The Cara Program
Also known as Cara Chicago
The Cara Program reported $20.9 million in revenue and $16.6 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $73.94 went to program services, $15.79 to management and general costs and $10.27 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 76.8% of the total. Government grants made up 21.3%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $299,990 (President/CEO). 12 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 83% 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 $17MFor context, the median across 409 covered employment charities: $88.97 programs, $11.03 management, $0.00 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 $21M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$55.19 $12M
- Government grants$21.24 $4.5M
- Program service revenue$20.82 $4.4M
- Investment income$2.75 $576K
Other revenue was negative: −$108K. 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) | 73.9% | 88.0% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 15.8% | 10.9% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 10.3% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.11 | $0.00 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 76.8% | 22.8% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 21.3% | 1.4% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 20.9% | 62.6% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $299,990 | $297,435 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.81% | 1.26% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 12 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 16.1 | 8.1 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 21 of 21 | 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 expenseTraditional Training & Placement Program is Cara's traditional services which includes a comprehensive range of training and support for motivated individuals affected by poverty and homelessness, including life-skills training, specialized job-skills training, and personalized career placement services.South Side Campus (SSC) is Cara's South Side campus and provides trainings and workshops similar to Cara's traditional program. The SSC also offers drop-in financial and digital literacy trainings and referrals to wraparound supportive services.Employment Retention ensures that participants of…
TCP Staffing, LLC (TCP Staffing) dba Cara Connects, a wholly owned limited liability company started in 2011, was created to manage employment of individuals in the transitional jobs aspect of Cara Chicago. Cara Connects employs participants who are working transitional jobs for Cleanslate and Cara Chicago as well as select companies outside of the enterprise. In 2013, Cara Connects expanded to be a contract staffing firm dedicated to sourcing quality candidates to fulfill critical entry-level positions within Chicago's growing job market by providing temporary and temporary to permanent…
Cleanslate Chicago, LLC (Cleanslate), a wholly-owned limited liability company started in 2005, provides exterior maintenance services to customers across Chicago. The program was created as a vehicle for individuals with significant obstacles to employment - particularly individuals with criminal backgrounds to gain on-the-job work experience and intensive support services through transitional jobs. Cleanslate is a complement to Cara and provides additional services and training opportunities for at-risk individuals. For tax purposes, Cleanslate is treated as a disregarded entity and will be…
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 Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $270,826 | $0 | $29,164 | $299,990 |
| Chief External Affairs Officer Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $196,049 | $0 | $17,487 | $213,536 |
| CFO Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $177,285 | $0 | $6,209 | $183,494 |
| Chief Operating Officer Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $178,501 | $0 | $1,936 | $180,437 |
| Chief Social Enterprise Officer Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $130,629 | $0 | $26,266 | $156,895 |
| Chief Impact Officer Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $131,739 | $0 | $19,854 | $151,593 |
| Senior Controller Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $121,255 | $0 | $14,075 | $135,330 |
| CTO Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $118,145 | $0 | $0 | $118,145 |
12 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Cara Program (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.3M (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–1b21 · 21 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 5837
- Volunteers Part I, line 6250
Private foundation grants it received
28 private foundations reported grants to The Cara Program totaling $521K 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 Cara Program'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 Cara Program, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 The Cara Program spent in FY2025, $73.94 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Questions people ask
How much of The Cara Program's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, The Cara Program reported that 73.9% of its $16.6 million in expenses went to program services, 15.8% to management and general and 10.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Cara Program pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Cara Program reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $299,990, for the role of President/CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Cara Program get its money?
Of $20.9 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 76.8% came from contributions and grants (including 21.3% from government grants) and 20.9% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Cara Program a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 36-4268095 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 202523389349300207 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202413469349300616 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202323469349300442 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202320459349301122 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202201159349301740 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202130559349300813 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 36-4268095: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.