Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SRAlab is dedicated to providing the best patient outcomes through the highest-quality clinical care, translational research, scientific discovery and education.
- Income
- $481.4 million
- Spending
- $454.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 87%
- Reserves
- 4.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 81%
- Employees
- 3,334
- Volunteers
- 168
- Highest pay
- $2.6 million, president, chief administrative officer
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 64% of charities in its peer group (health care, over $100m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.9 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 30% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 8% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1587% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (health care, over $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2515 of 17 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 August 31, 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 (5)
- $325.7 million spent. The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC) was founded in 1951 as an Illinois not-for-profit corporation. In 2017 RIC with 182 beds, began doing business as the Shirley Ryan Abilitylab (SRAlab) and moved to a new building with 242 licensed beds. This move brought not only a physical change of address but a whole new model to the field of rehabilitation. Upon opening the 1.2-million-square-foot SRAlab became the first-ever "translational" rehabilitation research hospital in which clinicians, scientists, innovators and technologists work together in the same space, surrounding patients, discovering new approaches and applying (or "translating") research in real time. SRAlab's vision is to advance human ability through science and research. The organization has earned the distinction of being named the nation's #1-ranked provider of comprehensive physical medicine and rehabilitation care to patients from around the world every year since the designation's inception in 1992 by U.S. News & World Report - a record for any U.S. hospital. In addition to being a large rehabilitation hospital, SRAlab is the nation's largest rehabilitation research enterprise, advancing the field globally through innovation of the most advanced treatments and technologies. For FY 2025 SRAlab's system of care included a 262-bed hospital located at 355 East Erie Street in Chicago and numerous outpatient and day rehabilitation programs in the Chicago metropolitan area and surrounding suburbs. In addition, we manage the rehabilitation service line in several acute care hospitals through our strategic alliance platform, primarily in the Chicagoland area. We completed our second full year managing the inpatient rehabilitation service at Hennepin Healthcare. In addition, we began managing the rehabilitation service line within Henry Ford Health. The Corporation offers a comprehensive range of inpatient, day rehabilitation and outpatient rehabilitation services. Inpatient rehabilitation services are provided using an interdisciplinary approach with a team bringing unique skills and knowledge to ensure patients achieve the best possible outcomes. Day rehabilitation is a similar model to inpatient in that it consists of an interdisciplinary approach for individuals. Once the patient does not require 24-hour nursing care and daily medical management, we are able to transition patients to the day rehabilitation model. Outpatient care is typically a singular discipline (e.g., physical therapy) and offers various levels of therapeutic intensity, depending on the patient's needs and goals. In FY 2025, our total net revenue grew by 4.9% resulting in $0.8M in net operating income, $0.8M better than budget. We improved financial ratios and exceeded debt covenant metrics, including debt service coverage ratio and days cash on hand (more than 411 days at year-end). In addition, Fitch Ratings upgraded Shirley Ryan AbilityLab's credit rating to A+ with stable outlook. Inpatient admissions to the Flagship facility were 1% below prior year; however, average daily census grew 2% relative to prior year. The day rehabilitation programs grew 3% year over year and the outpatient therapy programs were 2% below prior year. Our total research grant portfolio exceeds $150M. SRAlab offers the ability for patients to participate in research at the same time they are receiving clinical care. Since inception, SRAlab has worked relentlessly to develop and implement interventions that drive the very best outcomes. SRAlab serves patients with the most complex conditions with multiple medical and rehabilitation issues. The Advancement Department is in year 3 of the Accelerate Ability Campaign with an aim to raise money to support research initiatives and quality of life programs. Approximately $85M was raised and more than $20M secured in bequests toward a $100M goal. We continue our planning for a new and unique partnership with Henry Ford Healthcare, the Gilbert Family Foundation and Michigan State University which will allow us to bring our world-class care to the Detroit market. Construction is underway for the new tower in downtown Detroit as part of Henry Ford Healthcare's new facility expansion. This tower will house 72 rehabilitation beds managed through a joint venture between Henry Ford Health System and Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. It is the mission of SRAlab to not only focus on our patients but to also elevate the entire rehabilitation field. In FY 2025, SRAlab clinicians, physicians and researchers shared numerous presentations to various professional audiences as well as published papers on scientific and clinical advancements. SRAlab continues to focus on providing a number of unreimbursed services improving the quality of life for our patients. These services include vocational rehabilitation, virtual education and consumer health resources available free of charge to all through our LIFE (Learning Innovation, Family and Empowerments) Center web site, and adaptive sports and fitness services for children and adults. SRAlab continues to support the Robert R. McCormick Center for Hope & Equity to provide needed education for our staff and wraparound services for our patients who come from vulnerable communities.
- $50.3 million spent. Research Program: SRAlab's Research Program is the world's largest physical rehabilitation research enterprise in pursuit of clinical advancement through scientific discovery. In Fiscal Year 2025, the Research Program had approximately 200 research projects underway, funded by more than $188 million in grants and donations from both private and public sources. Its experts regularly publish research in the world's foremost medical journals, including the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and its European equivalent, The Lancet, and it is home to federal research designations to develop cutting-edge solutions for patients. Shirley Ryan AbilityLab's research enterprise serves patients with the most severe, complex conditions - from traumatic brain and spinal cord injury to stroke, amputation and cancer-related impairment. The organization is renowned for breakthroughs in biomedical, neural, mechanical, and electrical engineering; bionics; molecular/cellular biology; robotics; and pharmacotherapeutics. All Shirley Ryan AbilityLab research directly addresses challenges faced by one or more of the patient populations served. Research into urgent patient problems is accelerated through space designed to facilitate collaboration across departments and disciplines. In fact, in this setting, research coexists with patient care and is fully integrated into the clinical environment, with patients engaged in the process. Because scientists' labs physically surround patients, the innovation feedback loop is shortened, and research is more focused. Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is already seeing breakthrough technology and treatments emerging from its applied-science model, proving that this "no boundaries" approach improves and accelerates discovery and innovation, and ultimately results in better, faster patient outcomes. The following are some of the many research highlights from Fiscal Year 2025: * Successfully competed for a grant proposing multi-modal treatment of function after amputation in pediatric population. * Completed a Phase 1b/2 trial for NVG-291 showing improvement in arm function and neural pathways for the chronic spinal cord injured patient. * Enrolled four pediatric subjects to repurpose an FDA-approved medication to restore muscle function in pediatric patients with no adverse events. * Completed development of a "stroke sensor toolkit" to automatically diagnose and help treat balance, strength and coordination in stroke patients. Another Fiscal Year 2025 achievement is the continuation of Shirley Ryan Ability Lab's Catalyst Grant Program. This program encourages innovation from every corner of the hospital - from nurses to administrators, environmental service technicians, physicians, and therapists - by inviting multidisciplinary teams to apply for funding to develop innovative solutions in collaboration with researchers. The central requirement is that the solution must directly address a problem faced by one or more of the hospital's patient populations. In the last year, the organization received 56 Catalyst Grant proposals submitted by a total of 223 applicants on interdisciplinary teams. It awarded 13 new Catalyst Grants to employees across the organization, who pursued innovation and discovery on a range of topics in the following projects: * Artificial Intelligence Test Lab: AI Agents to Improve Employee Access to Organizational Resources * Can We Be Doing More? Implementing Electrical Stimulation into Wound Care in the Spinal Cord Injury Population * Developing a Sensor System to Provide Feedback to Patients with Lower Extremity Weight-bearing Precautions * Parkinson's Boot Camp Roll Out Across DayRehab(TM) in Shirley Ryan AbilityLab * A Study on How Shank-to-vertical Angle Manipulation in Children with Cerebral Palsy who use Ankle Foot Orthoses Affects Vertical Ground Reaction Forces * Development of a Polycentric Elbow Prosthesis for Amputees with a Long Residual Limb * Incorporating Markerless Motion Capture into Physical Therapy for People with Multiple Sclerosis * Shirley Ryan AbilityLab Performance And Rating (PAR) System for Golfers with Disabilities * Who Should We Walk? Development and Validation of a Clinician-Oriented Recovery Calculator in Spinal Cord Injury * Investigating the Impact of Sex-Hormones on Corticospinal Excitability, Motor Learning, and Fatigue in Females with Multiple Sclerosis * Optimization of a Humanized 3D Muscle-Nerve Organ-on-a-Chip Platform to Advance Regenerative Rehabilitation Medicine * Towards Automated Gait Analysis during the 10-Meter Walk Test * Investigating the Role of the Spleen in Muscle Recovery During Aging
- $11.3 million spent. Medical Education: The Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine (Dept of PM&R) is housed within SRAlab, which has one of the largest and most highly respected residency programs in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in the country. Resident physicians spend three to four years rotating through the Dept of PM&R, taught by SRAlab physicians who are experts in this specialty, In FY 2025 SRAlab trained 52 residents. The SRAlab medical education program also provides opportunities for fourth year medical students from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine to rotate in a rehabilitation setting to gain experience with spinal cord injury, brain injury, amputee rehabilitation, cancer rehabilitation, medically complex rehabilitation, and pediatric rehabilitation. There are approximately 180 medical students from Northwestern that rotate with us and an additional 50 medical students from other medical schools nationally that rotate with us. Fellowships: SRAlab offers 5 physician sub-specialty fellowships, funded primarily by donations, in Sports Medicine, Pain Medicine, Pediatric Rehabilitation, Brain Injury Rehabilitation, and Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation. In FY 2025, 13 physician fellows were named at SRAlab, 2 in Spinal Cord Medicine, 4 in Sports Medicine, 3 in Pediatric Rehabilitation, 2 in Brain Injury Medicine, and 2 in Pain Medicine. SRAlab also supports residencies for therapists, nurses and other non-physicians. . Prosthetics and Orthotics (P&O) Residency: SRAlab's Prosthetics thotics Center has several prosthetics thotics residency positions which are highly sought after. In FY2025, there were five residency positions, three orthotic residencies and two prosthetic residencies, each lasting 12 months. The American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics, and Pedorthics (ABC) and the National Commission on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education (NCOPE) have implemented a combined discipline exam and residency model, therefore Shirley Ryan AbilityLab began transitioning to a dual-discipline (orthotics & prosthetics) residency model in FY2025. The first two dual-discipline residents were hired in July 2025, and all future hires will be dual-discipline residents. Each dual-discipline residency will last 24 months, and each resident will gain 12 months of orthotics experience and 12 months of prosthetics experience. Through these training programs, P&O residents are mentored by SRAlab's certified, licensed professionals and gain exposure to a variety of clinical presentations and pathologies, prosthetic and orthotic devices, clinical evaluation, prescription recommendation, documentation, collaboration with the multidisciplinary rehabilitation team, fitting, fabrication, assembly, alignment, maintenance, and repair of prosthetic and orthotic devices The Academy -Continuing Education Programs for Clinicians: Since 1953, the organization has offered continuing education programming to help healthcare professionals stay at the forefront of the field. Each year, more than 13,600 learners participate in Academy programs, which are taught by interdisciplinary teams of our recognized PM&R specialists and visiting experts from around the world. These programs cover the latest evidence-based rehabilitation interventions, assessments, and discoveries including new courses in Functional Neurologic Disorders, Cognition, Vision and Pediatric Rehabilitation. By incorporating flexible modalities such as on-site workshops, online webinars and courses, and outreach programs, the Academy seeks to bring the latest insights to healthcare professionals in a format that best meets their learning needs. In 2025, the Academy offered 12 courses and more than 200 webinars reaching attendees from all 50 states and 51 countries.
- $6.1 million spent. SRAlab's Henry B. Betts LIFE Center is a virtual and multimedia education center providing patient education and consumer health information for patients, families, staff and the community. Everything in the collection relates in some way to people living with a wide range of cognitive and physical impairments, chronic conditions or diseases affecting function. The website enables individuals across the globe to have access to current, peer-reviewed patient education and consumer health resources with real-time updates, printing on demand and a dashboard to save favorite resources for easy access. Resources such as the LIFE Center help individuals, and their families navigate the intricacies of health care and minimize the complexity of relevant health information. Having access to information empowers people to partner with their health care team to make the best choices for themselves, their families and engage in life-long learning. The LIFE Center's resources are organized according to eight topic areas: Medical Information and Care, Caregiving and Equipment, Housing and Transportation, Education and Employment, Support and Wellness, Recreation and Leisure, Finance and Law and Inspiration and Hope. LIFE Center web traffic in FY 2025 averaged 14,248 page views per month, with 170,970 page views annually, across 189 countries. In FY 2025, total outreach and service efforts apart from web activity were 7,972 person contacts served which includes programs, classes, special events, resource requests, teaching activities, peer mentoring events, and tours for patients, families, staff and the community. Sports and Fitness Program: The SRAlab Adaptive Sports and Fitness Program provides wellness opportunities to people with physical disabilities through sports and recreation as well as an accessible fitness center. All services offered in the adaptive sports program, which marked its 44th year in FY 2025, are free of charge. The fitness programs, which celebrated its 29th anniversary, provide access to a 1-on-1 functional fitness activities and group fitness classes that operate five days a week between the hours of 6am to 6pm for a nominal participation fee. The sports and fitness program is funded primarily by grants and generous community donations and is operated by thirteen full time equivalent staff. Additionally, volunteers logged nearly 8500 hours in FY 2025. The Shirley Ryan Adaptive Sports and Fitness Program is considered a national leader in health promotion for people with disabilities. In FY 2025 we continued to expand programming, developing new initiatives to promote wellness opportunities for persons living with disabilities. The functional fitness program continues to provide services virtually, as well as, in person recording 8,456 one-on-one visits and welcomed 260 new participants ranging from age 12 to 96 in FY 2025. In addition, there were nearly 8,000 group class visits, held in person and virtually across three different sites. The sports program recorded over 6300 by 550 registered participants while the Tengelsen Family Foundation Sports for Kids program recorded more than 820 visits by 135 Chicago area children with disabilities. Adaptive Sports and Fitness programs continue to develop community partnerships and collaborations that open doors for people living with a disability to lead an active healthy lifestyle Vocational Rehabilitation Program: Beginning a career or returning to work following an illness or injury is important to a patient's financial security and emotional well-being. It can contribute to the achievement of a productive, independent and fulfilling life. For more than 50 years, the SRAlab has been providing comprehensive vocational rehabilitation services tailored to meet the needs of each client. Services include initial assessment, vocational counseling and guidance, diagnostic evaluation, work trial assessments, job analysis, return-to-work evaluations, job placement, resume writing, job interview workshops and internship coordination. The SRAlab covers the cost of initial assessments, which are not covered by most third-party payers. Patients receive vocational services at nine SRAlab facilities or via telehealth, ensuring that employment assistance is closely tied to community reintegration. During FY 2025 the program served 692 clients. In the last year, we placed 52 individuals in jobs. Assistive Technology Programs: The Technology Center and the Wheelchair & Seating center, comprise SRAlab's Assistive Technology Programs. In FY 2025, the Assistive Technology Programs served approximately 5,024 unique patients. The SRAlab Technology Center provides computer access training, smartphone/tablet access, augmentative communication evaluations/treatment, and electronic aids to daily living, including recommendations for home automation and modifications, for people with different or changing abilities. Occupational therapists and speech language pathologists evaluate and recommend equipment for each individual's needs. Through a lending library, or support from manufacturers facilitated by Technology Center staff, patients can try items before purchasing them or borrow them for short-term use due to changing needs. Staff members speak to universities, schools, organizations for people with disabilities, senior centers and the general public. We also provide continuing education lectures in assistive technology through assistive tech conferences and the SRALAB Academy. The center provides 1 to 2 home visits if the client can no longer come to SRALab following their evaluation. We have also integrated the use of telehealth appointments. Staff recommend applying for SRALab charity funds if Patients' insurance is maxed out. The Technology Center served a total of 1488 clients representing 647 inpatients, 365 Day Rehab clients, and 476 outpatients in the past fiscal year. Rehabilitation Engineering: The Rehabilitation Engineering program pairs an e
- (Expenses $ 6,061,704 including grants of $)(Revenue $ 1,068,501) SRAlab's Henry B. Betts LIFE Center is a virtual and multimedia education center providing patient education and consumer health information for patients, families, staff and the community. Everything in the collection relates in some way to people living with a wide range of cognitive and physical impairments, chronic conditions or diseases affecting function. The website enables individuals across the globe to have access to current, peer-reviewed patient education and consumer health resources with real-time updates, printing on demand and a dashboard to save favorite resources for easy access. Resources such as the LIFE Center help individuals, and their families navigate the intricacies of health care and minimize the complexity of relevant health information. Having access to information empowers people to partner with their health care team to make the best choices for themselves, their families and engage in life-long learning. The LIFE Center's resources are organized according to eight topic areas: Medical Information and Care, Caregiving and Equipment, Housing and Transportation, Education and Employment, Support and Wellness, Recreation and Leisure, Finance and Law and Inspiration and Hope. LIFE Center web traffic in FY 2025 averaged 14,248 page views per month, with 170,970 page views annually, across 189 countries. In FY 2025, total outreach and service efforts apart from web activity were 7,972 person contacts served which includes programs, classes, special events, resource requests, teaching activities, peer mentoring events, and tours for patients, families, staff and the community. Sports and Fitness Program: The SRAlab Adaptive Sports and Fitness Program provides wellness opportunities to people with physical disabilities through sports and recreation as well as an accessible fitness center. All services offered in the adaptive sports program, which marked its 44th year in FY 2025, are free of charge. The fitness programs, which celebrated its 29th anniversary, provide access to a 1-on-1 functional fitness activities and group fitness classes that operate five days a week between the hours of 6am to 6pm for a nominal participation fee. The sports and fitness program is funded primarily by grants and generous community donations and is operated by thirteen full time equivalent staff. Additionally, volunteers logged nearly 8500 hours in FY 2025. The Shirley Ryan Adaptive Sports and Fitness Program is considered a national leader in health promotion for people with disabilities. In FY 2025 we continued to expand programming, developing new initiatives to promote wellness opportunities for persons living with disabilities. The functional fitness program continues to provide services virtually, as well as, in person recording 8,456 one-on-one visits and welcomed 260 new participants ranging from age 12 to 96 in FY 2025. In addition, there were nearly 8,000 group class visits, held in person and virtually across three different sites. The sports program recorded over 6300 by 550 registered participants while the Tengelsen Family Foundation Sports for Kids program recorded more than 820 visits by 135 Chicago area children with disabilities. Adaptive Sports and Fitness programs continue to develop community partnerships and collaborations that open doors for people living with a disability to lead an active healthy lifestyle Vocational Rehabilitation Program: Beginning a career or returning to work following an illness or injury is important to a patient's financial security and emotional well-being. It can contribute to the achievement of a productive, independent and fulfilling life. For more than 50 years, the SRAlab has been providing comprehensive vocational rehabilitation services tailored to meet the needs of each client. Services include initial assessment, vocational counseling and guidance, diagnostic evaluation, work trial assessments, job analysis, return-to-work evaluations, job placement, resume writing, job interview workshops and internship coordination. The SRAlab covers the cost of initial assessments, which are not covered by most third-party payers. Patients receive vocational services at nine SRAlab facilities or via telehealth, ensuring that employment assistance is closely tied to community reintegration. During FY 2025 the program served 692 clients. In the last year, we placed 52 individuals in jobs. Assistive Technology Programs: The Technology Center and the Wheelchair & Seating center, comprise SRAlab's Assistive Technology Programs. In FY 2025, the Assistive Technology Programs served approximately 5,024 unique patients. The SRAlab Technology Center provides computer access training, smartphone/tablet access, augmentative communication evaluations/treatment, and electronic aids to daily living, including recommendations for home automation and modifications, for people with different or changing abilities. Occupational therapists and speech language pathologists evaluate and recommend equipment for each individual's needs. Through a lending library, or support from manufacturers facilitated by Technology Center staff, patients can try items before purchasing them or borrow them for short-term use due to changing needs. Staff members speak to universities, schools, organizations for people with disabilities, senior centers and the general public. We also provide continuing education lectures in assistive technology through assistive tech conferences and the SRALAB Academy. The center provides 1 to 2 home visits if the client can no longer come to SRALab following their evaluation. We have also integrated the use of telehealth appointments. Staff recommend applying for SRALab charity funds if Patients' insurance is maxed out. The Technology Center served a total of 1488 clients representing 647 inpatients, 365 Day Rehab clients, and 476 outpatients in the past fiscal year. Rehabilitat
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 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 October 13, 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 November 6, 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 October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending August 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 1954.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 November 4, 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.