Literacy Chicago FY2021 filing

Tax-deductible

Chicago, IL501(c)(3)EducationEIN 36-2663174

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

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
79¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$108K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2021 · 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
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
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
Fine: a surplus in 3 of the last 4 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 4 filings
Spent on programs
79%
of spending
Looks good: 79% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$108K
to officers and key staff · 23% of spending
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 23% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
10 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 10.5 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $11K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$134K
32% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 32% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
9
of 9 voting members
Looks good: 9 of 9 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$446K
Spent
$465K
To programs
79%
Net assets
$286K
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$446K
FY2021
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$446K
FY2022$548K
FY2024$632K
FY2025$897K
Expenses
$465K
FY2021
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$465K
FY2022$516K
FY2024$629K
FY2025$706K
Net assets
$286K
FY2021
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$286K
FY2022$453K
FY2024$445K
FY2025$636K

From the FY2021 Form 990 (year ending June 2021) · see the original

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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

79 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 79% · $366K Management & general 16% · $76K Fundraising 5% · $24K

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; $108K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2020); the FY2021 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive. Director
$108,317Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$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 →

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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 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.

Provided by the organization

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2 programs · $366K · in their own filed words · FY2020
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.

$239Kprogram expense
02

The Il Secretary of State Grant

Allowes 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.

$127Kprogram 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 FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$446K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$443K
Other incomeLn 4–11$3K
Investment incomeLn 3$14
Money outPt IX
$465K
Ln 25
Programscol B$366K
Managementcol C$76K
Fundraisingcol D$24K
Owns and owesPt X
$286K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$407K
Total assetsLn 16$420K
LiabilitiesLn 26$134K
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$443K
Government grantsLn 1e$406K
Investment incomeLn 3$14
Other incomeLn 4–11$3K
Total revenueLn 12$446K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$407K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$407K
Total assetsLn 16$420K
LiabilitiesLn 26$134K
Net assetsLn 32$286K
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 FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$323K$407K
Total assetsLn 16$371K$420K
LiabilitiesLn 26$66K$134K
Net assetsLn 32$305K$286K
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 current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$0
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$349K$278K$54K$17K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$30K$24K$5K$2K
Payroll taxesLn 10$31K$25K$5K$2K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$0
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$7K$6K$672
Advertising and promotionLn 12$0
Office expensesLn 13$0
Information technologyLn 14$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$21K$13K$4K$3K
TravelLn 17$173$173
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$0
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$0
InsuranceLn 23$3K$282$3K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$24K$19K$5K$107
All other expensesLn 24e$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$465K$366K$76K$24K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $897K$706K$192K$636K 990 PDF
FY2024 $632K$629K$4K$445K 990 PDF
FY2023 Not on file
FY2022 $548K$516K$33K$453K 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $446K$465K−$19K$286K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2021 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $446,423 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$406,283
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$37,030
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$443,313
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $14$14
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$3,096
VIII-12 Total revenueExcluded from tax $14$446,423
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $465,130 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 current officers, directors and key staff$0
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $277,812 · Management $54,165 · Fundraising $17,472$349,449
IX-8 Pension plan contributions$0
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $24,025 · Management $4,684 · Fundraising $1,511$30,220
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $24,659 · Management $4,808 · Fundraising $1,551$31,018
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal fees$0
IX-11c Accounting fees$0
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $6,052 · Management $672$6,724
IX-12 Advertising and promotion$0
IX-13 Office expenses$0
IX-14 Information technology$0
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $13,432 · Management $4,133 · Fundraising $3,100$20,665
IX-17 TravelPrograms $173$173
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetings$0
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortization$0
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $282 · Management $2,534$2,816
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $19,211 · Management $4,747 · Fundraising $107$24,065
IX-24e All other expenses$0
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $365,646 · Management $75,743 · Fundraising $23,741$465,130
Part X · Balance sheet $420,422 assets, 7 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $322,794$407,006
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $48,348$13,416
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $371,142$420,422
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $66,250$134,237
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $304,892$286,185
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $304,892$286,185
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $371,142$420,422
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $286,185 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$446,423
XI-2 Total expenses$465,130
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$18,707
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$304,892
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$286,185

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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