Home › Arts, culture & humanities
Navy Pier
Navy Pier reported $74.6 million in revenue and $78.3 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $90.40 went to program services, $7.87 to management and general costs and $1.73 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 91.0% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $700,876 (PRESIDENT & CEO). 36 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 27% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $78MFor context, the median across 876 covered arts, culture & humanities charities: $79.98 programs, $13.89 management, $6.13 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $75MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 90.4% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 7.9% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 1.7% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.25 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 7.3% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.9% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 91.0% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $700,876 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.89% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 36 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 16.6 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 29 of 30 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseAs an icon of the city, Navy Pier is firmly rooted in chicago's vibrant culture, unique architecture, and connected communities. Navy Pier is a vital economic engine and proud first employer, providing space and business development opportunities for small and locally-owned businesses and sustaining 3,000 jobs annually. Navy Pier provides a year-round world-class platform for chicago's cultural community, partnering with thousands of individual artists and hundreds of performing organizations that represent the vibrancy of chicago and its 77 neighborhoods. Navy Pier is home to nonprofit…
Highest reported compensation
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT & CEO Director/trustee, officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $637,390 | $0 | $63,486 | $700,876 |
| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Key employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $414,434 | $0 | $59,986 | $474,420 |
| CFO & ASST. TREASURER Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $313,119 | $0 | $25,614 | $338,733 |
| CHIEF ADMIN. & EQUITY OFF. Key employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $296,167 | $0 | $19,357 | $315,524 |
| GENERAL MANAGER Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $253,843 | $0 | $58,672 | $312,515 |
| SENIOR VP OF ADVANCEMENT Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $229,179 | $0 | $53,609 | $282,788 |
| VP OF CONSTRUCTION Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $212,308 | $0 | $52,402 | $264,710 |
| SVP OF OPERATIONS Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $207,549 | $0 | $56,904 | $264,453 |
36 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Navy Pier (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.9M (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2024 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b30 · 29 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2Yes
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5496
- Volunteers Part I, line 6100
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| LEVY RESTAURANTS Catering | $9,132,527 |
| ABM PARKING SERVICES Contracted services | $5,011,101 |
| ARAMARK GLOBETROTTERS LLC Housekeeping | $4,658,275 |
| ALLIED UNIVERSAL SECURITY SERVICES Security | $3,332,101 |
| ENVISIONIT CHICAGO LLC Advertising | $2,235,936 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 46 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
16 private foundations reported grants to Navy Pier totaling $550K on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Navy Pier's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Navy Pier, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Navy Pier spent in 2024, $90.40 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
Embed on your site
Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Royal Ontario MuseumCanada, · revenue $75M · programs 57.7% · FY2025
- Pro PublicaNew York, NY · revenue $75M · programs 79.8% · 2025
- New Jersey Performing Arts Center CorporationNewark, NJ · revenue $74M · programs 85.9% · FY2025
- Academy FoundationBeverly Hills, CA · revenue $76M · programs 98.7% · FY2025
- Crosswater CanyonHebron, KY · revenue $74M · programs 70.1% · 2024
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in Illinois
Questions people ask
How much of Navy Pier's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Navy Pier reported that 90.4% of its $78.3 million in expenses went to program services, 7.9% to management and general and 1.7% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Navy Pier pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Navy Pier reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $700,876, for the role of PRESIDENT & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Navy Pier get its money?
Of $74.6 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 7.3% came from contributions and grants (including 0.9% from government grants) and 91.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Navy Pier a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 27-4813461 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202533179349309358 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202402789349301800 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202302759349301300 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202202849349302150 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202142889349302249 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202013169349304596 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 27-4813461: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.