Facing Forward to End Homelessness
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO END HOMELESSNESS FOR FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS BY OFFERING HOME, HELP, AND HOPE.
- Income
- $6.8 million
- Spending
- $7.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 79%
- Reserves
- 3.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 80%
- Employees
- 57
- Volunteers
- 43
- Highest pay
- $170,735, executive director
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: 65 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.1 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 22% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 8% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 2% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1579% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 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 65% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2515 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
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 (2)
- $4.3 million spent. SCATTERED SITE PROGRAMS: SAFE AT HOME I, III, & V; SHELTER GRADUATES I & II; VITAL VETERANSIN COLLABORATION WITH LANDLORDS ACROSS CHICAGO, FACING FORWARD'S PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING (PSH) PROGRAMS PROVIDE LONG-TERM HOUSING AND COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT SERVICES FOR FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS AND LIVE WITH DISABLING CONDITIONS. BASED ON HOUSING FIRST PRINCIPLES, OUR PROGRAMS PRIORITIZE IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO STABLE HOUSING WITHOUT ADDITIONAL PRECONDITIONS OR PREDETERMINED END DATES. THROUGH STABLE HOUSING, CASE MANAGEMENT, AGE-SPECIFIC SUPPORT FROM FACING FORWARD'S FAMILY EMPOWERMENT TEAM, AND CONNECTIONS TO OUR NETWORK OF OVER 100 TRUSTED COMMUNITY PARTNERS, PSH CLIENTS GAIN ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL RESOURCES AND EMPOWERING OPPORTUNITIES THAT END THE CYCLE OF HOMELESSNESS TODAY, AND FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. FACING FORWARD SERVED 245 HOUSEHOLDS, OR 559 INDIVIDUALS, THROUGH PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IN FY25.
- $1.5 million spent. SUPPORTIVE SERVICES PROGRAMS: SANCTUARY PLACE, HOME CONNECTIONS, HOME CONNECTIONS II, HOUSING RESOURCE SPECIALISTS (FORMERLY SKILLED ASSESSORS), HOUSING LOCATION, FIRST FOUNDATIONSSANCTUARY PLACE - CLIENTS IN THIS PROGRAM RESIDE AT SANCTUARY PLACE, A 69-UNIT HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN CHICAGO'S WEST HUMBOLDT PARK NEIGHBORHOOD. IT OFFERS 63 STUDIO APARTMENTS FOR SINGLE RESIDENTS, 6 TOWNHOMES FOR FAMILIES, AND ACCESS TO ON-SITE CASE MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES. THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES LONG-TERM HOUSING AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES WHICH ARE DESIGNED TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE RESIDENTS AND EMPOWER THEM IN MOVING TOWARD PROGRESSIVELY SELF-SUFFICIENT LIVING. SUPPORT SERVICES INCLUDE PROMOTING RESIDENTIAL STABILITY, INCREASING HOUSEHOLD INCOME, ADDRESSING HEALTHCARE NEEDS, EDUCATIONAL ADVANCEMENT, JOB READINESS, AND EVERYTHING ELSE IDENTIFIED AS A ROOT CAUSE OF HOMELESSNESS OR A BARRIER TO ADVANCEMENT. SERVICES ARE PROVIDED BY THE ORGANIZATION AS WELL AS THROUGH LINKAGE AGREEMENTS WITH OTHER AGENCIES.HOUSING RESOURCE SPECIALISTS (FORMERLY SKILLED ASSESSORS): IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL SHELTERS, FACING FORWARD CONDUCTS ONE-TIME ASSESSMENTS FOCUSED ON HOUSING NEEDS AND VULNERABILITY. FACING FORWARD ASSISTED 1,994 INDIVIDUALS IN FISCAL YEAR 2025 FROM CHICAGO'S HOUSING SERVICES WAIT LIST TO CONNECT THEM TO CRITICAL RESOURCES INCLUDING FOOD, SHELTER, AND MEDICAL CARE THROUGH REFERRALS TO SERVICE PROVIDERS IN THE COMMUNITY.FIRST FOUNDATIONS IS A RAPID-REHOUSING PILOT PROGRAM FOR FAMILIES WITH EXPECTANT PARENTS OR CHILDREN AGES THREE AND UNDER WHO ARE FACING OR AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS AND HELPS THEM TO SECURE STABLE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR FAMILIES AND PROVIDES TWO YEARS OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND COMPREHENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT. SUPPORTIVE SERVICES INCLUDE EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE, AGE-SPECIFIC SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN, PARENTING SUPPORTS, AND CONNECTIONS TO CHILDCARE AND FAMILY HEALTHCARE, WE HELP FAMILIES BUILD STABILITY AND DEVELOP THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO MOVE FROM THE PROGRAM INTO STABLE HOUSING OF THEIR OWN. FIRST FOUNDATIONS SERVED 11 FAMILIES (30 INDIVIDUALS) IN FY25.INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS FOR FAMILIES FACING FORWARD'S TWO-GENERATION PILOT PROGRAMS HOME CONNECTIONS I & II TAKE A TRANSFORMATIVE APPROACH TO ENDING HOMELESSNESS BY ADDRESSING THE INTERCONNECTED NEEDS OF PARENTS AND CHILDREN. BY HOUSING FAMILIES QUICKLY AND PROVIDING TARGETED SUPPORT, FAMILIES ARE EMPOWERED TO BREAK GENERATIONAL CYCLES OF HOMELESSNESS AND CREATE PATHWAYS TO LASTING STABILITY AND SUCCESS. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO URBAN LABS, THE HOME CONNECTION PILOT PROGRAM PROVIDES HOUSING-FOCUSED CASE MANAGEMENT, SHORT-TERM FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, AND UP TO ONE YEAR OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE FOR FAMILIES WITH STUDENTS EXPERIENCING OR AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS. OUR HOME CONNECTION PROGRAM SERVED 47 FAMILIES (165 INDIVIDUALS) IN FY25.
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 December 1986.
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.