Form 990 for tax year 2024

Totals

Total revenue

$3,626,203

Total expenses

$7,039,776

Contributions and grants received

$2,989,953

Grants paid

$1,144,689

Program service revenue

$0

Investment income

$636,250

Other revenue

$0

Total assets, end of year

$39,662,525

Total liabilities, end of year

$1,829,151

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$37,833,374

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$6,130,697

Management and general expenses

$703,346

Fundraising expenses

$205,733

Program service expenses (Part III)

$6,130,697

Program services were 87.1% 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

• PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORTSPROGRAMS: AFFINITY, DESIGN, LEADERSHIP BRIDGE, MALOTT, MASTERCLASS, NETWORK, PIPELINE, PROGRAM PILOTS, & SELTHE FUND INVESTS IN DIRECT-TO-SCHOOL LEADER SUPPORT THROUGH A ROBUST PROGRAM SUITE. FUND PROGRAMS ARE OPEN TO ALL SCHOOL LEADERS (PRINCIPALS), ASPIRING PRINCIPALS (ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERS, AND TEACHER LEADERS), AND PRINCIPAL SUPERVISORS (NETWORK CHIEFS AND DEPUTY CHIEFS) IN CHICAGO'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS. OUR PROGRAMS SERVE EDUCATORS ACROSS THE CITY IN MANY SCHOOL TYPES, INCLUDING ELEMENTARY, HIGH SCHOOL, CHARTER, AND DISTRICT SCHOOLS. WE HARNESS REAL-TIME DATA ON SCHOOL LEADERS' NEEDS AND STUDENT OUTCOMES TO PILOT AND OFFER EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS. IN 2024, OUR PROGRAMS SERVED 151 PRINCIPALS, 193 ASPIRING PRINCIPALS, AND 34 PRINCIPAL SUPERVISORS, IMPACTING 139,000 STUDENTS.THE FUND'S PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES (PLCS) ARE SEMESTER-LONG, PRINCIPAL-LED COHORTS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT REFLECTIVE PRACTICE, IDEA EXCHANGE, AND PRACTICAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT. FACILITATED BY EXPERIENCED PRINCIPALS WITH DEMONSTRATED SUCCESS, THESE LEARNING COMMUNITIES REMAIN ONE OF OUR MOST POPULAR PROGRAMS, SERVING 93 UNIQUE SCHOOL LEADERS AND ASPIRING SCHOOL LEADERS IN 2024. THE FUND'S MASTERCLASS LEARNING SERIES OFFERS A FOCUSED PROFESSIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCE TAILORED TO THE PRACTICAL NEEDS OF SCHOOL LEADERS AND SUPERVISORS. IN 2024, SIX EXPERT SCHOOL LEADERS LED ACCESSIBLE, TIME-SENSITIVE SESSIONS FOR 73 PRINCIPALS AND 93 ASPIRING PRINCIPALS. IN RESPONSE TO OUR 2023 LSC MEMBER ENGAGEMENT SURVEY, WE ALSO OFFERED A NEW MASTERCLASS IN 2024, WHICH FOCUSED ON STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION, TRANSPARENT DECISION-MAKING, AND MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN SCHOOL LEADERS AND THEIR LSCS.THROUGH THE MALOTT EDUCATOR FELLOWSHIP, THE FUND PROVIDES INTENSIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND COACHING TO SCHOOL LEADERS IN COMMUNITIES EXPERIENCING DISTINCT CHALLENGES SUCH AS CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM AND STUDENT MOBILITY. WE LAUNCHED THE FELLOWSHIP IN 2023 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS CHICAGO'S CENTER FOR URBAN EDUCATION LEADERSHIP AND WISE LEADERSHIP CONSULTING. IN 2023, THE FIRST COHORT OF MALOTT FELLOWS INCREASED THEIR EFFECTIVE LEADERS SCORES BY 5.5 POINTS, AS MEASURED ON THE 5ESSENTIALS SURVEY. IN 2024, THE FELLOWSHIP SUPPORTED ITS SECOND COHORT OF 25 SCHOOL LEADERS, AIMING TO IMPROVE ORGANIZATIONAL AND STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES IN FELLOWS' SCHOOLS BY FOCUSING ON SELF-EFFICACY, PRACTICE, AND RETENTION.COMPLEMENTING THESE PROGRAMS, WE OFFERED A DESIGN COACHING TO IMPLEMENT PROGRAM TO 54 SCHOOL TEAMS IN 2024, WHICH IS THE FUND'S ONLY PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO UPLIFT TEACHER LEADERS TO CREATE FOUNDATIONAL CHANGE IN SCHOOL BUILDINGS. OUR 2024 LEADERSHIP BRIDGE AND RELATED PROGRAMS ALSO EQUIPPED 40 ASPIRING SCHOOL LEADERS TO ASSUME PRINCIPAL ROLES.LAUNCHED IN 2023, THE NETWORK STRATEGY PROGRAM ENHANCES SCHOOL LEADERSHIP BY OFFERING CPS NETWORK CHIEFS AND DEPUTY CHIEFS TARGETED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. IN 2024, OUR NETWORK STRATEGY PROGRAM FEATURED THREE TIERS OF SUPPORT THAT DELIVERED STRUCTURED, BIMONTHLY COACHING, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, AND PERFORMANCE FEEDBACK SESSIONS TO NETWORK LEADERS WHO IMPACT OVER 230 SCHOOL LEADERS.

  Expenses $3,498,844 · Grants $964,486

• SYSTEMS, DATA & POLICIESPROGRAMS: EAC, LSC, POLICY ENGAGEMENT, POLICY PILOTSBASED ON NATIONAL AND LOCAL RESEARCH, AS WELL AS OVER 25 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE CHICAGO EDUCATION CONTEXT, THE FUND INVESTS IN BUILDING A CULTURE OF STRONG, LOCAL LEADERSHIP IN CHICAGO. OUR REPORTS AND DATA INFORM OUR PROGRAMMATIC AND POLICY STRATEGIES, DRIVING IMPROVEMENTS IN CONDITIONS AND SYSTEMS FOR SCHOOL LEADERS. IN 2024, WE PUBLISHED TWO REPORTS, CONTINUED AND LAUNCHED NEW ADVISORY GROUPS, AND EXPANDED OUR POLICY WORK TO ADDRESS CURRENT CONDITIONS AND PREPARE FOR FUTURE ONES.IN 2024, CHICAGO'S BOARD OF EDUCATION TRANSITIONED TO A 21-MEMBER HYBRID BOARD, COMPRISING BOTH APPOINTED AND ELECTED MEMBERS. AS SUCH, WE INCREASED OUR WORK TO ELEVATE SCHOOL LEADERS' VOICES AND NEEDS. WE PUBLISHED THREE OP-EDS ON TIMELY SCHOOL LEADER GOVERNANCE ISSUES AND PRIORITIES, SPOKE AT PUBLIC BOARD MEETINGS TO ADVOCATE FOR SCHOOL LEADER AUTONOMY, AND PROVIDED BRIEFINGS. WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO HOST A STUDENT FORUM AND TWO SCHOOL LEADER FORUMS. THESE ALLOWED POTENTIAL SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS TO ANSWER QUESTIONS RELATED TO SCHOOL LEADER AND STUDENT EXPERIENCES. WE BELIEVE CHICAGO'S PRINCIPALS REQUIRE THE AUTONOMY TO RESPOND TO THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF THEIR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES. IN SUPPORT OF THIS BELIEF, WE PUBLISHED THE CHICAGO PRINCIPAL IN COMPARISON IN 2024. THIS REPORT HIGHLIGHTS SOME OF THE WAYS THE PRINCIPAL ROLE IN CPS DIFFERS FROM THAT IN OTHER ILLINOIS SCHOOL DISTRICTS, INCLUDING THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS OR STAFF A CPS PRINCIPAL OVERSEES AND THE UNIQUE AUTONOMY GRANTED TO PRINCIPALS IN THE CITY.COMMITTED TO LEVERAGING REAL-TIME DATA, WE CONTINUED OUR ANNUAL PRINCIPAL AND AP ENGAGEMENT SURVEYS, YIELDING OVER 900 RESPONSES IN 2024 THAT ILLUMINATED SCHOOL LEADERS' SATISFACTION LEVELS AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT NEEDS AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT. WE RELEASED A JOINT LETTER WITH CPS TO SHARE FINDINGS AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING SCHOOL LEADERS' SATISFACTION, SUCH AS AFFIRMING THEIR ABILITY TO MANAGE BUDGETS, HIRE STAFF, AND SET CURRICULUM. IN 2024, WE ALSO PUBLISHED FINDINGS FROM OUR INAUGURAL LSC MEMBER ENGAGEMENT SURVEY IN LOCAL DECISION-MAKERS IN OUR SCHOOLS: A BASELINE REPORT ON CHICAGO'S LOCAL SCHOOL COUNCILS. THE SURVEY RESULTS ALSO LED US TO ESTABLISH AN LSC WORKING GROUP, COMPRISING 22 LSC MEMBERS REPRESENTING 13 CPS NETWORKS. MEMBERS DEVELOPED A SELF-ASSESSMENT TOOL TO HELP THEIR LSCS REFLECT ON PRACTICES AND IDENTIFY AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT.

  Expenses $1,952,830 · Grants $170,203

• EDUCATOR ENGAGEMENTPROGRAMS: PAWTHE FUND CHAMPIONS STRONG SCHOOL LEADERSHIP AND ITS CRITICAL ROLE IN ACCELERATING STUDENT OUTCOMES. WE CONNECT WITH THE BROADER COMMUNITY, LEVERAGE EDUCATORS' KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE TO INFORM OUR WORK, AND CELEBRATE SCHOOL LEADERS' INNOVATION AND LEADERSHIP CITYWIDE. IN 2024, WE WELCOMED A NEW EDUCATOR ADVISORY COMMITTEE (EAC) COHORT. THE COMMITTEE SHAPED THE FUND'S AGENDA, GENERATED PROGRAMMING RECOMMENDATIONS, AND FOSTERED CONNECTIONS AMONG SCHOOL LEADERS ACROSS CHICAGO. COMPOSED OF 38 SCHOOL LEADERS, THE 2024 EAC FOCUSED ON IDENTIFYING IMPLICATIONS OF THE PROPOSED CPS SCHOOL FUNDING FORMULA AND BUDGET PROCESS, SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR PRINCIPAL AND AP ENGAGEMENT SURVEYS, AND LAUNCHING THE FUND'S SCHOOL LEADER INNOVATION AWARDS, WHICH RECOGNIZED AN OUTSTANDING PRINCIPAL AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL.IN 2024, WE ALSO CONTINUED OUR ANNUAL CITYWIDE PRINCIPAL APPRECIATION CAMPAIGN DURING NATIONAL PRINCIPALS MONTH IN OCTOBER. THE CAMPAIGN INCLUDED CELEBRATORY EVENTS FOR SCHOOL LEADERS, SUCH AS FREE TICKETS TO ATTEND A CHICAGO BULLS GAME, AND AN EVENT THAT HIGHLIGHTED STORIES FROM TRANSFORMATIONAL SCHOOL LEADERS WHILE ALLOWING SCHOOL LEADERS TO CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER. TO EXTEND THE REACH OF THESE STORIES, WE EXECUTED A ROBUST SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN. WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE CHICAGO TRANSIT AUTHORITY AND LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO FEATURE STRONG SCHOOL LEADERS ON BUSES AND TRAINS THROUGHOUT CHICAGO.

  Expenses $679,023 · Grants $10,000

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

• UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS - CHICAGO

  $214,000

  SUPPORT THE MALOTT EDUCATOR FELLOWSHIP AND LEADERSHIP BRIDGE.

• NEW LEADERS INC

  $182,089

  LEADERSHIP BRIDGE PROGRAM PARTNER

• CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

  $144,000

  WINNING DESIGN CHALLENGE SCHOOLS, NETWORK PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GRANTS

• LEADERSHIP & DESIGN

  $70,000

  DESIGN PROGRAM PARTNER

• UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON

  $56,500

  PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERVICES INCLUDING TRAINING AND COACHING TO CPS NETWORK CHIEFS.

• NATIONAL SAM INNOVATION PROJECT

  $52,335

  SPONSORSHIP FOR PRINCIPAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• LATINO LEADERSHIP PIPELINE

  $50,000

  AFFINITY GROUP PROGRAM PARTNER

• MIKVA CHALLENGE

  $48,750

  CHICAGO BOARD OF EDUCATION INFORMATION SESSIONS

• ACCELERATE INSTITUTE

  $30,880

  LEADERSHIP BRIDGE PROGRAM PARTNER

• NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY

  $27,150

  PLC & LEADERSHIP BRIDGE PROGRAMS PARTNER

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

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2024

Filed

31 October 2025

IRS schema version

2024v5.2

Source object

202543109349300229

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

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