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Transparency How FoodFund is structured

Two entities.
One mission.

FoodFund operates as a hybrid two-entity structure: a nonprofit foundation that holds the charitable mission and donor relationship, and a for-profit technology company that builds and operates the platform. This page explains what each entity does, how the fee structure works, why the hybrid model exists, and exactly how donor funds are protected and disbursed.

We publish this because we believe the people who give through FoodFund — and the food banks that receive those funds — deserve to understand the architecture behind every transaction.

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FoodFund Foundation
501(c)(3) nonprofit · IRS-registered charitable organization

The Foundation is the charitable heart of FoodFund. It holds the mission, owns the donor relationship, and is the legal entity through which all donations flow to verified food bank partners. Because the Foundation is a 501(c)(3), donor contributions are tax-deductible — something a for-profit company alone cannot offer.

Receives all donor contributions and issues tax receipts
Disburses funds to verified 501(c)(3) food bank partners on a monthly cycle
Registered with the California Attorney General under AB 488 as a charitable fundraising platform
Governed by a board of at least three directors, majority independent
Processes donations through Stripe at nonprofit rates (2.2% + $0.30)
FoodFund Inc.
For-profit LLC · Technology platform operator

FoodFund Inc. builds and operates the technology that makes the platform run — the creator tools, donation infrastructure, real-time meal counters, dashboards, and the content network that connects audiences to food banks. As a for-profit entity, it can raise investment capital, enter commercial contracts, and scale the technology independently of the Foundation’s charitable mission.

Owns the technology platform, codebase, trademarks, and brand
Holds all creator contracts and manages the revenue share program
Charges the Foundation a technology service fee under a formal Technology Services Agreement
Can raise investment, scale commercially, and enter brand partnerships
Does not hold or direct donor funds at any point

How the fee structure works

Every donation made through FoodFund involves two fees, both of which are shown transparently on every donation confirmation screen and receipt:

Where every $100 goes
🍚 To food programs (FoodFund Foundation disburses to verified food banks) $96.00
⚡ Platform service fee (FoodFund Inc. technology fee, covers ops + creator share) $4.00
The 4% platform service fee is charged by FoodFund Inc. to the Foundation under a Technology Services Agreement. From this fee, FoodFund Inc. pays Stripe processing costs, platform operations, and creator revenue share (1–2%). At no point do these fees reduce the 96% remitted to food programs. Stripe processes Foundation donations at nonprofit rates (2.2% + $0.30), which is covered within the service fee structure.

Why a hybrid structure?

A single for-profit entity cannot offer tax-deductible donations, which limits donor participation and shuts out institutional giving programs. A pure nonprofit, on the other hand, cannot raise venture capital, compensate a technology team at market rates, or build the kind of creator network that makes the platform compelling.

The hybrid model solves both constraints simultaneously. The Foundation provides donor trust, tax deductibility, and regulatory legitimacy. FoodFund Inc. provides the commercial infrastructure to build a scalable, world-class technology product. Both entities serve the same goal: more meals funded, more consistently, through better storytelling.

This structure is modeled on successful precedents in the technology and media sectors where a charitable mission is best served by pairing it with a commercially viable technology operation — rather than constraining the technology within a nonprofit governance model that was not designed for software companies.

How donor funds are protected

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Segregated accounts
All donations are held by FoodFund Foundation in a dedicated bank account, entirely separate from FoodFund Inc.’s operating accounts. Donor funds are never used for FoodFund Inc.’s operating expenses.
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Monthly disbursement cycle
Donations are disbursed to food banks on the first business day of each month, covering the calendar month two months prior. This two-month window allows all Stripe transactions to settle fully before reconciliation. Funds held during this period remain in the Foundation’s segregated account.
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Itemized remittance reports
Every food bank partner receives an itemized remittance report with each disbursement showing number of donations, gross amount, fees deducted, and net received. These reports are available to food bank partners on request.
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Independent board oversight
FoodFund Foundation is governed by a board with a majority of independent directors who have no financial interest in FoodFund Inc. This board reviews disbursement records, approves the Technology Services Agreement fee structure, and maintains authority over charitable fund direction.
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AB 488 registration
FoodFund Foundation registers with the California Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts as a charitable fundraising platform under AB 488, California’s law governing online charitable solicitation. This registration requires annual financial reporting and subjects the Foundation to ongoing regulatory oversight.

Food banks as media partners

FoodFund’s relationship with food banks goes beyond fund disbursement. Each partner organization gains access to an ongoing stream of earned media from credible content creators — video documentation of their work, audience exposure they couldn’t purchase, and genuine long-term community ambassadors who build their story over months, not a single campaign.

Creators select an active food bank partner from FoodFund’s verified network. Their creator page prominently features that partner with a live meal counter tied specifically to the partnership. Creators rotate their active partner on a monthly or quarterly cycle, which gives them a recurring reason to post, fresh story angles each month, and a closing impact report — total meals, total raised, shareable graphic — before the next partner activates.

Questions about our structure?

We are happy to speak with food bank partners, potential investors, journalists, or anyone with questions about how FoodFund is structured. Reach us at hello@foodfund.com.

View transparency page Donation policy Creator agreement