Erikson Institute
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
Erikson is a leading institution of higher education that prepares professionals to address the urgent challenges facing young children, their families and communities. Our innovative programs, transformative research and impactful advocacy empower early childhood professionals to drive lasting change. Erikson strives to build a future where every child thrives.
- Income
- $33.4 million
- Spending
- $30.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 72%
- Reserves
- -1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 59%
- Employees
- 258
- Volunteers
- 199
- Highest pay
- $717,517, 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
Fair: 61 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 27% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 47% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1572% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2528 of 28 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
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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 (3)
- $12.0 million spent. ACADEMICS: Through master's degree, doctoral degrees, graduate certificate programs, and a variety of professional development programs, Erikson Institute prepares leaders in child development, social work, and early childhood education. We offer the most comprehensive, interdisciplinary understanding of children and families through classes on campus and online. We also offer programs to help professionals who work with children and families hone their skills, learn new techniques, and earn credits to maintain their professional licenses. In FY 2023, Erikson continued to invest in the growth and refinement of our academic offerings. We launched a Master of Science in Early Childhood Education degree that comes with a triple endorsement in early education, special education, and bilingual/ English as a Second Language-a program that is the first of its kind in the state of Illinois. Further, we were able to offer 19 Educator Impact Grants which covered the full tuition and fees of the program as long as awardees agreed to teach for four years following completion of the degree. We also hired Erikson's first ever Dean of Faculty, as well as an Associate Vice President of Internal Affairs and institutional accountability. All told, Erikson had 364 total enrolled students in FY 2023, and faculty published 26 articles, wrote nine book chapters, and facilitated 81 presentations.
- $7.3 million spent. DIRECT CLINICAL SERVICES: Erikson provides a variety of direct services to children and families, as well as consulting and training for professionals who work with them. Our Fussy Baby Network, Center for Children and Families (CCF), and Early Childhood Project, a partnership with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, have served over 7,000 families. Every year, our students contribute over 49,000 hours of field service across 68 agencies that serve children and their families. The team at Erikson's Center for Children and Families consists of psychologists, social workers, developmental and behavioral pediatricians, occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists, and other licensed mental health professionals who provide pediatric mental health services for children aged 0-8, as well as their families and caregivers. In fiscal year 2023, the Erikson DCFS Early Childhood Project served 5,993 children directly through collaborative work, reaching children across the state of Illinois. Erikson also offers programs to help professionals who work with children and families improve their skills, learn new techniques, and earn credits to maintain their professional licenses.
- $2.6 million spent. RESEARCH, POLICY & LEADERSHIP: Erikson Institute leads the field in early childhood research, uncovering opportunities for us to drive positive change for children, families, and communities. Erikson's current research projects respond directly to the needs of young children and the people who serve them by focusing on what works and models that can be replicated. Our groundbreaking research includes several studies that are the first of their kind in the field on topics including home visiting, Infants and Toddlers, and home-based childcare. Erikson's Policy and Leadership Department works to advance our systems by making them more effective, efficient and accessible to young children and their families by providing key leaders with the knowledge and tools to generate policy solutions that improve access to high-quality early childhood supports and services. The Policy & Leadership team supported Erikson President, Mariana Souto-Manning, in her presentation to the Illinois Senate's Early Childhood Education Committee, which highlighted that 90 percent of the brain is developed by age five and how every $1 invested in quality early childhood programs yields a $7 return. In 2023, the Early Childhood Leadership Academy (ECLA) enrolled 18 Illinois leaders from various sectors in a learning experience that blended expert presentations and activities to build their knowledge of child development and why the first five years are critical. The Policy and Leadership team's workshop series saw 255 participants from a wide variety of social service organizations across the United States.
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 October 1966.
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.