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ILLINOIS LEGAL AID ONLINE

EIN 20-2917133 CHICAGO, IL

Revenue 2024
$3,619,953
Expenses 2024
$3,086,560

Program services were 81.9% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

As filed

Subsection
03
NTEE code
I80
Classification
1000
Street
11 E ADAMS ST STE 500

These codes are the IRS's own and are shown exactly as filed. What each one means is in the Business Master File documentation (opens in a new tab).

Other organizations at this address

2 other organizations in the IRS Business Master File list the same street address. matched by us

This address is a suite or unit (STE 500). Organizations that share one are often clients of the same office-services firm, accountant or registered agent rather than related to each other.

We match the street line and ZIP code as the IRS gives them, ignoring case and outer spaces and nothing else, so "AVE" and "AVENUE" count as different streets and this list can miss some. A shared address can mean related organizations or a shared office, but it can also be a registered agent, a mail drop or a service provider holding mail for unrelated clients. It is not, by itself, evidence that two organizations are connected.

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

ILLINOIS LEGAL AID ONLINE (ILAO) OPENS OPPORTUNITIES FOR JUSTICE BY EDUCATING ILLINOISANS ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS AND CONNECTING THEM TO LAWYERS, SOLUTIONS, AND EACH OTHER, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE FOR WHOM THE LEGAL SYSTEM WAS NOT DESIGNED. THROUGH INNOVATION AND ALLYSHIP, WE MAKE THE LAW ACTIONABLE AND ACCESSIBLE. IN THE U.S., PEOPLE FACING CIVIL LEGAL CHALLENGES, SUCH AS EVICTION, DEBT, DOMESTIC ABUSE, AND CHILD SUPPORT, DO NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO A LAWYER. JUSTICE IS SCARCE FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST. WE BELIEVE THAT, WITH THE RIGHT KNOWLEDGE AND GUIDANCE, PEOPLE CAN BE THEIR OWN BEST ADVOCATES. WE MOBILIZE PEOPLE WITH PLAIN-LANGUAGE, 24/7 TOOLS AND SERVICES - IN TWO LANGUAGES - SO PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND AND ASSERT THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS. ILAO HELPS PEOPLE WHO ARE UNABLE TO FIND OR AFFORD LAWYERS OPEN OPPORTUNITIES FOR JUSTICE. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2001, ILAO HAS USED TECHNOLOGY AND PARTNERSHIPS TO LOWER BARRIERS TO THE LAW SO THAT PEOPLE FACING BARRIERS TO JUSTICE CAN UNDERSTAND THEIR OPTIONS, MAKE

Activities or mission (Part I)

ILLINOIS LEGAL AID ONLINE (ILAO) OPENS OPPORTUNITIES FOR JUSTICE BY EDUCATING ILLINOISANS ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS AND CONNECTING THEM TO LAWYERS, SOLUTIONS, AND EACH OTHER. ILAO ACHIEVES THIS MISSION BY PAIRING DIGITAL INNOVATION, VIA ILLINOISLEGALAID.ORG, SMS, AND SOCIAL MEDIA AND OTHER CHANNELS, WITH COMMUNITY PARTNESHIPS SUCH AS LOCAL COURTS, LEGAL AID, HUMAN SERVICES, AND PUBLIC LIBRARIES.

  • TO PEOPLE LYING AWAKE AT NIGHT, WITH NOWHERE TO TURN EXCEPT THEIR MOBILE, ILAO OFFERS A LIGHT IN THE NIGHT. OVER HALF OF THOSE WE SERVE COME FROM THEIR MOBILE PHONES, AND BETWEEN 5PM-9AM OR ON WEEKENDS, WHEN TRADITIONAL LEGAL OFFICES ARE CLOSED. ILAO PARTNERS WITH ILLINOISANS FACING INJUSTICES BY PROVIDING 24/7 FREE, ACCESSIBLE, PLAIN-LANGUAGE LEGAL TOOLS AND DIRECTION, INCLUDING PLAIN-LANGUAGE SELF-HELP GUIDES, INTERACTIVE LEGAL FORMS, TRIAGE AND ELIGIBILITY SCREENING FOR FREE LEGAL AID SERVICES, AND KNOW-YOUR-RIGHTS EDUCATION. IN FY25, 2 MILLION ILLINOISANSAPPROXIMATELY 15% OF THE STATES POPULATION SOUGHT ILLINOISLEGALAID.ORG FOR GUIDANCE AND HELP WITH OVER 600 LEGAL ISSUES, SUCH AS EVICTION, FOOD INSECURITY, DOMESTIC ABUSE, CRIMINAL RECORDS, DIVORCE, CHILD SUPPORT, DEPORTATION, DISCRIMINATION, AND DEBT. OUR HIGHEST VOLUME OF SERVICES RELATES TO FAMILY LAW, WHERE PEOPLE WITHOUT LAWYERS MOST COMMONLY ENCOUNTER OUR COMPLEX LEGAL SYSTEM, AND WHERE THEY ARE LEAST LIKELY TO FIND A LEGAL AID LAWYER TO ASSIST THEM. IN ADDITION TO ITS LIBRARY OF CIVIL LEGAL EDUCATION AND SOLUTIONS, ILAO PROVIDES OTHER IMPORTANT SERVICES. FIRST, INTERACTIVE APPS CALLED EASY FORMS, SIMILAR TO TURBOTAX, HELP PEOPLE WITHOUT LAWYERS CREATE FREE, PERSONALIZED, ACCURATE COURT FORMS AND LEGAL PAPERS, USING A SIMPLE QUESTION-AND-ANSWER FORMAT. IN FY25, 88,636 PEOPLE CUSTOMIZED MORE THAN 160,000 LEGAL DOCUMENTS (A 54% INCREASE OVER FY24). SECOND, A TRIAGE, INTAKE, AND REFERRAL SYSTEM (GET LEGAL HELP) DIRECTS PEOPLEVIA INTERNET OR SMSTO THE BEST AVAILABLE RESOURCES: FORMS, SELF- HELP GUIDES, LAWYERS, AND HUMAN SERVICE PROVIDERS. FOR PEOPLE SEEKING A LAWYERS HELP, ILAO MATCHES THEM WITH LOCAL SERVICES BASED ON AN INDIVIDUALS LEGAL ISSUE, ZIP CODE, AND GENERAL INCOME. IN FY25, ILAO MATCHED ALMOST 12,000 ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS TO 12 LEGAL PROVIDERS.

    Expenses $1,696,666

  • SECOND, ILAOS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EXTENDS AND DEEPENS THE REACH OF ITS DIGITAL TOOLS THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH PUBLIC LIBRARIES, WORKFORCE AGENCIES, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM ADVOCATES, LEGAL AID, AND HUMAN SERVICES. ILAO OPERATES COMMUNITY-BASED NAVIGATOR PROGRAMS IN SPANISH- SPEAKING AND INCARCERATION-IMPACTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN ELGIN, AURORA, WEST CHICAGO, EAST ST. LOUIS, DECATUR, AND CHAMPAIGN-URBANA. NAVIGATORS ARE LOCAL GRASSROOTS LEADERS WHO ARE TRAINED TO EDUCATE THEIR COMMUNITIES ABOUT THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS. IN FY25, ILAO TRAINED 45 NAVIGATORS AND EDUCATED 5,071 ILLINOISANS (AN 18% INCREASE OVER FY24).

    Expenses $524,474

  • DEBT HELP ILLINOIS IS A NEWLY RELEASED, FREE, INTERACTIVE SERVICE THAT DIAGNOSES A PERSONS DEBT PROBLEMS, TAILORS A PLAN TO THEIR SPECIFIC FACTS AND LOCATION, AND CONNECTS THEM TO HUMAN ASSISTANCE WHEN NEEDED. CONSUMERS FACING DEBT CHALLENGES START BY ANSWERING QUESTIONS THAT GUIDE THEM TO PERSONALIZED OPTIONS FOR THEIR DEBT PROBLEM. A STRUCTURED KNOWLEDGE BASE (GLOSSARY, COURT LOCATIONS, AND CREDITOR LIST), COMBINED WITH AN AI- AUTHORING TOOL, GENERATES PLAIN-LANGUAGE INFORMATION AND ACTION STEPS TAILORED TO THE USERS DEBT PROFILE AND LOCATION. DEBT HELP ILLINOIS GOES BEYOND A STATIC WEBSITE BY GUIDING CONSUMERS THROUGH THE NEXT STEPS, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THEIR SPECIFIC SITUATION, TRACKING THEIR PROGRESS, AND CONNECTING THEM TO HELPFUL RESOURCESSO THEY MOVE FROM CONFUSION TO CONCRETE ACTION.

    Expenses $306,904

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

Officers and directors · 2024

As listed in Part VII of the 2024 return, in the order the filer printed them. Each return names its own; this is not a roster the organization keeps with us.

  • Gwendelyn Daniels

    DEPUTY DIREC

    Total calculated
    $147,447
    From this org
    $131,094
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $16,353
    Hours/week
    40

  • Teresa Ross

    EXECUTIVE DR

    Total calculated
    $143,963
    From this org
    $124,617
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $19,346
    Hours/week
    40

  • Jessica Gavlin

    CHIEF FISCAL

    Total calculated
    $59,169
    From this org
    $54,548
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $4,621
    Hours/week
    20

  • Cdavid Ader

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Kourtney Baltzer

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Karim Basaria

    VICE CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Benjamin Bradford

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Christopher Comerford

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • David Hambourger

    PAST CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Kristina Hendricks

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Kenneth Jennings

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Elizabeth Kahill

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Sean Kruskol

    FORMER CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Anand Mathew

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Jacqueline McLaughlin

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Renee McMahon

    CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Chris Petrini-Poli

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Heather Russell

    SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Timothy Smith

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Elysia Solomon

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Jennifer Woods

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

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. Earlier years are each on their own filing page.

Filings

  • 2024
    Revenue
    $3,619,953
    Expenses
    $3,086,560
    Contributions
    $3,328,722
    Grants paid
    $0
  • 2023
    Revenue
    $3,557,778
    Expenses
    $2,534,399
    Contributions
    $3,274,978
    Grants paid
    $0
  • 2022
    Revenue
    $2,798,858
    Expenses
    $2,442,327
    Contributions
    $2,234,516
    Grants paid
    $0

The four totals the IRS asks for on Part I of the Form 990, as filed. A dash means the figure was not present on the return — not that it was zero.

Other returns filed

  • 2024 · 990-T

    Revenue
    not reported
    Expenses
    not reported
    Assets (EOY)
    not reported

  • 2023 · 990-T

    Revenue
    not reported
    Expenses
    not reported
    Assets (EOY)
    not reported

  • 2022 · 990-T

    Revenue
    not reported
    Expenses
    not reported
    Assets (EOY)
    not reported

  • 2021 · 990

    Revenue
    $2,162,489
    Expenses
    $2,174,499
    Assets (EOY)
    $1,337,041

  • 2021 · 990-T

    Revenue
    not reported
    Expenses
    not reported
    Assets (EOY)
    not reported

  • 2020 · 990

    Revenue
    $1,649,365
    Expenses
    $2,015,036
    Assets (EOY)
    $1,318,611

  • 2020 · 990-T

    Revenue
    not reported
    Expenses
    not reported
    Assets (EOY)
    not reported

  • 2018 · 990

    Revenue
    $1,995,927
    Expenses
    $1,643,336
    Assets (EOY)
    $1,574,578

  • 2017 · 990

    Revenue
    $1,487,479
    Expenses
    $1,622,951
    Assets (EOY)
    $1,228,439

  • 2016 · 990

    Revenue
    $1,556,249
    Expenses
    $1,514,043
    Assets (EOY)
    $1,354,892

Nonprofiteer parses Forms 990, 990-EZ and 990-PF, in a window of recent tax years. These returns are recorded from the IRS e-file index, so their figures were extracted by that index rather than read from the return here — treat them as a different source from the filings above, not as more of the same record. A dash means the index carries no figure; Form 990-T listings carry none at all. Showing the 10 most recent; the API carries the rest.

Grants made

No itemized grants to organizations. Schedule I is filed only by organizations that granted more than $5,000 to a recipient, so most filers have none.

Grants received

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

Other IRS files

Auto-Revocation List

Not listed. The IRS publishes this list for organizations whose exemption was automatically revoked for failing to file for three consecutive years.

Publication 78

Listed as of 13 October 2026, under deductibility PC.

These are two separate IRS files on two separate schedules, shown as published and not reconciled with each other. Neither is a statement about whether a contribution is deductible today: 19,245 organizations appear in Publication 78 while the IRS's own revocation file lists them as currently revoked, more than half of those revoked before 2019. Absence from Publication 78 is evidence of nothing, and presence is not evidence either. Verify current status with the IRS before relying on it.

What this page reflects

The registration facts above come from the IRS Business Master File published 13 October 2026 and read 29 October 2026, for every organization at once. Returns through tax year 2024, the newest we have parsed for this organization.