Southwest Organizing Project
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE SOUTHWEST ORGANIZING PROJECT'S (SWOP) MISSION IS TO BUILD A BROAD-BASED ORGANIZATION OF CHRISTIAN, MUSLIM, AND JEWISH FAITH INSTITUTIONS, LOCAL SCHOOLS AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS IN SOUTHWEST CHICAGO, WHICH WILL ENABLE FAMILIES TO EXERCISE COMMON VALUES, DETERMINE THEIR OWN FUTURE AND CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER TO IMPROVE LIFE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. TO THIS END, LEADERS OFSWOP HAVE DEDICATED THEMSELVES TO BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS ACROSS RACIAL, ETHNIC, GENERATIONAL AND FAITH DIFFERENCES AND TO BRINGING THE COMMON CONCERNS OF THEIR INSTITUTIONSINTO THE PUBLIC LIFE OF THE COMMUNITY AS THEY DEVELOP THE CAPACITY TO ACT COLLECTIVELY AND "STAND FOR THE WHOLE.
- Income
- $28.7 million
- Spending
- $23.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 97%
- Reserves
- 7.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 93%
- Employees
- 68
- Volunteers
- 400
- Highest pay
- $253,293, 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
Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 82% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 7.4 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 17% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 18% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 11% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1597% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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 42% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 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 (4)
- $17.3 million spent. EDUCATION-RELATED ORGANIZING:SWOP WORKS WITH LOCAL SCHOOLS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION AVAILABLE TO YOUNG PEOPLE, TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARENTS TO BE INVOLVED IN SCHOOLS, AND FOR EDUCATORS TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS. SWOP RUNS THE PARENT
- $1.9 million spent. COMMUNITY ORGANIZING, EDUCATION, AND TRAINING ACTIVITIES WERE PERFORMED FOR THE PURPOSE OF ACHIVING AN ECONOMICALLY STABLE, OPEN, MULTIRACIAL COMMUNITY WITHIN CHICAGO'S SOUTHWEST NEIGHBORHOODS. AT THE HEART OF SWOP'S WORK IS COMMUNITY ORGANIZING: A STRATEGY OF BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PEOPLE WHO SHARE COMMON SELF-INTERESTS SO THEY CAN WORK TOGETHER TO BUILD POWER TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS. SWOP'S ORGANIZERS AND LEADERS WORK THROUGH MEMBER INSTITUTIONS TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE AN INTEREST IN PUBLIC LIFE. THESE ORGANIZERS AND LEADERS CONDUCT ONE TO ONE MEETINGS TO BUILD AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT MOTIVATES EACH PERSON AND TO INVITE THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN COLLECTIVE ACTION ON ISSUES THEY CARE ABOUT. THIS WORK IS FUNDING BY PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS, CORPORATE DONATIONS, INDIVIDUAL GIVING, AND EARNED INCOME. THIS WORK BENEFITS THE 40,000 PEOPLE WHO ARE PART OF SWOP'S MEMBER INSTITUTIONS.
- $1.9 million spent. VIOLENCE PREVENTION:SWOP RUNS THE COMMUNITIES PARTNERING 4 PEACE (CP4P) INITIATIVE IN SOUTHWEST CHICAGO. THROUGH THIS EFFORT, OUTREACH WORKERS AND CASE MANAGERS ARE CONNECTING WITH INDIVIDUALS LIKELY TO BE PERPETRATORS OR VICTIMS OF SHOOTINGS AND HELP THEM FIND ALTERNATIVES TO VIOLENCE.- PEOPLE ARE REFERRED TO JOB AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND ARE ENGAGED IN COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS. IN ADDITION, SWOP IS A LEADER IN THE EFFORT TO CREATE ACCOUNTABILITY AND CIVILIAN CONTROL OVER THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. SWOP HELPED PASS THE ORDINANCE CREATING A NEW POLICE OVERSIGHT PROCESS AND IS WORKING TO IMPLEMENT THIS EFFORT. THIS WORK IS FUNDED BY THE ILLINOIS CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION AUTHORITY (ICJIA), CDPH, COOK COUNTY, AND PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS. THE WORK BENEFITS ALL RESIDENTS OF THE CHICAGO LAWN AND GAGE PARK COMMUNITIES.
- $1.6 million spent. HEALTHCARE-RELATED ORGANIZING:SWOP WORKS TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE IN SOUTHWEST CHICAGO HAS ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY, AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE. SWOP, PARTNERING WITH MANY OF ITS MEMBER INSTITUTIONS, IS A LEADER IN RESPONDING TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC WITH VACCINATION AND TESTING DRIVES. SWOP LEADS THE SOUTHWEST SYSTEM OF CARE (SWSOC), A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TO ENSURE ACCESS TO NEEDED SERVICES FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IN LOCAL SCHOOLS. SWOP PARTNERED WITH MARQUETTE SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE AND ESPERANZA HEALTH CENTER TO OPEN A HEALTH CENTER AT THE SCHOOL. SWOP COMMUNITY NAVIGATORS ARE WORKING WITH FAMILIES ACROSS THE COMMUNITY TO GIVE THEM THE INFORMATION THEY NEED TO ACCESS THE HEALTHCARE SERVICES THEY NEED. THIS WORK IS FUNDED BY THE CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH (CDPH), THE CHICAGO COOK WORKFORCE ALLIANCE, AND PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS. THIS WORK BENEFITS ALL RESIDENTS OF THE CHICAGO LAWN, GAGE PARK, WEST ELSDON, WEST LAWN, AND ASHBURN COMMUNITIES.HOUSING ISSUES:THE SOUTHWEST CHICAGO COMMUNITIES OF CHICAGO LAWN, GAGE PARK, WEST LAWN, AND WEST ELSDON WERE GROUND ZERO FOR THE FORECLOSURE CRISIS OF 2007-08. THOUSANDS OF FORECLOSURES WERE INITIATED, AND HUNDREDS OF BUILDINGS WERE LEFT VACANT IN THE COMMUNITY. SWOP IS PARTNERING WITH UNITED POWER FOR ACTION AND JUSTICE AND BRINSHORE DEVELOPMENT TO CARRY OUT THE RECLAIMING SOUTHWEST CHICAGO CAMPAIGN. THROUGH THIS EFFORT, SWOP AND ITS PARTNERS ARE BUYING, REHABBING AND THEN RENTING OR SELLING THE BUILDINGS AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING. IN ADDITION, SWOP CONNECTS PEOPLE TO HOUSING COUNSELING, RENTAL AND MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE, AND FORECLOSURE PREVENTION SERVICES. THIS WORK IS FUNDED BY THE ILLINOIS HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (IHDA), THE CITY OF CHICAGO, PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS, CORPORATE DONATIONS, INDIVIDUAL GIVING, AND EARNED INCOME. THE WORK BENEFITS ALL THE FAMILIES LIVING IN THE 94-BLOCK TARGET AREA.CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION:SOUTHWEST CHICAGO HAS A LARGE IMMIGRANT POPULATION, WITH MANY FAMILIES LIVING IN DUAL STATUS HOUSEHOLDS. SWOP WORKS TO ENSURE THAT EVERY PERSON IS TREATED WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT AND THAT THEY CAN FULLY PARTICIPATE IN THE PUBLIC LIFE OF THE COMMUNITY. SWOP PROVIDES KNOW YOUR RIGHTS TRAININGS AND CONNECTIONS TO LEGAL SERVICES. SWOP LEADERS ARE ADVOCATING AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT FOR CHANGES IN LAWS AND POLICIES TO SUPPORT IMMIGRANT FAMILIES. IN ADDITION, SWOP HELPS PEOPLE APPLY FOR CITIZENSHIP AND CONNECTS IMMIGRANT FAMILIES TO NEEDED SERVICES. THIS WORK IS FUNDED BY THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES (IDHS) THROUGH THE ILLINOIS COALITION OF IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE ACTS (ICIRR), PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS, AND INDIVIDUAL GIVING. DURING THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, SWOP PROVIDED SERVICES TO OVER 7,000 INDIVIDUALS.
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 August 1996.
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.
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