Ucan
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO BUILD STRONG YOUTH AND FAMILIES THROUGH COMPASSIONATE HEALING, EDUCATION AND EMPOWERMENT.
- Income
- $74.6 million
- Spending
- $70.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 1.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 61%
- Employees
- 794
- Volunteers
- 80
- Highest pay
- $279,960, ceo/president
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 71 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.6 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 24% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 14% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1575% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2521 of 21 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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 (7)
- $16.0 million spent. UCAN'S THERAPEUTIC YOUTH HOME PROVIDES A STRUCTURED, STABLE AND THERAPEUTIC LIVING ARRANGEMENT FOR YOUTH IN THE CARE OF THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN FAMILY SERVICES. THE HOME WORKS PRIMARILY WITH CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS AGES 7-18 WHO HAVE HISTORIES OF SEVERE TRAUMA, ABUSE, AND NEGLECT. BECAUSE OF THEIR PAST EXPERIENCE, THE CLIENTS ARE IN NEED OF A HIGHLY STRUCTURED, 24-HOUR-A-DAY TREATMENT FACILITY TO ADDRESS THE BEHAVIORAL AND EMOTIONAL DIFFICULTIES THAT SURROUND THEIR PREVIOUS EXPOSURE TO TRAUMA AND ABUSE. CLIENTS IN THE DIERMEIER THERAPEUTIC YOUTH HOME ARE OFFERED A WIDE VARIETY OF INDIVIDUALIZED AND GROUP TREATMENT SERVICES TO AID THEM IN HEALING AND GAINING THE SOCIAL AND COPING SKILLS TO GRADUATE FROM TREATMENTS AND MOVE TO A LESS RESTRICTIVE SETTING.
- $13.9 million spent. YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PREVENTION/OTHER INCLUDES MULTIPLE VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMS IN AND AROUND NORTH LAWNDALE, RIVERDALE, AND ROSELAND AS WELL AS SAFE PASSAGE PROGRAMS TO ENSURE SAFETY FOR SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN WALKING TO SCHOOL. THIS AREA ALSO INCLUDES WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS THAT RANGE FROM SUMMER JOBS PROGRAMS, INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS, AND JOB SKILLS TRAINING.
- $6.6 million spent. INDEPENDENT LIVING/TRANSITIONAL LIVING - PROVIDE YOUTH, YOUNG ADULTS AND TEEN PARENTS WITH THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO LIVE SELF-SUFFICIENTLY, AND PROVIDE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE PREGNANT AND/OR PARENTING CLIENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN.
- $5.6 million spent. UCAN ACADEMY, COMPRISED OF TWO CAMPUSES ACROSS CHICAGO, IS AN INNOVATIVE 1ST THROUGH 12TH GRADE YEAR-ROUND THERAPEUTIC DAY SCHOOL. A SPECIAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM IS USED BY EXPERIENCED STAFF TO HELP STUDENTS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTIES IN PREVIOUS SCHOOL SETTING AND WHO BENEFIT FROM A SMALLER, MORE INDIVIDUALIZED CLASSROOM SETTING. AS THE LARGEST AND ONE OF THE MOST RECOGNIZED THERAPEUTIC DAY SCHOOLS IN THE AREA, EACH CHILD ENROLLED IN UCAN ACADEMY COMES TO US WITH A UNIQUE SET OF NEEDS. WE USED A STAFF-INTENSE ENVIRONMENT FOR MORE ONE-ON-ONE ATTENTION. OUR STUDENTS, WHILE COMING FROM DIVERSE AND DISTINCT BACKGROUNDS, HAVE ALL EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTIES IN PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SCHOOL SETTINGS. MANY HAVE BECOME DISCOURAGED ABOUT LEARNING. WE HELP THEM TO SEE SCHOOLING IN A POSITIVE LIGHT AND TO REACH THEIR HIGHEST POTENTIAL.
- $6.6 million spent. UCAN'S FOSTER PARENTING PROGRAM PRIMARY GOAL OF FOSTER CARE IS TO RESTORE CHILDREN SAFELY TO THEIR FAMILIES AND FOSTER PARENTS PLAY AN ESSENTIAL FUNCTION IN HELPING THE CHILD AND PARENTS MAINTAIN THEIR FAMILY BOND DURING THE PERIOD OF SEPARATION. IF A CHILD CANNOT RETURN HOME, FOSTER PARENTS MAY PROVIDE A PERMANENT HOME. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE FOSTER PARENTS EVENTUALLY ASSUME LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CHILD AS THE GUARDIAN OR THROUGH ADOPTION.
- $3.0 million spent. UCAN'S TEEN PARENTING SERVICE NETWORK IS A STATEWIDE NETWORK THAT WORKS EXCLUSIVELY WITH PREGNANT AND PARENTING YOUTH IN DCFS CARE AND THEIR CHILDREN. IN MANAGING STATEWIDE SERVICES FOR PREGNANT AND PARENTING YOUTH UNDER A SINGLE UMBRELLA, UCAN PROVIDES SEAMLESS SERVICE TOPLACEMENT PROVIDERS AND PREGNANT AND PARENTING YOUTH THROUGH A CONTINUUM OF CARE. UCAN PROVIDES A FULL SCOPE OF CLINICAL, TRAINING, EDUCATION AND PARENTING SERVICES DESIGNED TO HELP YOUNG PARENTS COPING WITH THE EFFECTS OF TRAUMA. UCAN STARTS BY MEETING YOUTH WHERE THEY AREAT, IDENTIFYING STRENGTHS AND BUILDING FROM SUCCESS. UCAN STAFF MEMBERS ARE TRAINED TO IDENTIFY AND TREAT THE EFFECTS OF TRAUMA WHILE ENHANCING THE PARENTING CAPACITY OF YOUTH SO THAT THEY CAN BE THE BEST PARENTS THAT THEY CAN BE.
- $1.3 million spent. UCAN'S BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES PROVIDE OUTPATIENT THERAPY TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED TRAUMA. WORKING WITH YOUTH, ADULTS AND FAMILIES IN A VARIETY OF SETTINGS, UCAN'S CULTURALLY DIVERSE COUNSELORS AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT SPECIALISTS HELP CONSUMERS ADDRESS SUCH COMPLEX ISSUES AS ABUSE, NEGLECT, BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS, SEPARATION AND LOSS. WE CREATE INDIVIDUALIZED TREATMENT PLANS TO MEET THEIR NEEDS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
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 September 7, 2026.
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 September 30, 2026.
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 September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since February 1939.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
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 7, 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.