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Chicago Public Art Group

EIN 23-7302449 · Chicago, IL

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair69 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

CHICAGO PUBLIC ART GROUP BRINGS ARTISTS AND COMMUNITIES TOGETHER TO PRODUCE HIGH-QUALITY PUBLIC ART, EXTENDING AND TRANSFORMING THE TRADITION OF COLLABORATIVE, COMMUNITY-INVOLVED PUBLIC ARTWORK.

Income
$1.4 million
Spending
$952,242
Spent on programs
83%
Reserves
0.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 55%
Employees
6
Volunteers
300
Highest pay
$84,915, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 69 out of 100. Higher than 45% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 7% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 31% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 161% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    83% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 10 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $186,877 spent. SUMMER MURALS PROJECT - DCASE COMMISSIONED CPAG TO CREATE TWO LARGE SCALE MURALS FOR TWO CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARIES, UPTOWN AND EDGEWATER BRANCHES IN CELEBRATION OF THE DNC AND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. CPAG RECEIVED $250,000 FOR THE PROJECT. THE MURALS WERE TO TOUCH ON THEMES OF DEMOCRACY, DIVERSITY, AND HOUSE MUSIC. THE UNDER ONE ROOF MURAL WAS CREATED BY ARTIST MAX SANSING AND CELEBRATES CHICAGO'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF HOUSE MUSIC. THE OUR WAY BLOOM MURAL WAS CREATED BY JAPANESE- AMERICAN ARTIST, TOMOKAZU MATSUYAMA. BOTH PROJECTS WERE COMPLETED WITHIN SIX MONTHS.
  2. $180,254 spent. UE SOLIDARITY MURAL - IN EARLY 2024, THE UNITED ELECTRICAL WORKERS UNION (UE ) MURAL "SOLIDARITY" WAS THREATENED WITH DEMOLITION. PAINTED IN 1974 BY JOHN WEBER AND JOSE GUERRERO ON THE INTERIOR WALLS OF THE UE BUILDING, "SOLIDARITY," IS ONE OF THE OLDEST MURALS DEPICTING UNION HISTORY. THIS MONUMENTAL WORK WAS SLATED FOR DESTRUCTION AS A RESULT OF THE PROPERTY'S SALE TO A DEVELOPER. CPAG WAS HIRED BY UE TO SALVAGE AND CONSERVE THE MURAL. MASSIVE FUNDRAISING EFFORTS RESULTED IN THE RAISING OF NEARLY $700,000 FOR THIS PROJECT IN 2024. WHILE THE MURAL WAS SAFELY REMOVED FROM THE UNION HALL IN LATE MARCH, 2024, THE CONSERVATION WORK DID NOT COMMENCE UNTIL DECEMBER 2024 AND WILL CONTINUE UNTIL LATE FALL OF 2024. THE MAJORITY OF THE MURAL SECTIONS WILL BE RELOCATED TO THE CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION, THE UE'S NEW LANDLORD.
  3. $91,793 spent. HYDE PARK VIADUCTS - THE SOUTH EAST CHICAGO COMMISSION AND SPECIAL SERVICE AREA 61 COMMISSIONED CPAG TO OVERSEE THE REVITALIZATION OF THE HYDE PARK VIADUCTS ALONG 53RD STREET, 55TH STREET AND LAKE PARK AVENUE. CPAG OVERSAW A CALL FOR ARTISTS FOR THE VIADUCTS. OF THE 650 PARTICIPANTS, NINETEEN ARTISTS CREATED IMAGES THAT ARE REPRODUCED DIGITALLY ON VINYL AND MOUNTED ON STAINLESS STEEL PANELS. THE WORKS SPAN FROM ABSTRACT TO REALISTIC STYLES, SHOWCASING THE ABUNDANCE OF TALENT IN HYDE PARK WHILE CELEBRATING THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S VITALITY AND COMPLEX HISTORY. ON MAY 22ND, CPAG WILL UNVEIL AN EXCITING REVITALIZATION PROJECT OF THE VIADUCTS ALONG 53RD STREET, 55TH STREET, AND LAKE PARK AVENUE IN HYDE PARK.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since October 1976.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.