The Chicago Lighthouse for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired
The Chicago Lighthouse for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired reported $60.1 million in revenue and $54.1 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $80.37 went to program services, $16.88 to management and general costs and $2.75 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 78.0% of the total. Government grants made up 7.6%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $671,160 (PRESIDENT & CEO). 33 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 62% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $54MFor context, the median across 3,614 covered human services charities: $88.27 programs, $11.52 management, $0.21 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $60M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$12.99 $7.8M
- Government grants$7.59 $4.6M
- Program service revenue$77.95 $47M
- Investment income$1.47 $886K
Other revenue was negative: −$54,523. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 80.4% | 87.2% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 16.9% | 11.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 2.8% | 0.2% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.12 | $0.02 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 20.6% | 20.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 7.6% | 2.4% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 78.0% | 70.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $671,160 | $274,992 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.24% | 1.18% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 33 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 10.2 | 6.9 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 27 of 28 | 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
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseThe Chicago Lighthouse contact centers provide customer service through strategic partnerships with healthcare providers and state agencies, creating meaningful employment opportunities for individuals who are blind, visually impaired, have disabilities, or are veterans
The sandy and rick forsythe center for comprehensive vision care, the bergman institute for psychological support, the pangere partnership for inherited retinal diseases, and the hilton center for prosthetic vision rehabilitation provide comprehensive diagnostic, rehabilitative, psychological, clinical optometric, mobility, assistive technology services, and research in the field of low vision and blindness. Services are provided to patients of all ages at the lighthouse and at a number of satellite locations within the chicago land area. Doctors and therapists are specifically trained in the…
Programs for children and youth include: the early intervention/enrichment, the children's development center, and the youth transitions program, all of which, together, provide services and/or opportunities to children and teens, who are multi-disabled, and/or visually impaired or blind, from birth through young adulthood, as well as to their families
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · 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, 32.00 hrs/week | $632,210 | $0 | $38,950 | $671,160 |
| CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $329,404 | $0 | $46,897 | $376,301 |
| CHIEF BUSINESS STRATEGY OFFICER Officer, 32.00 hrs/week | $290,651 | $0 | $33,762 | $324,413 |
| CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $232,410 | $0 | $19,075 | $251,485 |
| SVP, CONTACT CTR OPERATIONS (06/25) Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $225,270 | $0 | $7,600 | $232,870 |
| CHIEF OF CLINICAL SERVICES Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $210,936 | $0 | $7,810 | $218,746 |
| SVP, EMPL & REHABILITATION SERVICES Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $195,242 | $0 | $6,528 | $201,770 |
| FORMER CFO (THRU 06/24) Former, 0.00 hrs/week | $115,391 | $0 | $9,921 | $125,312 |
33 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Chicago Lighthouse for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.1M (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
FY2025 · 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–1b28 · 27 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 2No
- 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 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 51,170
- Volunteers Part I, line 6117
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| PRESIDIO NETWORKED SOLUTIONS GROUP LLC Digital solutions | $1,616,944 |
| TRUEBLUE SERVICES INC Staffing agency | $333,903 |
| DAVIS STAFFING INC Staffing agency | $312,030 |
| DELTA BUILDING TECHNOLOGIES General contracting | $254,577 |
| CAREXM Sub c call center | $228,193 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 12 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
13 private foundations reported grants to The Chicago Lighthouse for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired totaling $240K 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 The Chicago Lighthouse for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for The Chicago Lighthouse for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 The Chicago Lighthouse for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired spent in FY2025, $80.37 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Lutheran Family Services of VirginiaRoanoke, VA · revenue $60M · programs 88.4% · FY2025
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- GlenaireGreensboro, NC · revenue $60M · programs 84.7% · FY2025
- The Friends of Crown Heights Educational CentersBrooklyn, NY · revenue $60M · programs 94.3% · FY2025
- Community Services for EVERY1Buffalo, NY · revenue $60M · programs 91.2% · 2025
All human services charities · Largest charities in Illinois
Questions people ask
How much of The Chicago Lighthouse for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, The Chicago Lighthouse for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired reported that 80.4% of its $54.1 million in expenses went to program services, 16.9% to management and general and 2.8% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Chicago Lighthouse for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Chicago Lighthouse for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $671,160, for the role of PRESIDENT & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Chicago Lighthouse for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired get its money?
Of $60.1 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 20.6% came from contributions and grants (including 7.6% from government grants) and 78.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Chicago Lighthouse for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 36-2169139 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
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, object 202641059349302164 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202501089349301210 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202431109349301113 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202301309349304540 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202231339349302853 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202141349349305994 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 36-2169139: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.