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The Recyclery Collective

EIN 68-0632796 · Chicago, IL

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceFair68 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

The Recyclery Collective is an educational bike shop that promotes sustainability by giving access to tools, skills, and opportunities for collaboration. The focus is on refurbishing bicycles to keep them out of the landfill, and empowering youth and adults to learn basic and in-depth bike repair, sharing valuable mechanics skills and resources. Programs include Freecyclery, through which clients referred by social service agencies are matched with refurbished bikes for reliable and independent transportation; Earn-A-Bike, where individuals can earn a donated bike by providing hours of service in supervised bike repair; Open Shop, a do-it-yourself bike repair clinic, and Youth Open Shop for youth 11-18. We also collaborate with local schools to run extensive youth cycling and mechanics programs. Through this programming, we continue to deepen our engagement with our neighbors and the people we serve.

Income
$227,204
Spending
$187,028
Spent on programs
77%
Reserves
8.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 72%
Employees
11
Volunteers
181
Highest pay
$20,403, director / programming coordinator

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 75% of charities in its peer group (environment, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 8.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 3% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 18% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 40% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    77% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 18 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Fair: 68 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (environment, under $250k).

  • 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

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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.

  • 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, 2024, 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. $52,891 spent. In CY 2024, with over 3000 hours of volunteer work, we held a combined 1000+ hours of community educational programs. Through our Freecyclery program, we donated 229 bicycles in 2024, along with helmets and locks. Partnering with local social service agencies, this program matches clients with refurbished bikes to serve as reliable and independent transportation.
  2. $54,508 spent. Our Open Shop program is a do-it-yourself bike repair clinic that offers community members tools and resources to fix and maintain their bicycles. Volunteer mechanics are on-site to provide guidance and support. Through skill-sharing, we promote sustainability and empowerment while offering an affordable and accessible way to keep bikes safe and useful. A weekly Open Shop session geared towards the Femme, Trans, Women, and Non-Binary (FTWN-B) community provides a collaborative environment for a demographic often excluded from mechanics in our society.
  3. $10,567 spent. Youth Open Shop is a safe space for youth 11-18 to work on their bikes, build their mechanics skills, and take on leadership in their communities by sharing their knowledge about bike repair. This program runs from March through November. Our apprenticeship and internship models further support motivated under-resourced teens to further their learning.
  4. $26,444 spent. Shop Sales activity - visit our shop on Wednesdays and Saturdays when we sell professionally refurbished bikes. Your purchase of a high-quality bike also serves to support our many community programs.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 2024.

    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 September 2009.

    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.