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Goodwill Industries of Metropolitan Chicago Inc

EIN 36-4455490 · Milwaukee, WI

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak48 out of 100GovernanceGood88 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO, INC. ("GOODWILL-CHICAGO") IS A NONSTOCK, NOT-FOR-PROFIT ILLINOIS CORPORATION, WHOSE SOLE MEMBER IS GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN, INC. ("GOODWILL"), A WISCONSIN NONSTOCK, NOT-FOR-PROFIT (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)

Income
$3.2 million
Spending
$3.2 million
Spent on programs
86%
Reserves
0 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 53%
Employees
37
Volunteers
4
Highest pay
$1.3 million, president & ceo

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

Weak: 48 out of 100. Higher than 17% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover -0.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    2 of 20

    It owes 100% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 0% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 17% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    86% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 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

Good: 88 out of 100. Higher than 46% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    4 of 4 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • 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 (2)
  1. $1.9 million spent. GOODWILL-CHICAGO'S PRE-EMPLOYMENT SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAMS FOCUS ON PROVIDING EDUCATION AND TRAINING TO HELP PARTICIPANTS FIND WORK OR START A CAREER. AN INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYMENT PLAN IS DEVELOPED FOR PARTICIPANTS OUTLINING STRENGTHS, EXISTING SKILLS, INTERESTS, PAST EXPERIENCE AND OTHER SUPPORTIVE SERVICE NEEDS. PARTICIPANTS ATTEND INTENSIVE PRE-EMPLOYMENT SKILLS AND COMPUTER SKILLS TRAINING CLASSES. AFTER COMPLETION, PARTICIPANTS EITHER ACTIVELY PURSUE EMPLOYMENT OR COMPLETE ADDITIONAL OCCUPATIONAL SKILLS TRAINING, SUCH AS RETAIL AND CUSTOMER SERVICE. IN 2025, GOODWILL EXPANDED YOUTH-SPECIFIC PROGRAMMING WITH ITS EMPOWER YOUTH PROGRAM, TARGETING TEENS AND YOUNG (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O) ADULTS AGES 16-24 FOR EMPLOYMENT READINESS TRAINING, ACCESS TO SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, AND JOB PLACEMENT IN BOTH SHORT AND LONG-TERM EMPLOYMENT. OUR TEENS AND YOUNG ADULT INITIATIVES ALSO FEATURED PROGRAMS SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON PROFESSIONAL SKILL-BUILDING PROVIDING TRAINING IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION, FINANCIAL EDUCATION, GOAL SETTING, AND MENTORSHIP. WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, GOODWILL PARTICIPATED IN PROGRAMS TO EXPOSE YOUTH TO PATHWAYS TRAININGS IN ENERGY, UTILITIES AND CONSTRUCTION. RECOGNIZING THAT GOODWILL EMPLOYS INDIVIDUALS WITH BARRIERS TO LONG-TERM SUCCESSFUL EMPLOYMENT, OUR EMPLOYEE EMPOWERMENT NETWORK OFFERS LIFE COACHING, BENEFIT NAVIGATION, AND SERVICE REFERRALS THROUGH VOLUNTARY ENROLLMENT TO ITS OWN EMPLOYEES.
  2. $879,918 spent. GOODWILL OPERATED FIVE WORKFORCE CONNECTION CENTERS, IN THE METROPOLITAN CHICAGO AREA, WITH LOCATIONS IN LOMBARD, NORTH RIVERSIDE AND IN THE WEST ENGLEWOOD COMMUNITY. THE CENTERS PROVIDED FREE JOB SEARCH AND SUPPORT SERVICES TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, REGARDLESS OF INCOME OR OTHER QUALIFYING CRITERIA. THESE CENTERS WERE DEVELOPED TO HELP INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE UNEMPLOYED OR UNDEREMPLOYED FIND AND KEEP JOBS. WORKFORCE CONNECTION CENTER STAFF PROVIDE ASSISTANCE THROUGHOUT THE JOB SEARCH PROCESS, INCLUDING RESUME DEVELOPMENT, JOB LEADS/APPLICATIONS, COMPUTER ACCESS, JOB-SEARCH STRATEGIES, INTERVIEW PREP, AND ACCESS TO RESOURCES NEEDED TO SUSTAIN EMPLOYMENT. THE WORKFORCE CONNECTION CENTERS HOST EMPLOYER RECRUITMENT EVENTS TO CONNECT JOB SEEKERS WITH EMPLOYERS IN NEED OF EMPLOYEES. GOODWILL ALSO (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O) COLLABORATES WITH OTHER LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO CONNECT CENTER CUSTOMERS TO ADDITIONAL RESOURCES SUCH AS DRIVER'S LICENSE RECOVERY PROGRAMS, COUNSELING, BENEFITS ASSISTANCE, AND HELP WITH HOUSING AND OTHER CONCERNS. TOGETHER, THESE CENTERS PROVIDED SERVICES TO MORE THAN 4,000 PEOPLE IN 2025.

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since April 2002.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.