Safer Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To support, through a full spectrum of services & advocacy, the efforts of people with arrest & conviction records to become employed, law-abiding members of the community and as a result, reduce recidivism.
- Income
- $33.4 million
- Spending
- $36.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- -2.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 82%
- Employees
- 338
- Volunteers
- 106
- Highest pay
- $458,806, president & ceo
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
Weak: 36 out of 100. Higher than 2% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
2 of 20It owes 93% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 8% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 3% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 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
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 11% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 16 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
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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)
- $10.2 million spent. EMPLOYMENT SERVICES IN ILLINOIS AND IOWA - PROVIDES INDIVIDUALIZED INTAKE ASSESSMENTS, JOB READINESS TRAINING, AND INDUSTRY-SPECIFIC SKILLS DEVELOPMENT FOR ADULTS WITH ARREST OR CONVICTION RECORDS. PARTICIPANTS ARE SUPPORTED IN SECURING EMPLOYMENT IN HIGH-DEMAND SECTORS SUCH AS TECHNOLOGY, CONSTRUCTION, SOLAR ENERGY, TRANSPORTATION AND DISTRIBUTION, WAREHOUSING AND LOGISTICS, FINANCE AND BANKING, HEALTHCARE, FOOD SERVICE AND HOSPITALITY, AND ADVANCED MANUFACTURING. SAFER'S APPROACH TO BUILDING SUSTAINABLE TALENT PIPELINES INCLUDES WORK-BASED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, INCLUDING PRE-APPRENTICESHIP AND APPRENTICESHIP MODELS THAT EXPAND ACCESS TO SKILLED TRADES CAREERS FOR JUSTICE-IMPACTED INDIVIDUALS. WITH THE SUPPORT OF OVER 200 EMPLOYER PARTNERS, SAFER HELPS PARTICIPANTS OBTAIN AND RETAIN PERMANENT EMPLOYMENT. IN ADDITION TO PARTICIPANT SERVICES, SAFER PROVIDES DEDICATED SUPPORT TO EMPLOYERS. THESE SERVICES INCLUDE TAILORED JOB MATCHING, PRE-SCREENED CANDIDATE REFERRALS, AND ONGOING POST-PLACEMENT FOLLOW-UP TO PROMOTE LONG-TERM RETENTION AND WORKPLACE SUCCESS. PARTNERING WITH SAFER GIVES EMPLOYERS ACCESS TO A DIVERSE, JOB-READY TALENT POOL ALONG WITH COACHING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. SERVICES ARE DELIVERED THROUGH THE ASCEND SERVICE MODEL, A HOLISTIC, EVIDENCE-BASED FRAMEWORK THAT ADDRESSES PARTICIPANTS' COMPREHENSIVE NEEDS. IN ADDITION TO EMPLOYMENT SERVICES, PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE CASE MANAGEMENT, SKILLS TRAINING, FINANCIAL LITERACY, HOUSING ASSISTANCE, TRANSPORTATION SUPPORT, AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES. THESE EFFORTS EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS TO BUILD STRONGER FUTURES WHILE SUPPORTING EMPLOYERS IN MEETING THEIR WORKFORCE NEEDS. SERVICES ARE MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH COLLABORATION WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS AND FUNDERS, INCLUDING WIOA TITLES I-IV, ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY (IDCEO), ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTHCARE AND FAMILY SERVICES, ILLINOIS CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION AUTHORITY (ICJIA), LOCAL WORKFORCE INNOVATION BOARDS (LWIBS), THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, COOK COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS (CCDOC), ILLINOIS AND IOWA DEPARTMENTS OF CORRECTIONS, AND VARIOUS MUNICIPALITIES, COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY-BASED PARTNERS. (Expenses $ 2,431,444 including grants of $)(Revenue $ 383,306) Other (Expenses $ 1,460,785 including grants of $) Basic Skills/Education in IL and IA (Expenses $ 1,369,353 including grants of $) Recontruction Technology (Expenses $ 984,602 including grants of $) Rock Island/Iowa
- $9.8 million spent. SAFER FOUNDATION, AS A NONPROFIT PRIVATE AGENCY, OPERATES SECURE RESIDENTIAL WORK RELEASE CENTERS FOR THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS. OUR TWO ADULT TRANSITION CENTERS (ATC'S) ARE WORK RELEASE FACILITIES WHICH ALLOW INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS TO SERVE THE FINAL 3 TO 30 MONTHS OF THEIR STATE PRISON SENTENCES IN A COMMUNITY-BASED SETTING. THE GOAL IS TO PROVIDE SELECTED PARTICIPANTS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRANSITION INTO THE WORKFORCE, RECONNECT WITH FAMILY, AND REINTEGRATE INTO THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS BEFORE RELEASE, ULTIMATELY INCREASING THEIR CHANCES OF BECOMING SUCCESSFUL LAW-ABIDING COMMUNITY MEMBERS. SERVICES OFFERED AT THE ATC'S INCLUDE SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT, MEDICAL ASSISTANT TREATMENT, SAFER SKILLS TRAINING (SST), MENTORING, HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY TESTING, AND DEMAND SKILL VOCATIONAL TRAINING. IN FY25, OVER 450 CLIENTS WERE SERVED AT THE TWO ADULT TRANSITION CENTERS. HOWEVER, ON AVERAGE, 80 HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCIES ARE COMPLETED EACH YEAR, AND ATC RESIDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE IN-DEMAND SKILL TRAINING PROGRAMS TO EARN INDUSTRY-RECOGNIZED CREDENTIALS.
- $3.0 million spent. Pivotal Staffing Services: The transitional jobs provided through Pivotal are designed to support clients who have immediate income needs, who are recently released, and who have very limited education and work experience. Jobs are expected to be retained for 90 days or until the client and Safer can partner to find a better opportunity. During the client's transitional job assignment, Safer will provide workplace acclimation training, mentoring, career planning and suport in locating a second job that offers an opportunity for increased wages. (Expenses $ 2,431,444 including grants of $)(Revenue $ 383,306) Other (Expenses $ 1,460,785 including grants of $) Basic Skills/Education in IL and IA (Expenses $ 1,369,353 including grants of $) Recontruction Technology (Expenses $ 984,602 including grants of $) Rock Island/Iowa
- $2.4 million spent. Other
- $1.5 million spent. Basic Skills/Education in IL and IA
- $1.4 million spent. Recontruction Technology
- $984,602 spent. Rock Island/Iowa
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 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 June 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 December 1972.
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.