Big Shoulders Fund
94% goes to programs $3 to raise $100 Strong reserves Declining revenue
Big Shoulders Fund is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Chicago, Illinois, registered in 1987, with $53,155,887 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 94% of spending to programs.
212 W Van Buren St Ste 900, Chicago, IL, 60607 EIN 36-3490557 Since 1987
Revenue (FY2024)
$53.2M
▼ 37.3% vs prior year
Education median: $200K
Expenses (FY2024)
$54.9M
Net assets
$129.4M
Employees
114
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
A
A+Program efficiency40% of the rating94% to programs · $3 to raise $100
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For Big Shoulders Fund: 94% to programs · $3 to raise $100 earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
B+Financial health25% of the rating28 mo reserves · -3% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For Big Shoulders Fund: 28 mo reserves · -3% margin earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For Big Shoulders Fund: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Transparency10% of the rating5 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For Big Shoulders Fund: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
We provide support to high need schools which provide a quality, values-based education for chicago and northwest indiana's children.
What they do
Student scholarship programs: administered over90 distinct scholarship programs that include mentoring, enrichment and other support activities. 5,267 scholarships were awarded to 5,080 students at 120 elementary and high schools to enable them to attend non-public schools.
Academic enrichment and leadership development: big shoulders administers over 25 ongoing programs in 90 schools involving over 800 teachers and administrators to improve instruction and learning through leadership and professional development, professional learning communities and access to high quality curricula with focus on math, science, civics, and literacy. provide a variety of other needed capital and programmatic support to ensure a safe, effective learning environment for nearly 25,000 students through ongoing enrichment programs including a science and leadership camp, afterschool programs, summer programs, and other opportunities for students.
Other program services: general academic enrichment activities for students, such as outdoor education, learning about investments and the stock market. support for schools holding fund-raising events. supporting volunteer school cleanup and maintenance activities. grants to schools as designated by donors - agency (pass-through) transactions. in addition, big shoulders fund provides support to students, teachers, and adminstrators at catholic schools primarily serving low-income students in northwest indiana through a restricted grant. southeast side experience incubator (ssei) provides students at st. francis de sales high school with valuable life and work experiences in a professional setting utilizing a work study program. students' academic schedules are modified so that four students share one full-time entry-level job. work study hours provide students with an enriched learning experience and is certified by the us department of labor.
Contact & location
- Address
- 212 W Van Buren St Ste 900, Chicago, IL, 60607
- City
- Chicago
- State
- Illinois
- Category
- Education
- Subcategory
- Support Foundations & Fundraising
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $31.9M (FY2017) to $53.2M (FY2024) across 8 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $22.7MNet assets $129.4M
Operating margin
-3.3%
Spent more than it raised in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$152.1M
Total liabilities
$22.7M
Net assets
$129.4M
Salaries & benefits
$8.8M
16% of expenses
Board members
32
32 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $53,155,887▼37.3% | $54,884,867▼27.7% | $129,424,910▼1.1% | $152,085,991▲1.3% | 990 |
| 2023 | $84,776,624▲29.1% | $75,889,009▲28.8% | $130,829,925▲16.1% | $150,134,830▲10.9% | 990 |
| 2022 | $65,677,021▲4.4% | $58,940,127▲12.0% | $112,679,829▲5.4% | $135,423,582▲7.5% | 990 |
| 2021 | $62,883,883▲1.9% | $52,614,506▲24.9% | $106,885,245▲12.0% | $125,993,936▲14.0% | 990 |
| 2020 | $61,700,078▲94.2% | $42,124,358▲26.8% | $95,412,428▲18.7% | $110,535,170▲21.1% | 990 |
| 2019 | $31,770,708▼18.8% | $33,216,976▲25.7% | $80,361,932▼1.5% | $91,302,966▲1.5% | 990 |
| 2018 | $39,123,383▲22.5% | $26,421,697▲19.2% | $81,599,963▲21.7% | $89,994,006▲13.6% | 990 |
| 2017 | $31,933,425 | $22,166,857 | $67,023,587 | $79,203,116 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2024)
Highest-paid: Joshua Hale — $585,588 (1.07% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joshua Hale | President and Chief Executive Officer | 50 | $585,588 |
| Rebecca Lindsay-ryan | Chief Schools Officer | 50 | $292,828 |
| Malcolm Douglas | Chief Financial Officer | 50 | $254,776 |
| Amelia Drozda | Chief Advancement & Development Officer | 50 | $204,800 |
| Daniel Bennett | Senior Director, Scholarships | 50 | $191,377 |
| Timothy Gallo | Managing Director, Plus Schools and Leadership | 50 | $171,161 |
| Daniel Kozlowski | Managing Director, Nwi | 50 | $166,775 |
| Danielle Robinson | Managing Director, School Operations and Patrons Program | 50 | $165,754 |
| Laura Nalley | Senior Director, People and Leadership | 50 | $159,145 |
| Maria Ippolito | Managing Director, School Marketing and Enrollment | 50 | $154,012 |
| Arthur R Velasquez | Board of Trustees | 1 | — |
| Charles K Bobrinskoy | Board of Trustees | 1 | — |
| Cherryl Thomas | Board of Trustees | 1 | — |
| Christine E Kelly | Board of Trustees | 1 | — |
| Christopher Valenti | Board of Trustees | 1 | — |
| Daniel Doherty | Board of Trustees | 1 | — |
| David Dury | Board of Trustees | 1 | — |
| Dennis Fitzsimons | Board of Trustees | 1 | — |
| Elizabeth Cole | Board of Trustees | 1 | — |
| Gerald Beeson | Board of Trustees | 1 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2024)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Uchicago Stem Education | Prof Development For Schools | $348,338 |
| Ziemke Consulting LLC | Prof Development For Schools | $295,701 |
| Nqc Literacy LLC | Prof Development For Schools | $286,702 |
| Kirk Ziemke | Prof Development For Schools | $217,847 |
| University of Illinois - Chicago | Prof Development For Schools | $193,361 |
Grants received · $50.5M total
134 grants to Big Shoulders Fund totaling $50.5M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert R Mccormick Foundation | Civic education pilot, college access and success program, productive play in pre-k and k expansion, matching gifts and sponsorship | 2024 | $2,024,208 |
| American Endowment Foundation | Educational | 2024 | $52,250 |
| Charities Aid Foundation America | Charitable donation | 2024 | $50,456 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $31,755 |
| Greater Horizons | Public, societal benefit | 2024 | $29,000 |
| T Rowe Price Program For Charitable Giving Inc | Multiple | 2024 | $25,000 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2024 | $18,000 |
| Ayco Charitable Foundation | Education | 2024 | $17,000 |
| National Philanthropic Tr | Education | 2023 | $3,033,738 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2023 | $2,217,874 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Education | 2023 | $1,051,060 |
| Robert R Mccormick Foundation | Scholarships | 2023 | $646,761 |
| Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2023 | $558,250 |
| Northwestern Memorial Healthcare | Youth social and emotional | 2023 | $200,000 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2023 | $186,691 |
Grants made · $24.3M in FY2024
84 grants totaling $24.3M in FY2024 — showing the 15 largest. All grants made by Big Shoulders Fund →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| St Sabina Church | Ae, cp, op | $1,369,348 |
| St Ethelreda Church | Ae, cp, lpd, op | $1,223,850 |
| St Francis De Sales High School | Ae, cp, op, pp, ddg | $1,061,550 |
| St Angela School | Ae, op, ddg | $917,202 |
| Epiphany School | Ae, lpd, op, pp, ddg | $895,883 |
| St Constance School | Ae, lpd, op, pp | $823,640 |
| Visitation School | Ae, cp, op, pp, ddg | $799,930 |
| St Mary Star of the Sea Parish & School | Ae, op | $734,101 |
| St Sylvester Parish & School | Ae, cp, lpd, op, pp, ddg | $712,399 |
| Our Lady of Africa Parish | Ae, lpd, op, pp | $707,608 |
| Catholic Bishop of Chicago Five Holy Martyrs Parish | Ae, lpd, op | $652,160 |
| St Louis De Montfort Parish & School | Ae, lpd, op | $629,330 |
| St Malachy School | Ae, lpd, op, pp, ddg | $621,509 |
| St Margaret of Scotland Parish & School | Ae, lpd, op | $618,810 |
| St Moses the Black Parish | Ae, op, pp | $597,540 |
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Frequently asked questions
- Is Big Shoulders Fund a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Big Shoulders Fund is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 36-3490557, based in Chicago, Illinois. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Big Shoulders Fund's EIN?
- Big Shoulders Fund's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 36-3490557.
- How much revenue does Big Shoulders Fund report?
- Big Shoulders Fund reported $53,155,887 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Big Shoulders Fund's spending goes to programs?
- Big Shoulders Fund spends about 94% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Big Shoulders Fund have?
- CharityIndex grades Big Shoulders Fund A, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Big Shoulders Fund's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Big Shoulders Fund's latest Form 990 is $585,588, paid to Joshua Hale (President and Chief Executive Officer).
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Explore more
Data for Big Shoulders Fund (EIN 36-3490557) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.