Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Start Early

EIN 36-3186328 · Chicago, IL

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair54 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

START EARLY ADVANCES QUALITY EARLY LEARNING FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN, BEFORE BIRTH THROUGH THEIR EARLIEST YEARS, TO HELP CLOSE THE OPPORTUNITY GAP.

Income
$115.2 million
Spending
$116.5 million
Spent on programs
82%
Reserves
1.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 65%
Employees
513
Volunteers
34
Highest pay
$428,865, executive director, ffyf

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: 54 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 21% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 15% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    82% 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

Strong: 100 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    34 of 34 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a 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 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 (9)
  1. $44.0 million spent. START EARLY PROVIDES HIGH-QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES FOR LOW-INCOME CHILDREN, BIRTH TO AGE FIVE, AND THEIR FAMILIES, AS WELL AS SERVICES TO PREGNANT WOMEN, THROUGH A MULTI-SITE NETWORK OF EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS, FAMILY CHILD CARE HOMES, AND DIRECTLY-OPERATED PROGRAMS IN UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT CHICAGO AND SURROUNDING SUBURBS. WE SUPPORT AND TRAIN THE EARLY CHILDHOOD WORKFORCE AND PARTNER AT THE LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL LEVELS TO ENSURE POLICIES PUT FAMILIES FIRST. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, START EARLY DIRECTLY OPERATED THREE PROGRAMS: THE EDUCARE CHICAGO SCHOOL AT 5044 S WABASH AVE, HEALTHY PARENTS & BABIES AT 100 N. WESTERN AVE., AND LAKE COUNTY EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS LOCATED AT TWO SITES IN LAKE COUNTY, ILLINOIS. START EARLY ALSO SUBCONTRACTED WITH 13 AGENCIES ACROSS 22 GEOGRAPHICALLY DIVERSE SITES, SERVING NEARLY 2,000 YOUNG CHILDREN, PREGNANT WOMEN, AND THEIR FAMILIES.
  2. $16.1 million spent. START EARLY'S HOME VISITING AND DOULA NETWORK ANNUALLY REACHES APPROXIMATELY 1,360 HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED YOUNG CHILDREN, PREGNANT WOMEN, AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH A STATEWIDE NETWORK OF HOME VISITING AND DOULA SERVICES. THE HOME VISITING AND DOULA NETWORK CONDUCTS SPECIALIZED TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO 170 EARLY CHILDHOOD PROFESSIONALS WORKING FOR 24 COMMUNITY AGENCIES ACROSS CHICAGO AND THROUGHOUT ILLINOIS.
  3. $10.4 million spent. THE EDUCARE LEARNING NETWORK (ELN) EXTENDS THE IMPACT OF START EARLY'S EXTENSIVE EARLY CHILDHOOD KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE TO STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY THROUGH CONSULTATION AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN PROGRAM, PUBLIC POLICY AND SYSTEMS WORK; RESEARCH AND EVALUATION; ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING; AND PHILANTHROPIC ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES. ELN SERVES AS THE NATIONAL COORDINATING OFFICE (NCO) FOR A MULTI-STATE NETWORK OF EDUCARE SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY; THAT PROVIDES AND PROMOTES HIGH-QUALITY, TRANSFORMATIVE EARLY LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR CHILDREN; BIRTH TO FIVE; AND THEIR FAMILIES FROM HISTORICALLY UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES. THE EDUCARE NCO AND ITS PARTNERSHIP EDUCARE SCHOOLS SHARE EXPERTISE WITH LOCAL AND NATIONAL EDUCATORS, RESEARCHERS AND POLICYMAKERS SO THEY CAN ELEVATE QUALITY STRENGTHENING EARLY CHILDHOOD. START EARLY PARTNERS WITH EDUCARE NETWORK SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT THE RESPONSIBLE USE OF PRIVATE PHILANTHROPIC INVESTMENTS. THROUGH COLLABORATIVE PLANNING, REPORTING AND COMMUNICATION. WE WORK TO ALIGN RESOURCES WITH SHARED GOALS AND GRANT COMMITMENTS FOSTERING TRANSPARENCY AND CONTINUOUS LEARNING ACROSS THE NETWORK. ONE AVENUE FOR SHARINGE THIS EXPERTISE IS THROUGH THE ESSENTIAL PRACTICES OF EDUCARE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. THIS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERIES PROVIDES PRACTICAL INSTRUCTION TO HELP CENTER- AND SCHOOL-BASED PROGRAM LEADERS, TEACHERS AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT STAFF TO FOCUS THEIR TIME AND RESOURCES ON CROSS-CUTTING PRACTICES THAT DRIVE IMPROVEMENTS AT THE INDIVIDUAL CHILD, CLASSROOM, FAMILY AND PROGRAM LEVELS. START EARLY'S NATIONAL POLICY TEAMS PROVIDE CONSULTING, ADVISING, AND EDUCATION SERVICES TO COMMUNITY, STATE, AND FEDERAL LEADERS. WITH DECADES OF EXPERIENCE IN POLICY, PROGRAMS, AND RESEARCH, WE SUPPORT SYSTEMS LEADERS AND ENGAGE FAMILIES AND PROVIDERS TO BUILD HIGH-QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD SYSTEMS THAT REACH CHILDREN AND FAMILIES NATIONWIDE.
  4. $6.5 million spent. PROFESSIONAL LEARNING NETWORK & WASHINGTON STATE: OUR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING NETWORK DESIGNS AND DELIVERS PROFESSIONAL LEARNING SERVICES AND PROGRAM SUPPORTSTHROUGH TRAINING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (TA) AND COACHINGFOR MORE THAN 350 HOME VISITING AND CENTER-BASED PROGRAMS ACROSS ILLINOIS REPRESENTING MULTIPLE EVIDENCE-BASED MODELS AND FUNDING SOURCES.
  5. $5.1 million spent. THE NATIONAL CENTER ON PARENT, FAMILY, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT (NCPFCE) PROMOTES EXCELLENCE THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH-QUALITY TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (TTA) AND PRACTICAL RESOURCES THAT REFLECT CURRENT EVIDENCE, ARE RESEARCH-INFORMED, AND PROMOTE BEST PRACTICES IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ADULT LEARNING.
  6. $4.6 million spent. THE QUALITY, SOLUTIONS, AND IMPACT TEAM RESEARCHES, DEVELOPS AND PILOTS NEW STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE QUALITY WITHIN HEAD START, EARLY HEAD START AND HOME VISITING PROGRAMS.
  7. $4.3 million spent. FIRST FIVE YEARS FUND WORKS TO PROTECT, PRIORITIZE, AND BUILD BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR QUALITY CHILD CARE AND EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
  8. $3.7 million spent. ILLINOIS POLICY TEAM: THROUGH ADMINISTRATIVE, LEGISLATIVE AND GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY, OUR POLICY TEAM INFORMS, CREATES AND STRENGTHENS CONDITIONS THAT ENSURE INCLUSIVE ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY EARLY LEARNING AND CARE EXPERIENCES FOR ILLINOIS' YOUNGEST CHILDREN, THEIR FAMILIES AND THOSE WHO CARE FOR THEM.
  9. $612,107 spent. RESEARCH-PRACTICE PARTNERSHIP: OUR RESEARCH AND EVALUATION TEAM BUILDS THE CAPACITY AND EXPERTISE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS AND FAMILIES OF YOUNG CHILDREN TO TRANSFORM PRACTICE SOLUTIONS, SYSTEMS, AND POLICIES AT SCALE.

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

  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 June 2025.

    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 July 1982.

    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.