Ucan
75% goes to programs $6 to raise $100 Strong reserves Growing revenue
Ucan is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Chicago, Illinois, registered in 1939, with $74,558,540 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 75% of spending to programs.
3605 W Fillmore St, Chicago, IL, 60624 EIN 36-2167937 Since 1939
Revenue (FY2024)
$74.6M
▲ 14.4% vs prior year
Human Services median: $293K
Expenses (FY2024)
$70.3M
Net assets
$61.2M
Employees
794
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
A
B+Program efficiency40% of the rating75% to programs · $6 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 Ucan: 75% to programs · $6 to raise $100 earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
AFinancial health25% of the rating10 mo reserves · +6% 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 Ucan: 10 mo reserves · +6% margin earns a A 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 Ucan: 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 Ucan: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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A live seal — it updates automatically when the grade changes and links donors to this verified profile.
Mission
To build strong youth and families through compassionate healing, education and empowerment.
What they do
Youth development prevention/other includes multiple violence prevention programs in and around north lawndale, riverdale, and roseland as well as safe passage programs to ensure safety for school aged children walking to school. this area also includes workforce development programs that range from summer jobs programs, internship programs, and job skills training.
Independent living/transitional living - provide youth, young adults and teen parents with the skills necessary to live self-sufficiently, and provide a safe environment for the pregnant and/or parenting clients and their children.
Ucan academy, comprised of two campuses across chicago, is an innovative 1st through 12th grade year-round therapeutic day school. a special education curriculum is used by experienced staff to help students who have experienced difficulties in previous school setting and who benefit from a smaller, more individualized classroom setting. as the largest and one of the most recognized therapeutic day schools in the area, each child enrolled in ucan academy comes to us with a unique set of needs. we used a staff-intense environment for more one-on-one attention. our students, while coming from diverse and distinct backgrounds, have all experienced difficulties in public or private school settings. many have become discouraged about learning. we help them to see schooling in a positive light and to reach their highest potential.
Contact & location
- Address
- 3605 W Fillmore St, Chicago, IL, 60624
- City
- Chicago
- State
- Illinois
- Category
- Human Services
- Subcategory
- Residential Care
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $44.2M (FY2013) to $74.6M (FY2024) across 11 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $19.7MNet assets $61.2M
Operating margin
5.7%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$80.9M
Total liabilities
$19.7M
Net assets
$61.2M
Salaries & benefits
$41.4M
59% of expenses
Board members
21
21 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $74,558,540▲14.4% | $70,287,857▲13.4% | $61,206,910▲10.1% | $80,912,507▲10.8% | 990 |
| 2023 | $65,190,210▲13.2% | $61,976,154▲18.1% | $55,617,015▲10.4% | $73,057,185▲5.3% | 990 |
| 2022 | $57,607,584▲9.6% | $52,494,654▲8.8% | $50,380,026▲14.3% | $69,401,207▲4.0% | 990 |
| 2021 | $52,582,882▲17.0% | $48,239,190▼3.9% | $44,062,308▲12.5% | $66,758,301▲2.5% | 990 |
| 2020 | $44,926,941▼3.3% | $50,195,723▲8.1% | $39,172,531▼2.5% | $65,133,111▲0.8% | 990 |
| 2019 | $46,437,952▲2.4% | $46,427,151▲2.7% | $40,171,917▼1.3% | $64,641,349▼1.3% | 990 |
| 2018 | $45,367,966▲1.1% | $45,228,178▼0.2% | $40,692,207▼0.4% | $65,469,349▲0.5% | 990 |
| 2017 | $44,882,466▲7.3% | $45,315,055▲13.0% | $40,844,720▲1.0% | $65,142,265▲3.0% | 990 |
| 2016 | $41,834,642▼0.5% | $40,112,374▲2.4% | $40,423,461▲5.9% | $63,244,833▲0.3% | 990 |
| 2015 | $42,030,306▼5.0% | $39,179,413▲1.1% | $38,175,720▼1.0% | $63,041,628▲2.6% | 990 |
| 2013 | $44,245,278 | $38,758,156▼1.7% | $38,550,471▲26.7% | $61,443,574▲25.9% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $39,416,567▲4.1% | $30,419,171▲32.4% | $48,795,796▲15.1% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $37,876,286▲2.2% | $22,968,868▲9.0% | $42,383,769▲10.4% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $37,073,943▲7.0% | $21,064,426▲24.4% | $38,374,183▲12.3% | 990 |
| 2009 | — | $34,632,547 | $16,926,681 | $34,175,015 | 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: Christa Hamilton — $263,128 (0.37% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christa Hamilton | Ceo/president | 40 | $263,128 |
| Tenisha Jones | Chief Program Officer | 40 | $181,655 |
| Terri Sharpp | Chief Operations Officer | 40 | $181,630 |
| Randy Sadler | Svp Theurapeutic and Clinical Services | 40 | $166,925 |
| Stephanie Franklin | Senior Vice President | 40 | $164,521 |
| Channa Bush | Associate Vice President | 40 | $163,740 |
| Paviella Foster | Svp Prevention and Empowerment Services | 40 | $154,608 |
| Nicolas P Liakopulos | Chief Information Officer | 40 | $153,556 |
| Derrick Baker | Vice President of Marketing | 40 | $147,817 |
| Maria Kamenaki | Senior Program Administrator | 40 | $146,427 |
| Aurora Stevenson | Secretary | 1 | — |
| Bert Allen | Vice Chair | 1 | — |
| Cedric Thurman | Vice Chair | 1 | — |
| Darren Tillis | Director | 1 | — |
| Gary Fennessy | Director | 1 | — |
| Jeanna Cullins | Director | 1 | — |
| Jeffrey Diermeier | Director | 1 | — |
| Karen Johnson | Director | 1 | — |
| Khalid Qazi | Chief Financial Officer | 40 | — |
| Lourdes Gonzalez | Chair | 1 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2024)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Reliance Home Health Caregivers | Temp Staffing | $1,330,909 |
| Marsh & Mclennan Companies Inc | Professional Services | $738,364 |
| Amergis Healthcare Staffing Inc | Temp Staffing | $474,578 |
| Chicago Diligent Cleaning Services | Office Cleaning | $281,300 |
| Flextg Financial Services | Photocopier Rental | $263,927 |
Grants received · $7.6M total
97 grants to Ucan totaling $7.6M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charities Aid Foundation America | Charitable donation | 2024 | $161,126 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $68,970 |
| Robert R Mccormick Foundation | Matching gifts, sponsorship and transitional teen services program | 2024 | $35,310 |
| National Christian Charitable Foundation | Community development | 2024 | $25,000 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2024 | $7,199 |
| Local Initiatives Support Corporation | See part iv | 2024 | $7,000 |
| The Chicago Community Trust | General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes | 2023 | $630,216 |
| Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership | — | 2023 | $410,682 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2023 | $52,562 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2023 | $51,339 |
| National Philanthropic Tr | Religion | 2023 | $35,275 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Human services | 2023 | $34,200 |
| National Christian Charitable Foundation | Growth | 2023 | $25,000 |
| Robert R Mccormick Foundation | Transitional teen services program | 2023 | $22,500 |
| Local Initiatives Support Corporation | See part iv | 2023 | $7,000 |
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Compare Ucan
Frequently asked questions
- Is Ucan a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Ucan is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 36-2167937, based in Chicago, Illinois. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Ucan's EIN?
- Ucan's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 36-2167937.
- How much revenue does Ucan report?
- Ucan reported $74,558,540 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Ucan's spending goes to programs?
- Ucan spends about 75% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Ucan have?
- CharityIndex grades Ucan A, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Ucan's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Ucan's latest Form 990 is $263,128, paid to Christa Hamilton (Ceo/president).
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Data for Ucan (EIN 36-2167937) 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.