ILLINOIS CENTER FOR EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP

As filed

Subsection

03

NTEE code

S40

Classification

1000

Street

18W140 BUTTERFIELD RD STE 800

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).

Mission and programs · 2025

• The Employee Ownership Business Training Program designed to create scalable Train the Trainer materials that help business owners understand and implement employee ownership best practices, including openbook management and financial literacy. Over a 9month period, ILCEO focused on developing People, Profits and Performance and building structured presentations, guidebooks, case studies, evaluation tools, and marketing templates that can be delivered by state center staff and ambassadors. The pilot also aimed to test outreach strategies with 3 businesses and establish a sustainable model that could be replicated across other State Centers. In Q4 we met with our first partner looking forward to bringing the content to their community. They allowed us to present an EO overview in January 2026 and we are now coordinating on a plan to deliver the first People, Power and Performance presentation. If this is successful the partner would role out the program to 19 other statewide locations based at the University of IL Extension School

  Expenses $14,500 · Grants $15,000

• ILCEO made substantial progress toward the goals outlined in the EOX Capacity Grant proposal by strengthening organizational infrastructure, expanding outreach, and increasing stakeholder engagement around employee ownership in Illinois. Key operational goals were successfully completed, including implementation of a CRM system, QuickBooks, donor processing tools, and a redesigned website integrated with outreach and automation systems. These improvements enhanced organizational planning, donor engagement, communications, and long-term sustainability. ILCEO also expanded its board by six members and began developing a formal onboarding process to strengthen leadership capacity. The organization participated in four major business conferences and 12 partner events, increasing awareness of employee ownership and reaching more than 750 participants through presentations and marketing efforts. Fundraising and development efforts included submission of 18 grant applications and direct outreach to major foundations, including the McCormick Foundation, Chicago Community Trust, and MacArthur Foundation. While grants were not awarded during the reporting period, ILCEO significantly expanded its fundraising infrastructure and relationships with philanthropic partners. The organization also launched structured donor outreach campaigns, growing its email list to more than 1,000 contacts and achieving email open rates above 40 percent. Government and policy engagement exceeded expectations. ILCEO met with the Governor's Office, Chicago City Council members, Cook County leadership, and more than 12 Illinois legislators to discuss employee ownership policy initiatives and public Offices of Employee Ownership. The organization also participated in Advocacy Day in Springfield and introduced employee ownership office legislation at the city level. ILCEO hosted its annual employee ownership celebration event with nearly 60 RSVPs from business owners, advisors, ecosystem partners, and community stakeholders. The event generated sponsorship and partnership opportunities while strengthening public visibility. Several goals were modified due to staffing and funding limitations. The Program Assistant position was reduced from full-time to part-time support, the public advocacy committee shifted to informal government engagement, and the planned employee ownership promotional video was not completed. Large-scale database development efforts were also scaled back to prioritize operational infrastructure and fundraising capacity. Despite these adjustments, ILCEO established a strong operational and fundraising foundation for future growth. Major accomplishments included CRM implementation, board expansion, public policy engagement, grant development, and expanded awareness of employee ownership throughout Illinois.

  Expenses $40,000 · Grants $100,000

As filed on the 2025 return.

Officers and directors · 2025

As listed in Part VII of the 2025 return, in the order the filer printed them. Each return names its own; this is not a roster the organization keeps with us.

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

• 2025

  Revenue

  $124,852

  Expenses

  $81,089

  Contributions

  $124,852

  Grants paid

  — not reported

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.

Form 990-N e-Postcard, tax year 2024

Tax period

1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024

Principal officer

Haydee Caldero

Mailing address

18W140 BUTTERFIELD RD SUITE 800Chicago IL 60601

Website

www.il-ceo.org

As filed, from the IRS e-Postcard file of 2 November 2026. The IRS publishes only each organization's most recent postcard, so earlier years are not shown. A 990-N carries no financial detail. The postcard also gives the principal officer's address, which is not shown here.

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

• EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP EXPANSION NETWORK

  $71,800

  2023 · INITIAL GRANT FOR STARTUP COSTS.

• EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP EXPANSION NETWORK

  $60,567

  2024 · CONTINUING SUPPORT

• EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP EXPANSION NETWORK

  $6,127

  2022 · INITIAL GRANT FOR STARTUP COSTS.

Other IRS files