Illinois DOGE Profile: Community Youth Development Institute

Community Youth Development Institute, a tax-exempt nonprofit that receives significant public funding to perform services also offered by the state, was approved to receive a $250,000 grant in FY2024, according to passed legislation data extracted from the Illinois General Assembly’s FY2024 budget (Public Act 102-6 0698).

This appropriation represents state-level funding authorized by lawmakers, reflecting what was approved in the budget, not necessarily disbursed. The funds cover only State of Illinois support and exclude federal, local, or other public sources.

Founded in 1996 by Pastor Aaron and Mable Royster, Community Youth Development Institute states that its mission is: “Our goal at Community Youth Development Institute High School is to prepare our students to be “CYDI Ready,” which we use as a flexible concept that encompasses both college- and career-readiness. In many cases, students will work towards both at once- many of our students graduate high school with not only their diploma in hand, but also some college credit, work experience and/or a specific industry certification.”

You can learn more about the organization at its website.

In its most recent IRS Form 990 filing filing for tax year 2024, the organization reported $2,557,910 in total revenue. Of that, $2,525,510 came from government grants including federal, state, or local sources, making up 98.7% of total revenue.

The nonprofit listed $2,555,630 in contributions overall. It also reported $30,114 categorized under other contributions, which may include restricted donations, pledges, or bequests.

At the beginning of 2024, Community Youth Development Institute had $865,490 in assets. By the end of 2024, that figure had changed to $2,094,170, indicating a significant 142% growth in overall holdings.

According to its filing, public funding to Community Youth Development Institute increased in the last year. The group received $2,194,750 in government grants in 2023, compared to $2,525,510 in 2024—an increase of 15.1% year-over-year.

However, a Chicago City Wire analysis found that IRS filings frequently contain discrepancies when compared with publicly disclosed government grant reports and budgets.

Community Youth Development Institute is one of hundreds of nonprofits across Illinois that receive substantial support from state taxpayers while also fundraising privately.

In 2025, Illinois lawmakers introduced House Bill 1266, also known as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Act. The proposal would create a new oversight body within the Office of the Auditor General tasked with identifying cost-saving measures, reviewing agency performance, and advising on audit priorities. If passed, DOGE could bring additional scrutiny and performance evaluation to taxpayer-funded organizations.

According to ProPublica, Illinois has more than 78,000 active tax-exempt organizations, including nearly 60,000 classified as charitable nonprofits. In their most recent IRS filings, these groups reported a combined revenue exceeding $156 billion.