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Have Dreams

EIN 36-4078008 · Park Ridge, IL

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair63 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

HAVE DREAMS ASPIRES TO HELP INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD) LEARN, FUNCTION INDEPENDENTLY AND SOCIALIZE, SO THAT THEY MAY REALIZE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL AND DEVELOP INTO CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS OF THEIR COMMUNITIES.

Income
$2.2 million
Spending
$2.2 million
Spent on programs
71%
Reserves
3.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 48%
Employees
35
Volunteers
20
Highest pay
$147,302, director of operations

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 63 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (employment, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 55% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 4% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    70% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 29 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 (employment, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 7 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 December 31, 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 (5)
  1. $713,301 spent. VOCATIONAL: COMPRISED OF 3 MAIN PARTS: LIFE SCILS, PROJECT SEARCH AND HAVE DREAMS ACADEMY FOR PARTICIPANTS WITH AN AUTISM DIAGNOSIS WHO ARE YOUNG ADULTS. HAVE DREAMS OFFERS ONE-ON-ONE COUNSELING TO INDIVIDUALS ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM AS WELL AS TO PARENTS AND/OR CAREGIVERS OF THOSE WITH ASD. PARTICIPANTS DEVELOP CRUCIAL VOCATIONAL SKILLS, JOB PREPARATION AND TRAINING, AS WELL AS COMMUNITY OUTINGS. PARTICIPANTS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPLEMENT WORK SKILLS THEY DEVELOP DURING THE PROGRAM AND GENERALIZE THESE SKILLS IN APPROPRIATE WORK SETTINGS. THERE IS ALSO A CONCENTRATION ON SOCIALIZATION THROUGH FIELD TRIPS, STRUCTURED SOCIAL ACTIVITIES AND PARTICIPATION IN AN EXTENSIVE FITNESS AND HEALTHY LIVING PROGRAM. THERE WERE 24 LIFESCILS PARTICIPANTS AND 12 HAVE DREAMS ACADEMY PARTICIPANTS DURING THE YEAR.
  2. $378,688 spent. CLINICAL SERVICES: HAVE DREAMS OFFERS ONE-ON-ONE COUNSELING TO INDIVIDUALS ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM (AGES 10+) AS WELL AS TO PARENTS, CAREGIVERS, FAMILY MEMBERS, AND PARTNERS OF THOSE WITH ASD. THERE WERE 106 PARTICIPANTS WHO SERVED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
  3. $365,459 spent. TRAINING WORKSHOPS AND CONSULTATIONS: AUTISM RELATED TRAININGS AND WORKSHOPS FOR FAMILIES AND PROFESSIONALS ACROSS THE STATE OF ILLINOIS INCLUDING 4-3-DAY TRAINING AND WORKSHOPS. THESE TRAININGS AND WORKSHOPS PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE INSTRUCTION REGARDING STRUCTURED TEACHING FOR CHILDREN ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM. A TOTAL OF 6 TRAININGS/WORKSHOPS WERE HELD SERVING 222 PARTICIPANTS. THERE WERE ALSO ONLINE TRAININGS OFFERED AS WELL AS INTERACTIVE CONSULTATIONS, OBSERVATIONS, AND TRAININGS DONE WITH TEACHING PROFESSIONALS ACROSS THE CHICAGOLAND AREA AT THEIR PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT.
  4. $103,344 spent. CLASSES: SCILS IS A COMMUNICATION AND LIFE SKILLS PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES TRAINING AND SUPPORT IN INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH AN AUTISTIC DIAGNOSIS. CLASSES ARE HELD IN FALL, WINTER, SPRING, SUMMER AND CAMP SESSIONS, WITH 10 TO 20 CLASSES PER SESSION AND ONE TO TWO CLASSES PER WEEK. CLASSES ARE HELD IN PARK RIDGE AND EVANSTON. THERE WERE 77 TOTAL PARTICIPANTS IN EVANSTON AND 40 PARTICIPANTS IN PARK RIDGE.
  5. RENTAL OF OFFICE SPACE TO PSYCHOLOGIST AND MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 December 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 1996.

    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.