Paws Chicago FY2021 filing

Claim this org

(tell your story, add context, and more) Claim it free, then get the verified mark for $5,000 a year, plus $10 a year for the ID check.

How does your 990 look to donors? Take the 10-Question Audit

Paws Chicago is a national model in no kill animal welfare, offering robust adoption and spay/neuter programs.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
91¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$756K 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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
5 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $12.3M a year · 42% of revenue · last 5 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 5 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
91%
of spending
Looks good: 91% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$756K
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
7 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $81.5M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Looks good: 6.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
12
named funders · $204K
Looks good: 12 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$2.4M
2% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 2% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
23
of 23 voting members
Looks good: 23 of 23 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$25.6M
+69% vs prior year
Spent
$13.4M
To programs
91%
Net assets
$108.4M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$25.6M
FY2021▲ +69%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$15.1M
FY2021$25.6M
FY2022$25.8M
FY2023$32.4M
FY2024$47.0M
Expenses
$13.4M
FY2021▲ +18%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$11.3M
FY2021$13.4M
FY2022$18.5M
FY2023$19.8M
FY2024$21.3M
Net assets
$108.4M
FY2021▲ +21%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$89.6M
FY2021$108.4M
FY2022$97.8M
FY2023$123.1M
FY2024$148.6M

From the FY2021 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim
You’re viewing the FY2021 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Feb 1999.

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

Where the money goes

91 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 91% · $12.2M Management & general 5% · $656K Fundraising 4% · $553K

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

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

33 people listed on the 990; $756K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Vice President, Communications and Marketing
$138,558Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Medical Officer
$135,346Pt VII · Sec A
CEO/Chief Community Engagement Officer
$125,000Pt VII · Sec A
VP of Special Projects
$122,992Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President, Community Development
$120,731Pt VII · Sec A
Director, Canine Behavior & Training
$113,015Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Dr Alycia Eisenstein DVM’s $285K as Chief Medical Officer is at the 54th percentile of top reported officer pay among 225 $10–100M animals 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 · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Dr Alycia Eisenstein DVM$284,534————
Susanna Homan—$268,067$247,375$125,000—
Susanna Wickham$260,600————
Marlow a Bernard—$204,000———
Alexis Fasseas$196,960$73,263———
Kristina Rosinia—$189,150$184,352——
Gabriel Enrique Nieves$180,675————
Kristina Maria Rosinia$176,317————

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 Paws 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 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Finds homes for animals and offers low-cost spay/neuter services.

Questions for Paws Chicago

Tap to ask. Paws Chicago sees how many people are interested.

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

3 programs · $10.4M · in their own filed words · FY2021
01

Animal Health & Behavior

Committing to saving each treatable pet and providing all the medical treatment and behavioral enrichment needed to optimize health and wellbeing are two of the most critical elements of the no kill model.

$5.5Mprogram expense
02

Prevention & Spay/Neuter

Despite the continued effects of the pandemic slowing down businesses across the country and forcing massive changes to operations paws chicago remained the only local provider of high volume SPAY/NEUTER surgeries, performing 12,272 in 2021. The majority of stray, feral and unwanted pets originate in under resourced communities.

$2.9Mprogram expense
03

Adoption

Rescuing homeless pets and uniting them with their new families connects the public with the plight of homeless pets on the deepest level. Through paws chicago's adoption centers and innovative programming, paws united 4,046 animals with loving homes in 2021.

$2.0Mprogram 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 · FY2025
See all 12 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$25.6M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$19.0M
Investment incomeLn 3$4.7M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$2.3M
Money outPt IX
$13.4M
Ln 25
Programscol B$12.2M
Managementcol C$656K
Fundraisingcol D$553K
Owns and owesPt X
$108.4M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$7.3M
Total assetsLn 16$110.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.4M
PeoplePt VI, VII
33
listed · VII A
PaidVII A6
Voting boardVI 1a23
IndependentVI 1b23
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$19.0M
Government grantsLn 1e$1.2M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$914K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$2.7M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$2.3M
Investment incomeLn 3$4.7M
Gains on assetsLn 7$1.2M
Total revenueLn 12$25.6M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$7.3M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$7.3M
Pledges and grants receivableLn 3$1.9M
Inventories for sale or useLn 8$40K
Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesLn 9$193K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$19.8M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$81.5M
Total assetsLn 16$110.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.4M
Net assetsLn 32$108.4M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5242
VolunteersI 61,421
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3More from this return
Abroad and in kindSch F, M
Noncash gifts receivedSch M Pt I$2.3M
Investment feesPt IX, Sch D
Investment fees, as reportedPt IX 11f$40K
Share of the $70.2M endowmentSch D 1g0.06%
Typical, median of 2,202 orgs0.44%
EndowmentSch D · Pt V
LineFY21FY20FY19FY18FY17
End of yearLn 1g$70.2M$50.4M$41.8M$38.1M$33.0M
Given inLn 1b$19.7M$8.6M$3.7M$5.1M$7.7M
4Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$7.7M$7.3M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$61.5M$81.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$19.7M$19.8M
Total assetsLn 16$91.8M$110.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.2M$2.4M
Net assetsLn 32$89.6M$108.4M
5Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$124K$93K$25K$6K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$6.6M$6.3M$250K$45K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$330K$323K$7K
Payroll taxesLn 10$542K$523K$16K$3K
Accounting feesLn 11c$40K$40K
Investment management feesLn 11f$40K$40K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$6K$6K$237
Office expensesLn 13$400K$240K$136K$25K
Information technologyLn 14$432K$341K$50K$41K
OccupancyLn 16$390K$379K$11K
TravelLn 17$50K$49K$1K$216
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$2K$2K$78
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$683K$658K$21K$4K
InsuranceLn 23$182K$167K$13K$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$3.1M$2.7M$32K$342K
All other expensesLn 24e$519K$419K$15K$85K
Total functional expensesLn 25$13.4M$12.2M$656K$553K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 LatestFiled with the IRS Nov 17, 2025 $47.0M$21.3M$25.6M$148.6M 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Nov 14, 2024 $32.4M$19.8M$12.6M$123.1M 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Nov 14, 2023 $25.8M$18.5M$7.3M$97.8M 990 PDF
FY2021 ViewingFiled with the IRS Jan 14, 2023 $25.6M$13.4M$12.2M$108.4M 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS Nov 15, 2021 $15.1M$11.3M$3.8M$89.6M 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support M · Noncash O · Explanations
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $25,583,690 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $15,333,565$18,957,393
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $1,712,196$2,272,989
I-10 Investment incomePrior year −$435,627$4,734,311
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$1,480,193−$381,003
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $15,129,941$25,583,690
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $6,468,691$7,588,914
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $4,859,137$5,821,113
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $11,327,828$13,410,027
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $3,802,113$12,173,663
Part VI · Governance 23 of 23 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body23
VI-1b Independent voting members23
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
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 $25,583,690 across 11 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $35,076 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$2,662,004
VIII-1e Government grants$1,153,803
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$15,141,586
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$913,948
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$18,957,393
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $2,272,989$2,272,989
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $3,531,858$3,531,858
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $1,202,453$1,202,453
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$429,034−$429,034
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $12,955$12,955
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $2,285,944 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $4,340,353$25,583,690
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $13,410,027 across 16 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $92,618 · Management $25,192 · Fundraising $6,298$124,108
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $6,297,556 · Management $250,101 · Fundraising $44,987$6,592,644
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $323,019 · Management $7,153$330,172
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $523,080 · Management $15,543 · Fundraising $3,367$541,990
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $40,205$40,205
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $39,688$39,688
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $5,846 · Fundraising $237$6,083
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $240,076 · Management $135,694 · Fundraising $24,585$400,355
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $340,707 · Management $49,970 · Fundraising $40,885$431,562
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $379,365 · Management $10,685$390,050
IX-17 TravelPrograms $49,077 · Management $1,008 · Fundraising $216$50,301
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $1,500 · Fundraising $78$1,578
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $658,163 · Management $21,430 · Fundraising $3,505$683,098
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $167,348 · Management $13,021 · Fundraising $1,628$181,997
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $2,703,181 · Management $31,815 · Fundraising $342,193$3,077,189
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $419,106 · Management $14,980 · Fundraising $84,921$519,007
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $12,200,642 · Management $656,485 · Fundraising $552,900$13,410,027
Part X · Balance sheet $110,792,054 assets, 16 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $4,109,915$7,333,275
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $3,626,033$0
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $2,625,629$1,850,910
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $42,925$39,954
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $187,703$193,245
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $19,734,436$19,838,537
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $61,479,197$81,536,133
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $91,805,838$110,792,054
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $971,312$1,075,754
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $37,148$179,958
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $1,153,803$1,116,955
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $2,162,263$2,372,667
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $73,683,588$78,410,374
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $15,959,987$30,009,013
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $89,643,575$108,419,387
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $91,805,838$110,792,054
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $108,419,387 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$25,583,690
XI-2 Total expenses$13,410,027
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$12,173,663
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$89,643,575
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$6,602,149
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$108,419,387

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

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.