Chicago Section of the Institute of Food
Cultivating a community where professionals and students aspire to enrich the chicagoland food industry through collaboration, education, and networking.
Chicago Section of the Institute of Food at a glance
In short: Chicago Section of the Institute of Food gave $50K across 1 grant in 2025 (avg $50K), mostly in Illinois. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $50,000
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 1
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $50,000
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $886,703
- +25.2% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Illinois (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Chicago Section of the Institute of Food
Open Grants
7 open opportunities from Chicago Section of the Institute of Food
Chair's Achievement Award
Chicago Section of the Institute of Food
Amount
$250 honorarium
Deadline
Deadline not published
Chicago Section IFT / Chicagoland Food Science Foundation Food Industry Scholarship
Chicago Section of the Institute of Food
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Fred W. Tanner Lectureship Award
Chicago Section of the Institute of Food
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Chicago Section of the Institute of Food funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top recipient in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Chicagoland Food Science Foundation ($50K).
Grant Size Distribution
3 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 2 grants of 3 (67%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of the 2025 grant dollars on its one itemized grant.
States
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $599 (2021) to $82K (2020). In 2025 it made 1 grant totaling $50K.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Chicagoland Food Science Foundation Lombard, IL | To Support Scholarship Program | $50,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $886,703 | $592,047 | $513,662 | $50,000 | 1 | $8,725 |
| 2024 | $708,023 | $595,389 | $498,921 | $50,000 | 1 | $20,094 |
| 2023 | $594,421 | $302,437 | $235,907 | $20,000 | 1 | $1,048 |
| 2022 | $491,252 | $284,169 | $171,356 | $1,341 | Total only | $-25,045 |
| 2021 | $467,685 | $99,184 | $177,691 | $599 | Total only | $3,633 |
| 2020 | $457,239 | $348,608 | $302,024 | $82,175 | 1 | $2,922 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
About Chicago Section of the Institute of Food
Based on IRS filings
Chicago Section of the Institute of Food is a public charity, based in Lombard, IL. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $887K in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 1 grant totaling $50K. Net investment income was $9K.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Chicago Section of the Institute of Food is led by Lynnda Nelson, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 20 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Lynnda Nelson
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
35 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sebnem Karasu
Chair
Chair Elect → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James Nasella
Director
Chair → Past Chair, 2023
Past Chair → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Debbie Schodrof
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gina Oberoi
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Tensa
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kelli Barth
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sihui Ma
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Amy Dejong
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Julie Ip
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Yash Shah
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gary Wills
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Charlotte Allen
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Karen Galena
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mario Jez
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nicole Malicki
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Frank Sabella
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mary Jo Maffei-Panagos
Past Chair
Chair Elect → Chair, 2024
Chair → Past Chair, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Molly Hicks
Secretary
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kathir Kirshnamurty
Chair Elect
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (27)
- Former: David Condon (2021–2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Helen Bengtson (2021–2024) — Past Chair
- Former: Chris Findlay (2024) — Director
- Former: Britt Burton Freeman (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Neeraj Kamath (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Vijay Krishna (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Ali Halalipour (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Courtney Gwinn (2020–2022) — Past Chair
- Former: Julia Skrebneva (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Karl Smithback (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Samantha Fonseca (2020–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Alifia Merchant (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Katie Potthoff (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Christie McElya (2021) — Director
- Former: Jennifer Farrell (2021) — Past Chair
- Former: Melissa McWethy (2021) — Secretary
- Former: Nicole Chmielewski (2021) — Director
- Former: Brinda Govindarajan (2020) — Director
- Former: Deepa Thakar (2020) — Director
- Former: Jenn Farrell (2020) — Chair
- Former: Joe Stout (2020) — Director
- Former: John Budin (2020) — Treasurer
- Former: Lisa Sprang (2020) — Director
- Former: Megan Tira (2020) — Director
- Former: Mike Carson (2020) — Past Chair
- Former: Theresa Lei (2020) — Director
- Former: Upasana Hariram (2020) — Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Chicago Section of the Institute of Food
How much does Chicago Section of the Institute of Food give each year?
Chicago Section of the Institute of Food gave $50K across 1 grant in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $50K across 1 grant.
How large is Chicago Section of the Institute of Food?
Chicago Section of the Institute of Food reported $887K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $592K.
Where does Chicago Section of the Institute of Food operate?
Chicago Section of the Institute of Food has awarded grants in Illinois.
What is Chicago Section of the Institute of Food's EIN?
Chicago Section of the Institute of Food's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-6112616. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 29, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 26, 2023)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 17, 2024)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Chicago Section of the Institute of Food's focus areas in our free grants database
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