Start Early
Start Early reported $115.2 million in revenue and $116.5 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $81.68 went to program services, $15.74 to management and general costs and $2.58 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 94.4% of the total. Government grants made up 64.9%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $428,865 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FFYF). 140 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 64% between FY2021 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 $117MFor context, the median across 2,433 covered unclassified charities: $88.27 programs, $11.68 management, $0.05 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 $115MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 81.7% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 15.7% | 11.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 2.6% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.03 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 94.4% | 29.9% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 64.9% | 3.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 2.1% | 58.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $428,865 | $301,601 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.37% | 1.38% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 140 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 10.2 | 6.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 34 of 34 | 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 expenseStart Early provides high-quality early childhood services for low-income children, birth to age five, and their families, as well as services to pregnant women, through a multi-site network of early learning programs, family child care homes, and directly-operated programs in under-resourced communities throughout chicago and surrounding suburbs. We support and train the early childhood workforce and partner at the local, state, and federal levels to ensure policies put families first. In fiscal year 2025, Start Early directly operated three programs: the educare chicago school at 5044 s…
Start Early's home visiting and doula network annually reaches approximately 1,360 historically underserved young children, pregnant women, and their families through a statewide network of home visiting and doula services. The home visiting and doula network conducts specialized training and technical assistance to 170 early childhood professionals working for 24 community agencies across chicago and throughout illinois
The educare learning network (eln) extends the impact of Start Early's extensive early childhood knowledge and expertise to states across the country through consultation and technical assistance in program, public policy and systems work; research and evaluation; organizational capacity building; and philanthropic engagement strategies. Eln serves as the national coordinating office (nco) for a multi-state network of educare schools across the country; that provides and promotes high-quality, transformative early learning experiences for children; birth to five; and their families from…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FFYF Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $343,426 | $0 | $85,439 | $428,865 |
| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Key employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $360,286 | $0 | $25,684 | $385,970 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER UNTIL 12/24 Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $333,728 | $0 | $31,101 | $364,829 |
| CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Key employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $292,576 | $0 | $37,254 | $329,830 |
| VP, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES UNTIL 11/24 Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $285,907 | $0 | $28,935 | $314,842 |
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ELN UNTIL 1/25 Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $268,040 | $0 | $27,182 | $295,222 |
| CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER Key employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $260,000 | $0 | $18,976 | $278,976 |
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SEWA UNTIL 05/25 Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $221,251 | $0 | $55,562 | $276,813 |
140 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Start Early (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.1M (Part IX, line 5).
5 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–1b34 · 34 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 4Yes
- 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 5513
- Volunteers Part I, line 634
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| DYNAMIC SOLUTIONS GROUP INC Outsourced it support services | $892,318 |
| WINTERBRIDGE LLC Media services | $873,606 |
| HELIOS DESIGN BUILD LLC Constructions services for educare | $812,786 |
| JGMA Architectual design and programming | $430,335 |
| FOR MOMENTUM LLC Marketing & business devlelopment servic | $385,343 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 48 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
61 private foundations reported grants to Start Early totaling $12M 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 Start Early's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Start Early, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Start Early spent in FY2025, $81.68 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- New York State Technology Enterprise CorporationRome, NY · revenue $115M · programs 82.2% · FY2025
- Turning Point USAIndianapolis, IN · revenue $115M · programs 88.5% · FY2025
- Methodist Retirement Communities Group ReturnThe Woodlands, TX · revenue $115M · programs 79.5% · 2024
- Bay Area Community ServicesOakland, CA · revenue $116M · programs 91.1% · FY2025
- Easterseals - Goodwill Northern Rocky MountainGreat Falls, MT · revenue $114M · programs 91.8% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of Start Early's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Start Early reported that 81.7% of its $116.5 million in expenses went to program services, 15.7% to management and general and 2.6% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Start Early pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Start Early reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $428,865, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FFYF (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Start Early get its money?
Of $115.2 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 94.4% came from contributions and grants (including 64.9% from government grants) and 2.1% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Start Early a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 36-3186328 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 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 202640909349301214 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202520859349301332 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202440799349300849 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202301239349302500 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202221339349304742 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 36-3186328: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.