Ascend Justice FY2020 filing

Tax-deductible

Chicago, IL501(c)(3)EIN 36-3647731

Empowering individuals and families impacted by gender-based violence or the child welfare system to achieve safety and stability through holistic legal advocacy and system reform.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
80¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$101K 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

FY2020 · 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
5 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $114K a year · 4% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 5 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
80%
of spending
Looks good: 80% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$101K
to officers and key staff · 6% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 6% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
19
named funders · $1.7M
Looks good: 19 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$139K
13% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 13% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
13
of 14 voting members
Looks good: 13 of 14 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.8M
Spent
$1.7M
To programs
80%
Net assets
$896K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$1.8M
FY2020
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.8M
FY2021$1.9M
FY2022$2.2M
FY2023$3.6M
FY2024$4.2M
FY2025$5.1M
Expenses
$1.7M
FY2020
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$1.7M
FY2021$1.8M
FY2022$2.1M
FY2023$3.4M
FY2024$4.3M
FY2025$4.8M
Net assets
$896K
FY2020
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$896K
FY2021$1.1M
FY2022$1.2M
FY2023$1.3M
FY2024$1.2M
FY2025$1.5M

From the FY2020 Form 990 (year ending June 2020) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Feb 1994.

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

Where the money goes

80 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 80% · $1.3M Management & general 16% · $265K Fundraising 5% · $81K

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

Who runs it and what they're paid

17 people listed on the 990; $101K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2019); the FY2020 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director
$101,250Pt 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
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Margaret Duval$134,480$133,000$117,048$85,060$104,037$101,250
Ashley Olsen$103,700$106,450————
Danielle Parisi Ruffatto$102,637$103,614————
Sara Gilloon$100,222—————

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 Ascend Justice 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

Advocates for safety and stability for those affected by gender-based violence or child welfare issues.

Provided by the organization

This section is blank until Ascend Justice claims this page.

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1 program service account for $1.3M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2019.
01

In our most recently completed fiscal year, ascend justice provided legal representation or advice to approximately 1000 victims of domestic violence seeking orders of protection, domestic relations cases in which they seek divorce, support or custody of their children, and immigration proceedings involving u-visa or vawa relief.

$1.3Mprogram expense

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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 · FY2024
See all 19 funders →
Grants paid · 9 grants · $254K · 2021–2022
A Safe PlaceIL · FY2022$77,400
Safer FoundationIL · FY2022$51,000
Illinois Legal Aid OnlineIL · FY2022$8,000
A Safe PlaceIL · FY2021$67,567
Remedies Renewing LivesIL · FY2021$13,610
Sarah's InnIL · FY2021$12,500
Family Rescue INCIL · FY2021$12,500

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.8M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.7M
Other incomeLn 4–11$30K
Investment incomeLn 3$22K
Money outPt IX
$1.7M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.3M
Managementcol C$265K
Fundraisingcol D$81K
Owns and owesPt X
$896K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$614K
Total assetsLn 16$1.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$139K
PeoplePt VI, VII
17
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a14
IndependentVI 1b13
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.7M
Government grantsLn 1e$1.0M
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$102K
Investment incomeLn 3$22K
Other incomeLn 4–11$30K
Gains on assetsLn 7$22K
Total revenueLn 12$1.8M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$567K
SavingsLn 2$47K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$614K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$4K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Total assetsLn 16$1.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$139K
Net assetsLn 32$896K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 526
VolunteersI 6125
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 FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$455K$614K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$4K$4K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0$0
Total assetsLn 16$819K$1.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$24K$139K
Net assetsLn 32$795K$896K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$101K$81K$15K$5K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.2M$924K$169K$58K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$114K$97K$12K$4K
Payroll taxesLn 10$92K$73K$14K$5K
Accounting feesLn 11c$25K$5K$19K$220
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$27K$6K$21K$243
Advertising and promotionLn 12$375$256$25$94
Office expensesLn 13$39K$32K$4K$3K
Information technologyLn 14$21K$18K$2K$2K
OccupancyLn 16$67K$62K$5K
TravelLn 17$2K$1K$149$201
InsuranceLn 23$31K$27K$3K$1K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$20K$18K$1K$1K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.7M$1.3M$265K$81K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $5.1M$4.8M$298K$1.5M 990 PDF
FY2024 $4.2M$4.3M−$115K$1.2M 990 PDF
FY2023 $3.6M$3.4M$187K$1.3M 990 PDF
FY2022 $2.2M$2.1M$90K$1.2M 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.9M$1.8M$164K$1.1M 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $1.8M$1.7M$61K$896K 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 FY2020 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,750,321 across 9 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$101,820
VIII-1e Government grants$1,014,570
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$582,535
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,698,925
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $34$34
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission $21,632$21,632
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $4,367$4,367
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $25,363$25,363
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $46,995 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $4,401$1,750,321
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,689,265 across 13 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $81,244 · Management $14,869 · Fundraising $5,138$101,251
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $923,536 · Management $169,022 · Fundraising $58,400$1,150,958
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $97,288 · Management $12,102 · Fundraising $4,280$113,670
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $73,016 · Management $13,590 · Fundraising $4,913$91,519
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $5,136 · Management $19,424 · Fundraising $220$24,780
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $5,660 · Management $21,403 · Fundraising $243$27,306
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $256 · Management $25 · Fundraising $94$375
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $31,763 · Management $4,039 · Fundraising $2,996$38,798
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $17,673 · Management $1,965 · Fundraising $1,798$21,436
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $61,894 · Management $4,660$66,554
IX-17 TravelPrograms $1,382 · Management $149 · Fundraising $201$1,732
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $26,701 · Management $3,094 · Fundraising $1,144$30,939
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $17,751 · Management $1,026 · Fundraising $1,170$19,947
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,343,300 · Management $265,368 · Fundraising $80,597$1,689,265
Part X · Balance sheet $1,034,773 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $409,254$566,807
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $45,255$47,281
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $333,874$403,874
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $14,346$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $12,110$12,901
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $0$0
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $3,954$3,910
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $818,793$1,034,773
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $23,999$58,967
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $0$80,000
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $23,999$138,967
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $437,094$475,606
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $357,700$420,200
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $794,794$895,806
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $818,793$1,034,773
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $895,806 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,750,321
XI-2 Total expenses$1,689,265
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$61,056
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$794,794
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$44
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$40,000
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$895,806

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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