To foster the intellectual and social development of disadvantaged youth in diverse communities throughout the city of chicago through vibrant chess education programs, tournaments, and events.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
89¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 15 volunteers and 3 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2026 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2026
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2026, this tax year; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $18K a year · 6% of revenue · last 5 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
89%
of spending
Looks good: 89% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$122K
to officers and key staff · 46% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 46% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
9 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 9.3 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $10K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$5K
2% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 2% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
0
of 5 voting members
Concern: none of 5 voting members are independent.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$293K
+0.9% vs prior year
Spent
$264K
To programs
89%
Net assets
$210K
By yearFY2021–FY2026
Revenue
$293K
FY2026▲ +0.9%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$173K
FY2022$310K
FY2023$262K
FY2024$477K
FY2025$290K
FY2026$293K
Expenses
$264K
FY2026▲ +8%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021Not on file
FY2022$274K
FY2023$254K
FY2024$506K
FY2025$243K
FY2026$264K
Net assets
$210K
FY2026▲ +16%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$120K
FY2022$155K
FY2023$164K
FY2024$134K
FY2025$181K
FY2026$210K

From the FY2026 Form 990 (year ending June 2026) · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2026. IRS ruling in Sep 2005.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

89 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 89% · $233K Management & general 11% · $30K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

5 people listed on the 990; $122K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2025); the FY2026 filing did not itemize Part VII
$74,615Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Preside
$40,000Pt VII · Sec A
$7,500Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

David a Heiser’s $75K as CEO is at the 81st percentile of top reported officer pay among 1016 $100K–1M recreation & sports nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 4 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2026FY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
David a Heiser$74,615$70,000$72,500$65,000$70,000—
David Heiser—————$60,391
Sheila Heiser$40,000$40,000$42,500$35,000$34,615$23,145
Kristina Heiser$7,500—————

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Renaissance Knights Foundation executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Fosters youth development through vibrant chess education, tournaments, and events in Chicago.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $233K · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

Tournaments/Events & School/Community

Organize and run local, regional, national, & international TOURNAMENTS/EVENTS, including the greater chicago k-12 championship, and the national all-girls championship.

$149Kprogram expense
02

Academic Chess Program

Provide operational support to the chicago public schools' chess programs that gives over 2,000 k-12 students the opportunity to participate in vibrant chess programs and tournaments throughout the year

$76Kprogram expense
03

Cops & Kids Program

A chess initiative that impacts the lives of over 300 children in chicago by utilizing the game of chess as a vehicle for engagement to promote non-violence and increase positive relationships with youth & police officers

$9Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2020
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$10K
Grants paid · 2 grants · $14K · 2021–2021

By the numbers

The FY2026 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$293K
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$281K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$12K
Other incomeLn 4–11$34
Money outPt IX
$264K
Ln 25
Programscol B$233K
Managementcol C$30K
Owns and owesPt X
$210K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$204K
Total assetsLn 16$215K
LiabilitiesLn 26$5K
PeoplePt VI, VII
5
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a5
IndependentVI 1b0
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$12K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$281K
Other incomeLn 4–11$34
Total revenueLn 12$293K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$154K
SavingsLn 2$50K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$204K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$7K
Total assetsLn 16$215K
LiabilitiesLn 26$5K
Net assetsLn 32$210K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 53
VolunteersI 615
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY26End FY26
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$32K$204K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$6K$7K
Total assetsLn 16$185K$215K
LiabilitiesLn 26$4K$5K
Net assetsLn 32$181K$210K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$122K$110K$12K
Payroll taxesLn 10$9K$8K$934
Accounting feesLn 11c$1K$1K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$3K$3K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$4K$4K
Office expensesLn 13$101$101
TravelLn 17$3K$3K
InterestLn 20$933$933
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$3K$3K
InsuranceLn 23$14K$13K$1K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$93K$86K$7K
All other expensesLn 24e$10K$7K$3K
Total functional expensesLn 25$264K$233K$30K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2026 Latest Viewing $293K$264K$29K$210K 990 PDF
FY2025 $290K$243K$47K$181K 990 PDF
FY2024 $477K$506K−$29K$134K 990 PDF
FY2023 $262K$254K$8K$164K 990 PDF
FY2022 $310K$274K$36K$155K 990 PDF
FY2021 $173K$120K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2026 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $292,590 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $24,698$11,937
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $265,167$280,619
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenue$34
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $289,865$292,590
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $118,415$131,458
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $124,684$132,048
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $243,099$263,506
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $46,766$29,084
Part VI · Governance 0 of 5 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body5
VI-1b Independent voting members0
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $292,590 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$11,937
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$11,937
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $280,619$280,619
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $34$34
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $280,653$292,590
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $263,506 across 12 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $109,904 · Management $12,212$122,116
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $8,408 · Management $934$9,342
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $1,000$1,000
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $3,075$3,075
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $3,529$3,529
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $101$101
IX-17 TravelPrograms $2,554$2,554
IX-20 InterestManagement $933$933
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $3,451$3,451
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $12,973 · Management $1,435$14,408
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $86,102 · Management $7,278$93,380
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $6,695 · Management $2,922$9,617
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $233,341 · Management $30,165 · Fundraising $0$263,506
Part X · Balance sheet $215,429 assets, 11 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $31,850$154,212
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investments$50,000
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$4,331
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $6,461$6,886
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $185,350$215,429
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $53$776
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $4,059$4,331
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $4,112$5,107
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $181,238$210,322
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $181,238$210,322
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $185,350$215,429
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $210,322 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$292,590
XI-2 Total expenses$263,506
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$29,084
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$181,238
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$210,322

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2026 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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