Chicago Architecture Foundation EIN 36-6144362 Form 990 (PDF) Claim this org

Chicago Architecture Foundation

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Promotes architectural innovation and urban design through public exhibitions, educational programs, and interactive displays that inspire people to discover why design matters. For fiscal year 2024 it reported $14.7M in revenue, $12.3M in expenses, and $10.7M in net assets.Pt I

Founded
1966
Type
Public charity (501(c)(3)) · Arts & Culture
Location
Chicago, IL
Website
www.architecture.org
Filings
5 on file (2020–2024)
Revenue
$14.7MFY2024
Expenses
$12.3M
Net assets
$10.7M
People
52
Filings
5
Updates
0
More identity details & actions ⌄
EIN  36-6144362 Public charity (501(c)(3)) Chicago, IL Founded 1966
Form 990 (PDF)
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Figures match the IRS filing checked 7/19/26 · see original: IRS
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Size
$10–100M
What they do
Promotes architectural innovation and urban design through public exhibitions, educational programs, and interactive displays that inspire people to discover why design matters.
Leadership
Eleanor Gorski · CEO & President · $388K
Money in and out
$14.7M revenue, $12.3M expenses
Bottom line
62% program efficiency
Where the money goes · FY2024
Total revenue
$14.7M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$12.3M
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$10.7M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expenses (Pt I · Ln 19): $2.5M
Where spending went · Part IX cols B–D
Program services $0.62 Management & general $0.29 Fundraising $0.09
Program efficiency
62%
of spending reaches programs▼ -8% vs prior filing year
Operating runway
5.2mo
months of highly liquid reserves at operating expense rate▲ +189% vs prior filing year
Surplus margin
+17%
revenue over expenses, this year▲ +198% vs prior filing year

Summary of the Filing

Part I · fiscal year 2024 · Form 990
Revenue
$14.7M
FY2024▼ -10%
Expenses
$12.3M
FY2024▼ -36%
Total assets
$27.5M
FY2024▲ +4%
Total liabilities
$16.8M
FY2024▼ -7%
Total revenue
$14.7M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$12.3M
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$10.7M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expensesPt I · Ln 19$2.5M
Total assetsPt X · Ln 16$27.5M
Program-expense ratioPt IX · col B62%
Voting members of governing bodyPt I · Ln 330
Independent voting membersPt I · Ln 430
Mission & Programs · Part III

Where the work happens

3 program services account for $3.3M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2024.
01

Tours are the hallmark of the chicago architecture center and offer insights into chicago's buildings, neighborhoods, and environments. In 2024 tour attendance was approximately 25,200 for walking tours and over 395,000 for boat tours.

$1.9Mprogram expense
02

In 2024, the youth & family learning team averaged 17 unique programs per month, and 644 participants per month in those programs. This is a 22% increase from 2023 participation numbers (524/MO) and 133% increase in programs offered (7/MO). Our core programming included teen fellows, saturday studios, family festivals, and girls build!.

$827Kprogram expense
03

Cac offers exhibitions and public programs on the subject of architecture and the built environment. In 2024, over 37,473 people participated in our exhibitions. The center offers a skyscraper gallery, rotating exhibits and a large-scale interactive model of the city of chicago.

$610Kprogram expense

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Identity & Classification

Form 990 Header · IRS Business Master File
Legal nameHdr · item CChicago Architecture Foundation
EINHdr · item D36-6144362
Principal addressHdr · item CChicago, IL
WebsiteHdr · item Jwww.architecture.org
Year of formationHdr · item L1966
State of legal domicileHdr · item MIL
Exempt statusHdr · item I501(c)(3) · active
NTEE classificationIRS BMFArts & Culture (A400)
Ruling yearIRS BMFOct 1966

Governance & Policies

Part VI
Voting members of the governing bodyPt VI · Ln 1a30
Independent voting membersPt VI · Ln 1b30
Conflict-of-interest policyPt VI · Ln 12aYes
Whistleblower policyPt VI · Ln 13Yes
Document retention policyPt VI · Ln 14Yes
CEO/top-official compensation independently reviewedPt VI · Ln 15aYes
Family or business relationships among officers/directorsPt VI · Ln 2No

Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
CEO & President
$387,784Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Financial Officer
$231,662Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Strategy Officer
$161,442Pt VII · Sec A
$149,738Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Advancement Officer
$149,709Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Marketing Officer
$125,424Pt VII · Sec A
VP of Learning
$122,292Pt VII · Sec A
HR Director
$120,836Pt VII · Sec A

Eleanor Gorski’s $388K as CEO & President is at the 63rd percentile of top reported officer pay among 749 $10–100M arts & culture 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
Lynn Osmond$209,936$489,535
Eleanor Gorski$387,784
Lynn J Osmond$383,323
Eleanor Gorski$353,453$27,083
Juanna Blackwell$34,500$295,058$72,798
Simone Edwards$231,662
Michael Malak$197,351$167,373$156,797
Nicole Korwach$188,282$182,875

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.

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Statement of Revenue

Part VIII
Program service revenue$7.7M · 52%
Contributions & grants$6.5M · 44%
Other revenue$419K · 3%
Investment income$102K · 1%
Program service revenue52%$7.7M
Contributions & grants44%$6.5M
Other revenue3%$419K
Investment income1%$102K
— government grantsLn 1e$650K
Total revenueLn 12$14.7M

Statement of Functional Expenses

Part IX · allocated across program, management, and fundraising
Allocation · columns B–D
Program services $0.62 Management & general $0.29 Fundraising $0.09
Program services62%$7.6M
Management & general29%$3.6M
Fundraising9%$1.1M
Total functional expensesLn 25$12.3M

Balance Sheet

Part X · end of year
CashLn 1$5.2M
Total assetsLn 16$27.5M
Total liabilitiesLn 26$16.8M
Total net assetsLn 32$10.7M
Months of cash on handcomputed5.0

Financial Metrics

Form 990 · FY2024 · each ratio shown with the dollars behind it
Liquidity & Payout
Operating runway
Highly liquid reserves $5.3M · Operating expenses/yr $12.3M
5.2 months
Where the money goes
Program services
Program services $7.6M · Total expenses $12.3M
62%
Management & General
Management & general $3.6M · Total expenses $12.3M
29%
Fundraising
Fundraising $1.1M · Total expenses $12.3M
9%
Cost to raise $1
Fundraising expense (3-yr avg) $1.6M · Solicited contributions (3-yr avg) $3.9M
$0.42 to raise $1 (3-yr avg)
Where the money comes from
Contribution dependence
Contributions & grants $6.5M · Total revenue $14.7M
44%
Government reliance
Government grants $650K · Total revenue $14.7M
4%
Earned-income share
Program service revenue $7.7M · Total revenue $14.7M
52%
Investment reliance
Investment income $102K · Total revenue $14.7M
+0.7%
Program self-sufficiency
Program service revenue $7.7M · Total expenses $12.3M
63%
Growth & trend
Revenue growth (YoY)
This year $14.7M · Prior year $16.3M
-10%
Revenue CAGR
FY2020 $5.6M · FY2024 $14.7M
+27%
Net-asset trend (YoY)
End of year $10.7M · Beginning of year —
Beginning net assets not meaningfully positive — showing dollar change
Balance sheet
Surplus Margin
Revenue $14.7M · Expenses $12.3M
+17%
Liabilities-to-Assets
Total liabilities — · Total assets $27.5M
Net-asset ratio
Net assets $10.7M · Total assets $27.5M
39%
Marketable Investment Share
Publicly traded securities (Pt X, ln 11) $121K · Other securities (Pt X, ln 12) $0 · Total assets (Pt X, ln 16) $27.5M
0.4%
People & payroll
Highest Reported Total Compensation
Individual Eleanor Gorski · Reported title CEO & President · Highest reported compensation $388K · Total expenses $12.3M
3%
Personnel share
Salaries, benefits & payroll (Pt IX 5-10) $6.6M · Total expenses $12.3M
54%
Peer comparison

Same NTEE category, revenue band, and state where available. Descriptive — not a grade.

MetricThis orgPeer medianPercentile
Program ratio 62%
Overhead ratio 29%
Fundraising cost ratio 17%
Revenue growth -10%
Investment management fee ratio 0%
Legal fee ratio 0.04%
Accounting fee ratio 0.6%
Fundraising fee ratio 0%

Straight from the Form 990 — descriptive, not an evaluation. A ratio is hidden when its base is zero or too small to be meaningful; the dollars are always shown.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
See all 21 funders →

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Filings & Schedule Manifest

Part IV
III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
FY2024 (Latest)$14.7M revenue · viewing · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2023$16.3M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2022$21.1M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2021$14.7M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2020$5.6M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF

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Sources

Every figure above is drawn from these filings
Form 990 e-file (XML) · FY2024IRS
Classification, formation year, addressIRS Business Master File
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