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Girls in the Game NFP

EIN 36-4024533 · Chicago, IL

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak47 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

AT GIRLS IN THE GAME NFP, EVERY GIRL FINDS HER VOICE, DISCOVERS HER STRENGTH AND LEADS WITH CONFIDENCE THROUGH FUN AND ACTIVE SPORTS, HEALTH AND LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS.

Income
$1.6 million
Spending
$1.7 million
Spent on programs
62%
Reserves
2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 74%
Employees
73
Volunteers
380
Highest pay
$130,260, 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

Weak: 47 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 39% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 7% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 17% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    62% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 24 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

    24 of 24 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 (4)
  1. $557,828 spent. At Girls in the Game every girl finds her voice, discovers her strength and leads with confidence through fun and active sports, health, and leadership programs. Our programs serve over 3,600 girls, ages 7-18, each year, reaching over 15 Chicago neighborhoods. We prioritize girls of color from low-income backgrounds who live in under-resourced neighborhoods. At our largest program, After School, participants play sports, learn about healthy lifestyle choices, and improve their leadership skills in an all-girl setting. Ninety-minute sessions take place weekly for three 10-week seasons over the course of the school year. During the program year, participants are engaged in a variety of fitness, health and leadership activities. The curriculum also addresses topics related to bullying, healthy relationships and personal safety. After School provides a safe, non-competitive environment for girls to learn and be physically active. Through Family Nights and field trip opportunities for the whole family, Girls in the Game strives to involve parents and caregivers in our healthy lifestyle curriculum, helping to increase the likelihood that the lessons learned during programming will continue at home.
  2. $200,607 spent. Girls in the Games teen programs are designed to offer teen girls further opportunities for leadership development.Teen Squad: Teen Squad provides up to 40 teen leaders the opportunity to earn scholarships for college while improving their self-esteem and leadership skills. Members of Teen Squad lead health and leadership workshops for younger girls in the community and participate in fitness activities along with younger participants to set a positive example of healthy living. In exchange, members earn scholarships for higher education and other incentives through a tiered rewards system. In addition to leading workshops for younger girls, Teen Squad members participate in Leader to Leader Interviews where they meet with panels of professionals in a variety of different roles and industries and interview them about their backgrounds and careers. Teens prepare and lead the interview and use the opportunity to educate the panelists about the needs and issues facing teen girls today.Summer Squad: Summer Squad provides leadership training for girls ages 14 to 18. Participants learn coaching skills, while increasing their leadership ability, personal responsibility, time management, and knowledge of healthy lifestyle behaviors.Teen Club: The site-based Teen Club adapts our traditional programming to dive deeper into needed topics. It is used to engage girls ages 14 to 18 who we arent currently reaching through Teen Squad due to family obligations, part-time jobs, or lack of transportation. Teen Club meets girls where they are by entering school spaces to work with teens. We utilize small groups and lunch periods during school time once a week for twelve-week seasons.Teen Residential Programming: We offer teen programming at Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (JTDC) and Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. This programming adapts our sports, health, and leadership curriculum to allow participants more choice over topics and incorporate trauma-informed approaches such as opening and closing check-in circles. Programming at JTDC is offered year-round and programming at Mercy Home occurs during the school year.
  3. $195,979 spent. Girls in the Game offers one-time and school-break programs to engage more girls and offer fun, active and healthy opportunities for girls when they are out of school.Days of Play: Days of Play are healthy-lifestyle workshops open to all girls who participate in Girls in the Game programs. Coaches (including teen coaches) lead girls through rotations of our sports, health, and leadership lessons for a fun day where girls from all over Chicago come together to play and learn. We hold Days of Play in the winter and spring on non-school attendance days. Game Days: Game Days are one-day events held in a variety of Chicago neighborhoods. Over the course of the year, up to 1,500 girls at 40 different Chicago sites will participate in three hours of traditional and nontraditional sports as well as workshops on health and leadership. Game Days are often hosted at potential After School sites and serve as the first impression of our programs for many participants and their families. We also hold Game Days at sites where we run elementary and middle school programming in order to recruit new girls. Sports and Leadership Summer Camp: Summer Camp brings up to 130 girls from across Chicago together to experience new sports and learn about healthy lifestyles and leadership topics. Girls participate in four weeks of full-day, day camp, one week of overnight camp, and attend field trips. Girls in the Game provides daily complimentary bus service to ensure that girls have safe transportation to and from camp.
  4. $112,429 spent. ALL OTHER PROGRAM ACTIVITIES

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 October 1995.

    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.