Paws Chicago
Paws Chicago reported $47.0 million in revenue and $21.3 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $88.19 went to program services, $5.10 to management and general costs and $6.71 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 65.0% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $292,567 (CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER). 25 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 151% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $21MFor context, the median across 245 covered animal-related charities: $83.96 programs, $9.42 management, $6.62 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 $47M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$64.66 $31M
- Program service revenue$6.03 $2.8M
- Investment income$29.31 $14M
Other revenue was negative: −$238K. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 88.2% | 82.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 5.1% | 9.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 6.7% | 6.5% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.05 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 65.0% | 67.3% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 6.1% | 19.3% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $292,567 | $314,886 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.37% | 1.63% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 25 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 83.5 | 26.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 24 of 25 | 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 expenseAnimal health & behavior:ensuring that every single rescued pet receives the medical and behavioral resources needed to not just survive but thrive is the core purpose of the animal health & behavior pillar of Paws Chicago's no kill model. The expanded and recently renovated 30,000 square foot Paws Chicago nan & wayne kocourek medical center is the most state-of-the-art hospital for homeless animals in the nation, and it's the first stop for every one of Paws Chicago's 4,382 adopted pets. With special quarantine and isolation wards to prevent disease transmission, a team of expert medical and…
Prevention & spay/neuter: Paws Chicago performed 17,168 spay/neuter surgeries in 2024, making it the largest local provider of free and low-cost, high-volume spay/neuter surgeries, and the only clinic located in and serving under-resourced communities where the majority of stray, feral and unwanted pets originate. Through the Paws Chicago lurie clinic in little village, located less than two miles from chicago's animal care & control, the city impoundment facility, paws offers spay/neuter services where they are needed most and where they have the greatest impact.preventing unwanted pets from…
Adoption: rescuing homeless pets and uniting them with their new families directly connects the public with homeless pets on the deepest level and provides a tangible way for people to make an impact for animals. Through Paws Chicago's adoption center and innovative adoption events, paws united 4,382 animals with loving homes in 2024. By the end of 2024, Paws Chicago had performed 86,616 adoptions since the organization's founding in 1997. Using a proprietary competibility quiz, paws uses technology to match pets with prospective adopters based on their lifestyle needs, helping to ensure a…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $284,534 | $0 | $8,033 | $292,567 |
| CEO, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $260,600 | $0 | $7,986 | $268,586 |
| TREASURER/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/CO-FOUNDER Director/trustee, officer, 30.00 hrs/week | $196,960 | $0 | $11,206 | $208,166 |
| HEAD OF PROGRAM MANAGEMENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $174,781 | $0 | $11,892 | $186,673 |
| HEAD OF PEOPLE & CULTURE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $180,675 | $0 | $5,546 | $186,221 |
| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $176,317 | $0 | $5,416 | $181,733 |
| VETERINARY SURGEON Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $170,201 | $0 | $18 | $170,219 |
| MEDICAL DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $167,010 | $0 | $113 | $167,123 |
25 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Paws Chicago (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $658K (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–1b25 · 24 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 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5254
- Volunteers Part I, line 63,283
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| PREFERRED COMMUNICATIONS Communications services | $107,317 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 1 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
133 private foundations reported grants to Paws Chicago totaling $5.8M 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 Paws Chicago's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Paws Chicago, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Paws Chicago spent in 2024, $88.19 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Arizona Humane SocietyPhoenix, AZ · revenue $47M · programs 79.3% · FY2025
- Defenders of WildlifeWashington, DC · revenue $49M · programs 71.1% · FY2025
- North Shore Animal League AmericaPort Washington, NY · revenue $46M · programs 80.9% · 2024
- Lowry Park Zoological Society of TampaTampa, FL · revenue $49M · programs 88.4% · FY2025
- Animal Relief NetworkAustin, TX · revenue $46M · 2025
All animal-related charities · Largest charities in Illinois
Questions people ask
How much of Paws Chicago's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Paws Chicago reported that 88.2% of its $21.3 million in expenses went to program services, 5.1% to management and general and 6.7% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Paws Chicago pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Paws Chicago reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $292,567, for the role of CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Paws Chicago get its money?
Of $47.0 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 65.0% came from contributions and grants and 6.1% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Paws Chicago a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 36-4219778 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 202513219349308251 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202433199349305828 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202313189349315256 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202340149349300409 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202113199349320621 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202033219349315853 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 36-4219778: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.