Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness (CCH) builds community power and advances racial equity through organizing, advocacy, legal assistance, and education to prevent and end homelessness because housing is a human right.
- Income
- $6.8 million
- Spending
- $6.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 87%
- Reserves
- 14.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 95%
- Employees
- 46
- Volunteers
- 60
- Highest pay
- $162,441, executive dir.
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
Strong: 97 out of 100. Higher than 91% of charities in its peer group (housing, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 14.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 12% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 18% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1587% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 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 70% of charities in its peer group (housing, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2527 of 27 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 (15)
- $1.4 million spent. SMALL SHELTER FUND: THE SMALL SHELTER FUND ADMINISTERS PASS-THROUGH GRANTS FORSMALL CHICAGO SHELTERS, SUPPORTED BY AN ANONYMOUS FUNDER.
- $676,319 spent. Law: Educational Rights - The Law Project provides free legal assistance to people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Through the Educational Rights Initiative, Law Project staff help students with enrollment, fee waivers, transportation access, and other school-based needs. Staff also help unaccompanied college students access financial aid. CCH advocates to improve school policies and increase resources for unstably housed students and manages a college scholarship program for students impacted by homelessness.
- $608,504 spent. Bring Chicago Home - Since 2018, CCH has been a lead partner of Bring Chicago Home (BCH), which unites community organizations, elected officials, and people impacted by homelessness. Together, we advocate to establish a dedicated revenue stream to create permanent housing and supportive services for people experiencing homelessness in Chicago.
- $589,639 spent. Law: Youth Futures - CCHs legal aid program, the Law Project, runs Youth Futures, a mobile clinic for youth ages 14-24. Youth Futures helps young people with pressing legal needs, including access to housing, health care, education, and public benefits.
- $547,316 spent. Housing Policy and Advocacy - CCH advocates for the development of permanent supportive housing for households experiencing homelessness and equitable budgeting for housing, shelters, and human services in Chicago and across Illinois. We also conduct an annual estimate of Chicagoans experiencing homelessness, which is frequently cited by housing organizations, elected officials, and local and national news media.
- $419,242 spent. State Network & Legislative Agenda - Our State Network mobilizes a table of 30+ housing providers, homeless agencies, and Continuums of Care in suburban and downstate communities that are focused on equitable budgeting and improvements to Illinois housing programs and policies. CCH and partners work to implement an annual legislative agenda that advances statewide policy solutions for housing, education, public benefits, and other issues relevant to people impacted by poverty.
- $414,048 spent. Law: Civil Rights - People who experience homelessness are often discriminated against and criminalized. Through advocacy, outreach, and impact litigation, CCH works to protect the civil rights of people experiencing homelessness, including the right to access public spaces, the right to privacy of personal property, and the right to vote, among many others.
- $304,599 spent. Community Education & Awareness - CCH organizers and legal staff provide broad community outreach at schools, shelters, drop-in centers, housing programs, and encampments. Through outreach, we educate people impacted by homelessness on their rights and options, connect them to resources and legal assistance, and engage those interested in joining our advocacy efforts. We write and distribute 20+ types of know-your-rights materials covering topics relevant to people experiencing homelessness and provide free trainings to service providers, school staff, and attorneys.
- $197,870 spent. Reentry Project - The Reentry Project focuses on legislative reforms for fair reentry practices, increased access to housing and employment, and the provision of comprehensive support services for justice-involved individuals. Working with the Restoring Rights and Opportunities Coalition of Illinois (RROCI), the project advocates to end housing and job barriers, enacting ten laws since 2015.
- $181,843 spent. Youth Committee & Engagement - CCH mobilizes the Homeless Youth Committee, a statewide advocacy table focused on policy solutions for young people experiencing homelessness. CCH fosters youth leadership by educating unaccompanied youth on housing and homelessness issues and helping them develop new skills such as public speaking and lobbying.
- $145,248 spent. Speakers Bureau - Led by CCH grassroots leaders, our Speakers Bureau reaches about 2,000 people a year at events hosted by schools, universities, and civic groups. Speakers educate community members on homelessness by sharing their own experiences and providing opportunities to engage with CCH advocacy efforts.
- $137,740 spent. Streetlight Chicago - Streetlight Chicago is a free app and website that connects unstably housed young people to resources, including shelter, food, and health care. It is available online at www.streetlightchicago.org and can be downloaded on Apple and Android.
- $123,328 spent. Racial Equity Committee - The Racial Equity Committee (REC) works to implement, support, and advance equity and racial justice both internally and externally to CCH. Priority areas include hiring and compensation, policymaking, staff engagement through racial caucusing, and equitable evaluation of programs and campaigns.
- $87,511 spent. Horizons - Organizers offer creative writing workshops to individuals and families staying at shelters across Chicago. Through the Horizons program, participants develop story-telling skills while fostering self-expression and community connection.
- Small Shelter Fund - The Small Shelter Fund administers pass-through grants for small Chicago shelters, supported by an anonymous funder.
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 May 1984.
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.