Form 990 for tax year 2024

Totals

Total revenue

$16,195,715

Total expenses

$16,232,604

Contributions and grants received

$15,826,439

Grants paid

$5,892,443

Program service revenue

$265,009

Investment income

$29,019

Other revenue

$75,248

Total assets, end of year

$12,589,416

Total liabilities, end of year

$4,546,924

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$8,042,492

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$14,831,882

Management and general expenses

$1,186,033

Fundraising expenses

$214,689

Program service expenses (Part III)

$14,831,882

Program services were 91.4% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Mission and programs · 2024

• FOUNDED IN 2008, THE PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTE ADDRESSES THE ROOT CAUSES OF POVERTY THROUGH POLICY ADVOCACY AND COMMUNITY COLLABORATION FOCUSED ON ECONOMIC AND PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES.PPI'S WORK EMPHASIZES EXPANDING ECONOMIC AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, IMPROVING ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE AND HOUSING, PREVENTING TOBACCO AND SUBSTANCE MISUSE, AND PROMOTING MENTAL WELL-BEING AMONG MILWAUKEE'S YOUTH, ADULTS, AND FAMILIES. IN 2024: PPI'S CHILD WELFARE PROGRAMMING EXPANDED WITH THE FIRST FULL YEAR OF MILWAUKEE INTERVENTION SERVICES AND THE STRONGER FAMILIES MILWAUKEE PILOT PROGRAM. STAFF PROVIDED STRENGTH-BASED CASE MANAGEMENT, PEER SUPPORT, AND GROUP AND FAMILY THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS TO 46 FAMILIES AT RISK OF FORMAL CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES INVOLVEMENT. PPI'S BRIGHTER FUTURES INITIATIVE MILWAUKEE AND STAY STRONG MKE PROVIDED LIFE-SKILLS BUILDING PROGRAMS TO 1,843 YOUTH TO PREVENT SUBSTANCE MISUSE.

  Expenses $3,699,572 · Grants $1,260,987 · Revenue $9,361

• COMMUNITY ADVOCATES' BASIC NEEDS AND COMPREHENSIVE HOUSING PROGRAMS PROVIDE CASE MANAGEMENT, ADVOCACY, AND SUPPORT TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO ARE LOW-INCOME OR AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS. IN 2024: 12,417 INDIVIDUALS SOUGHT RESOURCES, ASSESSMENTS, AND SUPPORT FOR BASIC NEEDS DURING DAILY WALK-IN HOURS AT OUR LOVELL STREET BUILDING. 5,917 LANDLORDS AND TENANTS RECEIVED ASSISTANCE RESOLVING RENTAL HOUSING ISSUES THROUGH OUR HOUSING DEPARTMENT. 6,659 RESIDENTS AT RISK OF EVICTION OR HOMELESSNESS ACCESSED SERVICES THROUGH THE MILWAUKEE RENTAL HOUSING RESOURCE CENTER. 97 FAMILIES WERE SUPPORTED WITH ASSESSMENT, CASE MANAGEMENT, ADVOCACY, AND FLEXIBLE HOUSING-RELATED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE THROUGH OUR HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION PROGRAM. 374 ADULTS AND 923 CHILDREN RECEIVED INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES THROUGH THE SIEMER CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM TO INCREASE HOUSING, SCHOOL, AND FINANCIAL STABILITY.

  Expenses $3,419,815 · Grants $3,116,352

• COMMUNITY ADVOCATES' UTILITIES PROGRAMS HELP LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS AVOID DISCONNECTION AND MAINTAIN ESSENTIAL UTILITY SERVICES. IN 2024: 26,186 ENERGY ASSISTANCE APPLICATIONS WERE PROCESSED, HELPING FAMILIES SECURE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND PAYMENT PLANS.

  Expenses $1,704,622

• THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES APPLYING FOR SSI/SSDI AND OFFER PROTECTIVE PAYEE SERVICES TO THOSE NEEDING HELP MANAGING THEIR FINANCES. IN 2024: 85 INDIVIDUALS RECEIVED PROTECTIVE PAYEE AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SERVICES.HOP DELIVERS PERSON-CENTERED, HOUSING-FOCUSED OUTREACH TO INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS AND OTHER DISABILITIES WHO ARE LIVING UNSHELTERED. ADVOCATES ASSESS CLIENTS AND HELP STABILIZE THEIR HEALTH AND HOUSING SITUATIONS. IN 2024: HOP SERVED 21 INDIVIDUALS LIVING ON THE STREETS OR IN PLACES NOT MEANT FOR HUMAN HABITATION.THE FSC OFFERS SHELTER, FOOD, CLOTHING, PERSONAL CARE ITEMS, AND CASE MANAGEMENT TO HELP FAMILIES EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS FIND AND SECURE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. IN 2024: 70 LOW-INCOME FAMILIES RECEIVED SHELTER AND SUPPORT THROUGH THE FSC.AUTUMN WEST IS A LOW-BARRIER HOUSING REFUGE FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND SEVERE, PERSISTENT MENTAL ILLNESS. THIS ALTERNATIVE TO EMERGENCY SHELTER EMBRACES HOUSING FIRST AND HARM REDUCTION PRINCIPLES, OFFERING SHORT-TERM HOUSING AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES. IN 2024: 35 INDIVIDUALS WERE SERVED. 74% WERE SAFELY AND STABLY HOUSED AT AUTUMN WEST OR TRANSITIONED TO PERMANENT HOUSING.THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES SAFE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND CASE MANAGEMENT TO 101 MILWAUKEE RESIDENTS IDENTIFIED AS CHRONICALLY HOMELESS AND LIVING WITH A DISABILITY. SERVICES USE BEST PRACTICES INCLUDING TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE, MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING, AND HARM REDUCTION TO PROMOTE HOUSING STABILITY.

  Expenses $6,007,873 · Grants $1,515,104 · Revenue $330,861

As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

• THE PARENTING NETWORK

  $518,662

  PREVENTION GRANT

• NEU-LIFE COMMUNITY DEVELOPEMENT INC

  $470,421

  PREVENTION GRANT

• UNITED COMMUNITY CENTER

  $225,333

  PREVENTION GRANT

• PATHFINDERS MILWAUKEE INC

  $169,995

  PREVENTION GRANT

• BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS

  $130,000

  PREVENTION GRANT

• MILWAUKEE CHRISTIAN CENTER

  $129,944

  PREVENTION GRANT

• PEARLS FOR TEEN GIRLS

  $124,731

  PREVENTION GRANT

• WISCONSIN ALLIANCE FOR INFANT MENTAL HEALTH

  $80,148

  PREVENTION GRANT

• END DOMESTIC ABUSE WISCONSIN

  $71,045

  PREVENTION GRANT

• WEST ALLIS - WEST MILWAUKEE FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER

  $70,981

  PREVENTION GRANT

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Related organizations on this return

Schedule R Part II: tax-exempt organizations related to the filer by control. It does not record shared board members or money.

• THE MILWAUKEE WOMEN'S CENTER INC

  501(C)(3) · COMMUNITY SERVICES · WI · controlled entity

  Directly controlled by COMMUNITY ADVOCATES INC

Taxable family on this return

Schedule R Parts I, III and IV, as filed. These record ownership and control, not shared board members or money moved.

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2024

Filed

29 October 2025

IRS schema version

2024v5.2

Source object

202543029349302784

Check it against the return as filed: the GivingTuesday Data Lake hosts a public copy of the original XML.

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