Forefront
Donations deductibleForefront's network
24 people15 organisationsi24 people and 15 organisations on this map.The large node is the subject of this page. Solid lines are what the register itself records (24). Violet dotted lines (15) are likely: the same full name sits on the current board of another organisation in the same register and region. Form 990 filings give names without a person identifier; SEC insider filings carry a CIK. It may be a different person.The board
24 listediTime on the board is observed from the annual filings: the IRS files no appointment date, so the bar counts years from the first filing the person appears on - a lower bound, not a filed start date. Names are exactly as filed. The IRS publishes no person identifier, so this edition does not yet link a person across organisations in the tables. The network map shows same-name matches as likely links only, never as confirmed.Time served and departures are observed across annual filings. Observed time served is a lower bound - a member may have joined before the first year on record. The organisation reported 24 voting members of its governing body on its latest Form 990 Part VI, which matches the board listed here.| Name | Role as filed | Since | On the board |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anna Lee Chair | Chair | 2020 | 6 yrs |
| Adela Carlin | Board Member | 2024 | 2 yrs |
| Alex Pleasant | Board Member | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Alison Upton Lopez | Board Member | 2023 | 3 yrs |
| Antonio Tony Martinez JR | Board Member | 2023 | 3 yrs |
| Celeste Flores | Board Member | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Dorri McWhorter | Board Member | 2020 | 6 yrs |
| Ianna Kachoris | Board Member | 2023 | 3 yrs |
| John S Herring SR | Board Member | 2023 | 3 yrs |
| John Shaw | Board Member | 2020 | 6 yrs |
| Julie Christman | Board Member | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Karen M Tamley | Board Member | 2022 | 4 yrs |
| Kim Tyler | Treasurer | 2023 | 3 yrs |
| Kristen Mack | Board Member | 2021 | 5 yrs |
| Latoya Egwuekwe-Smith | Board Member | 2024 | 2 yrs |
| Lawrence Benito | Board Member | 2020 | 6 yrs |
| Luara Zumdahl | Board Member | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Maria Socorro Pesqueira (also filed as Maria Pesqueira) | Board Member | 2020 | 6 yrs |
| Mary O'Donnell | Company secretary | 2023 | 3 yrs |
| Mary Pounder | Board Member | 2020 | 6 yrs |
| Santrice R Martin | Board Member | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Theodia Gillespie | Board Member | 2022 | 4 yrs |
| Tracy Kremer | Board Member | 2024 | 2 yrs |
| Vickie Lakes-Battle | Vice Chair | 2024 | 2 yrs |
Officers and senior leadership
13 listediNamed in Part VII as officers, key employees or highest-compensated staff - not board members, shown for completeness.| Name | Title as filed | On the filings |
|---|---|---|
| Aerica Camille Love | Sr Consultant, Converge | since 2023 |
| Dawn Melchiorre | VP of Program and Policy | since 2019 |
| Derek Stovall-Leonard | CFO (To May '24) | since 2019 |
| Diane Sotiros | CFO (From Dec '24) | 2025 |
| Eric Weinheimer | President, CEO | 2019 |
| Julie McChane | Sr Financial Consultant for Nonprofits | 2022 |
| Karen Lehman | Director, Fresh Taste | since 2020 |
| Lisa May Simpson | Chief Program Officer | since 2023 |
| Monique B Jones | President, CEO | since 2023 |
| Patrice James | Ibai Executive Director | 2024 |
| Rebeca Stimson | VP Development | 2019 |
| Robin Krouse | Controller (To Jun '24) | since 2021 |
| Yusef Garcia | VP, Develop & Communications | since 2020 |
Pay and hours
year to 30 June 2025iFrom Part VII of the Form 990: compensation reported for each officer, director, trustee, key employee and highest-paid staff member, and the average hours a week they report. Most board members are unpaid; a blank means nothing was reported. Pay from related organisations is shown separately.| Name | Title as filed | Hours a week | Pay from the organisation | Related organisations | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monique B Jones | President, CEO | 40 | $287k | $24k | |
| Aerica Camille Love | Sr Consultant, Converge | 40 | $113k | $19k | |
| Lisa May Simpson | Chief of Staff | 40 | $107k | $40k | |
| Diane Sotiros | CFO (From Dec '24) | 40 | $5k | $846 | |
| Anna Lee | Chair | 2 | $0 | ||
| Vickie Lakes-Battle | Vice Chair | 2 | $0 | ||
| Kim Tyler | Treasurer | 2 | $0 | ||
| Mary O'donnell | Secretary | 2 | $0 | ||
| Lawrence Benito | Board Member | 1 | $0 | ||
| Adela Carlin | Board Member | 1 | $0 | ||
| Julie Christman | Board Member | 1 | $0 | ||
| Latoya Egwuekwe-Smith | Board Member | 1 | $0 | ||
| Celeste Flores | Board Member | 1 | $0 | ||
| Theodia Gillespie | Board Member | 1 | $0 | ||
| John S Herring Sr | Board Member | 1 | $0 | ||
| Ianna Kachoris | Board Member | 1 | $0 | ||
| Tracy Kremer | Board Member | 1 | $0 | ||
| Kristen Mack | Board Member | 1 | $0 | ||
| Santrice R Martin | Board Member | 1 | $0 | ||
| Antonio Tony Martinez Jr | Board Member | 1 | $0 | ||
| Dorri McWhorter | Board Member | 1 | $0 | ||
| Alex Pleasant | Board Member | 1 | $0 | ||
| Mary Pounder | Board Member | 1 | $0 | ||
| John Shaw | Board Member | 1 | $0 | ||
| Maria Socorro Pesqueira | Board Member | 1 | $0 | ||
| Karen M Tamley | Board Member | 1 | $0 | ||
| Alison Upton Lopez | Board Member | 1 | $0 | ||
| Luara Zumdahl | Board Member | 1 | $0 |
About
- Legal name
- Forefront
- EIN
- 237376023
- Address
- 200 W Madison St 2nd Floor, Chicago, IL, 60606-3414
- State
- Illinois
- Mission
- We mobilize our members to work collectively around issues that are important to them and to the sector by enhancing the effectiveness of (a) the organizations and individuals who are the members of the corporation and (b) all nonprofit organizations in the state of illinois through development of educational programs and informational resources and through the provision of technical... (as filed on the Form 990)
- Activity (NTEE)
- T50Z Philanthropy, voluntary services and grantmaking
- IRS classification
- 501(c)03 (tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) where shown)
- Classified purpose
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Foundations
- Size band
- 8 (IRS master file code)
- Formed
- 1974
- Principal officer
- Monique B Jones (as named on the Form 990)
- IRS ruling date
- 1 June 1974
- Status
- Code 01 (unconditional exemption)
- Form 990 filings on record
- 7, latest 2025
- IRS Publication 78
- PC (contributions deductible)
Most connected
Longest observed on the filings
≥6years on the filingsAnna Lee
≥6years on the filingsDorri McWhorter
≥6years on the filingsJohn Shaw
≥6years on the filingsLawrence Benito
Latest return
year to 30 June 2025iFigures from the newest Form 990 or 990-EZ in the IRS e-file releases of 2025 and 2026, for the year ending 30 June 2025. US dollars, as filed.- Total assets
- $18.5m
- Total liabilities
- $2.3m
- Net assets or fund balances
- $16.3m
- Contributions and grants received
- $15.1m
- Program service revenue
- $748k
- Grants and similar paid out
- $4.6m
- Employees
- 31
- Volunteers
- 65
Grants paid
25+ listediFrom Schedule I of the Form 990: grants and assistance to organisations in the United States, largest first (up to 25). Schedule I is filed only by organisations that gave more than $5,000 to any one recipient.| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Austin Coming Together | Capacity building/general support | $543k |
| Ymen | Capacity building/general support | $450k |
| Westside Health Authority | Capacity building/general support | $260k |
| Dion's Chicago Dream | Capacity building/general support | $253k |
| Gardeneers | Capacity building/general support | $221k |
| Chicago Horticultural Society | Capacity building/general support | $200k |
| First Congregational United Church of Christ | Capacity building/general support | $150k |
| Grow Greater Englewood | Capacity building/general support | $150k |
| Enlace Chicago | Capacity building/general support | $125k |
| Circle Urban Ministries | Capacity building/general support | $120k |
| American Indian Center | Capacity building/general support | $100k |
| GSJ Family Life Center | Capacity building/general support | $100k |
| The Hack Foundation - Hack Club | Capacity building/general support | $100k |
| Illinois Stewardship Allliance(Illinois Food Justice Alliance Infrastructur | Capacity building/general support | $100k |
| Dekalb County Community Gardens | Capacity building/general support | $78k |
| Farmworker and Landscaper Advocacy Project | Capacity building/general support | $78k |
| Growing Home | Capacity building/general support | $78k |
| Movement Strategy Center | Capacity building/general support | $78k |
| Trickster Art Gallery NFP | Capacity building/general support | $78k |
| Brave Space Alliance | Capacity building/general support | $75k |
| Good Food Catalyst | Capacity building/general support | $75k |
| The Little Village Community Foundation | Capacity building/general support | $75k |
| Little Village Environmental Justice Organization | Capacity building/general support | $75k |
| The Endeleo Institute Inc | Capacity building/general support | $63k |
| Icna Relief USA Programs | Capacity building/general support | $63k |