Equip for Equality Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
ADVANCE THE HUMAN & CIVIL RIGHTS OF CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES IN ILLINOIS. ADMINISTER FEDERALLY MANDATED PROTECTION & ADVOCACY SYSTEM FOR STATE; EXERCISE STATUTORY POWERS, AND SERVE AS LEGAL ADVOCATE AND INDEPENDENT WATCHDOG OVER PUBLIC & PRIVATE SECTORS.
- Income
- $9.6 million
- Spending
- $9.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 78%
- Reserves
- 3.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 77%
- Employees
- 87
- Volunteers
- 284
- Highest pay
- $345,421, president & ceo/ex-officio
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 75 out of 100.
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.4 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 33% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 5% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1578% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 2511 of 11 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 September 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 (4)
- $1.1 million spent. PROTECTION & ADVOCACY FOR PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES (PADD)PADD IS THE FIRST STATE P&A PROGRAM CREATED BY CONGRESS UNDER THE DD ASSISTANCE & BILL OF RIGHTS ACT OF 1975, FOLLOWING A NATIONAL EXPOSE BY GERALDO RIVERA ON DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS IN A LARGE STATE-RUN DEVELOPMENTAL CENTER IN NEW YORK. UNDER THE ACT, EQUIP FOR EQUALITY (EFE) IS TO PURSUE LEGAL, ADMINISTRATIVE AND OTHER APPROPRIATE REMEDIES TO PROTECT AND ADVOCATE FOR THE RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL/DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES UNDER FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS. FEDERAL LAW REQUIRES THE STATE P&A TO BE INDEPENDENT OF SERVICE PROVIDERS FOR PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. THROUGH THE PADD PROGRAM, EFE HAS PROVIDED ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS WITH SELF-ADVOCACY ASSISTANCE, AND REPRESENTATION IN NEGOTIATIONS, ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDINGS AND INDIVIDUAL AND SYSTEMIC LITIGATION. IN ADDITION, EFE HAS THE AUTHORITY TO MONITOR COMMUNITY-BASED FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS AS WELL AS PRIVATE AND PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS. OVER THE YEARS, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS HAVE BENEFITED FROM OUR LEGAL ADVOCACY SERVICES AND INDEPENDENT MONITORING EFFORTS. EFE EMPOWERS PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL / DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH DISABILITY RIGHTS TRAINING SESSIONS AND THROUGH ITS PLAIN LANGUAGE WEBSITE WITH PRACTICAL TIPS ABOUT HOW TO EFFECTIVELY RESOLVE COMMON PROBLEMS THEMSELVES.
- $903,669 spent. REP PAYEE PROGRAM THE FEDERAL STRENGTHENING PROTECTIONS FOR SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFICIARIES ACT OF 2018 EMPOWERS STATE P&AS, INCLUDING EFE, TO CONDUCT PERFORMANCE REVIEWS OF REPRESENTATIVE PAYEES TO DETERMINE IF BENEFICIARY FUNDS ARE PROPERLY SAFEGUARDED AND TO ENSURE BENEFICIARY NEEDS ARE MET. THE ACT ALSO DIRECTS THE ORGANIZATION TO CONDUCT OUTREACH AND EDUCATIONAL TRAININGS TO ENSURE THAT PAYEES UNDERSTAND THEIR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.IF EFE'S DETAILED REVIEW FINDS THAT THE PAYEE IS NOT CARRYING OUT ITS DUTIES, CORRECTIVE ACTION(S) MAY BE NEEDED FOR THE PAYEE TO CONTINUE TO MANAGE THE BENEFICIARY'S MONEY. ONCE ALL CORRECTIVE ACTIONS ARE IMPLEMENTED, OR IF THE REVIEW FINDS THAT NO CORRECTIVE ACTION IS NEEDED, THE PAYEE IS NOTIFIED THAT THE REVIEW IS COMPLETE.AS A RESULT OF THESE REVIEWS, EFE HELPS PAYEES UNDERSTAND THEIR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND ENSURES THAT BENEFICIARY NEEDS ARE MET. EFE ALSO ALERTS THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION (SSA) WHEN A PAYEE IS NOT ACTING IN A BENEFICIARY'S BEST INTEREST, SOMETIMES LEADING TO THE REMOVAL OF THE PAYEE. FINALLY, EFE ALSO ALERTS SSA AND OTHER INVESTIGATING AGENCIES IF ABUSE, NEGLECT, OR FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION IS UNCOVERED DURING A REVIEW. AS PART OF THIS, EFE HAS FILED COMPLAINTS WITH A VARIETY OF STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES, SUCH AS THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION, AND THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH, THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT ON AGING - ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES AND OTHERS. OUR COMPLAINTS HAVE RESULTED IN LICENSE REVOCATION OF SOME PAYEES AND TERMINATION OF STATE FUNDING.
- $873,707 spent. PROTECTION & ADVOCACY FOR PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESSTHE PAIMI PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1986, FOLLOWING CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS THAT DOCUMENTED WIDESPREAD ABUSE AND NEGLECT, SUSPICIOUS DEATHS, DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS, INADEQUATE STAFFING AND LACK OF APPROPRIATE MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT AT PRIVATE AND PUBLIC INPATIENT FACILITIES, AS WELL AS A LACK OF INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT OF THESE SETTINGS. UNDER PAIMI, EFE IS REQUIRED TO PROTECT AND ADVOCATE FOR THE RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS AND INVESTIGATE REPORTS OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT IN FACILITIES THAT PROVIDE CARE OR TREATMENT FOR THIS POPULATION AS WELL AS FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY. THROUGH THE PAIMI PROGRAM, EFE PROVIDES ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WITH SELF-ADVOCACY ASSISTANCE, AND REPRESENTATION IN NEGOTIATIONS, ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDINGS AND INDIVIDUAL AND SYSTEMIC LITIGATION. IN ADDITION, EFE HAS THE AUTHORITY TO MONITOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COMMUNITY-BASED SETTINGS AND INSTITUTIONS. TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS HAVE BENEFITED FROM OUR LEGAL ADVOCACY SERVICES AND INDEPENDENT MONITORING EFFORTS. EFE EMPOWERS PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH DISABILITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH DISABILITY RIGHTS TRAINING SESSIONS AND THROUGH ITS PLAIN LANGUAGE WEBSITE WITH PRACTICAL TIPS ABOUT HOW TO EFFECTIVELY RESOLVE COMMON PROBLEMS THEMSELVES.
- $4.5 million spent. OTHER EFE PROGRAMSEFE ALSO ADMINISTERS THE OTHER FEDERAL P&A PROGRAMS FOR ILLINOIS, INCLUDING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES UNDER THE ADA ENCOUNTERING DISCRIMINATION AND OTHER RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, PEOPLE RECEIVING FEDERAL DISABILITY PAYMENTS (SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME OR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY INSURANCE) WHO ARE ENCOUNTERING BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT, PEOPLE WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY WHOSE RIGHTS ARE VIOLATED, VOTERS WITH DISABILITIES ENCOUNTERING ACCESSIBILITY BARRIERS SUCH AS AT THEIR POLLING PLACE, PEOPLE ENCOUNTERING CHALLENGES IN SECURING ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY DEVICES AND RELATED TRAINING, AND PEOPLE ENCOUNTERING BARRIERS IN SEEKING JOB TRAINING AND PLACEMENT THROUGH THE STATE REHABILITATION SYSTEM.WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM INDIVIDUALS, LEADING CORPORATIONS AND LAW FIRMS, STATE GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS, EQUIP FOR EQUALITY HAS BEEN ABLE TO SIGNIFICANTLY EXPAND THE SCOPE AND REACH OF ITS MISSION. EFE HAS TWO LEGAL SERVICES TEAMS THE CIVIL RIGHTS PROGRAM AND THE SPECIAL EDUCATION RIGHTS CLINIC, AND OUR THIRD PROGRAM IS THE INDEPENDENT MONITORING UNIT.THE ORGANIZATION ALSO ENGAGES IN PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY AND DRAFTS AND ADVANCES STATE LEGISLATION TO PROTECT AND ADVANCE THE RIGHTS AND SAFETY OF PEOPLE WITH ALL TYPES OF DISABILITIES USING UNRESTRICTED FUNDS. EQUIP FOR EQUALITY HAS A ROBUST PRO BONO PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE WITH LEADING CORPORATE LAW DEPARTMENTS AND LAW FIRMS. MANY YEARS, DONATED SERVICES ARE EQUIVALENT TO 6 - 7 FULL-TIME ADVOCACY STAFF.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 October 13, 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 September 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 October 1985.
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 October 21, 2026.
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