Oakland, CA

INSTITUTE FOR FOOD AND DEVELOPMENT POLICY INC

EIN 13-2838167

Community & Economic Development Technology, Research & Civic Innovation Low-income Communities of color

Mission

To end the injustices that cause hunger through action-oriented research, publications, and projects that support grassroots movements and advance food sovereignty.

IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) public charity Contributions are tax-deductible

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About INSTITUTE FOR FOOD AND DEVELOPMENT POLICY INC

The Institute for Food and Development Policy, better known as Food First, is an Oakland-based, donor-facing 501(c)(3) people’s think tank and education-for-action center founded in 1975. Food First conducts applied research, produces publications and educational resources, and runs participatory programs that aim to build food sovereignty, support grassroots leaders, and expose the political and economic roots of hunger.

Food First maintains an active public web presence and regular publishing program (including the Food Sovereignty Digest), operates a Fellows program to nurture early-career leaders, and runs a Seed + Grant participatory grantmaking initiative that channels small grants to community-led food-justice projects. The organization’s EIN (13-2838167) has been confirmed against its public filings and organizational materials, and it continues to file Form 990s and publish audited financial statements, indicating ongoing operations and donor-facing activity.

Notable achievements

Established thought-leadership since 1975

Founded in 1975, Food First has produced influential research and books that reframed hunger as a political and economic problem and contributed to global food sovereignty discourse for multiple decades.

Fellows Program and Seed + Grant Initiative

Created a multi-year Fellows program to train and support early-career researchers and organizers and launched the Seed + Grant participatory fund to pilot and scale grassroots food-justice projects (notably supporting projects such as the Beekeeping Awareness Project and Change Today, Change Tomorrow).

Expanded public education and storytelling

Maintains regular publications (Food Sovereignty Digest and News & Views), produces accessible educational resources including a recently released graphic novel, and hosts webinars and public programming to amplify community-led solutions.

At a glance

Total assets: $713K
Annual revenue: $205K
Tax status: 501(c)(3)Public charity
EIN: 13-2838167
Location: Oakland, CA
Website: foodfirst.org
On Mahalo since: May 2026

Financial figures from the IRS Business Master File, the IRS’s registry of tax-exempt organizations.

Recognition

Historically associated with high-profile recognition in the food justice field (founder Frances Moore Lappé received the Right Livelihood Award), and Food First’s longstanding influence is widely cited in food sovereignty scholarship and activism.

Profiled and listed in major nonprofit databases and evaluator platforms (organization maintains Form 990 disclosures and has a Charity Navigator profile), signaling transparency and continued nonprofit compliance.

Regularly cited as a resource by academic, advocacy, and community organizations for peer-reviewed-style backgrounders, reports, and practical guides on agroecology, land justice, and democratic control of food systems.

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