Literacy Chicago

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To help empower individuals to achieve greater self-sufficiency through language and literacy instruction

Form 990 Part I, line 1, FY2025. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 36-2663174) · Dispute this line
501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
77¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 175 volunteers and 13 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
The IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
The latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 4
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $52K a year · 8% of revenue · last 4 filings
A surplus in 3 of the last 4 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 4 filings
Spent on programs
77%
of spending
77% of spending went to programs.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$149K
to officers and key staff · 21% of spending
Pay to officers and key staff is 21% of spending.
Part VII, Section A
12.0 mo
of spending, in cash
12.0 months of spending in cash.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $11K
1 funder names it on their filings.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$244K
28% of total assets
Liabilities are 28% of assets.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
9
of 9 voting members
9 of 9 voting members are independent.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Revenue
$897K
+42% vs prior year
Spent
$706K
To programs
77%
Net assets
$636K
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$897K
FY2025▲ +42%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$446K
FY2022$548K
FY2024$632K
FY2025$897K
Expenses
$706K
FY2025▲ +12%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$465K
FY2022$516K
FY2024$629K
FY2025$706K
Net assets
$636K
FY2025▲ +43%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$286K
FY2022$453K
FY2024$445K
FY2025$636K

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jun 2024.

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

Where the money goes

77 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 77% · $541K Management & general 18% · $130K Fundraising 5% · $35K

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

9 people listed on the 990; $149K paid to officers and key staff (Part VII, Section A).

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
$148,544Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Executive. Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Marilyn Peterson’s $149K as President is at the 95th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1613 $100K–1M education 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2022FY2021
Marilyn Peterson$148,544———
Richard Dominguez—$134,764$117,780$108,317

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 Literacy Chicago executive salaries →

Questions the 990 asks

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

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Empowers individuals with language and literacy skills for greater self-sufficiency.

Questions for Literacy Chicago

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Your first name shows with your question. Literacy Chicago answers here, for everyone.

2 programs · $541K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Literacy Chicago Srvices the adult education community programs including basic reading adn comprehension classes for adults reading below a 6th grade Level, adult basic education ABE classes, GED classes, english second language ESL classes, computer classes and workforce development courses.

Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2024. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 36-2663174) · Dispute this line
$298Kprogram expense
02

The IL SECRETARY of STATE GRANT and Other Grants - Allows Literacy Chicago to conduct our volunteer programs where175 volunteers teach tutoring services. Volunteers also lead classroom sessions for our adult learners the subjects of reading and comprehension, our citizenship and computer classes.

Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2024. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 36-2663174) · Dispute this line
$243Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$11K

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$897K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$874K
Other incomeLn 4–11$24K
Investment incomeLn 3$9
Money outPt IX
$706K
Ln 25
Programscol B$541K
Managementcol C$130K
Fundraisingcol D$35K
Owns and owesPt X
$636K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$705K
Total assetsLn 16$881K
LiabilitiesLn 26$244K
PeoplePt VI, VII
9
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b9
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$874K
Government grantsLn 1e$806K
Investment incomeLn 3$9
Other incomeLn 4–11$24K
Total revenueLn 12$897K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$697K
SavingsLn 2$7K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$705K
Pledges and grants receivableLn 3$55K
Other assetsLn 15$121K
Total assetsLn 16$881K
LiabilitiesLn 26$244K
Net assetsLn 32$636K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 513
VolunteersI 6175
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$530K$705K
Total assetsLn 16$729K$881K
LiabilitiesLn 26$284K$244K
Net assetsLn 32$445K$636K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Ln 5$149K$149K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$316K$223K$70K$23K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$44K$35K$7K$2K
Payroll taxesLn 10$38K$30K$6K$2K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$10K$960$9K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$0
Advertising and promotionLn 12$2K$2K
Office expensesLn 13$0
Information technologyLn 14$3K$816$2K
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$49K$32K$10K$7K
TravelLn 17$10K$10K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$4K$715$4K
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$0
InsuranceLn 23$6K$556$5K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$71K$59K$12K$152
All other expensesLn 24e$4K$362$3K
Total functional expensesLn 25$706K$541K$130K$35K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS Jan 26, 2026 $897K$706K$192K$636K 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS Jan 20, 2025 $632K$629K$4K$445K 990 PDF
FY2023 Not on file
FY2022Filed with the IRS Feb 1, 2023 $548K$516K$33K$453K 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Feb 1, 2023 $446K$465K−$19K$286K 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

A · Public support I · Grants O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990
Part I · Summary $897,204 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $624,697$873,558
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $10$9
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $7,697$23,637
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $632,404$897,204
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $508,265$546,365
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $120,598$159,319
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $628,863$705,684
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $3,541$191,520
Part VI · Governance 9 of 9 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body9
VI-1b Independent voting members9
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $897,204 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$805,772
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$67,786
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$873,558
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $9$9
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$23,637
VIII-12 Total revenueExcluded from tax $9$897,204
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $705,684 across 30 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Programs $148,544$148,544
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $222,930 · Management $69,651 · Fundraising $23,217$315,798
IX-8 Pension plan contributions$0
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $35,114 · Management $6,847 · Fundraising $2,208$44,169
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $30,094 · Management $5,867 · Fundraising $1,893$37,854
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal fees$0
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $960 · Management $8,640$9,600
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $2,395$2,395
IX-13 Office expenses$0
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $816 · Management $2,438$3,254
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $31,886 · Management $9,811 · Fundraising $7,358$49,055
IX-17 TravelPrograms $10,415$10,415
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $715 · Management $3,565$4,280
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortization$0
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $556 · Management $5,007$5,563
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $58,527 · Management $12,456 · Fundraising $152$71,135
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $362 · Management $3,260$3,622
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $540,919 · Management $129,937 · Fundraising $34,828$705,684
Part X · Balance sheet $880,654 assets, 11 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $522,116$697,271
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $7,429$7,438
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $33,376$55,430
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $166,085$120,515
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $729,006$880,654
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $112,655$120,649
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $171,435$123,570
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $284,090$244,219
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $444,916$636,435
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $444,916$636,435
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $729,006$880,654
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $636,435 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$897,204
XI-2 Total expenses$705,684
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$191,520
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$444,916
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$1
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$636,435

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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