
Program Type
Food Distribution
Beneficiaries Served
People living in poverty;Children and youth
Program Geography
5 counties in MI
Time Period of Data
10/1/2017 to 9/30/2018
Outcomes: Changes in the lives of those served by a nonprofit. They can be caused by the nonprofit.
Costs: The money spent by a nonprofit and its partners and beneficiaries.
Impact: Outcome caused by a nonprofit relative to its cost.
Cost-effectiveness: A judgment as to whether the cost was a good use of resources to cause the outcome.
Outcome Metric
A meal provided to a person in need
Outcome Data Source
Ratings are based on data the nonprofit itself collects on its work. We use the most recent year with sufficient data. Typically, this data allows us to calculate direct changes in participants' lives, such as increased income.
Method for Attributing Outcomes
We don't know if the observed changes were caused by the nonprofit's program or something else happening at the same time (e.g., a participant got a raise). To determine causation, we take the outcomes we observe and subtract an estimate of the outcomes that would have happened even without the program (i.e., counterfactual outcomes).
We assume that the distribution of a meal from one nonprofit's food distribution program does not diminish the amount of food distributed by any other (neighboring) food distribution program. This “counterfactual” assumption about the amount of food distributed in the absence of Gleaners Community Food Bank Inc’s food distribution program implies that the benefit of a meal to a beneficiary in need constitutes a net gain; the gain is not offset by reductions in food provided to other beneficiaries in need. We therefore set the counterfactual to zero.
Cost Data Source
After estimating the program's outcomes, we need to determine how much it cost to achieve those outcomes. All monetary costs are counted, whether they are borne by a nonprofit service deliverer or by the nonprofit’s public and private partners.
Cost Calculation
$9,584,398 program costs + $53,454,752 partner costs + $0 beneficiary costs = $63,039,150 total costs
We calculate impact, defined as the change in outcomes attributable to a program divided by the cost to achieve those outcomes.
Impact Calculation
$63,039,150 total costs / 38,149,964 meals provided = roughly $2 provides a meal to a person in need.
Benchmark for Rating
Impact & Results scores of food distribution programs are based on the cost of a meal relative to the cost that a food-secure person incurs to buy a meal in that county. Programs receive an Impact & Results score of 100 if they are less than 75% the cost of a meal and a score of 80 if they are less than 125%. If a nonprofit reports impact but doesn't meet the benchmark for cost-effectiveness, it earns a score of 65.
Determination
Highly cost-effective
Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan reported its three largest programs on its FY 2020 Form 990 as:
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
Food Distribution
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
Summer Food Service Program
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
Cooking Matters - Nutrition Education Program
Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan cannot currently be evaluated by our Culture & Community methodology because we have not received data from the charity regarding its Constituent Feedback or Equity Practices strategies.
Note: The absence of a score does not indicate a positive or negative assessment, it only indicates that we have not yet evaluated the organization.
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Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan has earned a 100% for the Leadership & Adaptability beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
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.
Learn more
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot ApplicableMission - 10/10 ptsMission - 10/10 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization's mission
Gleaners Community Food Bank, with broad community support, fights hunger in southeastern Michigan. In collaboration with our member agencies, the Feeding America network, and our program partners, we provide millions of pounds of donated and purchased food to people in need. In so doing, Gleaners is committed to distributing high quality food. Through education and advocacy, we will reduce reliance on the emergency food system. Gleaners adopts best practices and cost effective systems and procedures to achieve the highest possible return on its human and financial resources. Gleaners fulfills its role with a sense of compassion and urgency while nourishing, sustaining and advancing hope in our community.
Vision - 10/10 ptsVision - 10/10 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
Our Vision is to End Hunger in Southeast Michigan. Gleaners is committed to distributing nutritious, high-quality food to people in need. In collaboration with our partner agencies, the Feeding America network, and our program partners, Gleaners is driving new solutions to improve the health and well-being of our entire community. Everyone wins when hunger is solved. When we achieve food security, every positive outcome becomes more likely—from higher graduation rates to increase job retention to better patient health.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Goals - 20/20 ptsGoals - 20/20 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking and goal setting through sharing their most important strategic goals.
Goal One: Meet People Where They Are Actively engage households to drive best programming. Eliminate barriers to food access.
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Goal Two: Foster Innovation Engage with partners who benefit when food security is achieved. Use data to understand opportunities and results.
Goal Type: New program(s) based on observed changes in needs among our constituencies/communities served.
Goal Three: Optimize Our People Power Utilize volunteers to broadly engage the community. Foster a team culture that is engaged & empowered. Prioritize diversity, equity & inclusion. Align with those we serve.
Goal Type: Invest in the capacity of our organization (financial, management, technical, etc.).
Leadership Development - 15/15 ptsLeadership Development - 15/15 pts
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
In 2021, Gleaners invested in a new leadership role—Director of Talent Development—to ensure that organization-wide talent management initiatives are focused on improving operational and program efficiencies and effectiveness. The Director of Talent Development examines each step of the employee lifecycle by developing and maintaining effective programs for workforce retention, onboarding, promotion, and succession planning. In alignment with Gleaners’ inclusion objectives, the Director of Talent Development trains and coaches managers, directors, and other leaders involved in employee development on maintaining an environment of equal employment opportunity and diversity. The Director of Talent Development also provides professional expertise and support in the design, development and implementation of the talent review process that is required to achieve business goals and results in the creation of an internal bench of top talent.
Mobilizing for Mission - 15/15 ptsMobilizing for Mission - 15/15 pts
The nonprofit provides evidence of leadership through focusing externally and mobilizing resources for the mission.
Strategic Partnerships
Networks of Collective Impact Efforts
Raising Awareness
Policy Advocacy
Gleaners’ leadership places a focus on and participates in external activities that support mobilization of our mission through a number of collaborative efforts. Gleaners’ staff members play a key leadership role in local organizations like the Food Bank Council of Michigan and the Livingston County Hunger Council, host ongoing meetings with key agencies within our traditional partner agency network, and lead collaborative programmatic opportunities with the United Way for Southeast Michigan, the Detroit Area Agency on Aging, Michigan Department of Education, and many other like-minded nonprofit, public and private sector organizations. Gleaners’ leadership has also met with members of our local government offices to provide information, offer site visits, and discuss the impact of policy changes on food security in our communities. Our key brand and fundraising strategies leverage all modern marketing channels to raise awareness and generate increased support of our mission.
Adaptability Story - 30/30 ptsAdaptability Story - 30/30 pts
The nonprofit has an opportunity to tell the story of how the organization adapted to tremendous external changes in the last year.
When the pandemic swept across Southeast Michigan, food insecurity rose by 44%, impacting those most vulnerable. Every Gleaners employee—no matter their previous job title—shifted into planning, operations, and distribution. Team members worked around the clock to schedule drivers, find trucks, hire and manage additional staff, and warehouse the extra food. Strategically sourcing food and efficiently distributing it to where it was needed most was Gleaners’ main objective. To best serve children and families impacted by school closings, Gleaners opened 66 new mobile food distribution sites in its five-county service area. With no registration needed, community members could walk or drive up to a site to receive 35 pounds of fresh produce, milk, protein, dairy, and shelf-stable food items. For those unable to attend—due to lack of transportation, health risks, and other barriers—Gleaners collaborated with strategic partners to assemble and deliver quarantine food boxes. Gleaners served other hard-to-reach communities through its My Neighborhood Mobile Grocery (MNMG) program, which brings grocery trucks to low-income housing complexes. This enabled residents—mostly seniors and veterans—to purchase healthy food at a reduced cost without ever having to leave the safety of their own homes, as MNMG workers delivered grocery orders directly to each resident's door. Within weeks, MNMG served a record number of guests—more than any time in its five years of service. The Gleaners team learned by doing and responded strategically as the crisis unfolded. By the end of its 2020 fiscal year, Gleaners distributed a record-breaking 63.7 million pounds of food, including 22.3 million pounds of fresh produce and 5.4 million pounds of fresh milk. By optimizing its people power and scaling up solutions that work, Gleaners led the charge across Southeast Michigan to feed hungry neighbors in the safest and most accessible way possible.
Impact & Results
Accountability & Finance
Culture & Community
Leadership & Adaptability
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